Abstract

The pomegranate is a fruit that has been grown in this country from time immemorial. It is reported to have been introduced into Southern Europe and seems to have travelled further west to America and the West Indian islands. In Europe, Granada in Spain was for a long time famous for its pomegranates, the fruits reaching a high degree of perfection in its gentle climate'. The word pomegranate is derived from two words Pomum Granatum, literally meaning seeded apple. Linnaeus gave it the scientific name of Punica granatum. Soil. The plant grows in almost all kinds of soils, but the yield is heaviest on 'deep soils of fairly heavy texture. It grows also on alkaline soils but then it cannot be expected to yield as well. At Somanur it is found thriving on good red loam tending to be sandy. Nursery. For an acre of plantation the nursery required is half a cent. The plot is well dug up with an ordinary mamutty, a month before the actual sowing time. About 10 basketfuls of ashes, village sweepings or cattle manure are added to the soil and well mixed up and the plot levelled.

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