INTRODUCTION 17 



but not water-logged. Small drains should be made 

 to carry off the water in case of heavy rain. The 

 shading should not be too heavy, and should be from 

 2 to 3 ft. above the soil. 



Seeds and plants should not be planted too close 

 together. The actual distance depends on the size of 

 the plant before removing. The greater the size of the 

 young plants, the farther apart they should be planted. 

 Thus nutmegs, which remain longer in the nursery bed 

 than most plants, should be at least a foot apart. 



Occasionally, in the case of small seeds as those of 

 capsicum, there is a considerable loss due to the raids 

 of ants, which remove the seed and devour it. Upon 

 finding a seed-bed the ants often transfer the whole 

 nest to the nursery. These can be destroyed with 

 insecticides, or the bed may be flooded for a short 

 time, in order to drive them out. 



In planting in lines do not place each plant exactly 

 opposite the one in the next line, but half-way between. 

 This, the quincunx arrangement is now adopted by 

 most planters for all trees. 



In holing, make the holes wide enough and deep 

 enough, 2 ft. each way being a good size. Mix and break 

 up the soil and manure well before filling in, allowing 

 a 6 -in. mound above the ground level in which to 

 put the plant, so that when the soil sinks, as it will 

 after a few days, the surface will be a little above or on 

 the level of the ground, not below it. Otherwise you 

 will find that the sunken pit in which the plant stands 

 will become a catch hole for the rain, the soil eventually 

 becoming water-logged and foul. 



Draining to some extent is necessary on almost 

 every estate. The depth and size of the drains depends 

 on the location and on the amount of water in the soil. 

 Care must be taken to see that the drains are kept open 

 and do not silt up. If possible, they should be made 

 before planting and while the plants are in the nursery. 



