34 



sixtj T days earlier, as it requires that time for the young plants to attain 

 the proper size to be transplanted to the fields. For seed beds a fer- 

 tile soil of medium texture is desirable, and it should be worked into 

 the finest possible condition and freed from all coarse organic matter. 

 The soil should be elevated into beds not more than 3^ feet in width 

 and as long as may be desired. The elevating of the soil prevents 

 rainwater falling on adjacent land from running onto the beds, and 

 the narrow width enables the workmen to reach from either side to 

 the middle of the beds to remove weeds without getting on the soil 



and compacting it. To pre- 

 vent washing by rains remov- 

 able straw or cloth covers 

 should be used until the plants 

 become well established. 



There is a tendency in Porto 

 Rico to select as mnch as pos- 

 sible slender seed plants from 

 the seed bed to be set out. 

 These slender young plants 

 (see fig. 1a), however, have a 

 much weaker root develop- 

 ment and do not overcome so 

 well the check of transplant- 

 ing or diseases. 



The stocky plants with well- 

 developed root system (see fig. 

 1b) are believed to be more 

 vigorous, and therefore an at- 

 tempt should be made, as far 

 as practicable, to produce this 

 kind of young plants in the 

 seed bed. 



Lack of light results in a de- 

 creased action of the chloro- 

 phyll and consequently weak- 

 ens the assimilation, thus re- 



Fig. 1.— Types of plants used in transplanting: 

 A, poor type; B, good type. 



ducing the necessary organic building substances. 



In Porto Rico the lack of light and air in the seed bed is largely 

 due to having the seed plants too close together, and therefore the 

 amount of seed sown on a certain surface is of the highest importance. 

 If it is observed that they are rather close together it is always ad- 

 visable to thin them immediately, thereby giving each plant sufficient 

 space for normal development. 



Great care should also be taken to avoid injury to the roots when 

 the plants are removed from the seed bed. To facilitate the pulling 



