428 SPICES 



CHAP. 



December and stored under soil, being kept thus till 

 April or May. During this time the plant remains 

 dormant, and the rhizomes, though watered from time 

 to time, do not send up shoots or suckers. At the time 

 of planting, they are taken up and broken up into sets 

 of suitable size. The ground used is generally forest 

 ground newly cleared and burnt ; the large logs and 

 stumps are not removed, but left to lie as they are, and 

 the rhizomes planted between them. When the South 

 West monsoon rains commence, holes from 3 to 6 in. 

 wide and deep are dug about 12 to 15 in. apart, and 

 one or more sets are put into each, covered with earth, 

 and pressed down by the foot of the planter. The crop 

 is weeded once or twice, but no other cultivation is 

 found requisite. In harvesting the crop the rhizomes 

 are dug up, stored for seed or prepared for market, as 

 the case may be. Those intended for sale are carried 

 in baskets to the nearest stream and thoroughly washed. 

 They are then boiled in spring water until they yield to 

 pressure between the thumb and finger, when they are 

 spread out on mats to dry in the sun, and then sorted 

 into classes. 



In Bengal, Mukerji points out that both turmeric 

 and ginger can be grown, not only with success, but 

 with benefit to the trees, if planted in the fruit 

 orchards. Orchard ground would otherwise be uncul- 

 tivated, and harbour insect pests. Stiff clay soils, he 

 says, are not suitable for any root crops, but the soil 

 under trees is neither too heavy nor too light ; any 

 soil which is not too gritty, stony, or gravelly will do 

 for turmeric. 



In opening up soil under trees for this plant, it 

 is desirable to plough up the ground in October or 

 November, or after the rainy season is over, and while 

 the land is in a fit state for ploughing ; one ploughing 

 and cross ploughing followed by harrowing should be 

 sufficient cold weather preparation for the crop. In 

 April, after the first shower of rain in the hot weather, 

 another similar ploughing and harrowing will render 



