112 SPICES 



CHAP. 



The commonest mistake in planting is to fill the hole 

 in which a tree is to be planted with its new soil only 

 to the level of the ground, or even lower. The result of 

 this is that rain-water collects in the sunken ground 

 and fills the bottom of the hole, causing death of the 

 roots from water-logging. The little plant is now planted 

 in the centre of the hole, and the soil firmly pressed 

 down round it. Care is to be taken to see that the 

 tap-root is straight. Plants that have been too long 

 in pots or bamboo tubes are apt to have the tap-root 

 bent, or in the act of planting it may be somewhat 

 bent. A tree with a bent tap-root may grow for many 

 years, but eventually remains stunted and is a complete 

 failure. I have seen estates of coffee in which the tap- 

 root of almost every bush was badly bent. The plants 

 after a few years were worthless, and the mistake could 

 never be remedied. In planting any tree it is a good 

 plan while pressing down the soil on both sides with the 

 feet to firmly but gently give the little plant a pull 

 upwards. This will straighten the root if it has been 

 accidentally bent in planting. 



It is worth while to take some trouble in planting 

 neatly and properly, for, as a tree is planted, so will it 

 grow, and a mistake made in planting may never 

 again be remediable. 



In hot places the little plants require a certain 

 amount of shading till they have settled in the ground, 

 and commence to push out their roots. This is 

 commonly done in the Straits Settlements by sticking 

 fronds of the bracken ferns, Gleichenia or Pteris, into 

 the ground so as to make a light shade over the plants. 

 If these are not available small roofings of portions of 

 palm leaves, or boughs of other trees may be used. Dr. 

 Oxley recommends the use of what are known as ataps, 

 a roofing of pandanus leaves bent over a stick and 

 fastened with slips of rattan. This, however, would be 

 too dark under ordinary circumstances. The object of 

 the shade is to keep off the direct sun rays in the hot 

 and dry time of the day, and very heavy rain, but at 



