AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

CEREALS

Jowar.

Jowar (Jondhala or Jvari) is the most important cereal crop of the district. It is known as Krishna kath jowar. The crop thrives best in deep and heavy black soil. It is produced in kharif as well as in rabi seasons. Kharif jowar requires rainfall ranging from 508 to 1016 mm. (25 to 40 inches). Jowar occupied 2592121.714 hectares (640528 acres) of land in 1961-62. After jowar crop the land is ploughed. Next year on the same land rotational crops like tobacco, gram, groundnut etc., are produced. In the third year, again, jowar is grown. The land is, however, ploughed again before taking the jowar crop. Ploughing and one or two harrowings are done from February to May. After first showers in June, the land is again pulverised by a loaded harrow, ubhatya kulav. The good grain, specially preserved as seeds is sown in June-July either through three coultered drill, Kuri or pabhari or sometimes by dibbling method. Some oil-seeds and pulses are grown, mixed with kharif jowar. The seeds when drilled are covered with a plank. Two or three interculturings are given. This is known as kolapane. At times hand weeding is also done. The kharif jowar matures in November-December. The rabi crop on the other hand is drilled during September-October and harvested in February-March. The crop is either cut by sickle (vila) close to the ground or uprooted and exposed to the sun for about four days and the stalks are then tied into small bundles, (pendhya). The earheads are either cut off in the field itself or sometimes the bundles are carted to the threshing floor, (khale). The bundles are stored and arranged in heaps which are known as buchad. After some days the earheads (Kanis) are cut off and spread on the threshing floor. This is known as modani or katani. Generally stone rollers are used for malani. The grains are then separated from the chaff by winnowing it known as wadavane. The first heap of the winnowed grains is known as ras. Agriculturists observe various customs while harvesting and threshing the crop. Jowar is said to be the king of cereal crops and as such agriculturists many a time pull out the stalks instead of cutting them close to the ground. They also offer vegetarian or non-vegetarian food which is called as paradi or davara to the ran devata or mhasoba.

Watching of fields when the earheads bear green grains against birds or animals becomes essential. A mala is, therefore, erected in the midst of the field. It is a simple framework with intricate layers of leaves and branches of trees spread over the unhewed beams supported by forked stakes. A farmer or any member of his family, in the morning and evening stands on the mala and keeps the birds away by shouting and throwing stones through gophan.

Jowar is susceptible to pests and diseases. Their control measures are described separately in the respective sections.

The prominent kharif and rabi varieties of jowar grown in the district are mamdapuri, gund, and maldandi 35-1 and shalu respectively. The yield of the crop varies according to varying conditions of soil and rainfall. The yield of the crop on an average is ten Bengali maunds per acre. Jowar is chiefly used for preparing bread (bhakari). It is the staple food of the people in the district. The grain is eaten as popped corn—Jahis. The parched unripe rabi jowar heads form a popular preparation called hurda. The stalks of the crop form superior fodder. When it is principally grown for fodder, the seed is sown thick.

Bajri.

Bajri is the next important food crop in the district. It occupied an area of 128,856.879 hectares (318,412 acres) in 1961-62. The crop requires rainiall varying between 254 and 1016 mm. (ten and forty inches), and land ranging from light to medium types. Rain at the time of germination of the seed, flowering (phulavara) and harvesting is very harmful as it affects the yield considerably. Bajri is usually grown as a kharif crop. The land is harrowed twice or thrice in May-June. The seed is drilled with four-coultered drill between the last week of June and mid-July. Bajri is sown mixed with mug, matki, chavli. The crop is harvested at the end of October when it is cut with a sickle close to the ground. The remaining operations such as tying the stalks into bundles, arranging them into heaps near the threshing floor, cutting the earheads, threshing and winnowing are done in the same way as for jowar. The green earheads of bajri are parched and eaten (Limbur or nimbur). Bajri is mainly used for preparing bread (bhakari). The stalks of bajri form good fodder (sarambad).

Wheat.

