132 JUTE AND SIMILAR FIBRES 



of C. capsularis, which vary in the colour of the stem 

 and leaf-stalk, in the shape of the leaf, the height of 

 the plant, degree of hairiness, size of flower, shape 

 and number of valves of the fruit, and in the time of 

 flowering. 



Each species possesses red- and green-stemmed 

 races ; it is said that the green form of C. capsularis 

 yields the best fibre. C. olitorius is more widely dis- 

 tributed in India than C. capsularis, but is never 

 cultivated when the latter can be grown, as it yields 

 a less valuable fibre and takes longer to come to 

 maturity. 



CLIMATE 



Jute flourishes best in the hot damp climates and 

 humid districts of the tropical and sub-tropical zones 

 with a rainfall of 50 inches or more. After the 

 plant has become well rooted, it is not injured by 

 flooding of the land, and will even grow luxuriantly 

 when half submerged in water. On the other hand, 

 a swampy soil and excessive atmospheric humidity 

 are by no means necessary ; the crop can be grown 

 with success on land that is never flooded, provided 

 that the soil is kept moist by rain or irrigation. It is 

 desirable, however, that there should not be much 

 heavy rain, especially at the time of sowing and during 

 the early part of the season. The best conditions are 

 alternate sunshine and rain ; excessive rain is not 

 harmful after the plant has reached a height of two or 

 three feet. When there is water standing at the roots 

 or covering the land, thfc, plants tend to produce 

 surface roots, which injure that portion of the stem 

 on which they arise and consequently render the fibre 

 less valuable ; drought, on the other hand, causes the 

 plants to be stunted, and in dry districts the fibre 

 produced is harsh, woody and brittle. 



SOIL 



Jute can be cultivated on almost any kind of soil ; 

 but lateritic and open gravelly soils, and light sandy 

 soils, are unfavourable. Clay soils give the largest 



