112 
SPICES 
CHAP. 
The commonest mistake in planting is to fill the hole 
in which a tree is to be planted with its new soil only 
to the level of the ground, or even lower. The result of 
this is that rain-water collects in the sunken ground 
and fills the bottom of the hole, causing death of the 
roots from water-logging. The little plant is now planted 
in the centre of the hole, and the soil firmly pressed 
down round it. Care is to be taken to see that the 
tap-root is straight. Plants that have been too long 
in pots or bamboo tubes are apt to have the tap-root 
bent, or in the act of planting it may be somewhat 
bent. A tree with a bent tap-root may grow for many 
years, but eventually remains stunted and is a complete 
failure. I have seen estates of coffee in which the tap- 
root of almost every bush was badly bent. The plants 
after a few years were worthless, and the mistake could 
never be remedied. In planting any tree it is a good 
plan while pressing down the soil on both sides with the 
feet to firmly but gently give the little plant a pull 
upwards. This will straighten the root if it has been 
accidentally bent in planting. 
It is worth while to take some trouble in planting 
neatly and properly, for, as a tree is planted, so will it 
grow, and a mistake made in planting may never 
again be remediable. 
In hot places the little plants require a certain 
amount of shading till they have settled in the ground, 
and commence to push out their roots. This is 
commonly done in the Straits Settlements by sticking 
fronds of the bracken ferns, Gleichenia or Pteris, into 
the ground so as to make a light shade over the plants. 
If these are not available small roofings of portions of 
palm leaves, or boughs of other trees may be used. Dr. 
Oxley recommends the use of what are known as ataps, 
a roofing of pandanus leaves bent over a stick and 
fastened with slips of rattan. This, however, would be 
too dark under ordinary circumstances. The object of 
the shade is to keep off the direct sun rays in the hot 
and dry time of the day, and very heavy rain, but at 
