Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 10 (2nd edition).pdf/38



26 MURSHIDABAD. Census of 1881 as each containing a population of more than 5000:MURSHIDABAD CIty, population 39,231; BARHAMPUR, 23,605; KANDI or Jamu-Kandi, 10,661 ; JANGIPUR, 10,187 ; BELDANGA, 5455. The last is a mere aggregate of rural villages. Other places of some importance are—the river marts of JIAGANJ and AziMGANJ, situated opposite one another on the Bhagirathi ; BHAGWANGOLA (Old and New) and DHULIAN on the Ganges; the railway stations of MURARAi and NALHATI The urban population appears to be steadily decreasing. In 1872, 6 towns contained a population exceeding five thousand, with an aggregate of 108,472 inhabitants. In 1883 there were only 5 towns exceeding five thousand, containing a total urban population of 89,139, or 7'2 per cent. of the total population of the District. This decrease, although largely owing to the falling off in the population of Murshidábád since that city ceased to be a metropolis, is also due to the decay in the weaving trade, caused by the introduction of English piece. goods. The interests of the District have now become almost purely agricultural, instead of manufacturing Sites of historical interest include KASIMBAZAR, with the neighbouring ruins at Kalkapur and Sayyidábád; BADRINAT or Ghiásábád, RANGAMATI, and the battle-field of GHER1A, The towns and villages are thus classified according to size in the Census Report :-Out of a total of 3585 villages, 1712 contain less than two hundred inhabitants; 1266 from two hundred to five hundred ; 463 from five hundred to a thousand; 121 from one to two thousand; 13 from two to three thousand ; 5 from three to five thousand; and 5 more than five thousand. As regards occupation, the Census Report returned the male population under the following 6 classes :-(1) Professional and official class, 14,662; (2) domestic servants, inn and lodging-house keepers, etc., 14,329; (3) commercial class, including bankers, merchants, carriers, etc., 21,869 ; (4) agricultural and pastoral class, including gardeners, 201,090; (5) manufacturing and industrial class, 61,046 ; and (6) indefinite and non-productive class, including male children, 273,487. Agriculture.—Rice constitutes the staple crop throughout the District; the á man or late rice being prevalent in the western half, and the dus or early rice in the eastern. To this latter tract also are mainly confined the second or cold-weather crops, consisting of wheat, barley, and many varieties of oil-seeds and pulses. It is estimated that these latter crops nowhere form more than 10 per cent. of the food supply, and in some parts only 3 per cent. Jute is but little grown; and the cultivation both of indigo and mulberry for silkworms is on the decline. The area now under mulberry is estimated at about 17,000 acres. The use of manure and the practice of irrigation are limited to the Rárh or western half of the District. Water is conducted over the fields from tanks or