282 SPICES 



CHAP. 



is useless to plant on the same spot before the soil has been 

 thoroughly sterilised. Lime, if available, will affect this. 

 Finally, great care should be taken in the selection of perfectly 

 healthy cuttings. No part of any diseased plant should be used, 

 for though the plant may not at any one spot show the disease, 

 the mycelium is present, and will, at a later stage, grow out and 

 show the disease. In many parallel cases where root disease 

 is the trouble, the disease is really fostered by the planting of 

 diseased cuttings. 



The case of such a disease as this calls distinctly 

 for treatment of the soil with Bordeaux mixture. My 

 experience of treating this class of fungus with liberal 

 doses of lime and copper sulphate leaves no doubt in my 

 mind that this will purify the ground of the pest. The 

 planter should lose no time on the first appearance of 

 any underground root fungus on the pepper. Isolate 

 the infected area at once by trenches, as described, and 

 sprinkle them well with lime, cut down every vine 

 within the infected area and burn on the spot, stake and 

 all. Do not try to save a plant within the area that 

 does not by then appear to be infected. It entails risk 

 of greater loss. Dig the ground over thoroughly, throw- 

 ing the soil into the centre of the plot, and not outside. 

 Pour the Bordeaux mixture thoroughly over the whole 

 plot, and do not replant on the same spot for a full year. 



DURATION OF THE LIFE OF A VINE 



This depends mainly on the way the plant is cared 

 for, and the amount of manure which it receives. A 

 Chinese planter, if pepper happens to be low in price, 

 will give it no manure further than the first year or two's 

 burnt earth, and the plant becomes worn out in four or 

 five years. If properly treated, however, it should last 

 in good condition for from twelve to fourteen years. 

 In Assam, where it is only considered as beginning to 

 fruit in five years, or at earliest three, the vine continues 

 to yield for at least twenty years. In Madras, where it 

 is said by one writer to commence bearing in seven 

 years, it lasts for twenty -five. 



