AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

PULSES

A number of pulses are grown in Yeotmal district, the chief among them being gram, tur, mug and udid. The minor ones such as math, horse-gram, lakh, val, chavali etc., are also grown. The pulses covered an area of 2.26,296 acres during 1965-66. Table Nos. 9 and 10 give area and outturn of pulses in Yeotmal district from 1957-58 to 1965-66.

TABLE No. 9

AREA UNDER PULSES (TAHSIL-WISE) IN YEOTMAL DISTRICT FROM 1957-58 TO 1965-66

[ In Acres ]

continued..

TABLE No. 9—contd.

AREA UNDER PULSES (THASIL-WISE) IN YEOTMAL DISTRICT FROM 1957 58 TO 1965-66

 [In Acres]

continued..

TABLE No. 10

OUTTURN OF PULSES (THASIL-WISE) IN YEOTMAL DISTRICT FROM 1957-58 TO 1963-64

[ In tons ]

In 1908 gram was one of the important spring crops. It then covered an area of about 40,000 acres. During the subsequent period of twenty years its acreage increased but at a slow rate than the increase witnessed in the level of general cultivation. In 1963-64 it was grown on an area of 9,325 hectares.

Gram.

Gram is mostly a rabi crop. It is grown after the monsoon rains cease. The sowing is done in the month of October. It can be produced on a variety of soils from the heaviest clay to the lightest loam. Generally on rich soils gram is grown as a single crop and on light soils it is a mixed crop. When it is cultivated on black soil as a dry crop; the field is made ready by September or even in the first week of October. The crop is drilled in October when the moisture in the land is most suitable. Sometimes gram is taken as an irrigated crop. The irrigated crop requires about four to eight irrigations. Gram takes about five months for harvesting. The irrigated crop is also grown between October and February. Thus, gram is always a rabi crop. It is not damaged by September-October heat. In the early stages before the flowering of the crop, the tender tops of the shoots are plucked off. This helps to render them strong and bushy and increase the outturn of grain. Both the foliage and the green grains are used as vegetable. The grain may be eaten green, boiled or parched. Its pulse is used in the preparation of many types of dishes.

Tur.

About the cultivation of tur, the old Gazetteer of the district has to say as follows [ Central Provinces District Gazetteers, Yeotmal District, 1908, p. 107.].

" Tur occupies an area less only than juari and cotton, it is shown in the returns as having more than 1,20,000 acres, but this is probably an over-estimate. It is always sown together with cotton, but the proportion of tur sown is decreasing in order that there may be more space for cotton, which is a more profitable crop. Tur is an important grain food ".

Tur is still an important pulse crop in the tlistrict. In 1963-64 tur occupied an area of 44,354 hectares. It is a hardy crop and resists drought to a remarkable degree. Tur is sown mixed with cotton or bajri. It can be grown on medium moist soil and lightest as well as heaviest soils. It is generally sown in June-July along with other crops and is ripe for harvest by February or March. It requires the same general tillage as the principal crop. The seeds are dropped into the furrows through one furrow seed drill. In the month of February or March, the crop is cut close to the ground and carried to the threshing floor where it is allowed to dry. After some days the plants are beaten with long sticks to break open the pods.

The green pods of tur are eaten green or boiled. The yellow split pulse is made into porridge and is also mixed with other vegetables.

Tur C-II, E-B-38, and Hyderabad 48 are the improved strains recommended by the Agriculture Department for the district.

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