INDIAN AH I . \ 



CICER 



ARIETINUM 



Cultivation 



11 <>n the sandy soils of many tracts of the province, especially as a 

 crop with wheat. Of Montgomery district it is observed there 

 both spring and autumn crops. It is not grown in the hill districts, a 

 mnted for by some through the curious belief that the crop has 

 I iillinity for litihtning and is in consequence often destroyed 

 it. In most of the Panjab districts, on the other hand, it is believed 

 Kimire is harmful to gram. It is sown in October and reaped in 

 ch and April. Christmas rains are beneficial, but if heavy rains fall 

 spring tin- crop is believed to be much injured. As a rule gram is not 

 .died by an autumn crop. The plants are "topped" by hand in 

 to cause them to branch. But like other rabi crops it is ordinarily 

 >t \vfi-ded. The chief districts are Ferozepore, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur. 

 - i:>'pt. Exp. Farm, Lyallpur, 1901-2, 17^8.] 



Bombay and Sind. Mollison (I.e. iii., 73-8) gives a useful account 

 this pulse as cultivated in Bombay Presidency. He mentions four 

 MS distinguished by the colour of the seed, namely black, dark red 

 brown, yellow to yellowish-red, and white to creamy. He remarks 

 it the first three are often grown mixed but that the yellow of Gujarat is 

 ;er than that of the Deccan and when sold pure commands a higher 

 rice than the mixed pulse. The white is met with in Ahmednagar and 

 iv, Mollison thinks, be the Kobuli gram already repeatedly mentioned. 

 ic area of production depends on the extent of the rain that falls in 

 eptember and October when abundant, the area is increased. It is 

 )\vn on the same class of soils as wheat, and the two crops are often 

 iterchangeable. Gram is a fairly important crop in the Deccan and 

 iurnatak. It is grown in three ways : (a) as a dry crop in deep black 

 and is then usually the sole crop of the year ; (&) as a dry second 

 >p following rice, and occasionally (as in the Panch Mahals) as an ordinary 

 crop after kharif maize ; and (c) as an irrigated crop liberally manured 

 id regularly watered. In Bombay gram is rarely grown as a mixed crop 

 nth wheat or barley, though it is often lined with lineseed or safflower. 

 is everywhere recognised as a valuable rotation, and in addition to 

 titrating the soil it forms such a dense surface herbage as to kill weeds 

 id in that way improves the soil. The usual seed rate is about 40 to 

 Ib. an acre. [Cf. Crop Exper. Bomb., 1895-6, 6.] It is sown in October 

 id November and ripens in February to March and April. Experiments 

 erformed at Poona Experimental Farm (1895, 10-11) confirmed the 

 eputation of the advantage in nipping off the early green buds. But 

 frequent cultivation of gram on the same land causes liability to 

 sease. Cold is harmful, frost fatal. Cloudy weather and heavy rains 

 ring the setting of the fruits are alike harmful. Many experiments 

 ive been performed (reported under Crop Experiments) to ascertain 

 le cost of production and incidence of assessment. In 1896-7 two fields 

 lirrigated were tested and gave the total value of produce as Rs. 17-12-0 

 >r the one and Rs. 15-15-9 for the other, the assessment showing an in- 

 ience of 12'67 per cent, in the one and 16*45 in the other. These fairly 

 epresent the average of all results, though no calculation could be applic- 

 )le to the whole Presidency since the conditions and necessities vary 

 so greatly. [The Experimental Farm Reports teem with interesting 

 particulars regarding this crop, and should be consulted.] 



flerar. There is nothing of any material importance to add re- 

 garding this province to the particulars already recorded under the 



299 



Mixed drop*. 

 Two Crop*. 



BMMM, 



Not weeded. 



Bombay 

 and Sind. 

 Chief Forms. 



Gujarat Grain. 



Production. 



Chief Crops. 



Rarely Mixed 

 Crop. 



It kills Weeds. 



SlMSHILS. 



Early Buds 

 nipped oft. 



Cost of 

 Production. 



Berar. 



