74 AGRICULTURE IN SIKHIM. 



NOTE ON AGRICULTURE IN SIKHIM. 



Rice, chum, unhusked rice, rad. There are 12 kinds of rice 

 grown in Sikhim — 



1, hbras-chung, grown in damp land, in which it will mature, 

 but is better for being transplanted when about 12 inches high into 

 irrigated ground. It is the earliest crop, being sown in December and 

 harvested in March. 



2 and 3, la-dmar and san-kha, are grown in the lower valleys, and 

 seldom seen above 4,500 feet. The cultivation is similar to that in the 

 plains : the plants are sown in nurseries, and transplanted when large 

 enough into irrigated ground. These are sown in August and cut in 

 December. 



4 to 12, rang-ldan, tso-hbras, dbang-hbras, khab-hbras, hdam- 

 hbras, phag-hbras, kho-smad, kha-hzis and rtsong-hbi'as, are grown 

 on dry land, that is, not irrigated. The best ground is that which 

 has lain fallow for some years, and on which there is a heavy under- 

 growth of jungle. 1'his is cut, burnt and carefully dressed, and 

 excellent crops are obtained. These are sown in March and cut 

 in August. 



From one measure of seed in good ground the yield varies from 

 twenty to fiftyfold. 



La-dmar, san-kha and hbras-chung are considered the best varieties. 

 Paddy husking is only done by each house as required, and is carried 

 out in a most primitive fashion. The paddy unboiled is placed in a 

 hollow piece of timber called htsom, and pounded with a long wooden 

 mallet called htsom-phu. 



The preparations made from rice are — 1, marwa; 2, dbyon, a kind 

 of rice-cake fried in butter; 3, a-rag, a spirit ; 4, hbras-sgnos, parched 

 rice; 5, hbo-dker, boiled and parched rice; 6, hbras-su, chura. 



Other crops — 



Bhoota, kin-rtsong, of which there are four kinds, distinguished 

 by their colour — viz., white, red, yellow, and black. Almost any soil 

 will do and any elevation up to 6,200 feet. This is the staple food 

 of the Paharias. In low-lying laud it is sown in March, and according 

 to elevation in the high grounds as late as May and June. 



The quantity obtained varies from twenty to hundredfold. 



Ilarwa, me-chag, a millet. There are 13 kinds— Bsam-shing, 

 shags-chag, sga-ser, mang-dkar-ma, bze-hbogs, tsigs-nag-ma, phags- 

 tgy^o^) dung-dkar-ma, gong-tses-ma, dker-hjom-la, sla-gsum-ma, ser- 

 rgyug-ma, ma-la- dkar-mo. 



These are sown in March and cut in July and August. The 

 yield varies from forty to one hundred and fiftyfold. 



