146 



THE AGEICULTURAL NEWS. 



May 9, 1914. 



by the T-method were successful in a recent experi- 

 ment: and although this work was done under nursery 

 conditions, it seems improbable that with reasonable 

 care it would be less satisfactory in practice. It is 

 confidently believed that no cacao grower who has 

 acquired the art of shield-budding, and who follows 

 the instructions given in the article referred to above 

 would hereafter have to crop a heterogenous lot of 

 seedling trees. In the editorial which preceded the 

 special article under consideration, we are told that 

 'by following the new method now placed before the 

 public .... the planter can select his variety and 

 at the same time propagate from his most prolific 

 trees of that variety, so that within two years from 

 placing of his buds, he will have changed his planta- 

 tion from a haphazard mixture of several varieties and 

 from a collection of good, bad and indifferent trees to 

 a regulated plantation, having one, two or three 

 varieties, all the trees of which are known to be heavy 

 producers.' 



The significance of this uniformity can be easily 

 imagined. Instead of having one tree bearing 200 pods, 

 and another near by with perhaps only ten, both will 

 be prolific. This is certain, for it has been proved in 

 Trinidad that the degree of prolificacy of individual 

 trees is constant from year to year and probably 

 hereditary. The degree of prolificacy can therefore 

 without fail be maintained by vegetative propagation. 

 Again, another very important aspect is that by 

 increasing the average yield per tree, the same crop 

 can be obtained from a smaller area of land than 

 hitherto, which is a very significant matter in relation 

 to cacao as a crop for the peasant proprietor. Lastly, 

 there is the benefit which will be derived through the 

 improved uniformity in the quality of the beans; this 

 Avill simplify fermentation and most certainly lead to 

 higher prices being obtained on the American and 

 European markets. 



Whereas grafting by approach — which has until 

 lately figured as the only satisfactory way of propa- 

 gating cacao vegetatively — presents difficulties in 

 connexion with estate work, the new method of budding 

 seems to be perfectly applicable. The land is cleared 

 in the ordinary way, the seed of any hardy variety 

 planted at the usual distances, and when the seedlings 

 are about a year old, the operators — boys who have 

 been specially trained — are sent round with freshly 

 obtained material from selected trees and the operation 

 performed. There are no stages to be built around 

 the trees, and no special watering is required as in the 

 case of grafting by approach. 



The question of getting the skilled labour has to 

 be considered, but this need offer no anxiety since it 

 requires but a few weeks for boys and women to become 

 expert at the work, under proper supervision. It would 

 seem desirable for the various Experiment Stations to 

 give special attention to the training of youths in the 

 shield-budding of cacao. It might be possible, in fact, 

 to arrange a series of short courses at the Scatioas to 

 which estates could send any one of their employees for 

 the purpose of getting proper instruction. Again, the 

 secondary and elementary schools which have gardens 

 should pay special attention to the matter. Even if 

 the practical instruction which it may be found possible 

 to give does not iuimediately find application in practice, 

 the importance of the matter will have been emphasized 

 and a larger circle made familiar with the existence of 

 the method and its great possibilities in the develop- 

 ment of the cacao-growing industry. 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



A SUCCESSFUL METHOD OF TRANS- 

 PORTING CANE CUTTINGS. 



Although the method of shipping cane cuttings in damp 

 charcoal has been known for many years, there has always 

 been considerable risk involved on account of the time 

 occupied by the transportation to distant countries. With 

 a view to overcoming this difficulty, this Department last 

 year decided to try the experiment of shipping cane cuttings 

 in damp charcoal (1 fi). charcoal, i oz. water) to India by 

 parcel post, thereby lessening the time of transportation. 

 On account of the maximum weight which is allowed in 

 sending by parcel post, being 11 ft)., it was found necessary 

 to have special tins constructed, and to reduce to a minimum 

 the size of the cine cuttings. The light tins employed 

 measured 18 inches X 4 inches x 4 inches, and cuttings were 

 selected having the nodes moderately close together, thereby 

 getting a good number of buds per cutting with a minimum 

 bulk of cane. 



The time taken during the transportation was only six 

 weeks. On its arrival in India, the case of cuttings was 

 opened immediately, and the following observations on the 

 condition of the cuttings were recorded: Many of the buds 

 had already sprouted, the sprouts varying from i-inch to 

 2 to .3 inches in length. In a few cases rootlets had devel- 

 oped 1 to 2 inches long. These looked in perfect condition 

 and were unbroken and undamaged. The canes themselves 

 were perfectly healthy in appearance, not in the least dried 

 or shrivelled up, quite hard and bright in colour. 



The cuttings were planted out at once and in a later 

 communication from the Agricultural Chemist, Assam, it 

 was stated that the cuttings had all germinated and were 

 doing well. 



As an interesting extension of the experiment, this 

 Department requested the Indian authorities to reciprocate 

 the trial by forwarding cuttings of any good Indian cane by 

 the same method to the West Indies. The cuttings of 



