COMPARISON BETWEEN SOWING IN NURSERIES AND IN SITU.
In the one case the seed is placed in nurseries at the close of the
year, and the young plants transplanted into the garden at beginning of
the following rains.
In the other the seed is (at the same time, viz., close of the year, if
you can get it so soon) sown at once in the plantation where the plants
are intended to grow.
Each of these plans has its advocates, who don’t believe in the other
plan at all! The question is which is the better?
Their respective advantages may be shortly summed up as follows:--
NURSERIES.
_Advantages._--The seed may be made to germinate early by watering.
After it germinates the plants can be watered from time to time as they
require it. Artificial shade (a great help to the germination of Tea
seed) can be given. The soil can be frequently opened, and the plants
in every way better tended in nurseries.
_Disadvantages._--The plants lose at least three months’ growth when
transplanted, and may die. The transplanting necessitates labour at
the time of the year it is much wanted for other work. The expense is
greater than the other plan, for there are the nurseries to make and
the labour of transplanting.
IN SITU.
_Advantages._--The plants gain some three months in growth by not being
moved. It saves labour at the busy time, viz., early in the rains.
It saves all the labour of transplanting, that is, it _saves_ labour
absolutely, and _gives_ labour when, as stated, it is much required.
_Disadvantages._--If the early rains (that is, rain in December,
January, and February) fail, but few seeds germinate. In the case of
a new garden, the soil must be kept clean six or seven months before
it would be necessary by the nursery plan. No artificial shade can be
given.
It will thus be seen that the advocates of both plans have much to urge
in their respective favours. Which is better?
The advocates of each plan are guided by the climate they have planted
Tea in, and the truth is simply that the better plan for one place is
not adapted to another. Planting _in situ_ where it will succeed is
by far the cheaper and better, and it will do so wherever there are
certainly cold weather and spring rains. Thus (see rain table) it will
often succeed in Assam, Cachar, Darjeeling, the Western Dooars, and
perhaps the Terai below Darjeeling. It will fail in Chittagong, Dehra
Dhoon, Kumaon, Kangra, and Hazareebaugh. In Chittagong, for instance,
a garden could never be made by planting _in situ_, or, as it is
generally called, at stake.[20]
In this and other matters adapt your operations to the existing climate.
I will now describe the above two methods of sowing seed.
FOOTNOTE:
[20] In no climate is the success of it certain, for early rains often
fail, and then it is all loss. I would, therefore, in all cases advise
nurseries in reserve.