XIII INDIGO 255 



perature never falls below 60° Fahr., and where the atmo- 

 sphere is not laden with moisture. The plant is a lowland 

 one, and no attempt should be made to grow it systematically 

 in the mountains. 



Cultivation. — The spring is the best time for sowing, Preparation 

 and the land should be well prepared before hand. Several °^ ^^^ '^" ' 

 ploughings should be done, and the subsoil should be broken 

 up as much as possible. The surface soil is then to be 

 brought to a fine tilth by careful harrowing ; and, in order to 

 produce what is called a good " seed bed" the land may be 

 lightly rolled afterwards. The seed, which should be as fresh Sowbg the 

 as possible, is mixed with sand or ashes, and sown by means ^^^^' 

 of a machine called a dri7/ in lines distant about two feet 

 from each other. The seed must not be sown broadcast, 

 for if this were done weeding would be impossible, and the 

 plants would therefore soon be choked by fast growing in- 

 digenous vegetation. In places where the drill cannot be 

 used, the seed may be deposited in small shallow holes made 

 with the hoe, at distances of from ten to fourteen inches apart 

 in the lines. Or, as many seeds as can be taken up between 

 the thumb and forefinger may be deposited in each hole and 

 covered with about half an inch of earth. The quantity of Thequan- 

 seed used varies from ten to fifteen pounds for every acre ; [-equ^red!^ 

 and, on indigo plantations, a considerable number of the 

 best plants are always left to produce seed pods for the 

 next crop. Ten bushels of pods yield about a bushel of 

 clean seed. 



In favourable seasons the plants spring up in three or four Weeding. 

 days after sowing, and then they must be weeded by hand, 

 all the weeds being carefully pulled up so as not to injure the 

 seedlings. When the plants are a few inches high the hoe 

 may be used, and three weedings will be necessary before the 

 indigo is ready to cut, which should be when the flowers ap- 

 pear, and this will occur in about three months from the time 

 of sowing the seeds. As March is the best month in tne 



