CHAPTER VIII. 



WEEDING, CUTTING, CARTING, MANUFACTURING. 



AFTER the plant has well shown itself it will 

 : . f^ 



require to be well weeded, and this must be 



carefully done, or much of the young plant will 

 be trodden under foot and destroyed. The weeding 

 instrument is of the shape given in the illustration, 

 and is used by the natives in a squatting position. It 

 is driven down to the root of the weed, and a sharp 

 push is given forward which cuts the weed off below 

 the surface, about two inches deep. Care must be 

 taken in doing this, or much of the young plants' 

 roots may also be injured. The weeds should also be 

 collected upon the edge of the field if possible, and 

 not left in heaps on the field, as each heap will 

 cover and kill a certain number of young and healthy 

 plants, and, say, at ten heaps to an acre, each heap 

 destroying a hundred plants, the loss must be con- 

 siderable. 



The plant is ripe and fit to cut from about the end 

 of June, earlier or later, according to the weather. It 

 is carted as soon as possible after cutting to the vats 

 and packed in the steepers as per illustration. After 

 steeping in water for some twelve or thirteen hours, 



