The Jute Trade of Dundee

The Cultivation of Jute

(from the 1899 Dundee Year Book)

How the Plant is Grown

Day by day and week by week the subject of jute figures very largely in these columns, especially in those devoted to commerce, and rightly so where so many of us are directly associated in its manufacture, and so many more indirectly dependent on the prosperity of its trade. In this article I will not concern myself with the state of markets, nor with prophecies as to crops and the hundred and one other matters which interest the business man. Rather will I devote myself to depicting with pen and pencil what I have reason to believe is not at all widely known – viz., the country and climate and the conditions of life under which jute is cultivated, together with the varied processes to be gone through before we arrive at the “bale of jute” so familiar to every Dundonian.

Do we all know that part of India where jute is found? Here is a map which will show it at a glance. This corner of the British Empire is broadly speaking, the one and only part of the world where jute is grown, and what is more singular, the only place possible. This vast delta of the Ganges and Brahmapootra, as large as Great Britain, with its annual heavy rains and inundations, and warm humid atmosphere, fulfils together with the cheap labour available, the conditions under which jute can be successfully cultivated. It may be interesting to remark that this part of India is that in which rice is most largely grown, and precisely that in which cotton is not found. The river Brahmapootra flows through the heart of the Jute district. Let us take a sail up in one of the comfortable river steamers. When we say river the untraveled reader must dismiss any idea of comparison with the Tay or the Thames. Their hundreds of yards must be reckoned here in miles. Perhaps no better idea of the extent of these great streams and the flatness of the country can be conceived than by looking up the river and observing that the water alone marks the horizon line, the banks and trees actually sinking below the line of vision. As we approach the banks what a dazzling mass of green verdure meets the eye, and how the handiwork of man and nature blend harmoniously.

The march of modern industry has not as yet scarified the earth’s surface. There are no castaway tins and broken crockery strewn about, and no pill advertisements. Beside the main streams, the country for miles around is broken up with innumerable creeks and nullahs. The cultivator is glad if he can find a dry place for his hut. Such is a short description of the jute country.

Now I venture to assert, that very few people, even those living in Dundee and engaged in the staple industry, have any exact idea as to what jute is, Corcorus Sp., to give its scientific name (the word jute is of doubtful origin), is a long wand of 8 to 10 feet in height, and of the thickness of one’s finger at the bottom, the product of which I am treating being the skin stripped from of the stem. 

The ground where jute is to be sown – and that never exceeds 20% of the cropped area in any single district – is ploughed and harrowed in the winter months, not ploughed into ridges, of course. And sowing takes place in the months of April, May and June. There is what is termed an early and a late crop, depending principally on the district in which it is grown. But sowing takes place during these three months and in the same way reaping goes on from July to October inclusively. The ground is turned over several times, and the ploughman uses probably the same implement which his forefather of 2000 years ago used. Needless to say, the soil is all of the same nature – alluvial deposit of the great rivers and devoid of stones. The illustration shows the plough and the method of using it. It is ingeniously contrived with ropes to a little and prevent rigidity. The yoke rests on the necks of the bullocks, and the animals push with their humps. There are no buying and selling of seed. Each cultivator leaves a patch of jute to ripen and furnish his necessity for the following year. When the plant is a foot and a half high, thinning takes place and the remaining stems are about six inches apart. When flowering it is ready to be cut; if allowed to remain after that the jute deteriorates rapidly.

The process of cutting is clearly shown in the illustration, and describing such a simple operation would be superfluous. Those operations which follow however, are the most interesting in the preparation of the plant. After cutting, the leaves have to be rotted off, so that they may be easily removed by passing the hand along the stem. In places where the jute is growing on comparatively dry ground this is easily accomplished by the cutter placing them in bundles overlapping each other. On ground which is under water the bundles are stacked for a few days. The jute is now immersed in water for a period varying from 10 to 20 days. Rafts are made and weighed down with mud or anything handy, so that it may all be in water. The latter may be jheel water, which is merely inundated country, or it may be the stagnant water of a tank, which the native prefers.

In lower Bengal it is only necessary to dig a hole in the ground to form a tank and not only every village but every collection of huts has its convenient water supply. Stagnant water which has been used to steep jute in has a strong and rather offensive odour which is not noticed in the fibre itself and such water is useful as manure.

The cultivator having by several tests ascertained that the process of steeping or retting is accomplished, the fibre is now ready to be separated from the stem. In some districts this is done by stripping individual plants with the fingers. In other parts and perhaps the commonest way, it is done by beating. The operator standing up to the middle in the water, seizes the matter of 20 stems in his left hand, and with a flat mallet in his right, he beats them level at the end. Then he gives them a few smacks, deftly turning the bundle with the left hand meantime. He then breaks the bundle about 18 inches from the end – first one way and then another.

A few more smacks and the short sticks at the end fall out, leaving the fibre clear. This, the operator takes in both hands and with a few vigorous jerks, separates it from the remaining portions of the sticks. A wash in the water and a wring completes the operation – the fibre to be hung on a bamboo rail to dry, and it is ready for the market.

 The stems are stacked up to dry, and are then used for light fencing and cover for the cultivation of the betel leaf. Various experiments have been instituted by the Department of Revenue and Agriculture to ascertain if improvement in the fibre might be possible by noting the effect produced by cutting at various periods of growth, by the differences resulting from the uses of flowing or stagnant water, and from the beating or hand processes of separation; but without resulting in any change of custom. Machinery for the separation of the fibre has never gone beyond the incipient stage.           

