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When the vine cuttings are ready for transplanting, 
they are lifted from the nursery beds and planted 
a few inches away from the supports, facing east. 
In this country the Chinese do not utilise living 
trees to support the vines, but grow them exclusively 
on stout hardwood posts, about twelve to fourteen 
feet long and six to seven inches in diameter, which 
will not be destroyed by white ants or decay during 
the life of the pepper plant. The posts give prac-. 
tically no shade, and the ground between them is 
usually covered with cut lalang, to act as a mulch. 
N 
As the vine ascends, it is tied to the post with soft 
bast or twine and, on reaching the top, is pulled 
down and wound round the base of the support. 
The vines are sometimes manured with fish manure 
at the rate of about lb. per plant. 
Periodical pruning is necessary to prevent the 
plant from growing bushy at the top ; by the time 
it has reached the top of the support, it will have 
been pruned at least three times. 
Yields . — The vines will commence fruiting as early 
as a year after planting, but no fruits should be 
allowed to develop until the plant is fully grown, 
which will be about the third or fourth year after 
planting, when it will cover the stake completely. 
There are generally two crops per annum, one in 
August or September and the other in March or 
April, but collection often continues throughout the 
year. The vines are considered to be in full bearing 
at the sixth or seventh year and, with proper treat- 
ment, will continue to yield well for 12 or 15 years. 
After the sixth or seventh year, an annual yield 
of 3 to 3!/2 lbs- of dry pepper per vine is obtained 
