INDIGO. 



469 



to that depth at least. Experience teaches that the finenesa of the tilth to 

 •which the soil ia reduced previously to the seed heing committed to it, is one 

 rery influential operation for the obtaining a productive crop. Yet in some 

 districts of Bengal, particularly about Fru-udpore, the solving is performed 

 without any previous ploughing. This is where the river, when receded, has 

 left the soil and deposit so deep, that about October, or a little later, the seed 

 being forcibly discharged from the sower's hand, buries itself, and req^uires no 

 after covering by means of the rake or harrow. 



In Tirhoot they are indefatigable in this first step of the cultivation. Mr. 

 Ballard says, that the preparation of indigo lands should co mm ence in Sep- 

 tember, as soon as the cessation of the rains will permit ; and as we do not 

 rely on rain for our sowings (as is the custom in Bengal and elsewhere, and 

 irrigation is never resorted to, from the heavy expense attending it), our 

 principal aim ia to preserve as much moisture in the fields as possible. They 

 should receive, for this purpose, not less than eight ploughings, besides a 

 thorough tm-ning up with the spade, after the fourth ploughing, to clear the 

 field from stubble, grass and weeds. It is absolutely indispensable to get all 

 this done on our light soils, especially before the end of October, and have the 

 land carefully han'owed down, so as to prevent the moisture escaping. 



Should there be heavy rains between the interval of preparing and sowing, it 

 will be necessary to turn the fields up with either one or two ploughings, 

 and harrow them down as before. If only a slight shower, ranning the harrow 

 over them will be sufficient to break the crust formed on the surface, and which, 

 if allowed to remain, would quickly exhaust the moistm-e. This, with the 

 occasional use of the weeding-hook, is all that the lands will require till the 

 time of sowing. — (" Transactions of the Agri.-Hort. Society of Calcutta," 

 vol. ii., p. 22.) 



Sowing. — The time when the seed is committed to the soil varies in different 

 parts of India, and, even in the same place, admits of being performed at two 

 • different seasons. The periods of sowing in Bengal are first immediately after 



the rains, from about the latter end of October. The rivers are then rapidly 

 retiring within their beds, and as soon as the soft deposit of the year has 

 drained itself into a consistency, though not solid enough to keep a man from 

 sinking up to his knees in it, they begin to scatter the seed broadcast. This 

 is continued until the ground has become too hard for the seed to buiy itself; 

 the plough is then used to loosen the crust, and the sowing continued to about 

 the middle, or even the end of Xovember, from which period the weather is 

 • considered too cold, imtil February. These autumnal sowings are called 



October sowings, from the month in which they generally commence. Much 

 of the plant perishes during the months of December and January, and 

 more again in the spring, unless there are early and moderate showers. The 

 crop that remains is not so productive ordinarily in the vat, as that obtained 

 from spring sowings, and some think the quality of the produce inferior. But 

 there is no expense of cultivation, and the liabilities of the crop to failure are 

 such a discouragement to cost and labor in rearing it, that the October sowing 

 is followed by most planters who can obtain suitable land. The second period 

 of sowing is the spring, with the first rains of March, or even the end of 

 February. The land having been measured and placed under its slight course 

 of tillage during the two or three preceding months, is sown broadcast as soon 

 as the ground has been well moistened, or even in prospect of approaching rain. 

 The quantity of seed used for this autumn sowing is generally more than what 

 ifl considered requisite for spring sowing ; six seers at the former and four at 

 the latter season per biggah, in Bengal, is the quantity usually allowed. 



Some cultivators commence the autumn sowing as early as at the close of 

 September, or as soon as the low lands are in a state to permit the operation 

 after the inimdation has subsided. This seed time may be said to continue 

 imtil the end of December, and the crops from these sowings often yield an 

 average produce, if the lands are not very low and wet. If they are, the 

 sowing had better be delayed until January, or even February, for the 

 crops n-om these latter sowings are usually the most productive, and the d-^e 

 obtained from them the finest. The object for thus delaying the sowing is, 

 that the young plants may have a more genial season for vegetation. Those 



