98 TROPICAL AGRICULTURE CHAP. 



vary according to the soil and to the lay of the land. In 

 Ceylon, the usual distance is six feet by six feet, which gives 

 1,2 10 trees to the acre. On the rich land in the West Indies, 

 however, the plants may be put in farther apart, and on poor 

 soil and also on steep hillsides, shorter distances may be 

 adopted, but the trees should never be closer than five feet 



Not closer by five feet, which would give 1,740 trees to the acre. 



feeT fiv Liberian coffee being larger and more vigorous than 

 Arabian coffee, the distances of planting may be wider, and 

 in Dominica the trees are usually planted at ten feet by ten 

 feet which gives 435 trees to the acre. 



HOLING. The land having been lined out, the next thing 

 is to put in the plants ; but, except where the forest has been 

 cleared, and where the virgin soil is rich and friable, it is 

 Size of holes, necessary to hole the land. That is to say, holes must be 

 dug where every picket stands, and these holes should be 

 from one foot to two feet square and from a foot and a half 

 to two feet deep. In clays and poor soils the larger size is 

 preferable, and on a good, rich, loamy soil the smaller size 

 Holes left will be sufficient. The holes must be left open for a few 

 fe P w n w f eek a s . weeks so as to allow the air to get into the sub-soil and to 

 act on the dormant constituents, and the earth dug out 

 should be placed below the hole if the land be hilly and any- 

 Filling the where on one side if it be level. In filling the holes, none of 

 the earth taken out must be put back, but surface soil from 

 the vicinity and weeds must be put in, care being taken to 

 keep out stones and large roots. The more weeds buried 

 the better, as they answer the purpose of a green crop 

 manure. After a week or two, the weeds will rot and add 

 richness to the soil, which will sink down and leave a 

 shallow hole that must be again filled up with surface earth ; 

 and, if the land be poor, some farm yard manure or compost 

 The earth to may with advantage be added. It is advisable to raise the 

 earth somewhat, leaving a small mound where the hole was, 

 and in the top of the mound the young tree is to be planted. 



