8 

 Isurned, The "bwning kills everything at the time, except the 

 trees that ar^ left stan'iing. But In March, as soon as some 

 rain has fallen, grass and other deep }-ootfod weeds shoot up, 

 and are dug out. Nothin^T more is required to prepare the 

 ground for receiAying tiie plants. The land receives no culti- 

 vation whatever ; in fact the rocky nature, of the ground makes 

 any kind of cultivation impossible, and there is danger of the 

 soil, if loosened, being washed awa;- "by the torrential rainfall 

 to which the sides are exposed. The usual plan is first to 

 plant out the clearing with plantain trees. These are jjlanted 

 in March, and begin to bear in fifteen to eighteen months after 

 planting. The plantain clumps are allovired to remain on the 

 ground for three years, at the end of which they cease to be 

 productive and are dug out. In the meantime orange and useful 

 trees are planted at intervals atnong the plantain trees. Before 

 the time for removing the latter arrivf.s, the other trees will 

 establish themselves aiid cease to be in need of shade. The 

 only treatment that the ground receives after it has been 

 planted out is occasional weeding. Ordinarily, there are two 

 cleanings diiring the year, one taking place in May after the 

 spring rains wliich bring on a thick grov/th of weeds, and the 

 other in October at the close, of the rainy season. 



The aspect of the land is matter of some laoment to an 

 orange garden, A garden with a northern aspect is shaded 

 from the sun for a great part of the day. On such land, the 

 fruits ripen late, remain longer on the trees and are not so 

 sweet as those of a garden facing south which receives the full 



