Phalsa. (Grewia asiatica L.) Phalsa is a small bush which grows all over the country except at higher elevations. In Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, it is grown commercially. The fruit is berry-like, globular, smooth, deep reddish brown and comes in the market in May and June.

IRRIGATION.   The banana-plants require very heavy irrigation. Irrigation is given in most places once in seven to ten days. Stagnation of water in the soil is not very congenial to the proper growth of banana and, hence, the drainage of soil is also essential.

Phalsa is commercially raised through seeds. The seeds are sown in well-prepared nursery-beds, 5 to 7 cm apart, in rows normally kept at 25 to 30 cm apart. The best time of sowing is July-August. The seedlings, thus raised, are ready for the transplanting in the following January-March or July-August.

A Phalsa plantation is raised by transplanting the seedlings, 3-4 metres apart, according to the square system of planting. February is considered the best month for this purpose.

Phalsa is not ordinarily manured. However, with about 10-15 kg of farmyard manure per bush, better returns can be obtained. It can stand drought and does not need frequent watering.

Pruning is an essential operation in phalsa cultivation and is done in January. Severe pruning is practiced by some growers almost to the ground level.

Harvesting is done during May-June and since the fruits ripen gradually, several hand-pickings are necessary. The average yield per plant is 5-6 kg.

Custard-apple. (Annona squamosa L.) or sitaphal is a small tree seldom more than 4.5 metres high and is both cultivation and found growing in a semi-wild state throughout Peninsular India. A dry-and-hot climate suits it most. It flourishes in lighter soils, and grows well even on the slopes of hills, but cannot stand cold or frost.

This fruit-tree is propagated through seeds and by grafting. There is considerable variation in the fruit-trees when propagated from seeds. 'Bullock's-heart (ramphal provides a suitable rootstock for grafting by inarching or budding. Grafted plants give fruits earlier (in about two years) than seedlings which take three to four years. The plant flowers from April and November. The yield per tree varies from 25 to 30 kg. Fruits are mostly consumed locally, but they can be transported over long distances if they are picked before they are fully ripe and are packed in a single layer in well-ventilated wooden boxes with soft padding material.

Bullock's-heart. (Annona reticulata L.). The Bullock's-heart is an allied fruit which is rarely cultivated. It prefers a heavier soil than custard-Apple and is less resistant to cold and frost. It is easy to propagate by inarching. It gives fruits from January to May and the yield goes up to 45 kg per tree.

Cherimoyer is the best of the family and performs best in subtropical climate. It is propagated by inarching on Bullock's heart rootstock. The tree bears fruits from the sixth year onwards and gives about 100 fruits per year.

Attemoya is a cross between custard-apple and cherimoyer and is similar to the latter in its growth requirement.

Aonla. (Phyllanthus emblica L.). It is indigenous to India and the tree is characterized by very small leaves which are attached to branchlets in such a way that each branchlet looks like a compound leaf. The tree attains good height. It is quite hardy and can be grown without much care in all types of soil, except very sandy.

The 'Banarsi' aonla is the most important cultivar which is propagated vegetatively. In the District of Pratapgarh of Uttar Pradesh, there are many commercial orchards. The important varieties grown are 'Banarsi', 'Chakiya' and 'Pink-tinged'. These are vegetatively propagated and highly valued unlike the seedling-trees which produce unmarketable fruits.

The commercial practice of propagating aonla is by shield-budding which is done in June. The two-year-old seedling aonla is used as rootstock. Budded aonla plants are planted in the fields during rains at a distance of 11 metres each way. It can also be planted as a windbreak around an orchard.

The budded plants will commence bearing from the 10th year. The vegetative growth of the tree continues from April to July. Along with the new growth in the spring, flowering also commences. The flowers are of two types : i male, and ii female. Fruits are fully mature by January-February. Under conditions in southern India, the fruits are found throughout the year at one place or another.

Fig. (Ficus carica L.). Fig has never been grown extensively in India. Maharashtra formerly had more than 500 hectares, but largely because of diseases, this figure has decreased to less than 125 hectares. Southern India reports somewhat less than this area, and there are a few fig-groves in Hyderabad and in other parts of the country. The types are not of the best quality and it is likely that they are hybrids between the European and other species. The climate of most parts of India seems to be suitable for the cultivation of fig. Rain at the time of fruit ripening is undesirable. Various tupes of soil are used successfully.

VARIETIES.   There is as yet little basis for recommending specific varieties for different parts of India. The variety most commonly grown in Maharashtra and southern India is known as the 'Poona' fig.

PROPAGATION AND PLANTING.   The plants are almost entirely grown from cuttings. Budding and grafting are easily done. Several species of Ficus are compatible as rootstocks. Cuttings made in winter are ready for planting out in the rainy season. Some prefer to plant the cuttings in situ. The spacing of fig-trees depends on the size they are to reach and this depends mainly on the type of pruning. Generally, a spacing of 4.5 to 5 metres is adopted.

CULTURE.   Tillage to keep down weeds is necessary and irrigation during the dry season when the fruits are growing and maturing is desirable. The tree is deep-rooted and drought-resistant, but does not bear well under conditions of water deficiency. A good supply of nitrogen is also required for heavy bearing, and the use of farmyard manure is also recommended. A fertilizer mixture containing 0.225 kg of N, 0.45 kg of P and 0.45 kg of K per tree may be applied.

PRUNING.   The fig-tree can stand very heavy pruning. Most of the fruit is borne on the growth of the current year. Some annual pruning seems desirable, but the most efficient type in each of the areas where the fig is grown in this country is not known.

HARVESTING.   The ripe fruit is delicate and must be harvested carefully and used within a few days. Where figs are grown for drying, they may be allowed to fall from the tree on clean dry ground.

Jujube. (Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk.). Jujube, ber or bor, is estimated to occupy about 4,000 hectares mainly in the northern, eastern and western parts of India. Almost any soil is suitable, even if it contains enough alkali to prevent the growth of some crops. The tree can stand prolonged drought and also water-logging. It cannot stand frost.

Climate
The ber is a hardy fruit tree and can grow successfully even under unfavourable climatic conditions, where most other fruit trees fail to grow. It can be grown up to a height of 1,000 meters above sea-level, beyond this it does not bear well. Ber relishes hot and dry climate for its successful cultivation, but the trees need adequate watering during the fruiting season. Excessive atmospheric humidity is considered a limiting factor for satisfactory fruiting. Frost during winter does not have much effect on the tree. It can very well withstand hot and dry weather during summer months of May - June, its tree enters into dormancy by shedding its leaves. New growth starts in July with the advent of rains and the growth period continues till the middle of November when it is inhibited with the onset of cold weather.

Soil
Ber provides a good scope for cultivation on soils which have so far been considered marginal or even unsuitable for growing other fruits. Its tree developes a deep tap-root system within a short period of growth and as such adopts itself to a wide variety of soils. Ber is well known for its ability to thrive under adverse condirions of salinity, drought and water-loggin. The research work conducted at the Punjab Agicultural Universityhas revealed that ber can flourish even in soils with pH as high as 9.2. Ber cultivation can succeed even under constraints of irrigation and fertilization, however, for good tree growth and yield, deep sandy-loam soils with neutral or slightly alkaline reaction and good drainage are more desirable.