282 - Description of horticulture

Dhanvantari said: 

1. Now Ishall describe the science of medicine relating to trees. It is good to have a plaksa (tree) on the north, a banyan tree on the east, a mango (tree) on the south and a holy fig tree on the west. 

2-4a. (It is better) to have thorny trees on the south near the house. A gardenshould be near the house. Blooming sesamum plantsshould be gathered and the treesshould be planted after worshipping a brahmin and the moon. The five fixed asterisms sväti, hasta, rohiņi, Sravana and müla are commended for planting the trees. 

4b.-5. (The trees)should be planted such that they are fed by rivers orshould be made to be on the banks of a tank. (The asterisms) hasta, magha, anuradha, ashvini, pushya and jyeshtha as well asshatabhishak and the three uttaras (uttaraphālguni, uttarashadha and uttarabhadrapada) (are good) for beginning (the construction) of tanks. 

6-7a. Itshould be done after worshipping (lords) Varuņa, Vishņu and Parjanya. (Trees such as) arishta, ashoka, punnaga, sirisha, priyangu, plantain, jambu, bakula and pomegranate (should be planted) as above. 

7b.-9. The planted treesshould be watered morning and evening in the summer season, on alternate days in the winter season and in the night in the rainy (season) if the earth has become dry. (Trees planted) twenty cubits apart are (deemed as) excellent and sixteen (cubits) apart are (deemed as) medium. Thereshould be minimum twelve cubits (distance) in between one tree and the other. Trees (planted) densely would not bear fruits. Theyshould first be pruned with a cutter. 

10. (The trees)should be sprinkled with cold water mixed with a paste of vidanga and ghee. If the fruits get destroyed, (cold watershould be sprinkled) with a paste of) horse-gram, black-gram, green-gram, barley and sesamum. 

11-12. Oneshould always sprinkle cold water with ghee for (getting abundant) fruits and flowers. Sprinkling with the excrements ofsheep and goat and pulverised barley, sesamum allowed to be soaked in meat and water for seven nights would also increase the bearing of fruits and flowers in all the trees. 

13. Sprinkling with the washings of the fish would also increase the growth of the trees. Fish and meat mixed with the vidanga and rice would make (them) bear fruits. This would universally control the diseases of all the trees.