88 CULTIVATION OF THE TEA PLANT 



causes an unnecessary employment of labour. Seeds sown in 

 their capsules are better than without ; but either mode will do. 

 Each bush may produce about 250 capsules, containing on an 

 average 476 seeds ; 103 may contain only one seed each ; 80 

 may contain two seeds; 55 may contain three seeds; and 12 

 4 seeds. Each bush is formed either of 5 seedlings ; 10 

 fresh or dried seeds ; or of 8 or 9 capsules containing 14 to 

 17 seeds. 



The bushes are placed 4 feet square apart, and extend to about 

 3 feet diameter ; so that an opening of only 1 foot remains 

 between each bush in the several rows. The cavities made 

 for the reception of the seedlings are about lj foot in depth, 

 and 1 foot diameter ; those for seed are 4 or 5 inches deep. 

 Clay earth taken out of the bed of rivers, put 4 or 5 inches deep 

 and covered one inch with soil, keeps white ants away : in such 

 cases the spa^r required will be 7 inches in diameter, and 4 

 inches deep. Seeds steeped in katjang oil are also a preserva- 

 tive against white ants. 



In cases where the bushes do not flourish, and where they 

 decay, seed may be sown near the roots of such shrubs ; and 

 when the seedlings become productive, the old bushes may be 

 cut down or rooted up altogether. 



The bushes should not be allowed to grow higher than 3 

 feet, for the convenience of gathering the leaves. If higher, 

 men of ordinary stature and boys would not be able to gather 

 them. When the seedlings have attained a foot in height 

 and are strong, they must be stopped, or topped ; that is, the 

 crown or head of the young seedling must be nipped off with the 

 thumb-nail. This it may be necessary to repeat three or four 

 times during the first year, according to the rapidity of the growth 

 of the plant. In the first stopping or topping the plant must 

 not be reduced lower than J of a foot ; in the second, not lower 

 than 1^ foot ; and thus till 3 feet be attained. The term topping 

 is also applied to the branches as well as the stem. Here the 

 stopping of the lateral shoots should take place on the brown 

 part of the wood, about half an inch or an inch below the green 

 part of the shoot. In this manner the young bushes are made 

 to extend their lateral growth to three feet in diameter, with an 

 exuberance of young delicate leaves. 



