I'liohl (TION ui INDIAN Ml >T\m> 



BRASSICA 



JUNCEA 

 Indian Muntard 

 the Distinctive 



Feature*. 





Microscopic 

 Examination. 



i (I.e. 76) corn-In' Ir Ins admirable account of thin specie* with 



ment of tin- main i'acts brought to light by n-oont inveetiga- 

 < or I n<l inn-mustard is the most important of the three species of 

 _TI'\MI in MiMipul. It is met with "in all the provinces except Chota 

 r. \\-li.-r-- it i-i pra.-tirally unknown, though it seems to be cultivated to 

 in Sm.-lililnuu. It is easily recognised by having none of its 

 gtem-clasping ; and. aftrr reaping, its seeds, which are brown, can be 

 distinguished from those of Tori or Indian Rape by thoir smaller size, 

 ir lii'iiiL' ilistiwtly rugose, and being reddish-brown all over. From Sarton, 

 \\ hito seeds or, less often in Bengal, brown seeds, it is equally easily 

 inguishod ; Saraon seeds are always considerably, often very much, larger, 



wlu-n brown have the seed coats smooth." 



" Thore are three subraces, a tall, late kind, and two shorter earlier kinds, 

 >f these latter roughish with bristly hairs, the other smooth with darker 

 ^tems. The taller subrace is quite absent from Chota Nagpur, and 

 n Tippera and Chittagong. The shorter subraces are quite absent from 

 ul are absent from North Bengal, except Dinajpur, and from East 

 tgal except Tippera." 



name Rat, occasionally Lahi or Li, once also Mai, occurs everywhere 

 t in Orissa, where this mustard is termed Chota Sarisha (chota = " small," 

 reference to its seeds). In various districts other names are locally applied, 

 alono or as alternative names for Rai." 



(I.e. 113) in describing the seeds of Indian mustard furnished 

 by Train, says that the testa examined under the microscope in sur- 

 pri'parations aft IT treatment with sulphuric acid and caustic soda shows 

 peculiar circular markings very readily distinguished from those of any 

 PI -a n itriiKNi<-H except n. iir*M<'i-iami (Sarepta Mustard), which, however, 

 in having a separable mucous epidermis. It may be noticed in passing 

 as a rule, it is not necessary to make transverse sections in order to demon- 

 tliis separability, because among a large number of surface preparations 

 fragments that lie transversely are always to be met with when looked 

 The colour of the testa of Rai is on the whole clearer than that of European 

 and Colza. The lumina of the cells of the palisade tissue, as indeed the 

 testa, show in section characteristic features that in practice impress 

 lives on the memory, though they could hardly be reproduced except 

 iQtography." " The quantity of mustard-oil present in Rai varies from 

 to 1O59 per cent., and gives an average in six kinds examined of 0-814 

 cent. 



Cultivation and Area. This mustard is cultivated here and there 

 iughout India, and is met with (or closely allied forms are) west- 

 to Egypt and Europe, and eastward to China. It enters directly 

 competition with Eussian mustard (It. Kensprittiifi) a plant ex- 

 .vely cultivated in South and South-East Russia (the Sarepta Mustard), 

 gh the cultivation in India is fairly extensive, it is extremely difficult Extensive in 

 rocure satisfactory information regarding the extent of production TndU- 

 .e various provinces. As already fully exemplified, the returns of 

 .pe and Mustard " are given conjointly along with those of colza 



), but it would seem certain that Bengal and Assam are the most Most 

 rtant provinces and South India the least important. In Upper 

 (the United Provinces, Panjab, Rajputana and Sind) the rape 

 becomes more important than the mustard. Duthie and Fuller, 

 int: of the United Provinces, say that this species varies very much 

 some of the kinds attaining 5 feet or more. It also varies in 

 he shape of the pod, which, usually cylindrical, sometimes becomes stout, 

 v compressed and less torulose than in typical kinds. They further 

 'Iwerve that this mustard is rarely grown alone (except in Benares), 

 is subordinate to wheat, barley and peas. It is not nearly so ex- 

 ely cultivated as rape and is usually restricted to the borders of fields. 

 Is less oil than rape (one-fourth instead of one-third) to 



181 



Mustard -oil 

 present. 



Cultiva- 

 tion. 



Important 

 Provinces. 



Rape versus 

 Mustard. 



the weight Yield of oa. 



