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soil and leaf-mould. The tap-root should be kept 
straight, the soil in the hole well pressed around 
the root and filled slightly above the level of the 
surrounding ground to allow for sinking. In hot 
and exposed situations the plants require shading 
until they have become established, but the shade 
can usually be removed after ten to fourteen days. 
Although permanent shade in the form of light- 
foliage trees is considered advantageous to the 
nutmeg, the trees in this country are frequently 
grown in the open. 
After the plants are established, they require very 
little attention beyond keeping the ground clear of 
weeds around the trees. Mulching with cut grass 
or light manuring with well decomposed cow-dung 
is very beneficial, particularly on poor soils, sirce 
the nutmeg is a heavy feeder. 
Pruning is seldom necessary, but all dead branches 
and parasitic plants should be removed. 
Since the nutmeg is unisexual, that is male and 
female flowers are borne on different trees, the 
number of male trees should be reduced, if neces- 
sary, leaving one male to every ten or twelve female 
trees. Unfortunately, it is impossible to distinguish 
between the two until they begin to flower. 
. ~ *f * > 
Yield . — The trees usually commence to fruit between 
the fifth and sixth year, but may take even eight 
or nine years to come into bearing. They attain 
maximum productivity at fifteen years and fruit 
well for a further ten to twenty years. Trees which 
commence to fruit early are invariably very short- 
lived. The fruit is sometimes allowed to fall, but 
it is preferable to collect it from the tree, using, 
