CROPS 71 



WATER MELON. 



(Citrullus Vulgaris.) 



Tamil ... Pic^a pazham : Karbuja. 



Telugu Kalangadi pandu : Pucca 



pandu. 



Kanarese Baccangayi. 



Tulu Baccangayi. 



A large green water melon with dark mottled green skin 

 and pinkish flesh with black seeds. 



The ripe fruits are sold in the hot weather in the bazaars. 



LADIES' FINGERS. 



(Hibiscus esculentus.) 



Tamil Vendaikay. 



Telugu Bendakaya. 



Kanarese Bendakayi. 



Tulu Bendekayi: Bendayi, 



This is grown as a small percentage in a mixture in vege- 

 table and other gardens for the sake of its unripe fruits. It is 

 nowhere very extensively grown, though found all over the 

 Presidency, especially near Targe towns. It has been recom- 

 mended as a u trap crop " for cotton pests. 



Seed-rate — 5 to 10 lb. when the crop is to be transplanted. 



SWEET-POTATO. 



(Jpomcea Batatas,) 



Tamil Sakkaraivallikizhangu or 



Chinikizhangu. 



Telugu Genusugaddalu. 



Malayalam Chakkarai kizhangu. 



Kanarese Genusu. 



Oriya Kondamulo. 



Tulu Kerang. 



A white skinned and a red skinned variety are known. 



The crop is grown extensively throughout Madras as a 

 garden crop, preferably on deep sandy soils. The mature 

 vines are cut into lengths with generally three nodes, and 

 planted on ridges or flat beds. Care must be taken to see 

 that the spreading plants do not root at the nodes. It is 

 commonly used as food, either cooked in curry or boiled, 

 roasted or fried. The vines are good cattle food. 



Seed-rate— 20,000 to 35,000 sets per acre. 



Yield— 8,000 to 12,000 lb. per acre. 



