HORTICULTURE 167 



The plants should be watered almost daily till they take root, 

 and then they can be watered once a week during the first 

 year, or in exceptional cases, for two hot weather seasons. 

 The plantation should be thinned and all crooked plants 

 removed, leaving 1,500 plants to the acre. The trees will bo 

 ready for cutting in 1 years, and will fetch about Rs. 750 td 

 1,000 per acre at 8 annas per tree. In the intervening years 

 the proceeds from the loppings of the side branches, etc., 

 will defray all expenses such as hand-watering, etc. After 

 the plantation is cut, about 50 per cent of the roots will 

 put forth fresh shoots, and when the dead roots are dug 

 out, a groundnut crop may be raised in the interspace. 

 The ratoon plantation will also be ready for cutting in 

 10 years. 



Batavian Orange Gardens (Oircars). 



Seeds are collected from ripe fruit of fairly aged trees, 

 mixed with ashes and dried in the shade for about a week. 

 These are then planted in a seed-bed about an inch apart. 

 When the seedlings are about 6 inches high, they are lifted 

 and transplanted in a second nursery about 6 inches apart. 

 Here they are kept for 3 years or even more. Seedlings 

 about 3 years old are available at Rs. 50 per 100. These are 

 transplanted 15 to 16 feet apart, or 150 or 200 plants to the 

 acre depending on the nature of the soil. Plantains are also 



Elanted to give shade to the young transplants. The trees 

 egin to bear seven years after permanent transplanting. A 

 mixture of red earth and sheep manure is considered to be a 

 very good manure. On the borders of the gardens, limes, 

 pumelos, citrons are always planted. Along the water 

 channels very, good pint apples are also grown. On an 

 average each tree gives about 200 fruits worth about Rs. 5, in 

 the garden itself. The garden gives full produce for about 

 20 years. 



Babul Topes. 



Land intended for babul topes may be either sown, or 

 trees may be allowed to spring up naturally from seed passed 

 by sheep or goats which have browsed over the land.. The 

 seed possesses a hard coat which unless scratched or poundecj 

 in some wav may interfere with germination. No further 

 treatment of the land is necessary, and the plantation may be 

 left to itself. The rate of growth depends upon the soil 

 and the tope may be mature in anything from 10 to 20 years, 

 ie., be of a size sufficient to afford marketable timber. 

 The grazing under babul is generally good, and the pods 

 themselves are a valuable and nutritious food. 



