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In this article we will discuss about:- 1. History of Jute 2. Cultivation of Jute 3. Uses.
History of Jute:
J. F. Duthie found C. capsularis on the banks of the Gumpti near Judalpur in a wild state. However, Roxburgh reported the non-jute yielding species of Corchorus as natives of India. A special enquiry was, in 1873-74 in Madras of wild or cultivated jute found in that Presidency, and C. olitorius was reported to have been discovered both wild and cultivated.
However, De Candolle was not convinced that the species existed in a truly wild state in the north of Calcutta. It might be found possible to produce forms of Corchorus from some of the truly wild species which would closely approximate to C. capsularis and C. olitorius. There are no Sanskrit names for these plants.
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There are neither Arabic nor Persian names for the species of Corchorus, known to the people of India. Mr. Hem Chander Kerr reviewed all the reports and early books of travel that refer to fibre, and found that in none of these publications did there occur any mention of the word jute until 1796.
In several works pat was mentioned as a fibre in India as a form of hemp. By the beginning of the nineteenth century the word pat was completely superseded by jute in all commercial correspondence. With the facts of this kind it is believed that jute plant is a comparatively modern development from some wild stock which was unknown to the Sanskrit writers.
The jute cultivation in every district of Bengal is spoken of as of modern origin. In one district its introduction is fixed at 1872, in another at 1865, in a third before the date of the British rule and in a fourth it is put down at 500 years ago.
The commercial fibre jute is obtained from either one or both of the following species of Corchorus, viz., C. capsularis Linn., grown in West Bengal and Bangladesh, and C. olitorins Linn., raised in the vicinity of Calcutta. Little or no jute is produced in the other states of India.
Cultivation of Jute:
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In India, the crop is sown between March and May, and harvested between July and September, It is grown mainly in West Bengal, Assam and Bihar, which together account for 90 per cent of the total area sown. Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and Tripura are the other states, which contribute the remaining 10 per cent area.
Jute is a bast fibre obtained from the secondary phloem. The bast fibre is obtained from C. capsularis, a species with round pods which is grown in lowland areas subject to inundation. Fibre from C. olitorius, an upland species with long pods, is but little inferior.
In India, the time for harvesting the crop depends entirely upon the date of sowing; the season commences with the earliest crops about the end of June, and extends to the beginning of October. The crop is harvested within three or four months after planting, while the flowers are still in bloom.
Separation of Fibre by Retting:
The fibre is separated from the stems by a process of retting in pools of stagnant water. The crop is stacked in bundles for two or three days, to give time for the decay of the leaves, which are said to discolour the fibre in the retting process. The period of retting depends upon the nature of the water, the kind of fibre, and condition of the atmosphere. It varies from two to twenty-five days.
The operator has therefore to visit the tank daily, and ascertain, by means of his nail, if the fibre has begun to separate from the stem. This period must not be exceeded; otherwise the fibre becomes rotten and almost useless for commercial purposes.
The bundles are made to sink in the water by placing on the top of them sods and mud. When the proper stage has been reached, the retting is rapidly completed. The cultivator, standing up to the waist in the foetid water proceeds to remove small portion of the bark from the ends next the roots.
Grasping them together, he strips off the whole with a little management from end to end without breaking either stem or fibre. Thereafter the washing is done to remove the impurities. It is now wrung out so as to remove as much water as possible, and then hung up on lines prepared on the spot, to dry in the sun.
The very long pale-yellow fibres from six to ten feet in length, are quite stiff, as they are considerably lignified; they possess a silky lustre. They are very abundant, but are not particularly strong, and they tend to deteriorate rapidly when exposed to moisture, to which they are quite susceptible. Besides these disadvantages the jute is cheap and easily spun makes it valuable.
Uses of Jute:
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Jute is used chiefly for rough weaving. The thick cloth made from jute fibre is used for making gunny-bags. Another type of fine cloth prepared from jute fibre is chiefly used as a cloth to sleep on. Another type of coarse cloth is largely used for making the sails of country boats, and also for bags to hold large seeds or fruits.
Jute is extensively used in the manufacture of carpets, curtains, shirting’s, and is also mixed with silk or used for imitating silk fabrics. The fibre is also used for making twine and ropes. Short fibres and pieces from the lower ends of the stalks constitute jute butts, which are used to some extent in paper making.
India not only grows most of the jute, but it is the largest manufacturer and exporter of jute products.
