Vol; XI. No. 267. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



237 



STUDENTS' CORNER. 



JULY. 



/ Third Period. 

 Seasonal Notes. 



During the present quarter, lime-planting will be pro- 

 ceeded with, the preparations for this having been made 

 previously. What are those preparations, and why are they 

 made? An early opportunity should be taken for the setting 

 out of the plants, in order that they may be given time to 

 become well established before the dry weather commences. 

 State what happens to the parts of a lime plant that are 

 below ground, after it has been transplanted. Where there 

 is a good rainfall, particularly where this is likely to be 

 excessive, a method of planting may be employed which 

 does not entail any preliminary preparations in the first half 

 of the year. In this method, after the rows have been lined 

 out, an area of 4 to -5 squire feet is forked around each of 

 the stakes showing the positions of the plants, and the soil 

 is drawn up to form a slight mound. On the middle of each 

 mound, a lime plant is placed and the roots spread out; the 

 latter are then covered with soil from the outer part of 

 the mound. The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that 

 the plants will be growing well above the general surface of 

 the soil in the plantation; it has the further useful effect 

 of assisting drainage to a great extent — an important matter 

 where the rainfall is large. In cases where the drainage is 

 insufficient, what is likely to happen to (1) the soil, (2) the 

 plant? State broadly how the nature of the bacterial action 

 is likely to be changed in soils when the excess of water that 

 falls as rain is unable to flow away freely. With reference to 

 the method of lime-planting just described, the circular areas 

 that are clear, round the plants, can easily be kept free from 

 weeds, and those growing between them may be cutlassed 

 occasionally. 



The distance for planting limes varies with different 

 circumstances, one of the.se being the kind of soil in which 

 they are to grow. Discuss the conditions that decide the 

 distance from one another at which the plants have to be 

 placed, and give reasons for the plan that is followed, 

 in this respect, under circumstances with which 3'ou have 

 practical acquaintance. 



In lime plantations, where it is con.sidered advisable or 

 necessary to thin the plants, the present season is the best 

 for the purpose, as the rainfall will cause growth to be 

 made, on the part of the plants that are allowed to remain, 

 that will cause the intervening .spaces to be covered up 

 quickly. One effect of heavy rains may be to cause the 

 drains to become blocked up; care should be taken that they 

 are kept open continually. 



Where manures have been applied, and where the 

 drainage has been improved, in lime cultivations, any result- 

 ing improvement in the growth of the plants will be shown 

 most plainly at the present time of the year. Further, it is 

 at this time that careful note should be made of the progress 

 and growth of the trees, and where any individual plants or 

 groups of plants do not show a sufficient amount of develop- 

 ment, a careful enquiry should be made into the conditions of 

 such plants, in order to discover if the circumstance that is 



unfavourable consists in the state of the soil or in the 

 presence of disease. Give an account of any diseases of 

 lime plants of which you have knowledge, and state what 

 should lie done in cases where diseases are thought to be 

 doing harm. 



Questions for Candidates. 

 Preliminary Questions. 



(1) State what substances or classes of substances gen- 

 erally go to make up a soil. 



(2) How may the agriculturist cause nitrogen to be 

 added to the soil.' 



(3) What precautions are employed in transplanting 

 plants? 



Intermediate Questions. 



(1) From what sources may the phosphates in a soil be 

 derived? 



^2) Describe the ways in which nitrogen is added to 

 soils, directly and indirectly. 



(3) Why is the root system of plants often reduced, 

 before they are transplanted? 



Final Questions. 



(1) How do phosphates become available in soils? 



(2) Give the general principles of the manufacture of 

 manures containing nitrogen derived from the air. 



(3) State why plants are transplanted, dealing (1) 

 with practical considerations, (2) the effect on the plant 

 itself. 



The Porto Rico University Agricultural 

 College. — An announcement has been received that the 

 Agricultural College of the University of Porto Rico will 

 begin work in September in a building specially erected for it 

 at Mayaguez. There will be no fees for tuition, and books 

 will be provided free; there are no expenses except living 

 expenses. A complete equipment will be available, including 

 all apparatus for the study of agricultural subjects, and what 

 is as important, there will be a full and competent teach- 

 ing faculty. A limited number of scholarships is to be 

 granted, giving the holder a monthly allowance; details' 

 concerning these may be obtained by application to the Dean. 

 The lengths of the courses that may be taken are four 

 years, five years and one year; it is intended also to give short 

 courses of one week. 



The plan to be followed is that, during the first two 

 years the courses of study will be alike for all, and planned 

 in order to give a general education in certain languages, 

 mathematics and science. By this means an opportunity will 

 be afforded to a student to choose effectively his course of 

 further sttidy, or to elect to carry his efforts to some other 

 centre of instruction. 



A certain amount of work has been done already, for 

 since January, what are termed Agricultural Institutes have 

 been held throughout the island, and will continue until the 

 end of this month. It is stated that these have been at- 

 tended by hundreds of teachers, who have received practical 

 instruction in agriculture and have become interested in the 

 work. 



I lie Board of Ti-ade Journal for May 2, 1912, shows 

 that the quantity of rubber exported from Para, Manaos, 

 Iquitos, and Itacoatiara for the first quarter of this year was 

 30,2.56,521 ft. In the first quarter of 1911 the shipments 

 amounted to 22,415,868 ft. 



