1 myself prefer April and May, and is hoed in about six weeks after, 

 when it forms a mass of green foliage at least two feet high. Some 

 planters have had difficulty in growing this crop owing to the 

 extreme poverty of the land. Mr. Buckingham particularly notes in 

 a letter to me the difficulty of getting the crop to grow on poor land. 

 In this case it would be wise to put on a slight dressing say one 

 ton per acre of farmyard manure before sowing the seed of the 

 Mali Kalai, when probably a very luxuriant growth will occur. 

 Another trouble seems to have been the difficulty of hoeing in the 

 crop when grown, but this is overcome by giving an extra deep hoe 

 for the time of year, when the crop goes in very satisfactorily. To 

 quote Mr. Hutchison again : 



Its application is comparatively cheap and easy. During its growth you can 

 dispense with one round of the hoe, which about pays for the kalai. In fact if you hoe 

 the kalai in 6 weeks after sowing, the extra deep hoe then given will do for another 6 

 weeks. Thus we have one hoe in three months and benefit derived. These remarks 

 apply more to the sowings in the early part of the year. 



The cost of application is very small. Mati Kalai seed rarely 

 costs more than five rupees per maund, and half a maund is about 

 sufficient for one acre. The seed is broadcasted after rain and 

 left. It is said, however, to possess deeper roots if covered up at 

 the time of sowing. The plant is not appreciably injured by the 

 coolies walking among it for plucking purposes. 



There are two or three cases in which such a green manuring 

 crop as we are discussing seems particularly useful. The first of 

 these is in connection with uprooting and replanting. After 

 uprooting the land should be ploughed and at the earliest oppor- 

 tunity Mati Kalai seed put in say in May. This crop will then 

 be hoed or ploughed in by the end of June. A second crop is 

 sown in August and hoed in at the commencem e nt of October, 

 and the land is ready for planting again the following cold weather. 

 If replanting be then carried out with liberal use of farmyard or 

 cattle manure, I have very little fear of failure of plant. Of course 

 two year old plant should be used, and allowed to grow a year after 

 planting before being pruned to 6 inches. Mati Kalai is also useful 

 on land which has been cleared and is not yet planted. Such land 

 deteriorates very quickly if left bare, but a crop of Mati Ratal* 

 in the rains, will keep a large amount of the valuable material in 

 the soil which would otherwise escape. 



* Sensitive plant ( Mimosa pudica) has also been recommended under these circum- 

 stances. 



