CARDAMOMS 339 



that cardamoms require a certain amount of shade. 

 Plants grown in full sun seem to deteriorate soon, and 

 even if some plants thus grown do develop rapidly the 

 racemes do not grow to any size, only extending to a 

 few inches in length, in fact only as far as the shade of 

 the foliage extends. If the method of growing in 

 clearings in forests is adopted, a certain number of trees 

 are left standing to make a light shade, and it is 

 advisable to have this light shade too dense at first to 

 allow for death of trees or loss by wind. The loss ol 

 trees after clearing brushwood and small timber away, 

 and letting the light into the forest, is always greater 

 than might appear likely, and a large proportion of the 

 trees left standing will be certain to die after thinning 

 out. It is easy to thin out the trees if the shade is too 

 dense at a later period. In many parts of India, e.g. in 

 Kanara and Mysore, the plant is grown between betel- 

 nut palms or bananas, or in gardens of mixed cultivation 

 where the other cultivated plants give it the requisite 

 shade. 



In such a cultivation as this, it is undoubtedly best 

 to select a piece of ground upon which there are a 

 number of trees already. Secondary growth of small 

 trees is suitable, if procurable. Failing this, it will 

 be requisite to plant rapidly growing shade trees, such 

 as the rain -tree, Inga Saman, Saga, Adenanthera 

 pavonina, Albizzia moluccana, or the like. As trees 

 to give shade are naturally slower in growth than the 

 cardamoms, they should be planted as early as possible. 

 In selecting the best trees for rapid growth, the planter 

 will have to use his judgment to a considerable extent, 

 for a tree which is of rapid growth in one country or at 

 one altitude is not necessarily suited for another region 

 or height. It may grow in one place more slowly or 

 not at all, while in another it grows with great rapidity 

 and is in every way suitable. 



Draining. The extent and depth to which drains 

 should be dug depends on the nature and slope of the 

 soil. In flat wet land they will require to be 2 ft. deep 



