Abstract

Flowers appear in these months and these are removed. In Masi, irrigation is given. Till Chittrai 2 irrigations are given per week. In Vykasi flowers formed develop into fruits. The crop is rather poor in the first year. About 50 or 60 per tree are retained and are not tasty. Irrigation is given once a month till Karthigai & interculturing or mammatti hoeing is given once a month. Till Masi next, practically no irrigation is given. From Masi onwards 2 irrigations are given a month. In 4 or 5 years there are too many spines at the bottom of the tree which are removed. Picking of fruits is done once a week from Punkuni. In those trees which flower from Adi to Karthigai, some fruits appear which are punctured by insect attack. This occurs only in these months. No remedy is known. Tree rats, squirrels, mina and parrots, are destroyers of fruits. Contractors pay 1 Rupee per tree. Ordinarily 150 to 200 fruits are obtained per tree. The ryots generally sell them at 40 to 50 per Rupee. The immature ones are steamed over boiling water to obtain good colour on the skin and sold as good fruits.

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