September, 1912.] 



211 



site in which white ants are likely tc show themselves, or one wich 

 too dense a shade. The latter causes the plants to be " spindley." 

 These feel the shock when planted out in the open. There are two 

 methods of laying the nuts in the nurseries— hoi izuutally— the position 

 they lie in when fallen from a tree- and vertically with the "eyes" up. 

 The latter system I do not favour, as the retention of water in the depres- 

 sion, at the stalk end, when the nut is in the uptight position, is liable to 

 cause rot, to which the germ, directly below it, may succumb. When 

 laying the nut9 on their sides, do not bury them deep. They should be 

 only half covered ; and both now, and when planting them out later in situ 

 let the stalk end be kept slightly above ground. The husk toughens and 

 offers some resistance to white ants ; but if they are in the nursery they 

 secure a lodgment and give no hope to the plant in the field. If the stalk 

 end, which is the tender spot, is above ground, the mischief can be easily 

 detected. It should be wise to reject those plants tardy in shooting out 

 or springing up. 



Lining. 



Strict accuracy should be shown here, not because a plant out of line 

 by a foot or two would suffer, but because the appearance of the field 

 would be spoilt, and the field would remain a monument of slip-shod work. 

 I advocate the usually adopted distance 25 ft. x25ft. apart, and would 

 avoid planting any closer, but in a very damp district 80 ft. x30 ft. would 

 perhaps be more suitable both to provide for the rapid spread of the 

 fronds and to secure heat and sunlight for the soil. 



Holing. 



This should be carefully attended to, and every effort should be made to 

 give the plant a good start. Nothing less than 3 feet square and a depth of 

 3 feet should be provided. Coolies, when holing in undulating land, 

 will persist in throwing all the earth on the lower side. It is well-known 

 that the richest soil is on the surface. Care should therefore be taken that 

 at least the first 12 to 15 inches of soil be dug out and heaped on the lower 

 side of the hole ; the remainder banked up in a semicircle on the upper side, 



Planting Out. 



When the time comes for planting out the plants should have at 

 least four leaves— the hole should be filled up to within 12 to 15 

 inches of the surface with the richer soil and a basket of ashes, 

 if available. A secondary advantage of the soil being banked up on 

 the upper side is that it would prevent a rush of water into the hole and the 

 consequent displacement of the plant. It is now one of the advantages of 

 planting the nuts on their sides in the nursery comes in. When planted 

 out, to prevent the plants toppling over through wind or rush of water, 

 two short stakes should be driven in cross-wiae over the nut and these 

 keep it firmly in its place. Where there is excessive moisture, it is neces- 

 sary to cut drains between the rows to carry off the water that may accu- 

 mulate and stagnate, and also from the holes that are liable to fill. Avoid 

 what one sees frequently done— the dumping down cf plants in deep holes, 

 in which sufficient soil has not been put in. The roots should be cut with 

 a sharp knife before the plant is put down, and they should not have to, 

 fight their way into hard soil. 



Pests. 



In the first stages of growth and until the plants , have taken a 

 hold of the soil and are independent of the nourishment they derive from 

 the kernel and the husk, the chief difficulty that besets the planter is 

 the destruction caused by white ants, 



