12 



ODOKOGIfArHIA. 



articles may also be resorted to which will readily occur to the 

 intelligent agriculturist. 



During the progressive growtli of the plantation, the beds of the 

 trees are to be regularly weeded and the roots kept properly 

 covered with the mould, for these have a constant tendency to 

 seek the surface, the growth of the lateral branches alone is to be 

 encouraged, and all suckers and dead or unproductive branches 

 are to be removed by the pruning-knife, so as to thin the trees 

 considerably, and to admit of the descent of the night dews, which 

 are greatly contriljutive to their well-being, especially during the 

 dry and sultry weather : creepers are to be dislodged and the lower 

 verticels lopped off" with a view of establishing an unimpeded 

 circulation of air. The fittest time for pruning the trees is at the 

 conclusion of the great harvest. After the eradication of the 

 Lallang, the growth of innoxious grasses is to be encouraged in the 

 spaces between the trees, which will gi\e the plantation the 

 appearance of a park, and the plough is nosv to be abandoned. 



The nutmeg-tree is mona-cious as well as diaecious, but no 

 means of discovering the sexes before the period of inflorescence 



A. — Vertical section of male flower. 

 B. — Ditto of female floMer. 



are known. The relative proportion of male and female trees to 

 each other is also undefined, and is indeed the result of chance. 



