76 PLANTING IN UGANDA 



CHAPTER IX. 



Weeding and Upkeep 



KEEPING the land free from weeds absorbs the 

 largest amount of labour, and is the most costly of 

 all the operations in the plantation. It is necessary, 

 for the good growth of our crops, that they 

 shall not have to compete for space, below ground 

 or above, with any of the wild growths of nature. 

 Our plantations are at present only small clear- 

 ings in a vast extent of jungle, from which seeds 

 of all kinds are blown in in countless numbers. 

 Our rich soil and well-distributed rainfall gives 

 these seeds every opportunity to germinate and 

 establish themselves, and only by constant labour 

 can they be kept under. Fortunately, the land 

 generally chosen for plantations, ' ' Elephant 

 Grass " land, contains practically no other 

 growths, and as the " Elephant Grass " is easily 

 eradicated, most plantations start in a clean state 

 after clearing has been properly done. After the 



