AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

MANURES

Manures and fertilisers are of direct relevance in so far as the improvement in the fertility of the soil and the resulting increase in food production are concerned. The cultivators of Satara district are not lagging behind in the preparation and application of manures to crops. Farm yard manure is extensively prepared in the rural areas by digging pits and filling them with dung and urine of cattle, ash and other refuse. On an average, each cultivator prepares four to five cart-loads of farmyard manure. However, as these preparations do not meet their requirements fully, they resort to the use of fertilisers for crops like sugar-cane, turmeric, paddy, etc. The method of sheep folding in the field, one month before planting is also prevalent.

Compost Manure.

Green manuring is practised in few parts of the district by sowing the tag seeds in June and buring their vegetative growth in the field, by means of a hoe. This adds nitrogen to the soil. The Agricultural Department has been advocating improved methods of manuring which, if adopted, will increase the quantity of farmyard manure. In order to encourage production of compost from forest refuse, the Department gives subsidy of six rupees per pit filled in.

The quantity of manure to be applied varies from field to field and from crop to crop. Farmyard manure is applied at the rate of five tons per acre for irrigated crops and two and a half tons for non-irrigated crops. In the western part of the district, the main crop is paddy. The farmers apply five to ten cart-loads of compost per acre. These heavy dozes require abundant supply of water. These are given in two instalments, one before puddling or sowing and the other, one month after transplanting. Ordinarily, neither rabi jowar nor bajra receives any manure, but for irrigated jowar about five to ten cart-loads of farmyard manure are applied per acre. For commercial crops, viz., sugarcane, turmeric, tobacco, chillies, etc.. farmers apply ten cart-loads of compost or farmyard manure per acre. The method of sheep folding in the field, one month before planting, is also followed. Cultivators pay cash to the shepherd so that he-should graze the sheep and goats in the field. Their urine and droppings form a valuable manure. Sugarcane requires heavy dozes of nitrogenous manures. In Phaltan taluka where sugarcane is extensively produced, 20 to 30 cart-loads of farmyard manure per acre are applied, as a basal doze, few weeks before planting. At the time of earthing up, 150 to 200 lbs. of groundnut cake and ammonium sulphate are used as top dressing.

Fruit crops also reecho manuring. Each tree is given about 100 lbs. of farmyard manure together with five to ten lbs. of groundnut cake. Potato, one of the main cash crops taken on a large scale during the kharif season in Koregaon, Khatav, Man and Phaltan talukas, is given 10 to 20 cart-loads of farmyard manure per acre. The Agricultural Department has recommended manure mixture for potato at the rate of 300 to 400 lbs. per acre. Other vegetables receive farmyard manure at a rate varying between 10 to 20 cart-loads per acre.

In all, there were three schemes in operation, viz., Town Compost Scheme, Rural Compost. Scheme and Farmyard. Manure Scheme. These were very popular amongst the cultivators. During 1958-59 the scheme for preparing compost from farm leaves was approved. The results obtained under the above schemes were as under:-

Compost Schemes.

* This includes pits dug before launching of the scheme.

Town Compost.

*The fertilisers such as ammonium sulphate, super phosphate, urea, etc. are supplied through the Sale Purchase Union, Karad and other societies, having regard to their demand and supply position.

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