1918 51
1919 49
1920 70 (spot)


It is necessary to state that the assorting and balings are
generally so uniform that the trade can be conducted quite
satisfactorily with the aid of the usual safeguards under contract,
and guarantees regarding the properties of the fibre.

After these assorting operations are completed, the jute fibre is
made up into bundles or "bojahs" of 200 lbs. each, and two of these
200 lb. bundles are subsequently made up into a standard bale, the
weight of which is 400 lbs. This weight includes a permitted
quantity of binding rope, up to 6 lbs. in weight, while the
dimensions in the baling press of the 400 lb. bale are 4'1" X 1'6" X 1'
4".

[Illustration: FIG. 4 NATIVES CARRYING SMALL BALES OF JUTE FIBRE
FROM BOAT TO PRESS HOUSE]

Large quantities of the smaller and loosely-packed bales are
conveyed from the various places by boats to the baling houses or
press houses as they are termed. These are very large establishments,
and huge staffs of operatives are necessary to deal rapidly and
efficiently with the large number of bales. In Fig. 4 scores of
natives, superintended by a European, are seen carrying the smaller
bales on their heads from the river boat to the press house. It is,
of course, unnecessary to make the solid 400 lb. bales for Indian
consumption; this practice is usually observed only for jute which