seed (Perilla ocimoides, Lhota pentsü) are sown in March along the
boundaries of the fields, the crop being ready in October or November.
In cold villages whole fields of pentsü are grown. Tobacco (mukuyo) is
extensively grown both in garden plots and in corners of fields set
apart for it, as well as along the boundaries and scattered about among
the rice. It is sown in March, and gives a continual crop of leaves
from August on. Indigo (Strobilanthes flaccidifolius, Lhota tchemo) is
grown to a certain extent in garden plots, but chiefly in damp, shady
places in the jungle. Cuttings are put in in May and June, and are full
grown by August of the next year. It is forbidden for men to touch this
plant. The only garden vegetable grown is mustard (hangi), the leaves
of which are eaten. A kind of giant taro (taktsü) is grown in gardens
occasionally for its leaves, which are used to line the baskets in
which “madhu” rice is set to stand. No part of the plant is ever eaten.
[Flowers.] The Lhota likes to have flowers handy to put in his ears,
and grows a few varieties in his little garden. The chief kinds are
wild canna (lentala), wild cock’s-comb (thropentera), marigold
(yantantera), a small purple flower (kambentera), a pale yellow flower
(narisen), and a red flower (echamtera).
[Fruit, etc.] A large number of oranges [85] (tsampen or khongkeng) and
bitter oranges (tsampenyimo—“foolish orange”) are grown in the hot
villages, a considerable trade in the former being carried on with the
plains. The trees are grown from pips and are never manured or pruned
or looked after in any way. Other fruit trees are the pomegranate
(tsaramtiven), which is propagated by cuttings, and a huge plantain
(echamyuti), which is horribly wooden and astringent and has to be
cooked before it can be eaten even by a Lhota. The Christians of Okotso
now grow a few tea bushes (cha). A very small number of betel nut palms
(mma) are to be found in villages on the range nearest the plains.
These villages do a big trade in “pan” leaves (lamo) with the plains,
where hill “pan” fetches a good price. The “pan” vines are grown up
trees in the jungle wherever the soil is suitable. They are not
cultivated in any way, but every vine belongs to some individual though
it is growing in unreclaimed jungle. The vines are propagated by means
of cuttings.
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