as soon as the cessation of the rains
will permit; and as we do not rely on rain for our sowings (as is
the custom in Bengal and elsewhere, and irrigation is never resorted
to, from the heavy expense attending it), our principal aim is to
preserve as much moisture in the fields as possible. They should
receive, for this purpose, not less than eight ploughings, besides a
thorough turning up with the spade, after the fourth ploughing, to
clear the field from stubble, grass and weeds. It is absolutely
indispensable to get all this done on our light soils, especially
before the end of October, and have the land carefully harrowed
down, so as to prevent the moisture escaping.

Should there be heavy rains between the interval of preparing and
sowing, it will be necessary to turn the fields up with either one
or two ploughings, and harrow them down as before. If only a slight
shower, running the harrow over them will be sufficient to break the
crust formed on the surface, and which, if allowed to remain, would
quickly exhaust the moisture. This, with the occasional use of the
weeding-hook, is all that the lands will require till the time of
sowing.--("Transactions of the Agri.-Hort. Society of Calcutta,"
vol. ii., p. 22.)

_Sowing_.--The time when the seed is committed to the soil varies in
different parts of India, and, even in the same place, admits of
being performed at two different seasons. The periods of sowing in
Bengal are first immediately after the rains, from about the latter
end of October. The rivers are then rapidly retiring within their
beds, and as soon as the soft deposit of the year has drained itself
into a consistency, though not solid enough to keep a man from
sinking up to his knees in it, they begin to scatter the seed
broadcast. This is continued until the ground has become too hard
for the seed to bury itself; the plough is then used to loosen the
crust, and the sowing continued to about the middle, or even the end
of November, from which period the weather is considered too cold,
until February. These autumnal sowings are called October sowings,
from the month in which they generally commence. Much of the plant
perishes during the months of December and January, and more again
in the spring, unless there are early and moderate showers. The crop
that remains i