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the clearing- away of all weeds and trash. Sow the seed thinly, 

 about one to two centimeters apart, and cover the seed not more 

 than one centimeter with soil, then water the bed thoroughly. 

 In the dry season it is well to make the seed bed where it is 

 shaded from the hot midday rays of the sun. under a tree ; or. it 

 may be shaded by the erection of a small bamboo frame on the 

 top of which are placed grass or palm leaves. If the seed is 

 planted during the rainy season a shed of palm leaves should al- 

 ways be put up over the seed bed to protect the seed from being 

 washed out and the plants from being beaten down by the heavy 

 rains. 



Transplanting. — When the plants have attained a height 

 of about seven to ten centimeters, they are ready to be trans- 

 planted to the place where they are intended to grow. 



Unless the transplanting has been preceded bv a good rain, 

 the plants should be thoroughly watered before thev are removed 

 from the seed bed. In order to reduce the evaporation of water 

 from the plants until thev are well established in their new auar- 

 ters. about three-fourths of the leafblades should be trimmed ofif. 



In transplanting, take un the plants with so laro-e a ball of 

 earth that as few roots are cut or disturbed as possible. Do not 

 set out the voung nlant deeper in the new place than it grrew in 

 the nurserv : firm the soil well around the roots, making a slight 

 denression around the plant : water thoroughlv. 



In order to protect the tender plant from the sun until it is 

 established, it is well to place around it a few leafv twies at the 

 time of planting. It is well to set out three plants to each and as 

 the plants p-row up and fruit to dig out the males or the two 

 poorest fruiting plants. 



If the plants can not be set out in the field at the time indicated, 

 transplant them from the seed bed to a nurserv, setting out the 

 plants about 20 to 30 centimeters apart in rows a meter apart, 

 or more, to suit the convenience of the planter. While the best 

 nlan is to set out the plants in the field before thev are more than 

 30 centimeters tall, the plants mav be transplanted to the field from 

 the nurserv with safetv after thev are more than 1.5 meters high. 

 provided that all except voting and tender leafblades are removed, 

 leaving the entire petiole, or leafstalk, attached to the plant: if 

 the petiole be cut close to the main stem, decay rapidly enters it. 

 If the entire petiole is left it withers and drops and a good leaf 

 scar has formed before the fungi have had time to work their 

 wav from the petiole into the stem of the plant. 



Treatment of Olp Plants. — When a plant has grown so tall 

 that it is difificult to gather the fruit, which also at this time grows 

 small, cut off the trunk about 75 centimeters above the ground. 

 A number of buds will then sprout, from the stump, and will 

 form several trunks that will bear fruit like the mother plant in 

 a short time. These sprouts, except two or three, should be cut 



