The Jute Industry: from Seed to Finished Cloth | Page 4

per cent. of the fibre is produced in Bengal, Orissa and
Bihar, there is 10 per cent. produced outside these areas.
The Corchorus Capsularis variety is usually cultivated in the higher
and richer soils, while the Corchorus Olitorius variety is most suited
for the lower-lying alluvial soils, and to the districts where the rainfall
is irregular; indeed, the C. Olitorius may be grown in certain other
districts of India which appear quite unsuitable for the C. Capsularis.
The farming operations in India are rather simple when compared with
the corresponding operations in this country; there is evidently not the
same necessity for extensive working of the Indian soil as there is for
the heavier lands; another reason for the primitive Eastern methods
may be the absence of horses.
The ploughs are made of wood and faced with iron. Bullocks, in teams
of two or more, are harnessed to the plough as shown in Fig. 1 where a
field is being ploughed as a preliminary process in jute cultivation. The
bullocks draw the plough in much the same way as horses do in this
country.
The operation of ploughing breaks up the soil, while the rough clods
may be broken by hand mallets or by the use of the "hengha"--a piece
of tree boll harnessed at the ends to a pair of bullocks.
The breaking up of the land prepares it for the cleaning process which
is performed by what are termed "ladders"; these ladders are made of a
few bamboos fixed cross-wise and provided with projecting pins to
scratch or open the soil, and to collect the roots of the previous crop;
they are the equivalent of our harrows, and may be used repeatedly
during the winter and spring seasons so that a fine tilth may be

produced.
When manure is essential, it is applied in the later ploughings, but other
large areas have artificial or chemical manures added at similar stages
in the process. Farm-yard manure is preferred, but castor-cake and the
water hyacinth--a weed--constitute good substitutes.
After the soil has been satisfactorily prepared, the seed is sown by hand
at the period which appears most suitable for the particular district. The
usual sowing time is from February to the end of May, and even in
June in some districts where late crops can be obtained.
[Illustration: FIG. 1 NATIVES PLOUGHING THE GROUND]
There are early and late varieties of the plants, and a carefully judged
distribution of the varieties of seed over the districts for the growing
period will not only yield a succession of crops for easy harvesting, but
will also help the farmer in the selection of seeds for other areas where
atmospheric conditions differ.
It is a good practice, where possible, to sow the seed in two directions
at right angles to each other, and thus secure as uniform a distribution
as possible. The amount of seed used depends partly upon the district,
and in general from 10 lbs. to 30 lbs. per acre are sown. The seed may
cost about 8 annas or more per ser (about 2 lbs.).
[Illustration: FIG. 2 BREAKING UP THE SOIL, OR "LADDERING"]
Plants should be specially cultivated for the production of seed in order
to obtain the best results from these seeds for fibre plants. Many of the
ryots (farmers) use seed which has been collected from plants grown
from inferior seed, or from odd and often poor plants; they also grow
plants year after year on the same soil. The fibres obtained, as a rule,
and as a result of this method of obtaining seeds, gradually deteriorate;
much better results accrue when succession of crops and change of seed
are carefully attended to.
If the weather conditions are favourable, the seeds will germinate in 8

to 10 days, after which the plants grow rapidly. The heat and showers
of rain combined soon form a crust on the soil which should be broken;
this is done by means of another ladder provided with long pins, and
Fig. 2 illustrates the operation in process. This second laddering
process opens up the soil and allows the moisture and heat to enter. The
young plants are now thinned, and the ground weeded periodically,
until the plants reach a sufficient height or strength to prevent the
words from spreading.
The space between the growing plants will vary according to the region;
if there is a tendency to slow growth, there is an abundance of plants;
whereas, the thinning is most severe where the plants show prospects of
growing thick and tall.
In a normal season the plants will reach maturity in about 3 1/2 to 4
months from the time of sowing. Although different opinions are held
as to the best time for harvesting, that when the fruits are setting
appears to be most