166 HORTICULTURE 



Plantain Gardens. 

 [This note refers to the practice which prevails in the Cauvery valley. -i 



The land is leased for three years : pits are dug about 1\ 

 feet apart, and in the month of October, 750 suckers to the 

 acre are planted. Drains are dug between every alternate 

 row in both directions, dividing the land up to into a number 

 of beds. After one month, the field is dug over thoroughly 

 some six times, i.e., every alternate month. Fencing has to 

 be attended to, and manure — generally a mixture of cattle 

 manure and tannery refuse— is applied four months after 

 planting. The trenches are deepened, and irrigation attended 

 to, and the removal of side suckers from May onward, and the 

 earthing up of the trees is carried out. . 



Bunches appear in October and November, twelve to 

 thirteen months after planting, and are collected until 

 February. Meanwhile, only one new sucker has been left 

 and the land is dug over, but only twice during the second 

 year, in February and June : manure is given after the first 

 digging. The second crop is obtained from October to 

 February. Towards the end, suckers are not removed, the 

 object now aimed at being to get plenty of leaves which are 

 eventually cut and sold in June, when the whole crop is 

 removed. A crop of paddy is taken before the land is 

 handed back to the lessor. 



Casuarina Topes. 



Usually poor sandy soils of upland tracts are put u^ider 

 casuarina cultivation. Ripe fruits from old trees are 

 gathered in the hot weather, put in earthen pots and kept in 

 the sun. The fruits burst and the seeds are then carefully 

 dried and stored. Twelve ounces of seed sown on 100 

 square feet will supply seedlings sufficient to transplant one 

 acre. The seed is sprinkled evenly on the surface of the 

 nursery and covered thinly with ashes and cattle manure. 

 The plot is then covered with straw, leaves, etc., and 

 regularly watered. The seeds sprout in 8 to 10 days. Care 

 should be taken to keep weeds and ants from the nursery. 

 After three months, the seedlings should be transplanted in 

 another nursery and they are finally removed for planting in 

 the field in 6 or 8 months, i.e., when they are less than 3 feet 

 high. 3,000 to 4,000 small pits are dug with mamuty in an 

 acre 3' to \\' apart, kept exposed for a time, and then hand- 

 watered just before planting. The pits are not manured. 



