MAKING A GARDEN.
I have not very much to say on this head, as most of the operations
entailed are treated separately. Still a few directions on primary
matters are required.
Having selected a site and made arrangements for the Tea seed required
for the first year’s planting, you should commence operations early in
October, either by constructing the nursery, or clearing land on the
proposed site of the garden, as you may decide which mode of planting,
viz., “nurseries,” or “sowing at stake,” to adopt.[24]
If the latter, you should begin to cut the jungle somewhat earlier, but
it is no use beginning to do this before the middle of September in any
case, for before that the jungle would spring up again so soon that it
would be labour lost.
Before you do _anything_ decide how much you will cultivate the first
year, and make your arrangements for seed accordingly. Here let me
advise you in no case to attempt more than 100 acres. If you do 100
really well the first year you will have done _very_ well. Remember you
have also buildings (though few) to construct, and trying to do too
much you may simply fail in all.
Previous to October you should have made yourself thoroughly acquainted
with all your land, so that you can then fix with knowledge on the best
sites for your buildings, nursery, and Tea plantation.
You will find much on these matters in other chapters which should be
read carefully.
These respective sites having been fixed upon, and supposing you are
going to plant in both ways, from nurseries and _in situ_, construct
the nurseries as advised under that head, page 62, and also cut the
jungle on the intended garden site.
There is not much to say about cutting jungle. Cut all the brushwood
first near the ground, and the big trees later, so that when they fall
they may lie on the underwood. In the portion you intend to plant at
stake you will not have time to cut down the big trees, and had better
simply “ring” them. If this is properly done, that is, if the ring
is broad enough and deep enough (less than one foot broad and five
inches deep for large trees is not safe), they will certainly die in
a twelvemonth, and will not give objectionable shade more than half
that time. In the part to be planted “at stake” you must burn all the
cut jungle by the end of October, and it will be well, if you have
labour enough, to send men up the big trees to cut off the branches
beforehand, so that they will more or less burn with the rest. Doing
this, and piling up the underwood to be burnt round the base of the big
trees, will cause earlier death, and diminish the objectionable shade.
Having burnt the jungle, that is, as much as will burn, and carried off
the rest from the parts to be planted at stake, dig out all the small
roots, and that done, dig the whole some 4 or 5 inches deep. Then stake
it off with small bamboo stakes 18 inches long, showing where the Tea
trees are to be (see page 72 as to the best distances), and then make
your holes and plant your seed at each stake as directed at page 59.
See the way it is recommended to stake land as regards its lay at pages
45 and 46.
You will probably not have the ground ready before the end of November
(do not attempt more than you can do to that date), and then take care
and keep the seed, as directed at page 55, until it is sown.
For the part to be planted from nurseries the following June you have
plenty of time. Nowhere have I, or anyone, seen large vigorous Tea
plants under trees. It is therefore evident trees are hurtful, and no
more should be left in a garden than are required for the labourers to
sit under occasionally, and to collect leaf under before it is taken
to the Tea-house. The trees that are left should be those on the sides
of roads. One to every two or three acres is ample. After therefore
cutting down all the low jungle, cut down all but the said few trees
(it is cheaper in the end than ringing them), and then cut off and cut
up all the branches into sizes that will burn readily. Cut up the large
trunks also into lengths, for all that will not burn must be carried
off later. Leave all so lying until February, then choose a day with a
high wind and fire it from the windward side. It may burn some days.
Then collect all unburnt into heaps, and fire again and again until
nothing more will burn. Now take out all roots, big and small, and when
well dry, stack all these, and what was left before, and fire again and
again. The land should now be tolerably clear, and can be dug at once.
The roads should be marked off before this, for they are better not dug.
Now stake the land at the distances determined on, and a month before
the rains, or even more, if you are so far advanced, make holes for
the young seedlings at each stake, precisely like those recommended
for “planting at stake,” page 59. Only, if possible, these should be a
little larger each way than there advised, say 10 inches diameter and
15 inches deep.
Read carefully the direction as to those pits, and follow them out
here. Much of the success of your planting depends on these holes.
At the first commencement of the rains transplant, as directed under
that head in the next chapter.
Any large heavy trunks, which cannot be easily carried off the land,
may be placed longways between the lines, but the less of dead timber
you leave lying about the gardens the better.
FOOTNOTE:
[24] In no case trust to the latter alone.