March 1907 .] 



147 



Edible Products. 



able for transplanting, while there are some others which should be rejected. The 

 best varieties for transplanting are kaivara samba, mutu samba, thanga nellu, 

 sudduduru and kadippix all of which belong to Indian agriculture. By experiments 

 made kaivara samba has proved to be the best. A few indigenous varieties were 

 also experimented with, with little or no success. Of these panniti or tail paddy is 

 about the best, but it is only suitable for the consumption of man. It is not suitable 

 for horses or elephants owing to the sharp long tails attached to the grains. 

 Experiments were made with small quantities of balavi (60 days paddy) including 

 kiushu paddy, which were a total failure. The longer the life of the plant the 

 better it is. The method of transplanting can be done only once in the year as 

 over half of the year is required for each crop, while the remainder can be taken 

 up for sowing a kind of balavi or for a leguminous crop. It is always during the 

 yala cultivation that transplanting is done. By experiments made it was proved 

 that the " maha " season is unfit for transplanting with the above metioned Indian 

 paddy. Several other varieties were experimented with, but they were total 

 failures. The plants grew to the height of 5 or 6 feet, but they never blossomed. 



When the seedlings are about a month old they are transplanted. They may 

 be planted singly or in bunches of two or three at a distance of 4 to 6 inches apart. 

 A bushel of paddy is usually sufficient for an acre of land. In transplanting, the remo- 

 val of the seedlings from the nursery is usually done by men who are paid 36 cts. a day, 

 while the transplanting is always done by women who are paid 24 cts. a day. Harvest 

 Harvesting. usually commences within six months of the time of sowing. August 

 is the time the nursery should be laid, and the transplanting should be done in 

 September, and the crop harvested during February and March. After trans- 

 planting, the plants ought to be cut when they are barely ripe, as the grain drops 

 when it becomes too ripe. The straw of transplanted paddy is not very much liked 

 by cattle as the leaves and the stems of the plant grow very much larger than those 

 obtained by ordinary sowing. This straw can, however, be used for roofing 

 purposes. The yield of the paddy from an acre varies according to the richness of 

 the soil, but with really good lands and careful cultivation, the return will always 

 be between 35 and 80 fold per acre, while on ordinary land the maximum is 12 fold. 

 A yield of 80 fold has been obtained in a field in Badulla in IS'00. The superiority of 

 the transplanted paddy should also be taken into consideration. The rice from the 

 transplanted variety is good for the table, and there is also a great demand for it. 

 The threshing of transplanted paddy differs from that of broad cast sowing. The 

 former is done by men who separate the seed out, by a process of beating the 

 sheaves on the ground, while the latter is treated by cattle. 



Annexed is a statement of the average yields of the two different methods of 

 cultivation :— 



TRANS PLANTI N G . 



Extent of land where one bushel of paddy could 1 _„„ „„„„ nw .„„ aw 

 be transplanted. J one acre or one amunaui. 



Time between laying out of the nursery and 1 .n c 



harvesting / mon W- 



Expenses per bushel (including expenses incurred 1 r, . 

 in the nursery) till the time of reaping. J 



Produce per bushel ... ... ... 35 bushels. 



Price per bushel. ... ... ... Rs. 2.50. 



Value of produce ... ... ... Rs. 87 - 50. 



Profit on one bushel ... ... ... Rs. 47"50. 



Extent of land where one bushel of paddy could ) , nf „,, „„, , 

 be sown. j i ot an acre or one pela. 



Time between sowing and harvesting ... ... 4 months. 



Expense per bushel sown ... ... ... Rs. 8'50. 



Produce per bushel... ... ... ... 8 bushels, 



Price per bushel ... ... ... ... Rs. 1*75. 



Value of produce ... ... ... ... ,, 14'00, 



Profit on one bushel ,., „ 5-50, 



