Edible Products. 



434 



[May 1909. 



township of the Kyaukse district and 

 the Billugyun and Zaya Townships of 

 the Amherst district is superior to the 

 grain of any other localities. Ripest 

 and best seeds, of the best ears, of the 

 best plants, if possible of the localities 

 known to yield good grain should be 

 selected for sowing and should be sown 

 with extreme attention to every circum- 

 stance that can improve their pro- 

 ductiveness and thus establish the un- 

 known 'pedigree' variety. 



In connection with this subject the 

 cultivator might advantageously note 

 that short straw sorts are desirable for 

 highly cultivated lands, and early ripen- 

 ing sorts for late growing localities, 

 while hardy sorts are suitable for 

 hazardous climates. 



After the seeds have been set with 

 due precaution regarding water in the 

 nursery, the land intended for trans- 

 planting should be properly levelled so 

 that the irrigated or rain water may 

 nourish the plants equally. The seed- 

 lings are generally ready for trans- 

 planting in about forty-five days after 

 the seeds have been set ; but the time 

 for transplanting should be known from 

 the stench of the mud ; unless the mud 

 in the nursery shows signs of decompo- 

 sition and gives out a stench, the 

 seedlings should not be transplanted. 

 It should be remembered, however, that 

 the seedlings of Kyaukkyiu paddy must 

 be transplanted within forty-five days, 

 for if they are not transplanted and 

 allowed to remain in the nursery after 

 the forty-fifth day they will not give 

 a good return. 



The seedlings should be transplanted 

 in lines at 6 or 8 inch intervals, and at 

 the same distance from each other, so 

 that each plant may have a sufficient 

 space of ground to grow upon. If prefer- 

 able, seedlings may be transplanted in 

 triangles at the distance of or 8 inches 

 from each. This is preferable in dry 

 localities, where irrigation is the only 

 source of water-supply, as it will be 

 found easier for withdrawing the stale 

 water. Whether the seedlings are trans- 

 planted in squares or triangles, it must 

 be remembered that the best returns 

 are only attainable when there is prac- 

 tical approach to giving every plant a 

 clear space of ground to grow upon. 

 When each plant is in its own square or 

 triangle it has room to expand and draw 

 nourishment from the soil and the air 

 with greater facility. 



The usual time for transplanting in 

 Upper Burma for Kyaukkyi is in Wazo 

 or Wagaung (about July), for Kyaukkyiu 

 in Kason or Nayon (about May), and 

 for Mayin in Pyatho or Tabodwe (about 

 January). 



The climate of Lower Burma being 

 generally damp after the seeds are set 

 so much precaution is not necessary, and 

 the only hint required is to always trans- 

 plant when the mud begins to give 

 forth a stench on or about the forty- 

 fifth day after the setting of seed. 



The costof transplanting may be rough- 

 ly calculated at Rs. 4-8-0 or Rs. 5 per acre, 

 assuming that four men at 8 annas each 

 are required to take out the seedlings 

 from the nursery and eight women at 6 

 annas each to set the plants. 



After the seedlings have been trans- 

 planted caie must be taken to maintain 

 a depth of at least 2 inches of water in 

 the first month and inches from the 

 second month until the grains show 

 signs of hardness, but it is not necesary 

 to change the water as was the case 

 while the plants are in the nursery. As 

 soon as the grains show signs of hardness 

 every particle of water should be with- 

 drawn and the crop left alone until ready 

 for reaping. In Lower Burma the rains 

 generally cease when paddy grains come 

 to maturity, so that there is no occasion 

 for drawing out water as in the case of 

 the irrigated districts of Upper Burma. 



In Upper Burma the Kyaukkyi crop 

 is reaped in Pyatho (about December), 

 Kyaukkyiu in Wagaung (about August), 

 and Mayin in Tagu (about April). In 

 Lower Bui ma the shangale crop is reaped 

 in Tazaungmon or Nadaw (about Novem- 

 ber), if seeds are set in Nayon (about 

 June), and Kyaukkyi in Pyatho (about 

 January). The cost of reaping and 

 threshing the grain may be roughly cal- 

 culated at Rs. 4-8-0 or Rs. 5 pe^ acre, 

 assuming that four men at 10 annas pet- 

 head per diem are required to reap and 

 tie into 240 sheaves, three carts to 

 convey the sheaves to the homestead 

 or threshing- ground at 4 annas each, 

 two bullocks at a cost of one rupee to 

 tread out the heap of sheaves, and 

 one man at 8 annas for winnowing. 



In Upper Burma the yield of Kyauk- 

 kyi crop trom an acre of first-class 

 land is about 50 baskets, from second- 

 class land 35 baskets, and from third- 

 class land about 25 baskets. The yield 

 of Kyaukkyin from an acre of first- 

 class land is about 00 baskets, and 

 second-class 40 baskets, and from third- 

 class about 30 baskets. The yield of 

 Mayin from an acre of first-class laud 

 is about 50 baskets, from second-class 

 land 30 baskets, and from third-class 

 land about 25 baskets. In Lower Burma 

 an acre of first-class land yields from 

 40 to 60 baskets, an acre of second-class 

 land about 30 to 35 baskets, and an acre 

 of third-class land from 15 to 25 baskets. 