Bringing Jute to Market

It will hardly be necessary to say that there is no communication between the actual grower and the consumer. In a country like India, with its intricacies of usury, there are several middle men who have each to touch their percentage. There are capitalists called arradurs and pykers, who advance money to the ryots or cultivators; beparis, who come between these and the brokers of the European agencies; and, again, the Baboo, employed on the agencies, who exacts his small proportion of the purchases.

Native markets, or hâts, are scattered over the country. To these to jute is brought by boat and cart in small bundles called paties and moras, the latter being a neatly rolled bundle of 10 lbs weight. From thence it is either made into drums for despatch to Calcutta markets or sent to the agencies for sorting and bailing.

The buyers of Jute are the European firms and Marwari merchants. The latter are a rather ignoble-looking race from a district of Rajputana, and who have the same reputation here that the Jew money lender has at home. They are widely scattered all over India and beyond, and exceedingly active as financiers, middlemen and traders generally. In Calcutta, as in this country, they are the principle native dealers in Jute. Adjacent to the Exchange crowds of them may be seen any day in eager discussion. 

Life at a jute agency is a pleasant change of duty for six months of the year, and the post of agent is very frequently occupied by a Dundee man. The post is one of some responsibility, and consists mainly in overlooking the work of others and taking instructions from the Calcutta house of when and what to buy. The agent has his worries, but, as compensation, as long as he is up country he is his own master, with a furnished bungalow all to himself. There are probably two or three other Europeans in the station beside himself, and they naturally join forces to while away otherwise weary hours.

Before proceeding up country he engages servants, two or three of whom he will take from Calcutta. He requires a cook; a mosaljee, or washer of pots and pans; a khansammah, who keeps the food and sets the table; a bearer to look after his clothes and keep the house in order; a bhistee, to carry water; a mehter, to sweep; and a dhobee, to wash clothes. One good Scotch servant lass could do the whole thing, and perhaps do it better. But in these matters we are more the subject than the dominant race, and are the servants of our servants. On the work of the agency there are employed two or three Baboo clerks and some durwans, or guardians, who are on the establishment permanently. The coolie labour is given out to contractors, who perform what would be a next to impossible task for Europeans of gathering the men together and keeping them in order.

Long rows of huts, called coolie lines, are made for the latter to live in. The Baboos enclose themselves and families within a high palisading, as shown in the picture. There is probably no class in the world whose women are kept in more rigid seclusion.

In all the buildings of an agency the chief article of construction is the bamboo. In some cases, there is scarcely anything else used. It would be easier to describe what the Hindoo cannot do with it. The agent has a bamboo matting to cover his floor, and a stouter matting to divide his rooms from each other. His morning’s milk may be brought in a can formed from the thick end of a stout bamboo.

Here is an illustration to show that the spiritual needs of the coolie are not neglected. (a coolie shrine)

Sorting and Shipping Jute

Purchases having been effected in the interior, the jute is sent in to be sorted and pressed, sometimes by cart, but mainly by boat. The first illustration shows a cargo of ‘moras’ being landed on the Brahmaputra. Usually the sellers are paid on the same day, and for that purpose a large stock of silver has to be kept in the safe, for rupees only are current in the country.

It is an interesting sight to see half a dozen natives squatted on their heels laying out 5000 rupees in piles of twenties.

Jute is sorted out into four qualities, or rather into three, for first and second are laid together. In reporting on the quality to the head office the percentage of first, second and third are given thus, 20-30-50, or 15-25-60, as the case may be.

After being sorted the jute is taken to the presshouse, and made into the familiar bale either by steam or hand press. Two pictures of the latter are given. A strong iron box is filled with the required five maunds and rolled on rails below the screw. It has a moveable bottom, and when the bale is nearly pressed the box is removed to be refilled while the ropes are being bound round. The coolies are on piece work here, and they furnish a good display of manual dexterity and handiness when turning out 15 bales an hour. The illustration shows in what manner the screw is worked. Half-a-dozen men pull the rope round at each side, and the arms are gradually lengthened out. Coolies invariably sing a chorus when working together. One of their number drones a word or two of unintelligible jargon, and the rest reply with “Heigh Ho,” pulling or lifting at the same time.

The baled jute is taken down to the mills in a corrugated iron warehouse built on a barge, otherwise the familiar “flat” of the Bengal rivers. One or two of these are navigated through the numerous channels in tow of a steamer for the purpose.

The north end of Calcutta along the river bank is where the great jute mart of Hautkola is situated. There also are the jute presses and screwhouses, conveniently adjacent to the river and the Port Trust Railway. Immense quantities of jute are imported and exported here every day.

Along the shore is a perfect maze of huge country boats, some with their bamboo frames, landing and shipping drums; others taking in bales for loading a big four-master down the river, together with flats and small fry too numerous to mention.

The jute clippers lie below the bridge, about three to four miles from this part of the river and are supplied with their cargo by the boats which are shown in the picture.

Steamers as a rule take in their cargo at the docks, the afore-mentioned Port Trust Railway running their waggons alongside or if necessary to warehouse, the waggons can also be run alongside behind the vast sheds. The bales at the docks are handled much the same way as at home, but in the country and at Hautkola Bazar they are carried on the head, which is, in fact, the general way of carrying any burden in this country. Six or eight coolies stand round a bale and hoist it onto the heads of two or three of them, who again shift it so that one head is in the middle and one each at two opposite corners. When the coolie carries drums he requires no special covering for his head, but when he is carrying bales he constructs an erection like that shown in the adjoining sketch.

Transcribed from the Dundee Year Books 1899

By Iain D. McIntosh