291 PLANTING. 



but these figures are themselves geometrical shapes and will in any 

 case rarely be so numerous, and never so large, as to disturb the 

 mathematical precision of the lines of work. 



In each compartment the planting spots may be expeditiously 

 and sufficiently accurately marked out in the following man- 

 ner : 



Along two opposite sides peg out the ends of the planting lines. 

 Then draw a chain in a straight line between two opposite pegs, 

 marking each planting spot with a single blow from a pick or by 

 means of a stake driven into the ground. Chains of a special 

 length should be used and the planting distances should be indicat- 

 ed on it by means of small brass labels. 



The preceding plan requires workmen trained to drag the chain 

 in a perfectly straight line between two given points. It is, how- 

 ever difficult to teach the native of India, of the classes which 

 supply our coolies and forest guards, the art or the necessity of 

 chaining straight. A simpler and more certain plan for all classes 

 of workmen will be as follows : 



Instead of u sing chains that are dragged about, take strong 

 lines of some material not affected by wet and of the same length 

 as the side of the compartment, which should on that account not 

 be large. To the end of each line a strong wooden peg should be 

 securely attached, and knots of coloured wool should be tacked on 

 along the line at the required intervals. In the square system of 

 arrangement only a single line per workman is needed ; this should 

 first be stretched along two opposite sides of the compartment in 

 order to mark thereon the planting distances, and then at right 

 angles to them successively between two opposite points marked 

 out, until the entire compartment is completed. For a rectangular 

 arrangement we want two lines to indicate separately the two 

 different distances, or one and the same line may be used, the two 

 different intervals being marked thereon with wool of two different 

 colours. For laying out equilateral triangles three lines are re- 

 quired, one to indicate the height of the triangle (the si de x 0'87) 

 and the other two, giving the length of the si de of the triangle, 

 to mark out alternately (a) the rows the first planting spot of which 

 is on the edge of the compartment, and (b) the rows the first plant- 

 ing spot of which is half the length of the side away from the 

 edge of the compartment. Obviously the last two lines can be re- 

 placed by a single one bearing knots of two different colours 

 alternately, the interval between two successive knots of the two 

 different colours being equal to half the side of the triangle. 



