CONTEMPLATED NK\V \URAS 



CORCHORUS 



Cultivation 



luctiuii. Complaints have been heard of the expansion not being as 

 ipid as could In- desired. It this l>r tin- case it seems possible there may 

 no other causes than the indifference of the cultivators. In fact with 

 i rail jind river facilities of transport the expansions of the past 

 ind everv chance <>t heing not only main! ained hut even enhanced 

 Iterially. 



Soil, .lute seems to be capable of cultivation on almost any kind of 

 ill. It is least successful and almost unprofitable, however, on laterito 

 id opm gravelly soils, and most productive on loamy soils or rich clays 

 lived with sand. As already observed, ('. olitoriim n-.|irires higher 

 id than ('. ru/tsularift, but there is something as yet unexplained 

 it controls the production of these two forms of jute and restricts them 

 their respective areas. Speaking generally, the finest qualities of 

 tsu/tn-iN are produced on homestead lands (suna) such as that 

 [iiired for atw-rice, pulse and tobacco, which crops are accordingly ro- 

 ited with the finer qualities of jute. The coarser and larger kinds are 

 \vn chiefly on soli lands, that is to say the chars or mudbanks and 

 lands formed by the rivers, and on completely submerged (bil) lands or 

 ,-en salt-impregnated soils, such as those of the Sundribans, but most 

 such inferior lands are better suited for C. otiforiits than for C. 

 firis. It has been said that the best quality of jute is obtained 

 mi loamy soils. Clay soils give the heaviest yield, but the plants of such 

 )ils do not ret uniformly. Sandy soils produce coarse fibre. Plants 

 jwn on inundation lands produce surface roots that injure the fibre of 

 ic portion of the stem from which they arise. Leather is disposed 

 think geographical and climatic influences are possibly of more value 

 lan the composition of the soil. 



NEW AREAS. A hot damp climate, in which there is not too much actual 

 especially in the early part of the season, seems the most advantageous 

 steorological requirement. Both climates and soils apparently identical with 

 ose of the Gangetic and Brahmaputra valleys have on more than one occasion 

 en pointed to as hopeful new Indian areas, but still failure has so far resulted 

 >m the efforts made to extend cultivation into these. Mr. B. S. Finlow (Jute 

 zialist to the Government of Eastern Bengal and Assam, to whom reference 

 been made above) has published an account of a tour conducted with a view 

 investigate the possibility of extending the cultivation of jute in India to new 

 Bihar, he thinks, holds out the best prospects of success. But the efforts 

 . this direction have passed beyond the experimental stage, as the crops obtained 

 been good and the area an expanding one. Outside Bengal, the climatic 

 editions in Madras he thought more favourable than in other parts of India. 

 ie Malabar coast, South Kanara, and the deltas of the three great rivers, the 

 adavari, Kistna and Kauveri, were ideal centres. Bombay was less favourably 

 ituated but the experiments with the irrigated fields of Sind would be looked 

 with interest, and it was possible that the irrigated districts of Poona, the most 

 sterly portions of the Deccan, and the Karnatak, and the higher lands in the 

 Lonkan might be found suitable. Lastly, in the Central Provinces, experiments 

 lade at Nagpur had given indications of success and were well worth perse- 

 aring with. [Of. Bull. Agri. Research, Inst. Pusa, 1906, No. 3.] Jute has been 

 id is being tried in America (Dodge, Useful Fibre Plants of the World, 1897, 

 -33), in Mexico (see below under Trade), in Africa, Algeria, Formosa, etc., 

 long many other countries, with but indifferent results. Of Persia, Lord Curzon 

 (Persia and the Persian Question, 1892, ii., 497) says that it is cultivated and used 

 for making sacks, but the amount of fibre available, he adds, is insufficient, 

 hence a steady import from India takes place. Fresh efforts are, it is under- 

 stood, being contemplated in the Congo valley and in the Gold Coast, and these 

 may be successful if cheap labour with the required knowledge and indispensable 

 perseverance can be ensured. The alarm recently expressed regarding commercial 

 production of jute in Hongkong may possibly be explained through the supplies 



413 



Future 



i.-.ji UHM.M. 



Soil. 



Controlling 



Clay Soils and 

 Heavy Yield. 

 Sandy Soils and 

 Coarse Fibre. 

 Inundation and 

 Surface Hoots. 



New 

 Areas. 



Bihar. 



M;idr;uS. 



Bombay. 

 C. Prov. 



Mexico. 

 Persia. 



Congo. 



