Category: AGRICULTURE

Linga

SESAME

(Tilseed, Cameline, German sesame, benniseed, dodder, linga)

 

Sesame (linga) oil is used, not only for cooking food, but also for the manufacture of other

things, such as margarine, soap, cosmetic, perfume, insecticides, paint and medicine. What is

left after the extraction of its oil is excellent for feed for poultry, hogs, goat and rabbits. Its

protein content is 22% besides other substances.

 

There are many kinds of sesame. The following varieties yield good harvest and abundant oil:

Sri Lanka Black, Japanese Black and Iligan Marinduque Black, which are native to us. The

white varieties similarly yield good harvest and abundant oil which are used for special cuisine

are: the Japanese White , Guatemala White , Mexican White and our native white variety.

These are resistant to pest and diseases.

 

Sesame grows in warm weather. This will not thrive in temperature as low as 21 C. It can

withstand dry weather, but also needs watering as it grows.

Because sesame seeds are very tiny, its seeds should be planted shallow in soil, free from

weeds, does not retain water, and fertile.

 

The distance of the plants from one another should be one-half meter apart if the variety does

not bear branches, and 70-80 cm apart if it bears branches.

 

Mix the seeds with sand, and plant 5-10 seeds in a hole about 10-15 m apart if it is branch

bearing, and only 8-12 cm if it is not branch bearing. In one hectare of land,4-6 kilos of seeds

can be accommodated.

 

Irrigation is necessary in planting, but only once or twice after planting when it is growing. It

needs watering before flowering and before fruit bearing. The seeds germinate 5-7 days after

sowing.

 

Two weeks after germination, remove some leaves and branches and transplant the plant.

Leave only two strong plants in every hill.

 

After 3-4 weeks when the plants are sturdy, loosen the soil (culture). Culture again when the

plant is 30 cm high. Always remove the weeds because this will diminish the capacity for fruit

bearing.

 

Apply fertilizer.

 

Sesame does not like humid and rainy place. In rainy season, it is vulnerable to disease, so

choose only varieties that are resistant.

 

Don’t plant sesame repeatedly in the same area after harvest, so as to avoid disease or pest.

Don’t use insecticide-containing sulfur because this is not good for sesame.

 

HARVEST

 

1. The sesame plant flourishes from 85-150 days. Harvest when flowering stops, and the

leaves turn yellow and fall off.

2. The pods burst out when these are ripe, so the seeds will scatter. Cut off the pods when still

green and bunch them.

3. Spread the branches on a mat and thick cloth and put these e under the sun.

4. When dried, beat the branches to bring out the seeds. Clean off stones and dirt, and

branches.

5. Dry the seeds before storing. If they are for planting, apply chemical on the seeds to keep

pests away.

 

from: Greenfields Feb 1989

Labanos

RADISH

 

Almost every part of the radish plant is useful. The leaves and roots may be eaten raw or

cooked as vegetable, or cooked with meat or fish.

Besides its use as food, radish is also used in many other ways; its oil doesn’t dry up like

ordinary oil. This is used in soap making; the meat after extraction is used as fertilizer. Radish

is also for diseases of the liver and spleen.

 

There are two kinds of radish. One is planted for its crop and the other for its leaves and roots.

The different varieties we have are:

 

Japanese radish – big and long, late harvested

Chinese radish – fine, smooth and white, productive and has moderate length of time for harvest

White icicle – early harvest, rounded, long with small roots.

Bombay, 60 Days and others – can harvest within 100 days from planting, and mature 30 days from germination.

 

LAND PREPARATION

 

1. Plow and harrow the field lengthwise and crosswise , and leave it for seven days to allow

the uprooted weeds to rot and their seeds to grow.

2. Plow and harrow as before, repeat a third time but deeper.

3. Make elevated beds about one-half meter away from each other.

4. Put fertilizer where plants will be grown; mix this with the soil by means of rake.

 

PLANTING

 

A hectare of land would accommodate about 100 grams of seeds. Apply a kerosene can of

compost before planting (see no.8).

 

1. Treat the seeds first in growth regulator like “Seet Treat”.

2. Mix one teaspoon Orthocide 50 WP per kilo of seeds to check whatever diseases they may

have.

3. Prepare the planting of the seeds. To make them evenly apart, use a string attached to both

ends- one at 10 cm, a second at 40 cm, etc.

4. With the aid of a pointed stick, make a hole one and a half (1 1/2) cm deep and 10 cm

apart, following the distance of the string.

5. Drop two seeds in each hole and cover with fine soil. Water with fine spray so as not to

dislodge the seeds or remove the top soil.

6. Cover with straw about 5-10 cm thick between the rows of plants with space of about 5 cm

from the plant. Don’t cover the speed especially if it has not germinated. Keep away chicken

from scratching the seeds away. The straw or dried leaves serve to protect the plants from

strong rain or intense heat and from growing weeds.

7. Water morning and afternoon in the first three(3) days after planting; don’t allow them to get

dry . When the seeds germinate, water only in the morning. Ten days after all have

germinated, water only in the afternoon when the ground is dry.

8. Dig the canal around the plot about 30 cm wide and 40 cm deep to where the water will run

in case of heavy rain.

9. Before planting, mix a can of compost to every 2 sq. meters of plot. If animal manure will be

used apply this after the first flowing: one can per sq. meter. If chemical fertilizer will be used,

have the soil analyzed first at the Bureau of Soils Laboratory. If not, the National Food and

Agricultural Council recommends 8 bags of ammonium sulfate for every hectare of radish

plants.

 

Source: tekno tulong

HARVESTING SEAWEEDS

HARVESTING SEAWEEDS

 

To harvest, care is important in following safety rules such as:

 

1. Wear boots before going into the sea to protect your feet from the sharp stones and spiny

shellfish at sea bottom. Also wear long sleeves to protect yourself from the sun.

 

2. Don’t go out to far from the shore because when the tide is low, there are seaweeds near

the shore that you can harvest. It is dangerous to go out far in the middle of the sea, and it is

necessary to have a net and tools for pulling the seaweeds

 

3. Seaweeds cling to big rocks. Be careful because these rocks are slippery.

 

4. It is also good to gather seaweeds along the rocks and caves by the shores.

 

5. The lower the tide, the easier it is to gather seaweeds. Thus, it is good to know when it will

be low tide in your place.

 

6. Bring along pail or bag, hammer and knife. If you wish to go deeper areas, wear a diving

mask and feet protector for swimming.

 

7. After harvesting seaweeds, wash these immediately in running water.

 

Seaweeds may be sold fresh. Store in a container with seawater or dry in the sun.

 

From: Philippines Farmer’s Journal