1 
INTRODUCTION 
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but not water-logged. Small drains should be made 
to carry off the water in case of heavy rain. The 
shading should not be too heavy, and should be from 
2 to 3 ft. above the soil. 
Seeds and plants should not be planted too close 
together. The actual distance depends on the size of 
the plant before removing. The greater the size of the 
young plants, the farther apart they should be planted. 
Thus nutmegs, which remain longer in the nursery bed 
than most plants, should be at least a foot apart. 
Occasionally, in the case of small seeds as those of 
capsicum, there is a considerable loss due to the raids 
of ants, which remove the seed and devour it. Upon 
finding a seed-bed the ants often transfer the whole 
nest to the nursery. These can be destroyed with 
insecticides, or the bed may be flooded for a short 
time, in order to drive them out. 
In planting in lines do not place each plant exactly 
opposite the one in the next line, but half-way between. 
This, the quincunx arrangement is now adopted by 
most planters for all trees. 
In holing, make the holes wide enough and deep 
enough, 2 ft. each way being a good size. Mix and break 
up the soil and manure well before filling in, allowing 
a 6 -in. mound above the ground level in which to 
put the plant, so that when the soil sinks, as it will 
after a few days, the surface will be a little above or on 
the level of the ground, not below it. Otherwise you 
will find that the sunken pit in which the plant stands 
will become a catch hole for the rain, the soil eventually 
becoming water-logged and foul. 
Draining to some extent is necessary on almost 
every estate. The depth and size of the drains depends 
on the location and on the amount of water in the soil. 
Care must be taken to see that the drains are kept open 
and do not silt up. If possible, they should be made 
before planting and while the plants are in the nursery. 
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