306 f OMST TBEES. 



tile-plants should be watered daily, and when their roots have 

 laid hold of the soil, shading should be entirely removed. 

 Details of weeding, stirring up the surface soil, and replacing 

 casualties, will require constant attention, ajid. as the plants 

 attain size, they will absorb more water. The number of heal- 

 thy plants which the Department expects to secure in tiles, for 

 field planting, is 90 per cent of the number pricked off, and 

 subsequently cultivated in pot-tiles, 10 per cent being foregone 

 in favor of Mestris, in consideration of the amount of care 

 necessary for free germinatioD in sand beds arid healthy growth 

 in pot-tilflfe. If at the final counting, or planting, it be found 

 that failures exceed 10 per cent, the value of sucfe excess should 

 be recovered by short payment. 



lb. About the month of April, the seedlings are subject 

 to the attacks of crickets and grass hoppers, but seedlings that 

 have tender or herbaceous stems are alone affected by these 

 pests. It is therefore necessary to plant out hardy seedlings 

 with slightly woody stems, or to prick off early in rebruary, 

 ' and push growth so that the young plants may be sturdy 

 enouo-h so resist the ravages of voracious insects. Although the 

 latter exist at an earlier season, it is only when herbaceous vege- 

 tation is universally withered up that they commit havoc in 

 nurseries, &c., and' from April till the advent of good rain, it is 

 necessary to employ coolies (small boys) to drive off the insects, 

 otherwise the percentage of failures would be high. In some 

 localities, and in certain seasons, these pests are absent, but as 

 a rule, they should be expected and coped with at the lime, 

 and under the conditions indicated in this paper. 



11. Manuring the nursery is an essential point, and a 

 word about it will not be out of place. Thoroughly pulverised 

 farm-yard manure is good for general application, but in special 

 cases, oil cakes, sheep dang, and ashes, are highly beneficial. 

 The last named affords material for the early formation of 

 woody fibre, and is therefore of exceptional- value in giving 

 stability to the young plants. , In all cases, the manure should 

 be applied sparingly as the object is. not to induce a lanky her- 

 baceous growth. Liberal manuring makes the' seedlings too 

 tender for their future life in the field-. 



12. Transplanting into Pits. — This will be done during the 

 S. W. monsoon, commencing as soon as 'the ground has been 

 nicely cooled by copious rain. August is perhaps the best month 

 for general planting, providing that the monsoon is normal. A 

 few days, not later than a fortnight, previous to transplanting, 

 the pits should be refilled to the ground level with ' the earth 

 formerly removed from them. In filling.' pits, it is 

 essential that all the loose earth should be returned so as to 

 form a small mound above the ground level, as earth' dug out 

 and weathered.occupies about 25 per ceat^more space thaa it 



