23 



and well watered, the mixture of ashes and seed is carefully spread 

 over the surface. Every six days a new seed bed is made, in order to 

 be sure to always have fresh plants of proper size on hand when the 

 time comes for transi)lanting. A bed of this size will produce about 

 2,000 good plants as a rule. As a coolie x^lants about 10,000 xdants on 

 an average in his field, it would be expected that he would make about 

 5 of these seed beds, but as a rule every coolie makes from 14 to IG, and 

 sometimes as many as 20 seed beds. 



When new land is used it is not necessary to burn the beds first, as 

 little trouble will ensue from grass and weeds; but if old land is used 

 it is necessary to burn the land over, as is done in the United States. 



Before sowing the seed bed is covered with a sort of roof. On one 

 side of the bed sticks are put in about 3 J to 4 feet high, and on the 

 opposite side sticks of from 3 to 3^ feet, thus giving a gentle slope to 

 the roof, which is made of straw or prairie grass. This can be put close 

 together or spread out as desired, in order to regulate the amount of 

 heat received by the small plants. In this way the seeds and tender 

 plants are protected from the intense heat of the East India sun. Beds 

 are always made from east to west lengthwise. After eight or ten days 

 the roof can be spread out considerably in the morning and evening, 

 and after a month or five weeks it can be taken off and kept to serve 

 for another bed. The plants are usually ready to be transplanted in 

 from forty-five to fifty days after the seeds are sown. 



The white ants and occasionally caterpillars and Avorms are very 

 destructive in the seed beds. The best way to get rid of the pests is 

 by taking them oft' hy hand. For this i^urpose the Chinaman goes 

 over the bed very early in the morning or in the evening with a torch. 

 Sometimes a mixture of water and akar toeha (root of a plant called 

 toeba) is applied with good success to keep oft' the pests. 



SETTING OUT THE PLANTS. 



Transplanting begins about the last of March and is continued until 

 the beginning of June. Experience has shown that after that date the 

 results are not so satisfactory. 



The field is first thoroughly broken up to a depth of a foot with the 

 tjankol. The coolie then carefully clears the piece which he intends to 

 plant of all stumps, grass, etc., and rakes the ground carefully, so that 

 it has a smooth and even api)earance. This is done the day before the 

 transplanting. The coolie is then provided with a plant string of the 

 same length as the width of the field, namely, about 60 feet. Each 

 end of the string is securely attached to a stick 3 feet long for the pur- 

 pose of laying oft' the rows. The string itself is divided into spaces of 

 2 feet by securely tying red or blue ribbon or cord at these intervals. 

 These show where the plants are to go in the row. The coolie then 

 provides himself with a plant stick about 5 feet long and sharpened at 

 each end. The middle of the stick is flattened somewhat that it may 

 be held more securely. After stretching the plant string across the 



