CAPSICUMS 365 



CULTIVATION 



The capsicums are grown from seed, and are plants 

 easy of cultivation. The soil required is light and 

 friable, and should be worked up to a depth of from 

 4 to 6 in., and brought to a fine tilth. If the soil is 

 poor, it should be manured with cattle dung during the 

 preparation of the soil, and this should be well mixed 

 with the earth till it is decayed, and combined with the 

 soil. 



In some countries the natives sow the seed broad- 

 cast, and so leave it. This is not, however, at all 

 advisable, and the proper system is to raise the plants 

 in nurseries, and when sufficiently tall to plant the 

 seedlings in rows, on ridges, banked up. 



The seeds, when sprinkled broadcast over the land, 

 produce about 15,000 plants to the acre; planted out 

 from nurseries 6,000 go to an acre (Drieberg). In 

 Ceylon, the plants are planted out in April, and the 

 crop commences in June, and continues on and off for 

 six months. 



During the growth of the plant, the ground may be 

 improved with a dressing of ashes, and the soil banked 

 up around the plants. In India, when the plant begins 

 to flag from continuous picking, a top-dressing of 

 castor-cake, 600 to 1,000 Ibs. to the acre, is given to 

 prolong the cropping season. In Ceylon, the favourite 

 manure consists of the leaves of Croton lacciferum. 



Cow-dung, given at this stage, is too strong, and 

 causes the plant to develop leaf at the expense of fruit, 

 the leaves becoming large and unhealthy. 



In Europe, the soil recommended is a light rich soil 

 composed of tufty loam, rotted leaf mould, and cow 

 manure in equal parts with a little silver sand. 



It must be remembered that in the tropics strong 

 manure like fresh cow-dung and horse-dung (a valuable 

 manure in a cold country) cannot be used in the same 

 way as they can in a temperate climate. It seems 

 probable that in a hot climate the decomposition of 



