MAKING A GARDEN. 75 



seen large vigorous Tea plants under trees. It is therefore 

 evident trees are hurtful, and no more should be left in a 

 garden than are required for the labourers to sit under occa- 

 sionally, and to collect leaf under before it is taken to the Tea- 

 house. The trees that are left should be those on the sides of 

 roads. One to every two or three acres is ample. After 

 therefore cutting down all the low jungle, cut down all but the 

 said few trees (it is cheaper in the end than ringing them), 

 and then cut off and cut up all the branches into sizes that 

 will burn readily. Cut up the large trunks also into lengths, for 

 all that will not burn must be carried off later. Leave all so 

 lying until February, then choose a day with a high wind and 

 fire it from the windward side. It may burn some days. 

 Then collect all unburnt into heaps, and fire again and again 

 until nothing more will burn. Now take out all roots, big and 

 small, and when well dry, stack all these, and what was left 

 before, and fire again and again. The land should now be 

 tolerably clear, and can be dug at once. The roads should 

 be marked off before this, for they are better not dug. 



Now stake the land at the distances determined on, and 

 a month before the rains, or even more, if you are so far 

 advanced, make holes for the young seedlings at each stake, 

 precisely like those recommended for "planting at stake," 

 page 59. Only, if possible, these should be a little larger 

 each way than there advised, say 10 inches diameter and 15 

 inches deep. 



Read carefully the direction as to those pits, and follow 

 them out here. Much of the success of your planting 

 depends on these holes. 



At the first commencement of the rains transplant, as 

 directed under that head in the next chapter. 



Any large heavy trunks, which cannot be easily carried off 

 the land, may be placed longways between the lines, but the 

 less of dead timber you leave lying about the gardens the 

 better. 



