72
REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94. [CH. V.
The female plant with abnormal
male blossoms.
187. The Commission inspected some fields in this month, and found that
those in which the crop was pure ganja contained a
number of plants which the cultivators called by the
name of moria. These had generally at the ends of the branchlets composing
the spikes one or two male blossoms. They are said to be deficient, though
not wanting in resin. They are therefore regarded as inferior, but the Khandwa
cultivator does not appear to recognise the mischief that they do in the ganja
crop. He, however, attributes to them a specially noxious character in that
their seed invariably produces plants of the same kind (moria). They are there-
fore ruthlessly eliminated from the seed field, while they are sometimes allowed
to remain, as was seen, in the ganja field, and are in that case harvested with the
good ganja (mal). These appear to be the plants referred to by Dr. Prain as
those which "the poddar could not possibly have foretold," and which the
Bengal cultivator roots out for himself after the poddar's visits have ceased.
They do not appear to be, as Mr. Drake-Brockman supposes, the k hasia plant
of Bengal, but it is possible that the latter is included in them. The khasia
form of the plant is not recognised by the Khandwa cultivator.
The seed crop.
188. The processes in cultivating the seed plant seem to be the same as those
above described as regards preference of soil, manur-
ing, and tilth. It may be mentioned, however, that
irrigation is not invariably practised for either ganja or seed crops. In the case
of the seed crop, plants bearing flowers of both sexes are as far as possible
eliminated. The process is rational. The blameless female is the more likely to
reproduce her own kind. The evidence gives no information of peculiar methods
followed in the homestead cultivation. There is no special class of cultivators.
Tributary States.
189. There is no information of the methods of cultivation, if any still
exists, in the Tributary States.
Madras.
190. Mr. Benson's bulletin describes in detail the methods of cultivation in
the two regions where alone ganja is supposed to be
regularly cultivated in the Madras Presidency. The
methods differ, and it is necessary to deal with them separately.
Regular cultivation in North
Arcct.
191. In the Javadi Hills of the North Arcot district the cultivation is carried
on by the Malayalis. These people "claim to alone
possess the knowledge necessary for the manufac-
ture of ganja, a practice which has been carried on, they state, in these hills
from time immemorial." There being no considerable level areas, though the
ground is to a certain extent terraced, the crop is sown in small plots. "The
soil is free, friable, and open, derived directly from the rocks on which it rests,
thoroughly well drained, and appears to be fairly fertile." It grows the ordinary
dry food-grains of the country, and the hemp alternates with them. A heavy
dressing of cattle dung is absolutely necessary, and this is given in May or
June before the rains begin. When the ground has been sufficiently moistened
to allow of ploughing, it is broken up, and the ploughing is repeated three or
four times until July. The seed is then sown in furrows, opened with the plough
three feet apart, and covered in with the feet. The seeds germinate in about
a week, and are allowed to grow for three weeks, when they are thinned out. In