No. XXIII. 



Printed for the Ceylon Agricultural Society. 



[Sinhalese and Tamil copies can be had free on Application. 



DHALL. 



Description. — Dhall (Cajanus indicus) known to the English as the pigeon-pea, 

 to the Sinhalese as rata- t flora, and the Tamils as thovaroy, is a shrub which grows to 

 a height of 6 feet or more. The pods are 3 to 5 inches long, J to \ inch broad, and 

 3 to 5 seeded. In the bazaars dhall is to be found in the form of spilt peas, and, with 

 other legumes, goes by the name of " parippu " ; this product being got by soaking 

 the undecorticated seed, then drying, and afterwards crushing in the ordinary " paddy 

 grinder." Dhall is extensively cultivated in India, where there are about 700,000 

 acres under this crop. The plant resists drought in a remarkable degree, and is to be 

 recommended as a restorative crop in rotations. 



Soil. — Most soils will grow dhall, but alluvial soils and medium clay loams, 

 particularly those in which there is a fair proportion of lime, suit it best. 



Planting. — In India dhall is often grown as a mixed crop together with 

 sorghum, gingelly, cotton, and even paddy. When planted alone the rows may be 

 6 feet apart and the plants 3 feet apart in the rows ; but in poor soil these distances 

 may be reduced. 1^ to 2 lb. of seed will be required to plant an acre. 



Cropping. — When the plants are 3 to 4 months old they begin to flower. At 

 6 months they should be in crop, and fit for harvesting as soon as the majority of 

 pods are mature. The plants are afterwards stripped of the pods and the seeds 

 separated out. It is not unusual, however, to gather successive crops of pods 

 immature, or mature, as required, off the standing plants. 



Yield. — Grown alone and in the good soil the yield may be as high as "2,000 lb. 

 per acre, and 500 lb. may be taken as a very ordinary yield. 



Food Value. — In India the pulse, in combination with rice, constitutes the 

 staple food of millions. It is wholesome and nutritious, but should be freed from 

 husks by soaking in cold water before cooking. 



By-products. — The husk is given to milk cattle ; the dry foliage is suitable for 

 fodder ; the stalks are used as fuel, for making baskets, wattling the sides of carts, 

 and, when well-grown, for making charcoal for gunpowder. 



C. DRIEBERG, 



Supt., School Gardens 



