The seeds are first, soaked in wafer for three days, and when germi- 

 nation has set in they are planted out <! indies apart, with the had end 

 above ground, into shaded beds — the usual practice being to put down 

 two seeds together in case of failure. If a large number of plants are to 

 be grown the seeds are only put down 3 inches to 4 inches apart. 



lieds rue about 6 feet wide, ami of any length. They are shaded by 

 aflat framework of sticks, over which is placed a layer of either dry 

 grass or eocoanut leaves ; the height of this framework is about 3 feet 

 to 34 feet. 



There is no regular rule for watering the seedlings, the important 

 point being to keep the beds constanty damp. The slaves in charge go 

 over the nursery beds both morning and evening, watering any of which 

 the surface has become dry, the practice being to sprinkle water with 

 the hand from the water jar. The plants are kept, on an average, from 

 nine months to one year in shaded beds. When the plants are about 

 6 inches high they are by degrees hardened by the thatch of the frame- 

 work being gradually removed, and they are then left in the open beds 

 freely exposed to sunshine for the -pace of one month or two months 



Planting. 

 The usual planting distances appear to vary, and no regular or fixed 



The most customary, as given to me by Eagu, the head overseer of 

 the Sultan".- plantations, is 21 leef apart, but also ju small plantations it 

 is 18 feet, rising in larger ones to 36 feet. 



Lining is done by rope, but no pegs are used, the distances being 

 marked by a cut with the hoe. This work is very carefully carried out, 

 and the appearance of tin- .- very striking in this 



respect, whichever way one looks the trees presenting an unbroken 

 and uniform straight, line. 



The process of holing is as follows : — A large circular sloping hole, 

 4 feet in diameter, is cut, in the centre of which is cut a smaller hole, 

 1 foot by 1 foot or 9 inches wide; this smaller hole receives the plant; 

 the wide upper portion remains unfilled, and serves as a catch drain or 

 reservoir. This is in process of time gradually tilled up by weeds, 

 . 

 Special care is also taken in planting out. The earth round the plant 

 is loo-rued by a peeuliai triangular-shaped spade u-ed especially on 



