Abstract

                                Linseed is cultivated entirely as an oil-seed crop in India, unlike Europe and America, where it is grown mainly for fibre. Next to Argentine, India is the largest linseed producing and exporting country. The area under linseed in India is about 34,000,00 acres, most of it being in the Central Provinces and Berar (9,70,000), United Provinces (8,60,000) and Bihar and Orissa (5,90,000). During 1934-35 the yield of linseed was estimated to be about 400 thousand tons. Next to these provinces come Bengal and Bombay which each grow over 100,000 acres annually. Although Bombay Presidency is not a large producer, of linseed, locally the crop is important. Most of the area is concentrated in the Karnatak and the Deccan, the important linseed growing districts in these two tracts being Bijapur and Nasik respectively. Gujrat and Konkan grow hardly any linseed. In the Presidency, linseed is cultivated as a cold-season crop, like wheat, on deep black soils. It is sown in the beginning of October and harvested In February. In Bijapur, linseed is a row crop in rabi jowar or wheat; in the Nasik district it is grown as a main crop and sometimes sown around the wheat fields.

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