Weeding and Thinning.—Germination takes place in 3-4 to 7-8 days after sowing. The fields are then harrowed, or weeded, or both. The weeding is repeated 2-3 times, as needed. The crop is thinned by the removal of backward plants, leaving spaces of 6 in. to 8-10 in. between the plants.
Exhaustion and Manures.—Generally speaking, jute exhausts the soil to a much greater extent than other crops. Even virgin land, which has been broken up for a first crop of jute, will, in the 2nd year, lose about 25 per cent. of its productive power; and, even though afterwards heavily matured, its yield in the 3rd year will be about of the let year's crop. So that except in the case of rich low lands flooded annually, it is rare that jute is grown in one field for more than 3 years consecutively. This exhaustion is remedied by manuring, rotation of crops, and &Bows. The manures ordinarily used are :—cow-dung, ashes, house-sweepings, oil-cake, the ashes of burnt jute roots, the stubble of rice-crops ; cattle are often stalled upon the fields. An analysis of the plant would, at once indicate what constituents were principally extracted from the soil. All refuse from the plant should be returned to the soil. Rotation of crops is practised in 'almost every district where jute is extensively grown, and is well understood by the cultivators, though no universal rules are current. The crops most frequently selected are mustard, rice, and pulses. Leaving the land fallow for 2-3 years is resorted to whenever found necessary.
Diseases and Pests.—Besides the injuries inflicted by unsuitable weather, the plants are subject to other serious evils. Entire fields are sometimes destroyed by a hairy caterpillar, which, in seasons of drought, eats the leaves and bark. An equally destructive insect is the cricket, which burrows into the ground, and either uproots the seedlings altogether, or cuts away the roots. During excessive rain when the plants are neck-high, a blight causes the leaves to shrivel, and the stem to shrink. Also during drought, a blight attacks the leaves, and stops the growth of the plants.
Harvesting.—The season of the harvest naturally depends upon the date of sowing. Plants
sown in March-April are ready in June-July ; those sown in May-June are not harvested till September-October. The time considered best for taking the crop is when the plant is in flower, and just before the appearance of the pods. The fibre is then of superior quality. But sometimes, to avoid an impending deluge of water on the fields, or from a wish to he early in the market, the cultivator gathers the plant even before it has flowered. The fibre from plants which have not flowered is weak, while that from plants in seed is harsh, woody, of bad colour, and wanting in gloss, though heavier and stronger than the fibre of plants cut in flower. Whenever practicable, the plant should be cut either during inflorescence, or when the flowering is just completed. The method of harvesting is usually to reap the plant with a bill-hook or sickle. It is generally cut at a few inches above the root, unless the lower end is overrun with suckers. The plants are pulled up, when grown on land under deep water.
Extraction and Preparation of the Fibre.—These operatioue are divided into the following branches :— Stooking.—After the crop has been collected, the plants are in some districts stacked in the field, and exposed to the action of the dew and sunshine, till the leaves, which if steeped along with the stalks are said to discolour the fibre, have dropped off. In others, the leaves are said to add to the weight of the stalks, and make them sink readily, and therefore they are not removed. Elsewhere the process of stacking is eaid to bring on the rotting of the bark more quickly, and accordingly the plants, after reaping, are left in the field for a period, which varies from 2-3 to 7-8 days. But in the majority of places, stooking is not practised. The stalks, when cut, are made up into bundles, each of a weight sufficient for one man to carry ; in some places, of two sizes—long and short ; in other places, of three sizes—long, middling, and short. The swaths or bundles of stalks, except in the districts above named, are thrown into water at once after the plants have been reaped.