434 
Supplement to the "Tropical Agriculturist." [J)jc. 1, 189 i. 
upper and tender parts, leaving the hard portions 
in the feeding-vessels. Bat subsequent trials 
have proved that the stalks when green and soft 
are very much liked, and devoured greedily, thus 
obviating the use of dry straw or hay. 
The area under cultivation of Reana having 
been small, I did not allow the entire crop to be 
used for feeding the animals, but set aside only 
a few rows of plants to be cut from time to tiiu>\ 
simply to watch and determine the subsequent 
growth. It was found, however, that the plants 
so cut from time to time, being tender, were 
much relished by the animals ; and the mo.'e the 
plants were cut, the more bushy the rest becanv. 
They seeded in December last, i.e., after thirteen 
months from the time of sowing, when the seed 
was gathered and plants cut down. The manner 
of seeding was almost the same as that of Indian 
corn or maize. In general appearance and habit 
the plants resembled these, but the colour was a 
little lighter. 
A second trial is being made with this crop. 
Hence no conclusive report is possible until the 
season is over. However, it may not be unin- 
teresting if I say a few words respecting the 
current experiment. In April and May last about 
an acre of land was under repeated ploug ings, 
although the soil had been too hard to be worked 
well until the first shower of the season, which 
fell on the 5th May last, rendering the land 
somewhat arable. The next day it underwent a 
first ploughing, in which three ploughs were 
engaged. This shower was followed by a second 
on the 7th May, which helped the ploughman a 
good deal in working the soil. It mined a third 
time on the 9th of the same month, giving an 
impetus to the operation of re-ploughing. On 
the morning of the 11th instant the plot under- 
went the last ploughing, followed by the seed 
being sown broadcast, and the soil levelled by 
means ot country moi. The quantity of seed used 
was 1\ lb. 
Sorghum Vulgare was also sown in a large area 
of land. It is largely cultivated in and around 
the city for feeding cattle, horses, and elephants. 
This brought to me the idea of comparing it with 
Heana Luxuriant and of determining the ad- 
vantages of either. Both these crops received 
like treatment, but Sorghum was not found to be 
equal iii merits and in advantages to Heana in 
more respects than one. The plauts of Sorghum 
make a very tall growth without forming into 
bushes, notwithstanding all care and attention 
paid to them. Each seed of Sorghum may 
produce a tall plant, while that of Reana produces 
handsome bush of from ten to twenty and some- 
times fifty or sixty plants. This is an advantage 
which nobody can deny. Moreover, Heana is 
highly preferred by animals. I have particularly 
noticed that animals, meaning thereby my plough 
bullocks, refused to eat Sorghum when they were 
at the same time served with Reana. Secondly, 
the former seldom sends out shoots a second time 
after it has been cut, while the latter makes a 
fresh growth with a greater number of shoots or 
stalks. Thirdly, the young stalks of Sorghum 
are not given to cattle or other animals unless the 
plants become, at least, half matured, for it is 
known among the ryots that the young shoots 
are apt to produce stomachic disorders. For 
these reasons all who take an interest in Indian 
agriculture should sxert all their influence and 
power in having Bean* widely introduced in the 
various parts of the country. lis richness in 
saccharine matter is another inducement for 
which it should be grown. From practical 
experience 1 am able to say that the labour and 
expense of cultivation though very little, are fully 
recompensed. The secret of success lies in tin- 
time of sowing and cutting, and in in ig.it ion and 
weeding. 
To keep up a constant supply of this valuable 
crop it is necessary to sow the seed in succession, 
so that before one plot of laud i* cut the second 
will be ready, and so on. This will no» only save 
the farmer from getting straw or hay from the 
market, which are both very subjwi to fluctu- 
ations, but would enable the animals to ha\e 
fresh green fodder every day. Another udvantage 
of giving them green food i-s that they eat it in 
a shorter time and with greater ease, than they 
eat dry food, while they feel less thirst ia 
consequence of its containing a large amount of 
water. Thirsty animals are subject to various 
complaints, for they drink indiscriminately any 
water that may be available and given to them, 
in the mofussil in particular, where polluted tanks 
are common: and it is advisable to allow the 
animals as little of such water as possible. 
The cultivator should, however, be particular 
in noting that Heana is an exhaustive crop, like 
sugarcane and others of the tribe, and therefore 
should have new fields every second year at 
least, or the old ones must be highly manured 
and deeply ploughed. Nitrogenous manures 
appeared to me to be the best, for they have 
the power of forcing a crop to rapid growth. 
The slower the growth, the harder and tougher 
will be the stalks, and the less palatable the 
leaves. The dung from the stables, which con- 
tains much nitrogen, should be collected by every 
means for the successful growth of the crop. 
Irrigation becomes necessary when the monsoon 
is over and the soil is dry. One watering every 
week or two, according 10 the necessity of the 
soil, should be provided for. To deprive the 
plants of sufficient moisture will be to render them 
stunted and meagre, as well as hard and stiff. 
My crop of Heana has been cut this season 
from the 1st September, and by this time the 
remaining roots have begun to make a fresh 
growth, and I expect a second cutting by the 
end of October. — Indian Agriculturist. 
» 
SALT AND SALT LANDS. 
In small quantities salt is no doubt a very 
valuable constituent in the soil. It serves as an 
insecticide and is also hygroscopic, while it helps 
to dissolve the more valuable ingredients of the 
soil. Many cultivated plants such as cabbages 
and mangel-wurzel have sprung from wild plants 
growing by the sea, and are hence especially 
benefited by the use of salt as a manure. 
Onions, the growth of which is also favoured 
by salt, probably originated from a wild stock 
found growing in salt desert regions. Salt 
is, besides, employed to check rank growth 
whether produced by the inherent nature of the 
soil or by the application of certain manures, 
such as Nitre. Salts of Potash and Magnesia 
have a general tendency to increase the weight 
