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by Derrick Schokman

The jak tree planting project to be launched by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd (ANCL) on June 11 (National Jak Tree Planting Day) reminds me of a legend. Although jak is recognised throughout the country today as a good source of food, there was a time according to Sinhalese folklore when it was considered a poisonous fruit.

It is said that God Sakra himself had to come down to Earth in the guise of an old Brahamin to persuade the people that it was a wholesome food.

He picked a fruit and asked a woman to cook it for him, but forbade her to taste it. But such is female curiosity and so enticing was the aroma emanating from the cooking pot that the woman was tempted to taste a portion of the meal.

On his return the Brahamin, by virtue of his divine power, realised that the woman had helped herself to his repast. He promptly chided her as a 'heraliya' or thieving woman. And that is how jak came to be called 'heraliya' (hera: thief and liya: woman). To get back to jak as a wholesome food, it can take the place of rice. A single fruit is equivalent to one measure of rice and can feed 3 to 4 persons.

The fruit can also be cooked and eaten at all stages. When tender it can be chopped and used as a 'mellun' or cooked into a 'polos' curry. The mature but not ripe fruit can be boiled and eaten. The ripe fruit is relished as a dessert. Even the seeds can be roasted and eaten.

There are several types of jak viz. kurus kos, del kos, waraka and vela. Also the introduced early bearing Johore jak.

The Department of Agriculture once had two excellent waraka selections. Namely 'Father Long' and 'Rosa kos'.

'Father Long' was an early type, which came into bearing in 3 to 4 years and continued to bear heavily over 15 to 20 years. 'Rosa kos' had the same characteristics, except that the flesh took on a pink tinge when cooked.

I do not know whether the Department of Agriculture still has these varieties. The ANCL project team will do well to enquire, and if the Department cannot oblige they should seek the assistance of private horticulturists like Nihal Fernando of Studio Times and others who are dedicated to maintaining good fruit stocks.

If suitable mother trees are found, these two varieties can be multiplied and supplied to home gardens either as seedlings or grafts, along with Johore jak.

Seedlings should be planted 25 ft. apart and grafts closer at 18 ft in 1 1/2 ft. square manured holes. Be sure to select well drained spots because jak cannot tolerate waterlogging.

Poor drainage causes the leaves to turn yellow in large numbers and fall off. This is followed by the blackening and decay of the fruits.

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