6o2 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[Februaet I, 1884, 



six weeks before appearing above the surface, and. as soon 

 as they have acciuired a certain development, which occurs 

 at the end of a year, the plantation is commenced. This 

 generally takes place from the middle of February to the 

 beginniuy of March, according to the condition of the plants. 

 Tlfe trees are planted in the plantation at a distance of 

 from forty to fifty centimetres apart, and on transplanting 

 the young trees a series of light beds are made. The trees 

 are planted in regular files, but on the opposite side of the 

 beds to that where they are irrigated, thus preventing the 

 vvrter from reaching the young shoots. The top soil is 

 frequently loosened with a weeding hook, and thus the beds 

 gradu.ally'gct lower, until they become level with the surround- 

 ing earth, at the time when the plants have taken firm 

 root and are flourishing. The plantation is irrigated once 

 in every three weeks in ordinary weather, but oftener when 

 it is very dry. Atthe expiration of a year in the plantatioTi, 

 the young plants are sufhcieutly advanced for grafting, this 

 being one of the most important means tor the propagation 

 of the orange tree. The system of grafting generally adopted 

 is that of the grafting of a bud. These buds are selected 

 from those of the previous year, and of the June shooting ; 

 and according to the size of the parent stem, one, two, or 

 even four are placed, for should the parent stem be thick, 

 and have only one bud grafted on it, the excess of sap 

 would .suftocate it. On placing the buds, the parent stem 

 is probed, and they &r.' ajiplied to the most salient parts 

 which the stems may jireseut, as it is considered that it is 

 here where the greatest quantity of sap is found, and it 

 is done, when possible, in the psivt facing the north. The 

 grafts are tied with esparto grass, and allowed to remain 

 in this state for twenty-one days; if at the end of this 

 time the bud continues green, the grafting is correct, in 

 which case the shoot is cut off about four inches above, 

 and it at once moves if it has dried. Sometimes it com- 

 mences moving before the grafting has thoroughly taken 

 place, in which case it is immediately cut. Great care is 

 taken in transplanting the roots; they are dug out with 

 a large spade, with a quantity of earth adhering to them, 

 and this earth is surrounded with rotten or dried leaves, 

 and tied round with cords. "H'hcn the orange trees are 

 taken to the sjiot for planting, the bottom of the holes 

 is first lined with the earth which has adhered to the 

 roots, mitil it is estimated that on planting the young tree 

 it will be, after irrigating the .soil, at about the same depth 

 as when in the nursery, and as soon as the tree is placed in 

 position, the virgin earth remaining round the sides of the 

 hole is thrown, in. Before closing up the hole, about twenty 

 quarts of water i.s thrown in, if there is a probability of 

 irrigating within a few d.ays; if not, a small cjuantity of 

 water is added. The orange may be submitted to two .systems 

 of cultivation, planting the trees at a considerable distance 

 from each other, or pliinting them close to one another. 

 The latter system is the most costly, but is productive of 

 better results. In the first year of tranisplauting. ridges 

 are formed at the sides of the rows of orange trees, at 

 about the distance of about seventy centimcties from the 

 trees, and in tlie month of April the trees are manured, 

 at th(^ distance of about fifty centimetres from the trunk, 

 and a trench dug round it, in which the manure is placed 

 and covered over. In February of the second year, about 

 two or tliree poiuids of manure are placed at the edge of 

 the ridges, and manure is again deposited in April round 

 each tree. In the third year the young roots have reached 

 as far as the ridges, and the trees commence bearing fruit. 

 The ridges are now broken down, the whole surface irrig- 

 ate<l. an<l hormN/no-os are made. At the dist.ince of about 

 a yard from the trunk of each tree, small holes are dug, 

 and two or three pounds of gnano depositeil in each, after 

 which they are covered up. In the foui-th year the fruit 

 is plucked, and the priming of the trees is commenced, 

 this operation being generally effected between February 

 and May, and reiieated every year. All dry branches are 

 cut off, as are also all i-icketty shoots, and the crooked 

 branches which cross one another, and as soon as the pruning 

 is completed the workhig of the soil is commenced. t)ousular 

 Agent Loewensteiu says that the orange cultivator must 

 be always on the watch, both as regards the weather and 

 the condition of the soil, the utmost care and vigilance 

 being required to ensure the successful cultivation of the 

 tree, .and the production of a good sujiply of fruit. — TouruttI 

 of the Hocieti/ of Arts. 



