63 CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF TEA. 



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. 1 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 neigh- 

 bour. 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 75). 



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 level. 

 After this mark off the beds and paths, the latter one foot 



1 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. 



