Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/334

 326 LUC I have met with instances in which the well was used solely to water the tenants' fields, and their rents were either not raised at all, or to such a trifling extent that the capital expended was money thrown away as far as the lambardar was concerned. In fact making brick wells for irriga- tion purposes seems a hopeless speculation wherever the springs are above twenty-two feet from the surface, and then only when there is high cultiva- tion and a succession of crops--wheat, peas, sugarcane, sánwán, jethi dhán, tobacco—which together require water for at least six months in the year. If the wells are idle more than half the year they will not pay under any circumstances. It would appear that most men who take these advances in Lucknow do so with no enlightened views of self, interest. Some wish to please Government, not a few, it is to be hoped, desire to benefit their tenantry; the majority, as far as I have enquired, are deeply embarrassed men, who wish for a temporary advance to stave off the userer's demands for a year or two longer. Of course the load of debt is all the heavier in the long run. The system does then add to the wealth of the community, but too often it only accelerates and ensures the ruin of the landowners. Prices.—Prices have risen very much in Lucknow. It will appear from the accompanying table that in the fifteen years before annexation wheat averaged 24 sers per rupee, but during the śfteen since annexation only 19. The real rise of prices is, however, much higher than what appears from these figures. Grain is supplied now by railway from a larger area, the city of Lucknow has fallen off in population, and money is very scarce; all these causes should have cheapened food grains, but the intrinsic value of wheat compared to money has risen much more than the 20 per cent, which would appear from these tables. Statement showing the price of grain at Lucknow from the 1835 to 1870. year Year, Arhar, Barley. Peas. Wheat. Remarks. Sers. Sers. 30 265 22 291 26] 251 265 821 34 24 315 283 Sers. 263 221 29 235 22 255 23 291 400 Sers, 97 235 25$ 25 2+1 27 241 32 30 264 264 271 25] 284 31 88 27 1835 1886 1837 1838 1839 1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 1647 1848 1849 1850 1851 a 25 185 173 17 19 201 21 254 23 20 215 215 26 225 245 265 27 . 1.. 900 98 84 a43 273 23 245 24 291 25: 305 37} 34) act Et ad