109 



of the friable soil on the surface, and the comparatively high 

 waterlevel which necessitates on all this land the most careful and 

 thorough drainage. This shallowness of the soil leads to the 

 prevalence of " red spider " and " red rust." The former is now kept in 

 hand on most of the gardens by means of sulphur, which is dusted 

 on in the spring, and has been shown to be exceedingly effective, 

 and to cost here only five rupees per acre. Red Rust is perhaps a 

 greater enemy than Red Spider, and on most of these gardens 

 demands attention by the methods suggested in my pamphlet 

 on the subject (August 1901). The methods suggested there for 

 deepening the soil would all pay, I am confident, on this 

 section. 



Owing to the comparative shallowness of the useful soil 

 exhaustion takes place comparatively quickly, and hence manure 

 is generally necessary on all land here, which has been under tea 

 for more than a few years. The wonderful increase in yield given 

 by castor cake in 1900* (at the rate of 15^ maunds per acre) show 

 how the tea responds to the application of nitrogenous manures 

 and) in fact, I could recommend nothing more likely to be useful 

 here than an occasional dose of oil cake, either mustard or castor, 

 at the rate of 10 to 15 maunds per acre mixed with 3 maurds per 

 acre of mineral superphosphate and followed by a green manuring 

 crop in May and June of the following year. 



The following are analyses of somewhat exhausted soils, both 

 having given tea for over twenty years and needing manuring in 

 this manner in the district : 



* See page 90. 



