Cultivation.—The cultivation of the plant may be discussed under the following heads :— Soil.—The plant grows luxuriantly in the Sunderbuns, where the land is more or less impreg nated with salt ; and thrives in the marshes of Furreedpore and Backergunge, in waist-deep water. The growing demand for it has caused all kinds of soil to be used, independently of their fitness for the cultivation, whenever other circumstances ars favourable, and a crop can he anyhow raised. The bulk of the jute that comes from the central and some of the eastern districts is grown on churs, and on inferior soil ; but in the dcsi, or the littoral districts, a larger proportion is grown inland than on the banks of the rivers. The balance of evidence is decidedly in favour of high or mina lands as the best for jute, provided all the other conditions necessary for its healthy growth he attainable ; but low-lands and churs are not unsuited, churs ranking midway.
In Burdwan, the plant is grown on soil composed of rich clay and sand in nearly equal propor tions ; in Mymensiug, on a mixture of clay and sand, or sand combined with alluvial deposit ; in Backergunge, on loam mixed with a little sand ; in Tipperah, on loamy and sandy soil ; in Pubna, on land which is neither inundated, nor dry, the soil being loam, i. e. half clay and half sand. On the other hand, it is not averse to a clayey soil, which, in some districts, is considered to be best. It also thrives in ferruginous soil, as in Bhowal, Dacca, where it is pretty largely cultivated, and considered to be among the best descriptions which find their way to the markets of Dacca and Naraingunge. Laterite and gravelly soil are, however, not favourable ; neither is a light sandy soil. Wherever tried in the rice-fields of S. Carolina, it has grown most luxuriantly.
Climate.—As regards climate, a hot, damp atmosphere is most favourable. Too much rain at the beginning of the season, and early floods, are equally destructive to the young plants, and injurious to the prospects of the crop. Except in low situations, seeds are never sown until after a shower of rain to help germination. Alternate rain and sunshine are found to be most congenial ; but excessive rain, after the plant has attained a height of 2-3 ft., will not prove materially injurious, so long as no water lodges at the roots. The water so lodged does not kill the plant, for, as already stated, in some districts, jute grows even in waist-deep water ; but it promotes the growth of suckers, which makes the fibre what is technically called " rooty," and it may be added that the jute produced in these districts is considered of comparatively little value. Frequent light showers
at first, and heavier rains afterwards, with the gradual rise of the rivers, and a fair amount of sun shine, contribute very largely to the healthy growth of the plant. It suffers less injury from excess of rainfall than from the entire want of it. Drought always stunts its growth, and very often even destroys it, if not sufficiently developed. But heavy rains have no such destructive effect, so long as they do not drown the plants, and there is sufficient sunshine to afford the necessary warmth. In America, the plant resists a frost which will injure cotton.
Tillage.—The manner of preparing the land for sowing varies in different districts. It is com menced early (say September) in the case of the low lands, churs, beets, &e., where there is consider able risk of water rising high very early ; but is deferred to a later period on high lands, where no such apprehension need be entertained. The number of ploughings required is dependent entirely on the nature of the soil, a clayey hard soil requiring a greater number of ploughings than a light sandy or loamy one. Under any circumstances, the land should be so ploughed as to render the soil finely pulverulent, and to expose every part of it repeatedly to the sun.
Seed.—Little attention is paid to the selection of seed. It is generally gathered in October, from the worst plants purposely left standing in the outskirts of the fields, after the harvest has been reaped. The reason for the preference of the bad plants for seed is that they are not good for fibre, and if not utilized for seed would be wasted ; and the cultivator does not wish to lose the fibre be obtained from well-grown plants by allowing them to remain standing till the seed-pods are matured. In limited districts, the best plants are left for seed ; but in most instances, poor plants in corners of the field are left. These are out in September-November ; the gathered pods are sun-dried for 4-5, or even 5-10 days, and are then threshed ; the seed is stored in baskets, bags, or earthen pots. The average yield of seed (without husks) is about 370 lb. an acre.
Sowing.—In the period of sowing, there are great differences, according to situation and climate ; in Bengal, the season extends from February to June, the most usual time being March-April. With one exception, the mode of sowing in Bengal is everywhere alike ; the seed is thrown broad cast on a clear sunny day, and covered over with a thin coating of earth. But in some parts of Sylhet, the sowing is effected in seed-beds, and the seedlings are afterwards transplanted. The seed required is about 22-28 lb. an acre.