53 



all the fine pulverized portions of the dug soil, fall into the 

 little drill-trench, which when finished, is barely an inch 

 deep, both sides being well sloped outwards to prevent 

 the soil closing in on the seed. In old Nurseries a 

 little well rotted manure may be applied to each drill 

 The seeds are now simply placed in the drills at an inch 

 apart but no soil is permitted to cover them the whole 

 surface is then covered thickly with dry jungle leaves* 

 care being taken to discard all such as are large or heavy, 

 which are apt to make the seedlings grow crooked. The 

 beds are now ready for the water, which should be applied 

 either in the morning or the evening with a watering-can 

 with a fine rose. Too much moistu-re is decidedly bad ; and 

 irrigation is absolutely pernicious. An even, and well main- 

 tained state of moisture, is all that is required more especi- 

 ally in hot sunny weather when one day's neglect may ruin 

 a large percentage of the seed. In six weeks the seed will 

 be raised ab.ove ground on its tender little stem and then 

 a little extra care is necessary. As soon as the root has 

 penetrated the soil, some of the dry leaf covering should 

 be thinned away, and immediately the little seedling is 

 erect, all the covering may be removed with the excep- 

 tion of that which has become pulverised either by being 

 moved about, or by decay The plants may now be thin- 

 ned out to four inches in the drill, each being cut out 

 with a small round pointed knife, so as to have a small 

 ball of earth about the size of a hazel nut : this facilitates 

 greatly the operation of pricking out and entirely obviates 

 all chance of careless coolies " hanging the seedlings/' 

 which they invariably do, if this plan is not adopted, 

 A few baskets of well pulverized soil is now scattered. 

 over the beds and the whole being well arranged with the 

 hand the operation of thinning may be considered finished , 

 Hand watering is decidedly to be preferred, and to facilitate 

 this operation, little wells may be made at convenient dis- 

 tances in which the children can dip their chatties. Tar 

 barrels with one head removed and sunk in the ground make 



