100 



TBINIDAD AND TOBAGO BULLETIN. [XVIIL 2. 



NUMBER OF PL.INTS. 



This experiment is made with a view of ascertaining the smallest 

 number of plants that may be put to a hole when transplanting the 

 nurseries and consequently economising the nurseries so as to plant up 

 the largest area possible with the smallest number of plants. It is not 

 uncommon to see rice growers planting a handful of plants, contaming 

 probably 10 to 15 plants, to a hole, with the object no doubt of obtaining 

 a larc^er yield per acre. From observations made in the seed 

 selection experiments, as will be seen later, a single plant is capable 

 of producing as many as 50 tillers and the practice of transplanting 

 a large number of plants to a hole points to a large waste of material. 



The experiments made in 1917 were a failure owing to several causes, 

 the chief of which were, the irregularity in the soil due to the 

 regrading of the land by removing the surface soil in parts to 

 fill up hollows and the poor water supply in that part of the rice field. 

 The results of the 1918 experiments only will therefore be given. 

 These experiments were made on duplicate plots of approximately 1-30 of 

 an acre with variety Creole Variant 2. 1, 3, 5 and 7 plants respectively 

 were planted one foot apart in each plot with the following results : — 



Variety. 



Number of Plants to a hole. 



Yield per acre 

 barrdsof l'20lb. 

 paddy. 



Although 5 plants to the hole has given the highest yield it is evident 

 from the above results that a very good yield may be obtained from 

 three and even one plant to a hole. The results tend to show therefore 

 that 2 to 4 plants per hole is likely to give the best results. Single 

 plants may necessitate supplying should there be many failures. 



PLANTING AT STAKE. 

 With a view to economy in planting, trials have been made of 

 planting the paddy at stake direst in the fields as against transplanting 

 and replanting of nurseries. The success of this method is dependent 

 on two conditions, a favourable rainfall at the time of planting and the 

 control of the irrigation water. As the former is an uncontrollable 

 factor, it is only in exceptional cases that planting at stake may be 

 successful. With regard to the latter, as there is no proper control of 

 the water supply the experiments have been a failure either from lack 

 of water or an ex,:ess Avhen the plants were small. 



IMPORTED VARIETIES. 

 During the past three years the Department has imported from other 

 countries samples of rice paddy with the object of obtaining new 

 varieties which might give better yields than those grown locally. 



