Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/168

160 KHE Sugarcane is the only one of the above which calls for special notice. Kheri, although generally so backward, produces more sugarcane than any other district. The cause of this lies principally in its vicinity to Sháhjalánpur, a great sugar emporium, and the place where Messrs. Powell's factory distils the greater part of the rum used by soldiers and civilians in India. The cane grown about Haidarabad is also of very superior quality and in demand, at the top price, for making candy Rice is grown in Kheri in a very slovenly way; transplantation is almost entirely unknown, and the crop is consequently more un- certain than in other districts. A species called karmand rice, of the best quality, is grown in small quantities in Oel, Paila, and a few other villages. The soil suits it admirably. In every respect the Kheri rice is unsurpassed The principal kinds of rice are anjana and jarhan, beat the latter includes a great many species. The Partabgarh article gives details which are also appropriate for this district. Wild rice (pasábi) is common in all the jhils. No embankments have been made to protect from floods in any part of the district. It is doubtful if they could be made, but in many places channels for carrying off the flood waters might be dug to the great advantage of the rice crop. The latter dies if the tops are submerged more than a few days. Along the banks of the Chauka many thousands of acres of rice are ruined every year. Rice is grown on matiár or clayey land, which requires to be moistened by a shower before it can be ploughed; if therefore the June rains are late, the area sown is much diminished. Turmeric is much cultivated in Palia, Bhúr, and Khairigarh; the rent is four or five rupees per acre. If turmeric is not sown the rent is only two or three. It is planted in light, almost sandy, soil. The roots are dug up and boiled for two days in earthen pots over fires lighted in the fields. The culture was only introduced about twelve years ago. The price has been gradually falling; it was seventeen rupees per maund for the dry boiled root; it is now about ten. The raw root can be pur- chased at two maunds for the rupee. A good crop is 2,000 lbs. per acre. The ginger is a coarse stringy variety, and the Oudh druggists import from Jamaica whatever they require for essences, ayrups, and aerated waters. There are several kinds of ghuiyán (arum); one, which was introduced from Sháhjahán pur and is grown at Muhamdi, is a nourishing root, of which the produce is about forty maunds per acre. Great quantities of excellent tobacco are grown in Dhaurahra, Nighásan, and Firozabad, particularly Dear villages, or, better still, on the sites of those which have been abandoned. Rents for tobacco lands reach Rs. 18 A good crop will be 500 tbs. of dry leaf. The price of the best is about six lbs. for the rupee. No remark need be made about barley or wheat, except that the former is not eaten by black buck or nil-gáe, and is consequently exclusively sown per acre.