Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 2 (2nd edition).pdf/245

 BELGAUM.

235

fixed in the centre of the threshing-floor.

chosen with a moderately strong breeze.

For winnowing, a day is stands on a

The winnower

high stool, and has the grain handed up to him in a small

Holding the basket edge,

its

when

at arm’s-length,

the heavy grain

nower’s stool, while the chaff

Before the heap of grain

is is

flat

basket.

he pours the contents gently over

in a heap at the foot of the winblown away by the wind. taken home by the farmer, he has to falls

from it perquisites to the village astrologer, to certain village servants, and to the blacksmith and carpenter, as well as to all sorts of distribute

beggars

who

If not

in the harvest season flock to the threshing-floors.

intended for seed or immediate use, the grain

is

usually stored in under-

ground granaries. In order to construct such a grain-pit, the farmer on a somewhat elevated spot, in a hard soil within or near the village, digs a narrow shaft about a cubit in diameter, and 10 to 15 cubits deep. Its sides are then hollow'ed, so as to fonn a pit with a roof of about 2 cubits thick. The floor, sides, and roof are lined with straw, and the pit is then filled with grain. Grain meant for immediate consumption is simply stored in front of the cultivator’s house, in large cylindrical baskets,

The

smeared inside and out with a plaster of cow-dung.

agricultural stock in the possession of the cultivators of State

during 1880-81 was returned at 59,414 ploughs, 174,714 bullocks, 106,957 buffaloes, 87,019 cows, 5845 horses, 159,868 sheep and goats, and 3176 asses. Of the 948,390

(khdlsd)

21,320

villages

carts,

acres under actual cultivation in 1880-81, grain crops occupied 683,308 acres, or 72 per

cent;

pulses, 102,819 acres, or io‘84 per

cent



oil-

seeds, 33,889 acres, or 3-59 per cent.; fibres (including cotton), 104,955

cent; tobacco, 6212, or o'6g per cent; sugar-cane, cent; and miscellaneous crops, 12,764 acres, per cent The current (1881) rates of daily wages are in

acres, or ii per

acres, or 0-49 per

4443 or

I

‘34

—

towns, for unskilled labourers, from 4|d. to 6d. (3 annas to 4 annas), and for skilled men, such as carpenters and bricklayers, from is. to IS.

6d. (8

labourers,

lower.

annas to 12 annas) per day. The rates paid to agricultural who are occasionally engaged in piece-work, are slightly

The work

of cotton-picking

is

left

entirely to

women, who

during the season earn about 3d. (2 annas) a day. The prices of the chief articles of food during 1881 were, per maund of 40 sers or 80 lbs. for wheat, 7s. ii^d. ; for rice, 6s. lo^d. ; for Indian millet or

—

jodr (Sorghum vulgare), spicatus), 3s. 8Jd.

—



3s.

pfd.



for Italian millet or bdjrd

for gram, 5s. o|d.



(Holcus

for peas or ddl, 6s. 8Jd.

Trade, etc Belgaum District has no railway or navigable river. There are 137 miles of bridged roads, and 631 miles of roads suitable .

fair weather traffic. The capitalists of the District are chiefly Marwan's and Brahmans, but in the town of Belgaum there are a few Musalmans who possess comfortable fortunes. Lying so far

for