340 SPICES 



OHAP. 



at least. In some grounds, with a good and not too 

 abrupt a slope, drainage is hardly necessary, except for 

 a few surface drains to run off the rain as it falls, and to 

 dry the roads through the estate. 



Planting Out. Seedlings must not be transplanted 

 too young, as they are very delicate and do not bear 

 transplanting well. It is therefore advisable to sow the 

 nursery beds thinly, so that the plants may be allowed 

 to become of a good size, about 1 ft. tall, before shifting. 

 If planted too close they interfere with each other's 

 growth, and it is difficult to move them without injury 

 to the roots. Should the seedlings be found to be 

 coming up too closely, it is advisable to prick them out 

 into baskets ready for planting out when they are big 

 enough. This is better than shifting them into other 

 beds, and transplanting later. In all plants, especially 

 those of a herbaceous character, the less you interfere 

 with the roots by shifting the better, and this is most 

 important in the case of young seedlings. 



In any case, even if crowded, they should not be 

 moved at all till they are at least 4 in. tall, and have 

 developed the second and third leaves. 



In Kanara, the system, according to Mollison, is to 

 thin out the seedlings if they come up too close, leaving 

 the remainder for four or five months in the seed-bed, 

 which is kept moist. They are then transplanted to a 

 second nursery. 



Kice-beds in the neighbourhood of the gardens are 

 commonly used, where there is a plentiful supply of 

 water. 



A series of narrow channels is cut in the rice-bed 

 parallel to each other, and 2 to 2-|- ft. apart. The soil from 

 the furrows is put on the ridges between, so that a series 

 of ridges and furrows is formed over the whole space. 

 On the ridges the little cardamom plants are planted in 

 two rows, and 9 to 12 in. apart. A shade of bamboo 

 covered with palm leaves tied on gives enough shadow 

 and protection from the wind and rain. The irrigation 

 water is allowed to run through the channels continu- 