Wheat (gahu) occupied an area of 14995.233 hectares (37,054 acres) in 1961-62. It thrives well in black soils and requires dry and cold weather. Irrigations at the interval of about 15 days are given. The improved Varieties of gahu sown in the district are N-59 dry variety, N-345 and N-146. The popular local variety grown in the district is khapali. The land is prepared by ploughing and two or three harrowings. Manures are also applied. The seeds arc sown in October-November with four coultered drill and harvested by the middle of February or March. The plants are cut close to the ground and tied into small bundles which arc then dried in the sun for about a week. The bundles are either beaten on a log of wood or a thick plank or beaten with sticks. The stalks (kad) are not used as fodder. Often they are used to thatch a tiled roof or the roof of a cattleshed. Wheat is more nutritive than jowar. The flour of wheat is mainly used for preparing chapati, bread, puranpoli, etc.

Rice.

Rice (bhat) occupied the fourth place among the food crops of the district. It covered an area of 13,678.387 hectares (33,800 acres) in 1961-62. The crop is grown in the district mostly on laterite type of soil (Shirala Peta), and sometimes on medium black soils. Warm and moist climate, and rainfall above forty inches arc conducive to the abundant growth of the crop. Broadcasting, drilling, dibbling and transplanting are the four methods which are usually followed to raise the crop. Of these drilling and dibbling are adopted in the district. The main varieties that are grown in the district are kolam, bhadas, dodga and. ambemohar.

Under transplanting system of paddy cultivation fields are properly bunded so as to allow the water to spread evenly in the field. A plot is selected in the field and ploughed and levelled. Leaves, grass, small branches of trees which are usually brought from the jungle and cowdung are spread in layers. Sometimes mud is spread over the upper layer. These layers are locally known as rab which is then set on fire in April-May. After first good showers of monsoon, seeds are sown in the rabbed plot which gives vigorous seedlings. When the seedlings are 203.2 to 254 mm. (eight to ten inches) high, they are pulled out, tied into small bundles and are removed to the field. Three or four seedlings are planted by hand in each place in a row. The distance between the plants and that between the rows varies from 203.2 to 304.8 mm. (eight inches to twelve inches), respectively. Manures are applied in two doses, first dose a week after transplanting and the second dose is given a fortnight before flowering. Maturing period which depends upon the types of soil and the variety of seed grown varies between three and half months and five months since plantation. The crop is cut close to the ground, tied into small bundles and taken to the threshing floor where the bundles are beaten on a log of wood or on stone. Rice is eaten after it is separated from the husk and boiled. Pohas and murmuras are also prepared from rice.

Maize.

Maize (maka) occupied an area of 2361.747 hectares (5,836 acres) in 1961-62. The crop requires rainfall between 508 to 762 mm. (20 and 30 inches) and thrives best in well drained soil and deep alluvial lands. The land is ploughed and harrowed in February to May and the seed is sown after the first good showers of monsoon. Its growth is very quick. The crop matures within three or four months and is harvested from the middle of September to the middle of October. The crop, sown in February is harvested in May. When green stalks of maize are to be used as fodder, the seed is sown thick. The cobs are cut off and dried in the sun and grains are removed by hand. The green heads (kanis) are eaten parched or boiled. Bhakaris are also prepared from its flour.

Ragi.

Ragi (nachani or nagli) covered an area of 1002.002 hectares (2476 acres) in 1961-62. It is grown on the hill slopes. A bunch of three or four seedlings is transplanted in the small furrows in the second fortnight of July. The seedlings are usually transplanted in field. The crop is harvested by the end of October. The red breads, bhakaris prepared from its flour are very nutritious. Flour is also made into a cooling drink called arnbil.

Vari.

Vari is a minor cereal crop grown in the district. It occupied an area of 663.280 hectares (1639 acres) in 1961-62. Usually it is produced as a mixed crop. It is grown in light-red soils on hilly tracts. The crop transplanted in July is harvested in October.

The crop is reaped with a sickle. The grains are cooked like rice and eaten mostly on fast days.

Other minor cereal crops that arc grown in the district include barley. Italian millets, sava, kodra and kutki.

The following table gives an area under important cereals in the district from 1956-57 to 1961-62.

TABLE No. 20.

AREA UNDER CEREALS IN SANGLI DISTRICT, 1956-57 TO 1961-62.

(Area in hectares)

Figures in brackets show area in acres.

TABLE No. 20—contd.

Figures in brackets show area in acres.

TABLE No. 20—contd.

AREA UNDER CEREALS IN SANGLI DISTRICT, 1956-57 TO 1961-62—contd.

(Area in hectares)

TABLE No. 20—contd.

Figures in brackets show area in acres.

TOP