1838.] of the protected Sikh States, 755 



The seed is soaked in water for three days, then strained and again 

 soaked till the radicle begins to sprout. The seed beds are about three 

 feet wide and twelve or fourteen long, from north to south, so that they 

 may be sheltered by hurdles from the prevailing winds (west or east). 

 In each bed about half seer pukka, of seed prepared as above, is sown, 

 and is sufficient to sow from half to two bigas kucha according to 

 the growth. 



After sowing the germinating seed they are daily watered in the even- 

 ing till they sprout above ground which is generally the third or fourth 

 day. Sown in Chyt, it is transplanted as soon as there has been a good 

 fall of rain in Asarh or Srawan into fields, and watered as soon as planted, 

 and subsequently every ten or twelve days as may be found necessary. 

 It is ready for cutting the following Jeth, and again in Mangsir, again in 

 Bysakh and then in A'san, and so on. After the first annual cutting 

 it is well manured and watered, but after the autumnal one it is left alone 

 till the Hull when it is again manured to be ready for cutting the follow- 

 ing month. Thus treated it will continue to be productive for ten or 

 twelve years. 



When cut, the leaves are beaten off the twigs, and about a pukka mun 

 is produced from a kucha biga, and is sold at the rate of six to fifteen 

 seers a rupee. 



Towards the foot of the hills, Jculti ( Dolichos unifiorusj, and the 

 s&wank ( Panicum frumentaceum ) ', are moderately cultivated*. 



In both these tracts the sugar-cane is cultivated extensively, but in a 

 very careless way. It is sown in March or the end of February as soon 

 as the frosts have ceased, in large fields, not in lines or with any 

 regularity, and is generally surrounded with a hedge of ticar, ( Cajanus 

 bicolorj, which is sown when the canes are set. The only care taken 

 is to prepare the ground by frequent ploughing s and a quantity of 

 manure depending on the supply from the village sweepings and the 

 laziness or activity of the cultivators. On the first fall of rain after the 

 young plants begin to sprout (in the end of March or April) the caked 

 surface of the ground is broken either by means of a wooden mallet or 

 a small hoe. The cane is seldom irrigated, never unless when a small 

 canal (khdl) from one of the torrents, or ogals passes near them and 

 consequently the crop is almost entirely dependent on the rains. It is 



17 villages. Thence they were driven forth, and after sundry migrations are 

 now settled in the following places : — 



1 Chaurira; 2 Iragarh, near Patiala ; 3 Yara, near Shah£bad; 4 Indri ; 

 5 Thanesar ; 6 Deorana, near Ambala ; 7 Mustafabad ; 8 Sadhoura ; in the 

 Sikh states. And Lakhnauti in the Mozaffarnagar district. 



* Both of these are extensively cultivated in the hills. 



