58 SCIENTIFIC REPORTS OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 



waterlogging was to restrict the roots to the upper layers 

 during the first few months of growth and to change the 

 general character of the root system. The development of 

 the tap root is soon arrested and later in the season one of 

 the laterals after bending takes its place. When the sub- 

 soil is more porous, the effect of waterlogging before sowing 

 is less. 



Selection. An important discovery has been made and 



utilized in the selection work in progress on Java indigo. 

 Some time ago it was observed that if any set of August 



sown seed plants is cut back during the early hot weather, 



there is a great range in the capacity of the individuals to 



form new growth. There is every gradation between 



abundant and rapid new growth and the development of 



weak wilted branches. 



Seed production. For the fifth year in succession, the 



continuous Java indigo plot in the Botanical Area yielded 



a fine crop of seed in spite of an unfavourable season due 



to the heavy rains in August just after sowing and to the 



early cessation of the monsoon in September. This plot 



has never received any artificial manure nevertheless the 



seed crop continues progressively to improve. A good crop 



was also obtained on a field lent by the Dholi Estate. In 



this case also no artificials were applied to the land and the 



present is the third crop of indigo seed which has been 



raised during the last three years. 



In connection with these field results, the effect, on the 

 growth and seed formation in this crop, of alterations in 

 the soil texture was investigated by the modified system of 

 pot culture described in a paper read at the Indian Science 

 Congress at Lahore. 1 In this method, the soil conditions 

 down to a depth of two feet can be altered by the addition 

 of such aerating materials as sand, broken tiles and leaf 

 mould or a combination of these substances. The effect on 

 the growth and seed formation is given in Table IV where 

 the results are expressed in grammes in terms of 50 plants. 



1 Agricultural Journal of India, Special Indian Science Congress Number, 1918,. 

 p. 36. 



