SELECTION OF SEED 119 



slow. Or if it is known for any reason that trans- 

 planting will be long delayed, this method is to be 

 recommended, because the nuts are so placed that the 

 development of the roots is hindered more than the 

 growth of the plumule. Another method essentially 

 like this, which is sometimes practised in the Philippines, 

 consists in putting the nuts up in the form of a hollow 

 cylinder around the posts which support the houses. 

 They are then dependent on an artificial supply of 

 water, so that germination may be hastened or made 

 slow as is wished, and likewise so that the development 

 of the root is relatively checked. 



The use of seed beds is far commoner than that of 

 the methods which have just been described. It has 

 the advantage that the nuts require less attention, and 

 the disadvantage that the development is under less 

 perfect control. It is, moreover, obvious that the nuts 

 can be more perfectly protected against hogs, white 

 ants, or any other enemies if they are hung up or tied 

 up under the house than if they are in any other 

 position. 



The arrangement and care of the seed beds, and the 

 method of planting the nuts in them, are determined 

 by the length of time that the nuts are expected to 

 remain there. From the standpoint of the nut, it is 

 desirable that it be transplanted to the field and 

 permitted to begin the development of a permanent 

 root system at as early an age as possible. In practice, 

 however, transplanting may have to be delayed while 

 the land can be prepared to receive the nuts, or because 

 of the difficulty of protecting the seedlings after they 

 are transplanted, or for still other reasons. Germination 

 itself requires from three to six months. The most 

 rapid development can be expected if the seedlings are 

 transplanted into the field before the plumule exceeds 

 15 centimetres in height. If it is to be expected that 

 this practice will be followed, then the seed beds need 

 not be cultivated to a depth of more than 20 centimetres, 

 unless deeper cultivation will result in a better supply 



