I 360 ] 



such land should be chosen, whence water flows out naturally 

 and readily. Manuring is scarcely ever done for ginger or 

 turmeric, but a maund of ashes and 3 maunds of oil-cake per 

 acre would benefit both these and the trees under which they 

 are grown. The manuring should be done soon after planting 

 and before earthing. Two hand-weedings or hoeings are 

 necessary, one in July and the other in September. The root 

 should be lifted up after the leaves have completely withered 

 /'. e. in December and January. Same small sections of the 

 roots should be set apart for seed. These before being 

 planted in April or May should be kept under a heap of 

 damp straw to hasten sprouting. The rest of the turmeric roots 

 should be cut into two if too fat, dried and then boiled in 

 water mixed up with cow-dung. As soon as the water begins 

 to boil the boiler is to be taken down from the oven, and the 

 turmeric taken out afterwards and spread out in the sun. 

 The heap should be stirred and turned two or three times 

 a day, and when the smaller sections have become quite dry 

 they should be separated out leaving the fatter sections to 

 dry for another day or two. Daily in the evening the tur- 

 meric exposed to the sun should be rubbed, the rubbing 

 making the roots clean and smooth. 



537. The outturn of turmeric (boiled and dried) comes to 

 about 16 maunds per acre, and of fresh ginger about 50 

 maunds, but as much as 50 and 150 maunds per acre respec- 

 tively have been sometimes obtained. The ginger can be 

 sold off in the undried state at about Rs. 4 per maund, while 

 dry turmeric may fetch as much as Rs. 5 per maund. The 

 cost of cultivation comes to about Rs. 50 per acre, in either 

 case. 



Other crops that grow well in shade are piper longum 

 (pipul), arrowroot, ground-nut, and rhea. 



