AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

PULSES

PULSES OCCUPIED LITTLE MORE THAN 5.5 PER CENT, of the gross cropped area in Kolhapur district in 1955-56. The following table shows the pulses crops taken out in the district and the cultivated area under each of them: -

TABLE No. 18.
AREA IN ACRES UNDER PULSES IN EACN TALUKA OF KOLHAPUR DISTRICT IN 1955-56.

Turi.

Turi (pigeon pea) is the most important pulse crop of the district and occupies an area of little more than thirty-five per cent, of the total area under pulse crops. The talukas of Shirol and Hatkanangle occupied about fifty-five per cent, of the total area under the crop. It is sown in June-July and harvested in "January-February. Usually it is sown as a mixed crop with groundnut or jowar. It is also taken as a border crop on the bunds of rice fields. Flowering and fruiting continues for several days (extending over two months), thus, allowing several pickings of ripe pods for the plant bears green pods and ripe pods simultaneously. Though it is a perennial plant, it is pulled out after one cropping. The normal yield per acre is 630 lbs. The green pods are eaten as a vegetable and ripe turi is split up and eaten boiled in a variety of ways. It is also sometimes, eaten, mixed with vegetables.

Kulthi.

Kulthi, Kulith (horse gram) held second place among the pulse crops in the district. Though it is grown all over the district, the talukas of Shirol, Ajra, Gandhinglaj and Kagal together held more than seventy per cent, of the area under the crop. It is sown in June-July and harvested in December. It is sown generally as a mixed crop with bajri on lighter soils. On vovkas land, it is taken as a single crop. The average yield per acre is about 250 lbs. if taken as a single crop, and about 100 lbs. if taken as a mixed crop. The whole pulse is given to horses after boiling. It is also eaten in soup and porridge.

Harbhara.

Harbhara (gram) is a largely grown pulse crop in the district and stood next only to turi and kulith in 1955-56. It is cultivated all over the district except the Bavada taluka. Shirol and Hatkanangle talukas alone held more than sixty-three per cent, of the total area under this crop. For healthy growth, gram requires good soil. It is grown as a second crop in the district after rice and bajri It is sown in October-November and harvested in February. One or two irrigations are given in the eastern talukas where it is largely grown. The average yield per acre is about 330 lbs. Under dry farming and about 1,000 lbs. under irrigation. It is a common practice to pluck off the tops of the shoots before flowering to enable them to be strong and bushy so as to increase the outturn of grain. The tender leaf of this crop is used as a vegetable. Gram is eaten green and when ripe, it is broken into pulse. Gram is a staple food of horse. The plants yield a kind of vinegar known as amb which gathers on the plants at night and soaks the cloth which is laid over them. This is generally used as a medicine by cultivators against stomach-ache.

Udid.

Udid (black gram) is grown all over the district, though the talukas of Kagal, Hatkanangle and Karvir together occupied more than fifty-five per cent, of the total area under this crop in 1955-56. It is generally sown in June as a mixed crop with bajri or kharif jowar and harvested in November. The yield per acre is about 1,500 lbs. The ripe pulse is split and consumed as dal. It is ground to powder to be made into papads.

The crop is also used in certain parts of the district for green manuring of the tobacco crop. When the crop is tender and about one and half months old, it is buried in the ground while preparing the land.

Vatana.

Vatana (field pea) is grown all over the district though Karvir taluka reported the highest acreage under this crop in 1955-56. It is a very favourite pulse crop, grown invariably after the harvest of rice crop in areas having sufficient moisture in the soil. It is taken as a dry crop. Seeds are sown in November in the furrows through a single tube, attached to the plough. The crop is harvested in January-February. The yield per acre of the vatana crop comes to about 250 lbs. Green pods are used as a vegetable. The pulse is used either whole or split.

Val.

Val (large-fruited-dolichos) is grown all over the district as a mixed crop or as a border crop. It is also taken as a second crop after the harvest of the rice crop. It yields about 100 lbs, of gram per acre. The pulse is eaten, both whole or split, cooked in various ways. The husks and broken bits or the dal are a valuable concentrate for milch cattle. The leaves and stalks are also utilised as fodder.

Mug.

Mug (green gram) is a minor pulse and occupies a negligible area in the district. It is chiefly grown in Shirol taluka. It is sown in June and July as a mixed crop with bajri and harvested in September. The normal yield per acre is 250 lbs.

Chavli.

Chavli (small-fruited-dolichos) is a minor crop and is grown as a mixed crop with groundnut, jowar, bajri etc. It is sown in June-July and harvested in October. The normal field of the pulse per acre is 150 lbs. The green pods of chavli are about five to six inches long and when tender are used as a vegetable. They are eaten raw or are cooked. The ripe grain is used as a pulse and eaten after boiling.

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