Chapter 282 - Description of Horticulture (vṛkṣāyurveda)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Dhanvantari said:

1. Now I shall describe the science of medicine relating to trees [i.e., vṛkṣāyurveda]. It is good to have aplakṣa (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 garden should be near the house. Blooming sesamum plants should be gathered and the trees should be planted after worshipping a brahmin and the moon. The five fixed asterisms svāti, hasta, rohiṇī, śravaṇa and mūla are commended for planting the trees.

4b-5. (The trees) should be planted such that they are fed by rivers or should be made to be on the banks of a tank. (The asterisms) hasta, magha, anurādhā, aśvinī, puṣya and jyeṣṭhā as well as śatabhīṣak and the three uttaras (uttaraphālgunī, uttarāṣāḍha and uttarabhādrapada) (are good) for beginning (the construction) of tanks.

6-7a. It should be done after worshipping (lords) Varuṇa, Viṣṇu and Parjanya. (Trees such as) ariṣṭa, aśoka, punnāga, śirīṣa, priyaṅgu, plantain, jambū, bakula and pomegranate (should be planted) as above.

7b-9. The planted trees should 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) median. There should be minimum twelve cubits (distance) in between one tree and the other. Trees (planted) densely would not bear fruits. They should first be pruned with a cutter.

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

11-12. One should always sprinkle cold water with ghee for (getting abundant) fruits and flowers. Sprinkling with the excrements of sheep 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 viḍaṅga and rice would make (them) bear fruits. This would universally control the diseases of all the trees.