170 Dr. Heifer's Fourth Report [No. 98. 



In future times, when wood will be more appreciated, part of 

 these trunks, 30 or 40 feet in length, quite straight, some 

 species yielding excellent timber for ship- building and other 

 purposes, will probably be removed to well situated localities, 

 where they can be dragged by elephants to the water's edge. 

 For the present, there is no demand for timber, and these large 

 trunks are left in the plantation to rot. The aspect of such 

 a plantation cleared and prepared, is not agreeable to the eye 

 of an European accustomed to see clean fields; the standing 

 and strewed large trunks prevent the application of the plough, 

 but in the present description the most profitable mode of plan- 

 tation is kept in view, and this does not require the plough, for 

 such a plantation is not to become a field, but a garden. 



The next aim is to render the prepared soil as productive 

 as a virgin soil can be made. It is not yet ascertained by 

 experience whether it is not advisable to sow in the first 

 instance mountain rice, not only on account of the pro- 

 duce obtained covering at least a great part of the expences of 

 cutting down the forest, but also on account of being a 

 powerful check to the shooting up of numerous weeds, after 

 a few months, notwithstanding constant weeding. The natives 

 affirm that the quantity of nutritive matter of which the rice 

 deprives the soil, is less than that consumed by the weeds. 



If rice is not planted, sesamum oil-seed is sown broad cast 

 upon the ashes, young chilli plants planted in rows, and cut 

 pieces of yams planted like potatoes at intervals. 



These annual productions enter into the domestic economy 

 of a tropical planter, and the surplus, if the country be in- 

 habited, is bought up by the natives; the labourers also, in 

 most cases, consent to take a part of their wages in kind, 

 instead of money. 



The next is the planting of plantain shoots. This plantation 

 is formed on account of the shade which the broad leaves of this 

 plant throws over the young perennial plants, shade being a 

 most necessary requisite in the dry season, and plantains shoot- 

 ing out the quickest, without detaching much nourishment 

 from the soil, and are besides otherwise useful. 



They yield, as is well known, an astonishing quantity of 



