Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057352).pdf/89

 PAR 81 ago, a far greater growth of sugarcane than is now to be seen in any part of the district. 3) 40 .. 181 01 B. Poppy.-The cultivation of the poppy (Papaver somniferum) being under the close superintendence of the opium department, the extent to which it has increased, and the rate at which it is increasing can be accurately ascertained. The following figures furnished by the opium officer of this circle exhibit the area under poppy in 1860-61, as compared with the present year. The ratio of increase is no less than 606-6 per cent. Acres. Sown with pappy in 1860-61 Ditto ditto 1870-71 1,289 Notwithstanding the past increase exhibited by these figures, I am by no means prepared to say that the cultivation of poppy is particularly popu- lar. The last year's export of opium from the Partabgarh district has been returned at 900 maunds, representing at four rupees a ser, the price paid to the cultivator, the sum of Rs. 1,44,000. The extraction of the drug is a troublesome and dirty process. When the flower falls off, and the capsules attain a sufficient size, the opium is extracted. This is done by means of longitudinal incisions and inspissation, Tobacco.-Tobacco is a very fine crop in this district. It is grown wherever the locality and water are favourable. It flourishes on high lands, and more specially on old ruined sites, and it requires abundant well water, which should possess saline properties: Sweet water, or water from tanks and ponds, is held to be injurious the growth of good tobacco. From a retum which was prepared in the settlement department last April, I find that there are about 1,177 highas, or 736 acres, grown with tobacco. The average outtum per standard bigha is five maunds four- teen sers, or eight maunds twenty-two sers per acre; and the average rent for tobacco land is Rs. 10-13-6 per acre. At the ordinary selling price of seven sers for the rupee, the gross value of the produce of an acre may be set down at Rs. 48-14-4. Deducting expenses as below :- . Bent of one scre, Ploughing, Manuring, Eight waterings, Weeding and loosening the earth about the roots Rs. &, P. 10 13 6 6 1 3 3 12.12 9 1. 120 Total, Rs. 28 € 6 the average clear profit on the acre amounts to Rs. 20-13-10, and this figure is, I believe, very moderate. I trust that the receiit experiment of introducing the American tobacco-seed may prove successful; for I can- not but think that, with moderate care, the yield will be a safe and highly profitable source of income, 11