354 - 
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH 
CHAPTER Tirucalli , or Jatropha Curcas , is dug to the depth of a cuhit at the 
same tirne witl1 the nursery, and planted with rows of plantain-trees 
June it. at the distance of three cubits. When the young palms are fit for 
being transplanted, the garden must he dug again to the former 
depth, and two young Arecasip ust be set in one hole between every 
tw.o plantain-trees. When there is no rain, they must have water 
every third day. When the rainy season commences, a trench 
must be dug between every third row of trees; that is to say, so as 
between every trench to form beds, each of which contains two 
rows of the A'beca. These trenches serve to carry off superfluous 
water, and to bring a supply from the reservoir, when wanted. The 
garden must be dug twice a year, to keep it clear of weeds. At 
the end of three years the original plantain-trees are removed, and 
a row is set in the middle of each bed, and kept up ever afterwards, 
in order to preserve a coolness at the roots of the Arecct. When the 
betel-nut trees are about five feet high, which requires about five 
years, they receive no more water than what is given to the plan- 
tain-trees, which in dry weather must be watered twice a month. 
The tree, when five years old, begins to produce fruit, and lives 
from thirty to forty years. 
Each tree pushes out three or four spadices, which from about the 
‘21st of August until the Jbth of November, become fit for cutting, 
at different intervals of twenty or thirty days, one after the other. 
When the nuts have been cut, the skin is removed with an iron 
knife, and a quantity is put into a pot with some water, in which it 
must be boiled till the eyes be separated. The nut is then cut 
into three or four pieces, and for three or four days dried on mats 
exposed to the sun, when it becomes fit for sale. Each tree is 
reckoned to produce yearly the value of one SuUany Fanam , or 
8 pence, which is the usual price of two Cucha Seers , or nearly 
1 ~ lb. Squirrels are very troublesome, and destroy a great deal of the 
fruit; but it is considered as sinful to kill them. 
These plantations are interspersed with coco-nut, mango, lime. 
