pakistan geographical review 1954 - University of the Punjab

small patches. The small area under barley is not far away from the village
but Tara Mira farms are located at the farthest southern end of the village
land probably showing the indifference of the cultivators towards an
important produce.
Wide spread s.ivings of Rabi take place when the rainfall in autumn is
abundant to supply the moisture for the germination of seeds. During the autumn
of 1951 (August-September) the rainfall eceived amounted to 11.35" and the
acreage put under Rabi increased to 360 acres. Similarly during the autumn
of 1948, the amount of rainfall in August and September was 10.92 and the
acreage under Rabi was above the average. In the years of scanty rainfall
during autumn the acerage under Raoi crops decreases as in the case of 1950
and 1952 with 240 and 283 acres respectively. Fields of wheat are also high
in accordance with a well distr iouted and fairy adequate winter rainfall.
Yields were high 7-8 maunds per acre in 1950 as the amount of rainfall
during November, December, January. February and March was about 5 / /,
while in the years 1951-5~ and 53 YIelds have been quite low, 4.5 maunds
per acre on the average.
Kharif, though less important than the Rabi crop in the area, includes
a greater number of commodities uiz, J owar, Gowara, Cotton (Desi) Swank,
Moth and Fodder crops. Out of the total Kharif crops Bajra accupies the
first position covering 148 acres. Gowara comes next with 30 acres under
it. Chari and Jowar are given 26 and 17 acres respectively. Cotton desi,
Moth and Swank are grown in very small quant it ies on 1, 1 and 2 acres
respectively. In this way 66% at the land in Kharif is sown to bajra, 13%
to Gowara, 11% to chari and 7% ~o Jowar, others being negligible. Bajra,
the most important product of Kharif is mostly raised on comparatively poor
land of Maira covering 93 acres, more than 50% of its total, the still
poorer land, Rakkar is almost wholly under Bajra, the only crop taken from
this land in a year. Due to its acceptability to the poorer type of land
stony soils like Rakkar which otherwise would lie waste, can yield some crop.
Some Bajra is raised on Barani Awwal, occupying about 32 acres.
Gowara and chari are mostly grown on Maira and Barani lands.
Cotton requires comparatively better soil and irrigation facilities under such
dry climatic conditions. There being no arrangements for irrigation except
wells which are two in number and cater for very small areas, cotton inspite
of its cash value is raised only on 1 acre of chahi land. Similarly there is a
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