ment did nothing to arrest this downward progress.
It was only concerned with drawing more revenue, in
maintaining law and order and incurring war expendi-
ture.
The Royal Commission on Agriculture came to the
conclusion that a stabilised condition is reached and
a low but permanent standard of fertility is establish-
ed. It was an euphemistic way of stating that the soil
is so deteriorated that it cannot deteriorate any fur-
ther.
The deterioration of the soil in India can be judg-
ed from the comparative figures of the average yield of
wheat per acre in U.P.
Period. Yield in Ibs.
1600 .. 1555
1827-40 .. 1000 (irrigated)
620 (non-irrigated)
1917-21 .. 1200 (irrigated)
840 (non-irrigated)
1931 .. 1000 (irrigated)
900 (non-irrigated)
What a record for a modern civilised government!
A comparative estimate of the area and yield of
principal crops in India for 1940-41 would show the
deterioration at a glance:
(In Ibs. per acre)
RICE
1931-32 1940-41 Decrease.
Bengal .. 961 652 309
Bihar .. 912 519 393
C. P. .. 718 419 299
WHEAT
1931-32 1940-41 Decrease.
Bombay .. 430 385 45
Bengal .. 525 451 74
C. P. .. 429 397 32
47