AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

FRUITS

Mango and orange are the only important fruits grown in the district. Although mango trees are found all over the district, its cultivation is concentrated in Gadhchiroli, Chandrapur and Sironcha tahsils. Oranges are mainly grown in Brahmapuri tahsil. Guavas occupy a negligible area. In 1961-62 guavas were grown over an area of 23.472 hectares (58 acres) only. The following table gives tahsil-wise area under fruits in the district from 1956-57 to 1961-62.

TABLE No. 23

TAHSIL-WISE AREA UNDER FRUITS IN CHANDRAPUR DISTRICT FROM 1956-57 TO 1961-62.

(Area in hectares*)

*Figures in brackets indicate area in acres.

TABLE No. 23-contd.

(Area in hectares*)

*Figures in brackets indicate area in acres.

Mango.

Mango being a deep rooted crop, requires deep and well drained soils. It thrives best on alluvial soil. Mango is an evergreen tree and is adaptable to a very wide range of climate. However, severe cold, cloudy weather and rains at the time of flowering are detrimental. In 1961-62. mango cultivation occupied 577.487 hectares (1,427 acres) in the district of which Gadhchiroli tahsil occupied 237.550 hectares (587 acres), and Rajura only 0.809 hectares (2 acres).

For cultivating mango trees, either the seedlings are grown or for better variety the grafting method is followed. A pit of the size of 3'×3' is dug keeping a distance of about 12.192 m, (40 feet) between two plants in the case of a mango garden. The pit is filled up with good soil and farm yard manure. If the grafted seedling is planted, the bud joint is always kept above the surface. The planting is generally done in the beginning of monsoon. Fencing and regular watering for about three years after plantation is necessary. Rayval, pairi and nilam are the varieties grown in the district. The trees bear fruits five to seven years after plantation. Usually tree starts flowering in January-February. The fruits take about three and a half months to ripen. Matured fruits are picked up and exposed to air for sometime and then are ripened by being kept in straw. Generally the ripe mangoes change their colour from green to reddish yellow. The season of the ripe mangoes is extended till the end of May. Pickle, gulamba, and amboshi are prepared from green mangoes while mango juice, ambras is the popular dish prepared from the ripe mango.

Orange.

Orange is another important fruit crop grown mostly in Brahmapuri. Warora and Chanda tahsils in the district. Its cultivation is, however, limited to a small area. Nowadays various agriculturists bring seedlings from Nagpur which stands above all in cultivating the finest variety popularly known as Nagpur santra. The crop gives best result if grown in loose, loamy and well-drained soils and in the area having dry and hot climate. The seedlings of jamburi are raised for about a year. in the nursery beds and budded in the fair weather after transplanting in rows in the nursery. When the buds are established, implantation is carried out in pits generally of the size of 393.290 cubic centimetres (2 cubic feet). The distance between the two plains on all sides varies from 4.572 to 6.096 m. (15 to 20 feet). The pits are to be filled up with good soil and farm yard manure. It requires regular watering after ten days. The orange tree starts bearing after about four years and yields fruit for another twenty years. The fruit is very well used as dessert, or table fruit and also for its delicious juice.

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