Manuring 289 



some provision must be made to meet the 

 continual drain on the soil of these constituents. 

 The best method is to have a compost heap near 

 at hand where all forms of refuse and rubbish 

 are collected, but care is necessary to build 

 up a good one. The refuse is best interlarded 

 between layers of earth, and the addition of small 

 quantities of lime helps towards the decay of 

 the vegetable matter and counteracts any acidity 

 set up. The compost, if made in spring, should 

 be ready for application in the autumn after 

 having been turned over and thoroughly mixed ; 

 basic slag and kainit can then be safely added ; 

 indeed, a handful of kainit applied to each nut 

 is an advantage, since this tends to prevent 

 the ravages of such pests as white ants. 



Having selected the seed-nuts, it is advisable 

 to store them in a dry place for about six 

 weeks, since if this is not done the food store 

 in the nuts is liable to decay through excess 

 of moisture. Those nuts which may not have 

 been quite ripe at the time of picking are thus 

 given a chance to mature. The nuts are then 

 laid lengthwise or in a slightly oblique position 

 6 in. apart in shallow trenches and buried to 

 half their depth in the soil. Germination should 

 take place in three to four months. If careful 

 attention has been paid to the beds in the 

 way of providing shade and artificial watering 

 in times of drought, then those nuts should be 

 thrown out as unsuitable which show no signs 

 of germination at the end of that time. 



