Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 8 (2nd edition).pdf/508

 498 LUCKJ'O ll’ DISTRICT

mimir, and 1051b. In addition, there are the \aluable tobacco and opium and kadr/ridua or vegetable crops; of which tobacco takes up 1527 acres, opium 5623 acres, cotton 9ro acres, and the spices, as aim (cummin seed), .munf (aniseed), d/mmjya (coriander seed), 402 acres. Irrigation is carried on from rivers, tanks, and wells.

The total male adult agricultural population in r881 was returned at r 15,088, made up by 5887 landholders, 89, 574 cultit'ators, 18,756 agri- cultural labourers, and 871 estate ofﬁcers. Number of cultivated acres to each male agriculturist, 3'01. The population entirely dependent on the soil,however, numbered 3r 7,5 5 3, or 45 ‘5 7 per cent. of the total population of the District. Of the total area of 9896 square miles, 9131 square miles are held revenue free, and the remaining 898': square miles are assessed for Government revenue. or the assessed area, 495 square miles were returned in 1881 as under cultivation, 1687 square miles as cultiv- able, and 2 34' 5 square miles as uncultivablc waste. Total Government assessment, including local rates and cesses levied upon land, £83,843, or an average of 5s 35d. per cultivated acre. Total rental paid by culti- vators, including rates and cesses, £r 54,082, or 8s. roﬁd. per cultivated acre. These are the rural rates. In the neighbourhood of towns, rents are much higher.

The cultivators are almost all deeply in debt, and under advances of seed grain from their landlords. Wages have remained stationary in the country, but in the torms they have decreased, owing to the departure of the Oudh court, and the consequent diminished wealth and population of the city. Ordinary agricultural labourers receive about rid. a day in money, when not paid in grain. Artisans, such as smiths and carpenters, receive dd. a day for work in their own villages, or 6d a day if called away from home. Prices have risen much of late ymrs. The average rate in Lucknow city {or wheat (the staple crop) during the ﬁfteen years preceding annexation, was :4 :er: per rupee, or 45. 8d. per mm, while during the ﬁfteen years subsequent to annexation (1856-70), it was 19 mar per rupee, or 55. rid. per out. Barley has risen from 36 urr per rupee. or 3s id. per out, during the fifteen years 1841-55, to :9 rtrs, or 3:. rod. per cat, in the ﬁfteen years 1856-70. In 1883 the price for wheat was returned at 18 rerr per rupee, or 65. 3d. per cwt. ; barley, so rerr per rupee, or 55. 7d per cut; and common rice, :4} scrr per rupee, or 75. 9d. per CWL The real rise of prices is, however, much higher. Grain is supplied now by railway from a larger area, the city of Lucknow has fallen OH in population, and money is very sauce 3 all these causes should have chenpened food. grains, but the relative value of wheat compared with money has risen much more than would appear from these ﬁgures.

Tmurrr.—Luttknou' is mainly a District of small proprietors. In