77 



provided you take advantage of a wet period, and it is not followed by a hot dry April sun 

 just after the seedlings are a few inches high, or the whole crop may be ruined. The same 

 remarks apply to May. Both these months are good for sowing kalai in low pruned 

 tea, as it is beneficial in keeping off er lessening the effects of blight. In June the growth 

 is very rank, and I don't think so beneficial. 



The best time of all, 1 think, is September. During October the kalai can be hoed 

 in, and a deep hoe given for the cold weather. I also believe there is i to 2 per cent, 

 more Nitrogen in the root nodules during the time the plant is forming seed in October, 

 The result is very perceptible at the commencement of the following season ; .although 

 the bushes are having a rest, the roots I believe are active during the cold weather, and 

 during the first flush the bushes have a healthy oily green colour, so that in walking over 

 a plot you can pick out the line treated with kalai from the line not so treated 



As regards the actual increase in outturn I have never set apart a plot to test the 

 increase in pounds, but a healthy plant is more capable, I take it, of giving more quantity 

 and better quality than an unhealihy one. * * * * I am planting now (August jgoi) 



70 acres with seed for deep hoeing in October. 



When first suggested, it was put on to the land at the same time 

 as is done in local native cultivation, that is to say in November. 

 The result was a very small plant which quickly went to flower and 

 seed, and which when hoed in did little good, and I doubt not, in 

 many cases, considerable harm. This was only to be expected as it 

 coniradicted all principles of green manuring only a small amount 

 of vegetable matter was produced, and this was growing and 

 abstracting moisture from the soil just at the time when it was most 

 important to preserve it. If on the other hand it be sown from 

 April to August a rank growing plant is produced, which gives 

 much vegetable matter, occupies the land when there is always or 

 nearly always excess of moisture, and fulfils every condition required. 



In successful culture it has usually been applied in April and May, 

 and certainly has in several cases been very successful. Mr. Wylde 

 at Bamgaon, Tezpur, estimated the increase in yield in 1900 of 

 about three quarters of a maund per acre on the plots treated, and 

 the cost was practically nil. At Cinnamara it has now been applied 

 for several seasons to sections of the garden, and one of the principal 

 advantages there noticed was that green fly did not appear to attack 

 the tea all the time the Mali Kalai was on the ground. During the 

 present year it has been used on several gardens in Nowgong with much 

 benefit to the condition of thesoil, and also to the health of the bushes, 



On evidence in hand at present therefore, I am inclined to think 

 that we have in the Matt Kalai an exceedingly valuable green manur- 

 ing crop. It may be planted at any time from April to August, though 



