OPENING AN ESTATE. 27 



branch ; but it always replaces a maiden stem if lost, 

 by a vigorous sucker, and many old worn out estates 

 have been completely renovated by cutting down the 

 trees two inches from the ground, and allowing a good 

 shoot to proceed from the stump and take the place 

 of the tree thus decapitated, due regard at the same 

 time being paid to improvement of the soil, etc. The 

 shoot thus left will bear a small crop in two years, 

 and a full crop in the third and fourth, so that only 

 one and a half crop is lost by thus cutting down an 

 estate ; and with estates which have been much 

 neglected in pruning, etc., and have in consequence 

 lost many of their primaries, this will be found by far 

 the most satisfactory method of renovation, as a pro- 

 perty thus treated will present all the appearance and 

 regularity of a young and flourishing estate. 



In the course of the second year it will be necessary 

 to fill up all the vacancies in the first year's planting- 

 out from deaths and omissions. This is usually called 

 supplying, and should be done with great care, as the 

 neat appearance of the estate much depends on the 

 regularity of the plants ; and the vacancies, until timely 

 filled up, will become nurseries for weeds, thus increas- 

 ing the labour besides diminishing the produce of the 

 estate. It will be found a good plan to grow a number 

 of plants in large bamboos cut so as to form a flower- 

 pot, and to use these in filling up the gaps, as all 

 chance of failure is thus prevented. The plants need 

 not be turned out of the bamboos, but the bamboo-pot 

 should be cracked on one side, and the whole may be 

 then buried, as it will soon rot and be consumed by 

 grubs, etc. 



