XI CINCHONA 225 



sand in equal proportions. The seeds must be sown evenly The soil 

 so as almost to cover the soil, and then fine earth must be nurseries, 

 sprinkled over the seed in order to cover it lightly. The 

 boxes must be placed in a shady and sheltered position, and 

 kept from the rain. Frequent waterings with a very fine rose The soil to 

 are necessary, indeed the soil should be always moist. Germi- ^ois^t!'* 

 nation will take place in about three weeks ; and, when the 

 seedlings are two inches high, they should be transplanted 

 to nurseries to be hardened off. When seed beds are made Trans- 

 the soil should be well dug up and all roots and stones re- ^ ^"""^" 

 moved, and about two inches of a made soil similar to that 

 used in the boxes should be laid on the beds. The beds The beds to 

 must be under cover so as to keep off rain and sun and high j^q^"" ^^ 

 winds from the young plants ; a rough thatched roof erected 

 over the beds will answer the purpose. The beds must be 

 watered in the same way as recommended in the case of the 

 boxes ; and the yotmg plants are to be transplanted to nur- 

 series — also covered in with rough roofs — when they are a 

 few inches high. As the plants increase in size and vigour Hardening 

 the shade may be gradually removed so as to accustom the seedlings, 

 seedlings to the sun, and when they are eight or nine inches 

 high they may be put out in their permanent places in the 

 fields. 



Cultivation. — The land having been laid out, holes must Holing the 

 be prepared for the seedling plants. These holes should be 

 about fifteen inches deep and eighteen inches wide, roots 

 and stones must be taken away and the same earth taken out 

 should be put back into the holes. Formerly cinchona trees Close plant- 



• 1 ,• , , . 1 , <- 1 ing the best. 



were planted at wide distances, but this has been found out 

 to be a mistake. In close planting the trees cover the ground 

 quicker and thus shade the roots and keep down weeds, the 

 high winds do less damage, the stems grow straighter and 

 cleaner ; and, as the trees become big, they may be thinned 

 out and a return of bark will thus be got at the third or 

 fourth year. The distances now usually adopted are four Distances. 



Q 



