years, the space left between the
rows will only admit the peelers and others to go round the bushes,
weed, clear and remove cuttings, as the branches from each bush will
almost touch each other at their ends.
It is essentially necessary to take every care not to allow any
creepers or other weeds to grow, the former interfere with the
growth of the bushes by entangling, because it not only takes out so
much of the support feeding the cinnamon trees, but interferes with
the peelers during the cutting season, and prevents the branches
growing up straight with a free circulation of air. The plantation
ought to be kept clean and free from weeds; the cinnamon requires no
manuring, but when the plantation is weeding the bushes should be
covered with the surface soil and raising the ground round the bush
by making a heap of the earth, which answers well in lieu of manure.
This operation must be attended to as soon as the cinnamon sticks
are removed for peeling. The plantation requires weeding three or
four times a year during the first two or three years, then twice a
year will answer the purpose; as by that time the trees will form
into bushes and destroy the seeds of the weeds on the ground.
The forming of a nursery is necessary, for which a space of ground,
say an acre, should be selected in a rich bit of soil free from
stones. Clear the whole brushwood, only leaving the large trees for
shade, remove all stones, stumps, and roots, dig the place well six
or eight inches deep, then form into long beds of three or four feet
wide, put the seeds down nine or twelve inches apart, cover them
eight or twelve inches above the ground by a platform, and water
them every other day until the seeds grow up and give one pair of
leaves, then leave off watering (unless great dry weather prevail,
then it ought to be continued) but not uncover until the plants grow
up six or eight inches high, and can bear the sun; these seedlings
will be ready for transplanting after three months from the time
they were sown.
The forming of nurseries is done at the close of the year, before
December. When this is done first, the party commences clearing and
preparing the land during the dry season, which is from the
beginning of December up to the end of March following. April will
set in with heavy rain (it is
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