SUGAE CULTIVATION IN THE AKGENTINE 

 EEPUBLIC. 

 The enormous development of the sugar industry in the 

 northern provinces of the Argentine KepubUc, and the 

 field which it otters tor the advantageous employment of 

 English capital, is worth the attention of your readers. 

 There can be no question that sugar-growing is the depart- 

 ment of agriculture here which has the greatest future 

 before it. At present, the Eepublic does not produce more 

 than half enough to meet the home consumption, and it 

 is obvious that there is ample scope for the further ex- 

 tension of the industry, if only to meet our own require- 

 ments, to say nothing about an export trade. Capitalists 

 in this country are powerless to cope satisfactorily \vith 

 the problem, owing to the fact that they are scattered 

 all over the country. On the other hand. foreign capital- 

 ists, whose efforts could be advantageously concentrated 

 would find the industry a paying one. The lands most 

 suited for sugar cidtivation are in the provinces of Tucu- 

 man and Santiago del Estero, in the interior. They are 

 both, however, connected with Buenos Ayres by a good 

 service of trains, and by this means the despatch of pro- 

 duce to the capital and the introduction of sugar-machinery 

 is rendered comparatively easy. 



OITICIAI, ENCOURAGEMENT. 



It must be admitted that former Governments have, in 

 spite of political and other troubles, done all in their power 

 to stimulate the industry, and for this purpose have not 

 hesitated to draw on their scantily-supplied exchequer. In 

 1877, tor instance, a law was passed providing that mem- 

 bers of the Sugar Planters' Society should be exonerated 

 for fifteen years from the payment of all municipal taxes 

 then established or to come in force subsequently. Actu- 

 ated by the same spirit, the Argentine Government h.as 

 not only reduced the railway rates, but has declared that 

 all machinery and implements destined for use in the cidtiv- 

 ation 'and manufacture of sugar shall be introduced 

 absolutely free of duty. There is a cosmopolitan society in 

 Santiago composed of English, French, and German agricult- 

 urists, who work side-by-side with natives, Dutchmen, 

 and others. The members of this body have, in the course 

 of a few years, raised themselves to positions of comfort 

 and competency, and now receive that mead of respect and 

 honour which the Argentines are ever ready to bestow 

 on natives and foreigners alike who successfully breast the 

 hill of life by hard and honest toil. 



FACTS AND FIGlHtKS. 



That this letter may be of practical utility, I will give 

 the cost of sowing and cultivating a sugar-cane cvntlra, 

 or plot, 150 y.ards square, for the first year, and the prob- 

 able crop. These figures are exact, and can be verified 

 by any of the diplomatic agents of the British Govern- 

 ment : — 



Cost of Sowliin and Cidtimtini/ fiuf/ar-cmie Plot 1.50 

 Square Yanta. 



Seeds S!105 



Labour .. ... ... 1^1 



Keep of labourer ... ... 100 



Cost of land ... ... 30 



Drainage of plot ... ... 100 



Cost and keep of 7 head of cattle 120 

 Cost of ploughs ... ... 55 



Cartage of crop to factory ... 70 



700 

 Crop of a Plot 150 i'lml.i S(/iinre. 

 7.000 arrobas of cane (about 78 tons) at 

 SO-07 per arroba ... ... S*'0 



These figures prove beyond doubt a clear return of tjii per 

 cent of the capital invested for 'the first year. In the 

 following years the results would be far greater, as the 

 main outlay has already been made. Jlr. St. Gcrmes. who 

 may be called the parent of the industry m Santiago, is 

 clearing 15 per cent on capital invested in an estate 

 which was offered to an English syndicate for SO.OOO/. 

 last year. A return like this is not thought very much 

 of here, where the ordinary bank rate is from 10 to 12 

 per cent. English capitalists seem unaware of the iiolitical 

 status of countries like this. They are chary of an ni- 

 vestmeut which cauuot fail to produce certain and giiavanl« 



