The Commercial Products of India, authored by Sir George Watt and first published in 1908, is a comprehensive reference work that serves as an abridgment of his earlier, more extensive Dictionary of the Economic Products of India. This publication was produced under the authority of the Secretary of State for India in Council and spans over 1,100 pages, providing detailed information on India’s vast array of commercial products derived from plants, animals, and minerals.

Watt’s work meticulously catalogs nearly 800 entries, encompassing a wide range of substances such as agricultural crops, medicinal plants, fibers, oils, dyes, and timber. Each entry includes scientific and vernacular names, descriptions of properties, uses in domestic and medical contexts, and trade statistics. The book aims to present this information in a manner that is both scientifically accurate and practically useful for commercial and industrial purposes.

The significance of The Commercial Products of India lies in its role as a pioneering effort to document and systematize the economic botany of the Indian subcontinent. Watt’s extensive fieldwork and collaboration with numerous contributors enabled him to compile a resource that not only reflects the rich biodiversity of India but also underscores the integral relationship between its flora and the socio-economic fabric of the country.

Sir George Watt’s The Commercial Products of India is an invaluable resource for understanding the diverse and economically significant products of India. Its detailed and methodical approach provides insights into the utilization of natural resources in India, offering a historical perspective that continues to be relevant for researchers, historians, and those interested in the economic botany of the region.