Deep Pitting. 1 1 1 



pit is to enable the tap-root to descend easily to a 

 point at which moisture can be obtained, however 

 much the surface may be dried up by heat and want 

 of rain ; and there are, of course, some situations 

 where the soil proper is sufficiently deep and loose to 

 enable the tap-root to accomplish this without any 

 previous excavation. It will not, however, be pru- 

 dent to calculate on this, and as a general rule the 

 deeper and wider the pit is made the better for the 

 plant ; although some pretend that if the former be 

 too deep, the plant being unable to send its roots 

 down to the undisturbed stratum, will not have a 

 sufficiently firm hold to steady it against the assaults 

 of wind. This argument, however, I consider un- 

 worthy of attention. 



An ordinary coolie can make on an average from 

 25 to 30 pits of 1 8 inches cube per diem. This is 

 equivalent to removing about TOI cubic feet of soil, 

 which is the same displacement as caused by only 12 

 pits of 24 inches cube, though it would be as easy, 

 probably, to dig 18 two- feet pits as 30 of a foot- 

 and-a-half, owing to the greater difficulty of excavat- 

 ing in depth in proportion as the lateral space is 

 reduced. Where the ground is hard or gravelly, or 

 much bound together with roots and stones, the 

 day's task per coolie will of course have to be pro- 

 portionately reduced. 



It should always be remembered that a narrow 



