CEYLON COCOA ESTATE 89 



A cooly has only a primitive kind of shovel, 

 to lift out the soil, being unable to use our 

 English spade, on account of the sharp edge 

 cutting his bare feet; and thus deprived of the 

 use of his own weight in digging, it really is 

 very hard work, and every possible excuse is 

 made in order to shirk the task. Only this 

 week, four coolies who had been put on holing 

 work ran away, pretending they were going to 

 the neighbouring villages to buy curry stuffs. 

 Enquiries are being made as to their where- 

 abouts. When found they will be arrested, and 

 having no arrears of wages due to them, will 

 be punished for leaving their employment with- 

 out a month's notice. 



Holes are made very large 2 x 2^ feet, for it 

 is said to make the difference of two years in the 



frowth of the plant if they are placed in small 

 oles. When the seedlings are safe in the 

 ground, they are carefully shaded with leafy 

 branches to protect them from the direct rays 

 of the fierce tropical sun, which we must expect 

 when the monsoon is over. As the shade dies 

 away and decays, the young plant gets strong 

 enough to stand the heat, and shoots up, 

 leaving its nursing shelter to fall to pieces, or to 

 become a prey to the numerous kinds of ants, 

 which soon clear away decayed vegetation. 



Our " second boy," whose attempts at 

 English were such an amusement, has left us. 



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