428 
SPICES 
CHAP. 
December and stored under soil, being kept thus till 
April or May. During this time the plant remains 
dormant, and the rhizomes, though watered from time 
to time, do not send up shoots or suckers. At the time 
of planting, they are taken up and broken up into sets 
of suitable size. The ground used is generally forest 
ground newly cleared and burnt ; the large logs and 
stumps are not removed, but left to lie as they are, and 
the rhizomes planted between them. When the South 
West monsoon rains commence, holes from 3 to 6 in. 
wide and deep are dug about 12 to 15 in. apart, and 
one or more sets are put into each, covered with earth, 
and pressed down by the foot of the planter. The crop 
is weeded once or twice, but no other cultivation is 
found requisite. In harvesting the crop the rhizomes 
are dug up, stored for seed or prepared for market, as 
the case may be. Those intended for sale are carried 
in baskets to the nearest stream and thoroughly washed. 
They are then boiled in spring water until they yield to 
pressure between the thumb and finger, when they are 
spread out on mats to dry in the sun, and then sorted 
into classes. 
In Bengal, Mukerji points out that both turmeric 
and ginger can be grown, not only with success, but 
with benefit to the trees, if planted in the fruit 
orchards. Orchard ground would otherwise be uncul- 
tivated, and harbour insect pests. Stifi* clay soils, he 
says, are not suitable for any root crops, but the soil 
under trees is neither too heavy nor too light ; any 
soil which is not too gritty, stony, or gravelly will do 
for turmeric. 
In opening up soil under trees for this plant, it 
is desirable to plough up the ground in October or 
November, or after the rainy season is over, and while 
the land is in a fit state for ploughing ; one ploughing 
and cross ploughing followed by harrowing should be 
sufficient cold weather preparation for the crop. In 
April, after the first shower of rain in the hot weather, 
another similar ploughing and harrowing will render 
