324 Ciiliivation of Nutmegs and Cloves in Bencooleiu 



now to be employed in clearing the intermediate spaces of lallang 

 and other noxious grasses, carefully av^oiding to trespass on the 

 beds of the trees. They must be watered every other day in 



sultry weather, manured annually during the rains with four gar- 



den baskets full of the above mentioned compost to each tree, 

 and protected from the sun until they attain the age of five years- 

 They will now be sufficiently hardy to bear the sun, and from 

 that age until their fifteenth year, the compost should consist of 

 equal parts of cow dung and burnt earth^and from eight to twelve 

 baskets full will be required for each bearing tree, a lesser pro- 

 portion being distributed to the males. From the power of habit 

 the trees will, after the fifteenth year, require a more stimulating 

 nutriment ; the dung ought not, therefore, to be more than two 

 or three months old, and the mixture should consist of two parts 

 of it to one of burnt earth, of which the suitable proportion will 

 be from twelve to sixteen baskets to each tree biennially. In all 

 cases the prepared compost must be spread out in the sun for three 

 or four days previous to its application, in order to destroy grubs 

 and worms that may have lodged in it, and which might injure 

 the roots of the plants. 



In all plantations, whether situated in forest land or in the plains, 

 the necessity of manuring at stated intervals has been found in- 

 dispensable, and is indeed identified with their prosperity. The 

 proper mode of applying it is in a circular furrow in immediate 

 contact with the extremeties of the fibrous roots, which may be 

 called the absorbents oi^ the plant. Where there is a scarcity of 

 duns:, recourse may be had to the dregs remaining after the prepa- 

 ration of the oil from the fruit of the Arachis Hypoga^a, wnicH 

 in mixture with burnt earth, is a very stimulating manure ; or 

 composts may be formed from the decomposition of leaves or 

 vegetable matter of any description, A very fertilizing and high- 

 ly animalized liquid nutriment for plants, is obtained by macera- 

 ting human ordure in water in proper pits for four or five months, 

 and applying the fluid to the radical absorbents of the plants. 

 Seaweed and many other articles may also be resorted to, which 

 will readily occur to the intelligent agriculturist. 



During the progressive growth of the plantation, the beds of 

 the trees are to be regularly weeded and the roots kept properly 

 covered with the mould, for these have a constant tendency to 

 seek the surface ; the growth of the lateral branches alone is to 

 be encouraged, and all suckers, or dead and unproductiv^e branch- 

 es, are to be removed by the pruning knife, so as to thin the 

 trees considerably and to admit of the descent of the night dews 

 which are greatly contribntive to their well beingj especially du- 

 ring the dry and sultry weather; creepers are to be dislodged, 

 and the lower verticels lopped off, with the view of estabhshing 

 an unimpeded circulation of air. The conclusion of the great 



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