Java in the time
of the company. It was so much neglected during the administration of
Governor Daendels, that the exportation ceased. It however revived
subsequently, and in 1823 the exports were close upon 17,000 lbs. In
1826 it had risen to 46,000 lbs. In the single province of Westbaglen,
about 60 square miles in extent, 86 indigo factories were established
in the course of seven or eight years. In 1839, the exports of this
dye-stuff from Java were 588,764 kilogrammes, valued at 71/2 million
francs.

It has been found by experience that a good soil is essentially
necessary for the plant, and the indigo transplanted from elevated
grounds to the rice fields succeeds better and yields more coloring
matter than when raised direct on the spot from the seed. The
residencies of Cheribon, Baglen and Madura, are those in which the
crop succeeds best. From being so exhausting a crop, and finding it
prejudicial to their rice grounds, they are gradually abandoning
indigo culture in Java, and about two-thirds of the indigo plantations
have within the, last year or two been replaced with sugar.

The value of the Java indigo is set down at 250 rupees (L25) per
maund. If this be the average price, and it cannot be manufactured
lower, Bengal has little to fear from Javanese competition. The
product of indigo rose from 276 maunds in 1825, to 28,000 in 1842, and
the quantity sold by the Dutch Trading Company in the last-named year
was 10,500 chests, of about the same dimensions as those usually
exported from Calcutta.

Some further statistics of the culture in Java are shown in the
following returns of the quantity exported:--

lbs.
1830 22,063
1835 535,753
1839 595,818
1841 913,693
1843 1,890,429
1851 769,580
1852 838,288

The produce in 1848 was 1,151,368 lbs.

1840. 1841.
Residencies in which this culture is introduced 9 10
Number of factories 728 728
Families occupied with this culture 197,085 192,159
Extent of fields where the cutting has been made
in _bahas_ of 71 decametres 40,844 38,829
Quantity of _bahus_ planted before the gathering 317 538
Quantity of indigo crop in pounds 2,032,097