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AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION
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DRUGS AND NARCOTICS
Tobacco (tamhakhu), betel-leaves (nagvel), and ajwan seed
(owa) which can generally be included under the category of drugs
and narcotics are the only crops which are produced in the district.
Their importance in the economy of the district, however, is negligible
as they are grown on a very small scale. They together occupied
188-988 hectares (467 acres') of land in 1961-62. Of these ajwan
seed alone occupied 125.048 hectares (309 acres) and tobacco and
betel-leaves occupied 33.994 hectares (84 acres) and 27.947 hectares
(74 acres) respectively. In 1961-62 in the whole of State owa was
produced only in Dhulia district.
Owa.
Owa is grown for its medicinal value and also for its use as a condiment or spice. It is broadcast in the garden land during any time
of the year and in the fields with the dry crops usually in July and
August. The seed rate is about 0.907 to 1.361 kg. (2 to 3 pounds)
per acre. It matures within a period of about three months.
Tobacco.
Tobacco (tamhakhu) is a minor crop in the district. It was first
sown in 1868 by Mr. Ashburner in his garden near Dhulia. Its seed
was first brought from Cuba, Havannah and Shiraz seed was supplied
by Dr. Balfour of Hyderabad. It occupied an area of 33.994 hectares
(84 acres) in 1961-62 of which 30.351 hectares (75 acres) were
found in Akrani mahal. Tobacco seed is sown in the seed-beds during
the first week of July and the seedlings are transplanted by about
the second or the third week of August when they are about 10.2 mm.
(four inches) high. They are usually covered with straw to protect
them from the sun. Three or four waterings are given. After about
one and a half months the flowering shoots appear; they are nipped
off and about 12 leaves are left on the plant. The lower yellowish
leaves are also removed. The crop becomes ready for harvest by the
middle of January when the colour of the leaves turns from green
to golden yellow with brown spots and the tips show signs of drying.
The plants are then cut early in the morning and kept in the field in
a topsv-turvy direction and close to each other. They are also kept
for sun-drying for about seven days.
Betel-leaf.
Betel-leaf (nagvel or pan), a garden crop, was produced only on 29.947 hectares (74 acres) in Nandurbar taluk a in the district in 1961-62. The crop needs abundant supply of water. In order to support the vines, numerous trees such as shevri, pangera etc. are planted. The garden is planted with cuttings obtained from the best shoots of the older plants. Leaf-picking is generally started at the end of the second year and then it is repeated after every fourth month.
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