AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

SEED SUPPLY.

Amongst the factors that help in increasing the agricultural production, choice of appropriate varieties or strains of crops suitable for the tract is of great importance. Use of seeds of inferior quality as also little negligence in storing the seeds adversely affects the yield of a crop. Cultivators, therefore, take utmost care to preserve seeds of good quality. They usually pick up selected earheads from healthy and vigorous plants at the time of harvesting and preserve them for seed till the next sowing season.

The Agriculture Department also has been actively engaged in the work of propagating improved strains of various crops. The old varieties of crops like cotton, wheat, etc., have been discontinued. According to the old Gazetteer of the district published in 1908, the chief varieties of cotton grown in the district were bani and vilayati or hate vilayati. The bani variety had a fairly long staple and was classed at mills with middling American. The other variety had a short staple and so did not provide as good a thread as bani, but it was very hardy and prolific. It did well with little rain, ripened quickly and gave tour or five pickings, or even more, whereas bani used to give only two. The cotton was then called vilayati because it was introduced into Berar from outside.

About jowar seed, the old Gazetteer does not mention any variety of jowar commonly used in the district. People then generally used to sow selected seed from their own fields.

Kathi, bansi and haura represented the kinds of wheat mostly grown in the district. Kathi was the most common. It was hard, red and bearded wheat. In the Central Provinces, it was then called kaiha and kathia. Bansi was grown to a less extent, and only on good soils. It was white and softer than the others. Haura, which was grown least of all, was hard, white and bearded.

Nowadays, evolving and multiplication of improved seeds has assumed great importance in the overall programme of augmenting agricultural production. As a result agricultural research centres and seed farms arc being established. Uptill now ten seed multiplication farms have been established in the district. The main object of this scheme is to multiply improved seeds and to distribute the same to the registered seed growers. The total area covered under these farms is about 661 acres. The details are as follows: —

The Agriculture Department has recommended the following improved varieties or strains of crops for the district:—-

Production of improved seeds and quantities distributed year  wise  are given below: —

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* Foundation seed of paddy is not produced on any farm in the district.

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