CROTALARIA JT7NCEA. 



83 



Sanai is one of the kharif crops, and is sown at the commencement of the rains 

 and cut at the end of September or beginning of October. It is commonly off the 

 ground in time to be followed by a rabi crop in the same year. The seed does not 

 ripen until November, but experience has shown that the plants should be cut down 

 when in flower to obtain the best possible outturn of fibre. According to some author- 

 ities it impoverishes, and according to others it improves land, the truth lying be- 

 tween the two assertions. A rabi crop following it will certainly be inferior to one 

 succeeding to a summer fallow, but on the other will be far superior to one grown after 

 such indubitably exhausting crops as chari or maize. 



Mixtures. It is a common border to fields of juar or cotton, but is by no means seldom grown 



alone. It is sometimes used to "clean" land, since the closeness of its growth 

 efl[ectually stifles all weeds which may attempt to compete with it. 



Soils and mamires. A light sandy soil gives the tallest plants, possibly because the roots can penetrate 



deeper. Authorities differ as to whether a rich soil is necessarily required, and although 

 there can be no doubt that fertility in the soil is necessary to promote great luxuriance 

 in its vegetation, yet it cannot be contested that sanai will grow on poorer land than 

 almost any other crop. One possible explanation of this may lie in the theory that 

 plants of this order can assimilate nitrogen direct from the atmosphere, and are hence 

 less dependent on the soil for nourishment, and another explanation may be deduced 

 from the fact that its roots penetrate deeper than those of most other crops, and can 

 hence draw supplies from a larger body of soil. 



In any case ploughing in a green crop of hemp is known to add considerably to 

 the fertility of the surface soil by increasing its stock of nitrogen, and it is extraordinary 

 that this is not a general practice with native cultivators. 



Tillage and sowing. Two ploughings at most are given, and the seed is sown broad-cast at the rate of 



one maund to the acre and ploughed in. It germinates quicker than any other crop, 

 the seedlings showing above ground within 24 hours after being sown. Irrigation, 

 even when necessary, is rarely given, and no weeding is required. 



Harvesting. The tops are cut off" and given to cattle when the plants are in full flower, and the 



stalks are then cut down close to the ground with a sickle, or (in some places) pulled 

 up by the roots. When stripped of the leaves they are ready for retting. The stalks 

 are made up into bundles and placed upright for a day or two in water about a couple 

 of feet deep, since the bark on the butts of the stalks is thicker and more tenacious than 

 that on the upper portion, and requires therefore longer exposure to fermentation. The 

 bundles are then laid down lengthways in the water, and are kept submerged by being 

 weighted with earth. The time required for retting varies from three days in hot and 

 damp weather to seven days if the temperature be cool and the air dry. The longer 

 the stalks are kept in water over the proper time the more the fibre gains in whiteness 

 of colour and loses in strength. The next process is that of beating, or more properly 

 " washing," which takes the place of both " breaking " and " scutching " in the 

 European process of fibre preparation. The "washing" is effected by a man standing 

 in water to his knees, who takes a bundle of stems and perseveringly threshes the 

 water with them. The bark is split up and detached by the resistance of the water, 

 and by skilful manipulation is washed off in continuous strips, which are only connected 



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