CHAPTER VII. 

 CULTURAL OPERATIONS 



PLANTING 



Planting, or the transference of plants, trees, shrubs, etc., 

 from their pots or nursery beds to places in the open ground where 

 they are intended to remain, may usually be done in the tropics at 

 any time, except in the dry season (see under Climate), the most 

 essential condition being that the soil be in a moist, though not 

 excessively wet, state. In the low-country of Ceylon, planting 

 operations may commence at the setting in of the monsoon 

 rains, but should not as a rule be attempted during the months of 

 January, February, and March. As regards the hill districts, 

 however, certain delicate annuals and exotic plants are liable to 

 suffer from excessive rain, and these should not be planted out 

 until the burst of the Monsoons (June and October) has somewhat 

 abated. Except perhaps in very wet weather, a good watering 

 should invariably be given to plants when either planted out or 

 transplanted from one place to another. As annual crops should 

 be sown in drills, so all shrubs or trees that are cultivated as crops 

 should be planted in rows, the plants in each row alternating with 

 those in that next to it. 



Holing. It is very important, especially in poor soils, that 

 sufficiently large holes be made in the first place, for otherwise the 

 plants are liable to languish and become stunted or irregular in 

 growth. The proper size of the hole depends upon the nature of 

 the tree to be planted and on the character of the soil. For 

 moderate-sized shrubs, the holes should be about 2 ft. in diameter 

 and about 20 inches deep ; while for fruit and other trees they 

 should be proportionately larger. In any case it is well to dig 

 large deep holes, and fill to the depth required by the particular 

 plant in hand. The soil that is taken out should be mixed with 

 some manure, or any well-decayed organic matter available, before 

 rilling it in again. It is important that the soil should be pressed 

 firmly about the roots of the plant when the latter is placed in 



