Free from School

s way into plant exhibitions and plant festivals. I would like to recount my experiences with two of them-at Saligao and at

d was glad for the dry weather as I pedalled the 20 minutes it took to reach Lourdes Convent, the well known school in the village where the exhibition was being held. I reached around

wners on them. The cacti were grouped together on a table on one side of the hall and the prize winning exhibits of the flower arrangement competition on another. I noticed that the first prize had been given to a flower arrangemen

e food plants like coriander and coconut seedlings, ornamental plants such as money plants, creepers, and indoor decorative

s is a college lecturer but is better known for his experience and knowledge of plants. He practises organic farming and has a nursery called Apurb

said was a recent happening in the world. He stressed the need to return to organic farming which he said

e, to the query, "Why does a papaya plant die after flowering?" he suggested building a bund round the base of the plant because water collecting there rots the papaya base stem. In this connection he al

part thanks to the invitation I received from Alexyz, the well known Goan cartoonist, who was in charge of the Siolim Plant Festival called "Green Heritage". Gr

g at Alexyz's doorstep much earlier than expected. Alexyz and his wife Tecla arrived home in time for lunch. After lunch, I hopped on the back of Alexyz's Kineti

cat. "Come on man, let's get going", he yelled. He was a college friend of my parents

to act as cushions for the potted plants. We had a long list of homes to visit. Each time we picked up an item for the exhibition we tagged and numbered it so we would know

er to unload the pots and start out again. Each round was an experience of new people, new homes, new garde

uncil of Agricultural Research in Old Goa) and Francis Borges (the same person who gave the talk on organic farming at the Saligao Plant Exhibition) were also there along with several other village boys and girls all helping in various ways to set up the sho

exhibition, there was a creeper). He also released a book titled, Green Aid III-Total Gardening that the Green Heritage had published. The book was wrapped up in a large money plant leaf inste

ition, (ii) lectures and talks on different subjects and (iii)

nts without too much difficulty. Altogether there must have been about two hundred pots. There were vegetable plants such as chillies and brinjals. There were fl

vegetable-carving crafts and flower-making craf

vious two volumes released at the earlier exhibitions by the Green Heritage; another table held beautiful coconut handicrafts for sale. There was an elephant head, a table lamp, a skull, all made out of different parts of a coconut. Next to this, The Other India Bookstore had set up a stall with a large variety of environment titles. Furt

ty or hungry, we went and had a cold drink or some snacks. I didn't have to

s where the programme of lectures and talks was held. Altogether there were four talks given dur

handy hints on how to grow cacti. Although I have not tried my hand at growing cacti, yet I took down detailed notes which I shared with my mother, who as

e main hall, watering the plants, carrying pots and furniture around, handling the sales

the organisers all felt that it was yet another successful event. I was happy to have been a part of it. But the fun was not yet over for we all had a barbecue dinner that evening that lasted

yz's house. I was indeed sad when it all ended. I rested the ne

Work

Cacti

ll start to rot. This is because it is covered with a waxy coating which prevents water loss through evaporation. When one waters the cactus over its body, the waxy coating is washed away and the plant begins to rot. The amount of water th

because they may wrinkle in too much of bright sunlight. Unlike other plants cacti produce carbon dioxide during th

cause it is only when the plant has to struggle to survive that it will thrive. If the pot is too spacious the struggle element is removed and the chances are that the cactus will die.

of broken bricks at the bottom, charcoal above it, then coar

eds grafting. The smaller the piece the easier it is to graft. To reproduce cacti, one has to simply cut off a piece of the

are in fact highly modified leaves which prevent loss of water through transpiration. If one ever gets pricked by cacti thorns, one should take cellotape,