Vol. VIII. Xo. 195. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



333 



STUDENTS' CORNER. 



OCTOBER. .' 

 Second Period, j 

 Seasonal Notes. 



In tlic event of there being fields (4 cotton on an estate 

 in which the plant.s are not making .satisfactory growth and 

 where the bolls are not developing in sufficient number, it will 

 be well to enquire as to the origin of the teed that was sown, 

 if this is not already known. Thc^e eilicuni stances may be 

 caused by the use of seed that has not be^n carefully selected, 

 or of that which has been selected in, and imported from, an 

 island where conditions are quite different from tho.se in the 

 place in which it has been planted. Where selected and 

 ordinary .seed have both been sown, arrangements should be 

 made at ]iicking time to ascertain the yiiflds from each kind, 

 in order that these may be compared. I^ goin^ through the 

 fields for the purpose of choosing plants Jthat will yield seed 

 for selection, notice that there is groat variation in the 

 number of bolls that are borne on the flifFerent plants; also 

 observe that many of the pl.ints showfj greater or smaller 

 departures from ty|ie. Mark in a suitable manner several 

 very young flower-buds and make oljaeryations with a view 

 to gaining information about the f'ollov>-iag points : (1) when 

 the flower usually ojiens, (2) how long it remains open, (3) 

 the time that elapses before the corolla falls off and the 

 style and stamens begin to wither. Surround some of the 

 unopened flower-buds with paper bags until the corolla falls, 

 and ascertain later on if seed has been set'where this has been 

 -done. ' 



Su-perpaospkate 



asicSlag 



Salts 



liATnite 



Fig. 37. The Mixing of Makures. 



When the sugar-cane, begins to arrow, note to what 

 extent this takes place in the case of the different varieties 

 that you are enabled to observe. What are the chief difficul- 

 ties that are met with in obtaining seedling canes, and why 

 is it that this work is continued, and regarded as being of 

 great importance ? What would you expect to find, on 

 •comparing different seedlings, in the matters of mode of 



growth and sugar content? The ratoons of a variety often 

 occupy a similar place to the plants of that variety, in regard 

 to the amount of sugar that the}| yield. What circumstance 

 in the life-history of the sugar-cine would appear to account 

 for this? I 



It is sometimes convenient to mix m.anures before 

 applying them to the soil, but wBen this is done, due regard 

 .should be had to the nature g^ the manures which it is 

 proposed to mix. A manner of living information as to the 

 mixing _ of manures is shown hi Fig. 37, which is adapted 

 from a reproduction of a diagram which appears in the 

 Auricnltm-aL .hjurnril of the Cape of Good Hope, Vol. 

 XXXV, No. 2, and which was originally prepared by 

 ])r. Geehen, in Germany. This substances whose names 

 are connected by thick lines should never be mixed; those 

 whose names are joined by double lines .should only be 

 mixed immediately before use, while the thin lines run between 

 the names of substances which nisy be mixed with impunity. 

 Thus neither lime nor basic slag should be added either to 

 sulphate of ammonia or farmyard manure, for a loss of am- 

 monia, and therefore of nitrogen, would be the result. Loss of 

 nitrogen will likewise take place "if superphosphate is allowed 

 to remain in contact with nitrate of .soda for any length of 

 time before use. On the other hand, as is indicated by the thin 

 lines, no harm will result from making and keeping mixtures 

 which may contain sulphate of ammonia, superphosphate, 

 pen manure, guano, putash salts,' nitrate of soda, and kainite. 



Questions for pandidates. 



PEELIMIN.A.EY QUESTIONS. 



(1) Make a .sketch of a flower and name the parts. 

 What is the chief difference between the flower of the 

 pumpkin or cocoa-nut palm and that of cotton or the tomato? 



(2) Describe, giving examples, a 'runner', a 'rhizome', 

 and an ' offset '. 



(3) How can stones and rocks in soils be regarded as 

 sources of plant food \ 



INTEEMEDI.iTE .QUESTIONS. 



(1) Describe the root .system of (a) maize, (b) alfalfa, 

 (c) the Irish potato. What is ;the practical importance of 

 the differences in these systems { 



(2) Explain as fully as you can why recently cleared 

 forest land is more fertile than land which has been long- 

 cultivated. 



(3) State what varieties of sugar-cane are suited best to 

 your neighbourhood. 



THE BRITISH COTTON GROWING 

 ASSOCIATION. 



Advantage of the presence of the Imperial Commissioner 

 of Agriculture in England ha.^ been taken by the British 

 Cotton Growing Association to confer with Dr. Watts as to 

 the position and prospects of the cotton-growing industry Ik 

 the West Indies 



To this end, a meeting of the Association was held at 

 its offices in ilanehester on Tuesday, September 14. At this. 

 Dr. Watts discussed with the A.ssociation the conditions as 

 regards cotton growing which obtain in the M'est Indies, and 

 <.)ther matters of interest. Advantage was also taken of the 

 presence of the Imperial Commissioner in Manchester for 

 him to confer with the Briti.sh Cotton Growing Association 

 and others interested in cotton, such as Messrs. C. M. Wol- 

 stenholme, E. L. Oliver, and A. H. Dixon, on matters of 

 importance affecting the West Indian cotton industry. 



In the evening of the same day, Dr. Watts was enter- 

 tained at a dinner given in his honour by the Association. 



