Keep the place clean till following rains, but allow only hand-weeding near the young seedlings, and occasionally open the soil with some light hand-instrument, as a “koorpee,” to the depth of half-an-inch.
If all the seeds germinate, and the seedlings escape crickets, and all live, at commencement of the rains leave the best and transplant the others to any vacant spot. You will succeed with some, not with others; but do not be too anxious to take up the spare ones with earth round the roots, and thus endanger the one plant left. That the seedling left be not injured is the great point, the others must take their chance.
Some people believe in two, or even three seedlings together, and would thus advise them to be all, or perhaps two, left. I do not approve of the plan, except, perhaps, with Chinese plants. Plant as close as you will in the lines, but give each plant its own home.
There is another mode of planting at stake, which is, I think, better than the above.
Lay the seed in alternate layers of seed and mould in beds. The seeds may be laid close to each other, but not above each other, with mould, say, two inches thick, above, and then seed again. When they begin to burst, ready to shoot out their roots, examine the seeds, by taking off the soil from each layer, every three or four days. Take out those that have burst, and plant with the eye or root side of the seed downwards. Put all that have not burst back again. Repeat the operation again and again every second or third day. Be careful and take them up before the root projects—that is, directly the coating has cracked.
By this means only one seed need be put at each stake, for it is certain to germinate, and seed may thus be made to go much further. Great care is, however, necessary in this operation.
[CHAPTER XIII.]
NURSERIES.
Choose a level site, with, if possible, the command of water at a higher level—anyhow with water handy. Either irrigating or hand-watering for seed beds is a necessity if vigorous and well-developed plants are to be looked for.
The soil should be of the light, friable kind recommended for the Tea-plant (see “[Soil]”) and of the same nature as the soil of the garden, the ultimate home of the plants. This latter is all-important, for seedlings will never thrive (probably not live) transplanted into a new kind of mould, particularly a poorer kind.