178 



The stems of each stool are ten or twelve in mimber, which are 

 reduced to five or six bv the most weakly of them being now re- 

 moved. The healthy canes are to be tied with one of their own 

 leaves, two or three together, to check their spreading ; and this 

 binding is repeated as required by their increased growth. 



In the absence of rain, the trenches are filled with water once 

 a fortnight. 



"Vi'hen the Pufta-jjiitfi is to be kept for a second crop, the dry 

 leaves cut ofi" in the crop season are bttrnt upon the field, and this 

 is dug over, and trenches filled with water, and diuing six weeks 

 the plants watered once in every six or eight days (unless rain 

 faEs), and the digging repeated three times, dimg being added at 

 each digging. The after-culture is the same as for the fii'st crop. 



Tn the Upper Provinces, Dr. Tennant says, if moderate showers 

 occtir after planting, nothing more is done until the shoots from 

 the sets have attained a height of two or three inches. The soil 

 immediately around them is then loosened with a small weeding 

 iron, something like a chisel ; but if the season shotild prove dry, 

 the field is occasionally watered : the weeding is also contintied» 

 and the soil occasionally loosened about the plants. 



In August, small ti'enches are cut through the field, with small 

 intervals between them, for the ptu^pose of draining off the water, 

 if the season is too wet. This is very rec^uisite, for if the canes 

 are now supplied with too much moistiu-e, the juice is rendered 

 watery and unprofitable. If the season happens to be dry, the 

 same dikes serre to conduct the irrigating water through the 

 field, and to caiTy ofi" what does not soak iato the earth in a few 

 hours. Stagnant water they eonsi'ler very injurious to the cane, 

 and on the di-ains being well contrived depends iii a great 

 measture the fat Lire hope of profit. Immediately after the field 

 is trenched, the canes are propped. They are now about three 

 feet high, and each set has produced from three to six canes. The 

 lower leaves of each are first carefully wrapt up around it, so as 

 to cover it completely in every part : a small strong bamboo, 

 eight or ten feet long, is then inserted firmly in the middle of each 

 stool, and the canes tied to it. This secures them in an erect 

 position, and facditates the cu-ctdation of the air. 



Hoehig cannot be repeated too frequently. This is demonstratd 

 by the practice of the most successful cidtivators. In Zdla, IS". 

 INIooradabad, in April, about six weeks after planting, the earth 

 on each side of the cane-rows is loosened by a sharp-pointed hoe, 

 shaped somewhat like a bricklayer's trowel. This is repeated six 

 times before the field is laid out iu beds and channels for irriga- 

 tion. There, likewise, if the season is imusually dry, the fields 

 in the low grotmd are watered in May and June. This sup- 

 poses there are either nullahs, or ancient pucka wells, otherwise 

 the canes are allowed to take their chance, for the cost of 

 making a well on the uplands is from ten to twenty rupees — 

 an expense too heavy for an individual cidtivator, and not many 

 would dig in partnership, for they woidd fight for the water. 



