NURSERIES. 63 



the tap-root will descend quickly, and will be too long when 

 transplanted. As water can be given when it is necessary, 

 there is no need for the tap-root to go down low in search of 

 moisture.* A long tap-root is generally broken in " lifting " 

 the seedling from the bed. 



Seed beds raised, as is the usual custom, above the paths 

 that run between them, are objectionable. They part with 

 moisture too freely. They should, on the contrary, be below 

 the level of the paths, and there is another advantage in 

 this, for the said paths can then be used partly as supports 

 for the artificial shade, and thus do away with the expense 

 of long wooden stakes. 



As the seed beds are only required until the beginning of 

 the following rains, there is no possibility of their suffering 

 from excessive moisture. When they are required to remain 

 later, of course this plan of making the beds lower than the 

 paths will not do. 



Seed is best sown in drills, six inches apart, and each 

 seed two, or if space can be got, even three inches from its 

 neighbour. This facilitates each seedling being taken up 

 later, with more or less of a ball of earth round the roots 

 an all-important point (see Transplanting, page 76). 



The length of the beds does not signify, but the breadth 

 must not be more than five feet, so that a man on the path 

 on either side can reach to the middle while hand-weeding 

 or opening the soil. 



After what has been said no lengthy directions for making 

 the beds are necessary. 



Cut down, burn, or carry off all jungle, and then take out 

 all roots, whether grass or other. Now make the surface 



* In planting " at stake " (see last Chapter) the conditions are different. 

 There the plant is in its permanent home, and the more quickly and deeper 

 the tap-root descends the better, as the plant will then draw moisture from 

 low down when the soil is dry. 



