By William Ingledew, Esq. 521 



plants. On this ground, the preference of the Indian gar- 

 dener to the earth of the White Ant hill, may deserve to be 

 not entirely disregarded. 



The nests of White Ants, in the South of India, are gene- 

 rally, if not always, found in red soil, and at the depth of two 

 or three feet beneath the surface of the ground. It is habi- 

 tual with these insects to raise a perpendicular and conical 

 mound of the earth immediately surrounding their habita- 

 tions, to the height of four, five, or six feet, according to the 

 degree of moisture the ground contains (for they cannot 

 carry earth without moisture) ; they work this earth to an ex- 

 traordinary degree of fineness, and deposit it in layers, until 

 the work is completed. 



It is probable that vegetables would die after undergoing 

 the severe operation above described, if they were to be placed 

 in the ground without any coating ; but being well and closely 

 covered, both externally and internally, with a substance that 

 is probably congenial and nutritious to them, they are pre- 

 served from decay, and from the effects of bleeding at their 

 wounded surfaces, and whenever roots are thrown out they 

 come in immediate contact with nourishment for their future 

 support. It would appear to be requisite therefore, that a 

 covering of some sort should be employed, and that, whatever 

 it may be, it should possess the quality of supplying food 

 readily to the tender roots on their first appearance to pre- 

 serve the plants alive, and which a garden bed prepared in 

 the ordinary way, the soil not pulverized, nor closely adhering 

 to them, could not furnish so speedily. 



The influence of the assafcetida employed by the Indian 

 gardeners is probably over-rated by them, but it may perhaps 



