43 

 hole should be a cu^be, of a yard and a half, on hill sides 2 

 to 2 1/2 yards, "but in low grounds half or three-quarters of a 

 yard deep with one yard square is sufi'icient. If the pits 

 are not wide and sufficiently deep, the roots soon appear 

 above the siirface of the surrounding ground, and the hold upon 

 the earth is weak, nor is sufficient nourishraent obtained, and 

 the monsoon stones quickly o^/erturn the tree where the soil 

 is marshy, though the hole need only be large enough to con- 

 tain the seed and roots, and in a cold clayel ground the holes 

 are filled with sand and the plants deposited in it. Again, 

 in low marshes, banks or terraces should be thrown up and con- 

 solidated previoxxs to planting. If in any of these cases 

 plants of two or three years old are used, the pits' must be at 

 least 2 1/2 yards every way. The pits should be dug from two 

 to six months before planting, and then prepared first by 

 having heaps of fuel and weeds burned in them, and subsequently 

 by manuring. The fresh earth is supposed to be full of ants 

 and worms, and itself injurious to the new plant, and to hinder 

 growth ; on the contrary, there are some planters who deny 

 this statement and think the burning and manuring not to be 

 necessary. In low situated plantations new holes may be 

 preferred and quick planting. No time shoiild be lost in the 

 removal from the nursery to the pits, indeed the As^ should 

 not pass--in which case within the month new roots and fronds 

 may be looked for ; but where this proves impracticable, if 

 the plants are kept cool and in shade, four to six or eight 

 days have been known to intervene, but followed 'by very great 



