384 
A JOURNEY EROM MADRAS THROUGH 
CHAPTER 
VI. 
July 25, &c. 
Palm- 
gardens. 
\ 
The betel-nut or Areca gardens were here of some importance ; 
but during the terror occasioned by the last Marattah invasion, 
many* of them, from want of care, perished. Several are now re- 
planting. The situation that is reckoned most favourable for them 
is a black soil, which contains calcareous nodules. It differs from 
' * 
that in which cotton is raised, by having the lime-stone a cubit 
or two deep ; whereas the cotton requires it to be at the surface,. 
For Areca gardens the people here do not approve of that ground 
which contains water near the surface ; for they say, that the pro- 
duce of such soils is of little value. The gardens at this place are 
watered from reservoirs, from canals, and from wells by means of 
the Capily. The trees are remarkably fine. 
To make a new garden, in Srdvana , the 5th month after the vernal 
equinox, plough four times. Then with the hoe, called Yella Ku- 
dali, form the garden into beds six cubits wide. Between every 
two beds is a raised channel, for bringing a supply of water; and in 
the center of each bed is a deep channel, to carry off what is super- 
fluous. The beds are divided into plots ten or twelve cubits long. 
Then plant* the whole with shoots of the betel-leaf vine (Piper Betle), 
and for its support sow the seeds of the Haluana , Agashay , and 
Nugay. Then surround the whole with a thick hedge, and once a 
day for three months water with a pot. Whenever weeds grow, 
they must be removed ; and at each time the betel-'vines must get 
some dung. Between every two rows of the vines, in the 4th 
month, is put a row of young plantain trees ( Alusa) . Once in four 
days afterwards the water is given from the reseivoii oi well. In 
six months the vines must be tied up to the young trees. At the 
same time, for every TVocula- land, 3,000 nuts of the Areca must be 
planted near the roots of the vines. When they are three years 
old, a thousand of them will be fit for use, and 800 are required to 
pland a JVocula- land, or about an acre and a half. They are planted 
distant in every direction from each other 5 cubits. At the same 
time plant on the inside of the hedge some rows of coco-nut palms, 
