WEEDING AND UPKEEP 89 



should be provided with a stick 5^ ft. long, with 

 which to measure trees for topping. 



We have followed the practice of not stopping 

 the upward growth of the tree altogether at 5^ ft., 

 but of allowing further top growth up to 6| ft. 

 The top is pinched out at 5J feet. This results in 

 two shoots from the top node. One of these is 

 removed at once; the other is allowed to extend a 

 foot or so, and is then stopped. We find picking 

 presents no difficulty at this height, and the after- 

 growth at the top appears to result in the more 

 perfect development of the branches of the upper 

 half of the tree. It has also the effect of prevent- 

 ing a dense growth of branches at the base. 



Manuring. Probably no operation of the plan- 

 tation is more misunderstood than that of manur- 

 ing. Amongst amateur planters, the idea seems 

 to exist that a plant or tree is capable of absorbing 

 any amount of manure, and that applications of it 

 should be followed by corresponding increases in 

 crop. 



A new rich soil, such as ours, contains ordinarily 

 everything required by the plant. No good 

 purpose is served by adding manure if satisfactory 

 growth is being made without it. A plant finding 



