362 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS, 



August 23, 1919. 



DOWN THE ISLANDS. 



TAPPING CUTS IN RUBBER TREES. 



In the e;irly days of ri:bber tapping it was customary to 

 have a very large number of tapping lines on each tree. Year 

 bj- year the number has been gradually reduced, and at the 

 present time it is customary to have only one tapping cut on 

 young trees, and at the most only two cuts on old trees, 

 the length of each cut varying generally from one-quarter to 

 one third of the circumference of the tree. Esperiments 

 have been made by Mr, Fetch in Ceylon with the object of 

 determining the yield from one cut as against that from two 

 cuts on the same tree The experimental trees were divided 

 into two groups; each group was tapped on opposite quarters, 

 one quarter having one cut, and the opposite quarter on the 

 same tree two cuis. The difference in the two groups was 

 that two cuts in group I were 1 foot apart, and in group II, 

 2 feet apart; the yield from the one cut and from 

 the two cuts in each group are given separately. We 

 caDDOt help thinking that it would have been mich 

 better if the experiments had been differently arranged 

 and simplified. It should surely have been possible 

 to arrange for similar trees to be arranged in two 

 groups, one of which could be tapped with one cut only, and 

 a second group wjih two cuts. The present experiments, 

 while giving information as the yield from one cut on one 

 side and two cuts on opposite sides of the same tree, do not 

 give a parallel to modern methods. It is now very ra'e 

 to find two opposite quarters on the same tree carrying a 

 total of three cuts; furthermore, i he fact that each tree in 

 these experiments is being drawn upon by more than two 

 cut.-i must have some effect on the specific yields given in the 

 report before us. The experiments have so far only been 

 recorded over a period of one and a half years on two groups, 

 e'ch of twenty trees. The following yields have been 

 obtained: — 



Group I (which had one cut on one quarter and two 

 cuts 1 foot apart on the other) gave yields in the ratio of 

 100 for the singe cut on one side, 98 for the lower cut on 

 the I wn section side, and 43 from the upper cut on that 

 side. The yields, therefore, from t'e two bottom cuts on 

 opposite tides are almost identical, while i he yield from the 

 upper cut, 1 foot above the lower, was only half that of 

 the lower cut. 



The second group, whi re on the two cut section the 

 tapping lines were "2 feet apart, gave the following ratio of 

 yield; — 1 Of) for single cut on one side only, 110 for the 

 bottom cut on the two-section side, and 55 for the upper cut 

 on that side. In that case, therefore, the bottom cut on the 

 two-section .side gave a higher yield than the single section on 

 the opposite side, but the upper cut gave only half the yield 

 of the lower cut 



The fact of im|)ortance which one learns from these 

 experiments is that on the side carrying two cuts the upper 

 cut gave a yield of about only half that of the lower cut. The 

 author agrees that it is possible to have trees which yield 

 more rubber from ore side than from the other. 



Mr. I'etch does not, of course, offer the resu'ts as conclu- 

 sive evidence of th(t value of either system, but probably 

 regardi the pre.sent publi<-ation as in tli-* way of an interim 

 report. We hope tbe.se experiments will be continued and 

 further results published from time to time. (The hiriia 

 Mi'^ltr journal.) 



ITEMS OP LOCAL INTEREST. 



ST. VINCENT. Mr. W. N. Sands, Agricultural Superin- 

 tendent, states that during July, work in the Experiment 

 Station comprised the collec-ting of cotton stainers from 

 early May-sown cotton plots. Coinmercial strains and 

 selections of Sea Island cotton were sown during the 

 month. Cotton seed was distributed. From the Hot*nic 

 Station 100 cacao plants were sent out. Work in the 

 gardens consisted of the sowing of nearly 500 coco-nuts in 

 the nursery and general routine work. Concerning the 

 condition of the staple crops it is observed that the good 

 rains received caused all crops to make excellent pro- 

 gress. The special work of the officers of the department 

 during July was considerab'e. The Superintendent visited 

 Camden Park estate with the owner in connexion with 

 cotton and sugar cane. In regard to pests the green buu 

 {Nezara viridula) was found attacking the young fruit of 

 the castor oil plant growinii wild near to fields of young 

 cotton and black eye peas. The destruction of the castor 

 oil plants which were of no value was advocated. The 

 Superintendent a'so inspected cultivations at Clare Valley 

 (.^uestelles estates and lands offered for sale to the Govern- 

 ment there. Cotton planting was receiving much attention, 

 and although late, the young crop was making good 

 progress The interpianted corn was poor, in most cases due 

 to dry weather and the attacks of the blackbird ((Jidscalus 

 forfhostris) on young seedlings. Advice as to the planting 

 and protection of the corn was given. Another visit was 

 that paid to Hatho Mill anl Villa estates- At the former 

 the 12-acre field of a selected strain of cotton from the 

 Experiment Sta'ion which is being grown for the department 

 was ins|iecled. At \h.j., uiaiieis respeciiii>; cotton and 

 the control of pests were discussed. The Agricultural 

 Superintendent wrote a leaflet concerning the cottrn 

 stainer and the mixing of ashes with cotton-seed meal 

 for manurial purposes. This will be published in a future 

 issue of the A,i;>-ici//fiira/ iVeics. The Foreman of the 

 Experiment Station visited Cane Garden, Arnosvale and 

 Fountain estates and the Land Settlement estate of lielair 

 on the 9th, .Mesopotamia anl Kichmond Park on the 

 11th and Owia estate from the 17th to 19th. The 

 private estates were visited for tlie purpose of 

 cotton stainer inspection. This showed that at Cune 

 Garden the pest was present in s.niall numbers and was 

 being controlled. Mesopotamia and Hichmond Park were 

 inspected for food plants of the cotton stainer. Owing to 

 unfavourable weather conditions the inspection was not 

 thorough enough an J no fo >d plants were observed. The 

 condition of the young crops at Belair was satisfactory. The 

 rainfall at the Hotanic Station was 1101 inches; at the 

 Experiment Station, 11-19 inches. 



noMiNHA. From a statement received from 

 Mr. J. Jones, Agricultural Superintendent, it is learnt that 

 during July, work in the nurseries consisted of lifting and 

 packing plants, transi)lanting lime seedlings, potting plants 

 and sowing .seed. At the Lime Etperiment Station 130 

 barrels of ripe limes were picked during the month. The 

 total for four months is 202 barrels of ripe limes and 122 

 barrels of green limes. Two and three-(juarter acres of land 

 which had been hoed and drained during the dry season were 

 planted with 275 lime plants. Plant distribution was u 

 follows: lirae.s, 10,850; vanilla, 2,500 ; cacao, 122; budded 

 citrus, f)8 ; grafted mangoes, I ; nutmegs, 10 ; miscellaneous, 



