Stafeina. 315 



a. Object, Advantages, and Time of Staking. The object of stak- 

 ing is to secure the planting of the trees in straight lines, each stake 

 marking the place where a tree is to be planted. 



It might at first sight appear an easy matter to mark straight fur- 

 rows; but when this operation is performed in hilly ground and on a 

 surface covered with obstructions, such as trunks and branches of trees, 

 barrancas, rocks, etc., it is much more difficult than it seems. 



It is of the greatest importance, however, that the furrows of the 

 plantation should be straight, not only so that the air may circulate 

 more freely among the plants but also in order to facilitate the future 

 labors of the plantation. For this reason, therefore, no labor or ex- 

 pense should be spared to make the furrow straight. To obtain this re- 

 sult various methods are employed, which will be here briefly mentioned. 



The staking of the ground should begin as soon as the burning has 

 been done, or as soon as the branches and trunks of the trees that 

 have been cut down, and other waste vegetation have been collected 

 in heaps, if they have not been burned. 



b. Staking in Soconusco. To stake a piece of ground, two straight 

 poles of a length equal to the distance apart at which the coffee-trees 

 are to be planted, are cut of some strong wood, and given to two 

 men Two lines, which are to serve as a basis for the others, are then 

 drawn at right angles, and marked on the ground by means of two 

 cords. When these two lines are marked, stakes are placed at regular 

 intervals along the lines. Then one of the men will fix the end of his 

 pole in the place marked by the second stake of one of the two lines 

 which serve as base lines, and which have already been staked, and the 

 second man will fix one end of his pole in the second stake of the 

 other line which has been staked, so that the other ends of the two 

 poles will meet, thus forming a rectangle. A third man will bring 

 together these two ends of the two poles and will plant a stake at their 

 point of intersection, taking care that the stake shall remain in a per- 

 pendicular position. 



In this way the operation is to be continued, the end of one of the 

 poles being placed at the third stake of the line, and the end of the 

 other pole at the stake which has just been fixed on the ground, in order 

 that the other stake may be placed in the vertex of the new angle thus 

 formed, and so on successively. 



When many hands are to be employed in staking, they are to be 

 divided into parties of three, and the operation is to be conducted as 

 described, two of each party being intrusted with the carrying of the 

 poles and the third with the joining of the poles and the placing of the 

 stakes. 



Two of the men staking are also to see that the stakes are placed 

 upright, and whenever they observe that a stake has been misplaced 



