INDUSTRIAL USES 



ZEA MAYS 



greatly. Speaking generally it is a Atari/ crop in the plain*, sowing being 

 dependent on the rain* taking place, usually from June to 



> begins to bear green cobs (from the earlient sowing) in August, Mid 

 np.- ^raiii (from later sowings) in September, October or even N 

 On the hills tin- sowing an generally much earlier, and the higher reaches 

 .irlit-r i him the lower. In Hasara, Kullu and Simla, (or example, 

 riirlv atwinga iir.- in April mi.l M;iv. While these are the general 

 ( -ipl.-s, n-miirkable variations occur in some districts, such as Rawal- 

 pindi, where there are two widely d < Tops that correspond very 

 n.-.irly to the khnrif and rabi seasons. [Cf. Lawrence, Valley of Ka*> 

 1895, 336-7 ; Settl. Rept*. and DitL Oaz., Panjab and N.-W. Frontier; 

 Repts. Govt. Agri.-Hort. Garden*, Lahore.} 



Bombay and Slnd.The area in 1905-6 was 158,118 acres in Bombay ; 

 1,400 acres in Sim 1. In Bombay, Panch Mahals claims two-thirds of the 

 total area, 1 10,950 acres, and in Sind about two-thirds of its total are con- 

 liin-il to Karachi. Mollison (Textbook Ind. Agri., iii., 52-3) describes the 

 cultivation in Panch Mahals and the Deccan. In the former, he says, 

 " it is grown either as a rain or late irrigated crop." With sufficient rainfall 

 it does best on the rich brown soils of the district, recently brought under 

 cultivation, but rice land also suits the crop. It is usually grown alone, 

 and requires a soil deeply and carefully tilled. The land is liberally 

 manured, usually in May. " The crop tests of the Presidency show that 

 10 to 15 Ib. per acre of seed is the ordinary rate." It is harvested when 

 dead ripe. " In the Panch Mahals an average crop may be estimated at 

 1,200 to 1,500 Ib. per acre." In the Deccan it is often grown for fodder. 

 *' A heavy crop will yield over 20,000 Ib. of green fodder p : The 



cost of cultivation Mollison estimates at Rs. 13-6 per acre. [Cf. Exper. 

 Farm Repts., Bombay.] 



Madras and Mysore. The area in 1905-6 was 76,377 acres in Madras ; 

 231 acres in Mysore, but this represents a great contraction, the average 

 being about 2,000 acres. The area in Madras also shows a decrease on 

 previous years. The largest acreages were in Guntur, 37,237 ; Tanjore, 

 14,059 ; and Kistna, 12,897. Maize does not appear to be a crop of much 

 importance in South India, and it is better described as a plant of gardens 

 rather than of fields. [Cf. Cox, Man. N. Arcot, 1895, i., 269.] 



Burma. There were 94,942 acres under the crop in Upper Burma in 

 1905-6; 18,003 in Lower Burma. In Upper Burma th.- < -hi-f <ii- 

 are ordinarily Magwe, Pakokku, Myingyan, Minbu, Yamethin and Meik- 

 tila ; and in Lower Burma, Thayetmyo. There is little information 

 available regarding cultivation. It appears to be most frequently grown 

 as a mixed crop. Parlett (Sett/. Rept., Sogaing Dirt., 1893-1900) states 

 that it is " common all over kaing lands, as a rule sown sparsely in among 

 pegya" Harvest, he states, is usually completed by April 1, and the cost 

 of cultivation is estimated at Rs. 2'50 per acre. [Cf. Settl. Oper. Rept*. ; 

 Repti. Dept. Land Rec. and Agri.] 



ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL. The chief uses of this cereal are as 

 an article of human and cattle FOOD the stems and leaves being also 

 valued as FODDER. It is mainly in Upper India that the ripe grain is 

 reduced to a flour and made into bread. In some parts of the country it i 

 ground into meal and eaten as porridge, known as lapti or gathd in Bengal. 

 But, as already stated, the green cobs are extensively eaten after being 

 roasted or boiled. The ripe grain is also often parched and eaten as a mid- 



1137 78 



Bombay 



Hiri'i. 



n : 



Madras 



and 



Mysore. 



Burma. 



.--. -, 



Economic 



and 



Industrial 



Uses. 



rood. 



;:-*. 



