732 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W, [OcL 2, 1920. 



Preparation of the Land. 

 The land should be ploughed or dug up from 8 to 10 inches deep aud 

 harrowed down well. A dressing of about 1 ton to the acre of blood 

 and bone (or, better still if available, its equivalent — about 30 tons — of stable 

 manure) should then be spread over the surface and ploughed or dug in. If 

 blood and bone is used a very good plan is to sow the manure in every third 

 furrow and bury it that way. If an 8-inch furrow is made the fertiliser will 

 be brought immediately beneath where the row of plants will subsequently 

 come. This method buries the manure deeper and reduces the production of 

 weeds. The working should be done a few weeks before planting time if 

 possible. If the manure has not been worked in previously, and is being 

 applied when planting, care should he taken not to bring it into direct 

 contact with the roots of the plants, as it may produce scalding. 



Method of Planting. 



Two methods of planting are in vogue in the Kyde and Pennant Hills 

 district — the single and the matted row methods. The single row is the 

 more popular, but some growers contend that the matted row (see Fig. 1) 

 provides more shelter for the berries. 



When planting in single rows, the rows should be about 2 feet apart, and 

 the plants set about 10 inches apart in the rows. 



When a matted row 

 is needed, all that is 

 I required is either to go 

 through the bed after it 

 has been planted as just 

 stated and plant another 

 row in every second 

 space, or to wait until the 

 Fig. 1.— The single and matted row methods of planting. runners begin to spread, 



and leave such new plants 

 as are evenly spaced between every second pair of rows. When these are 

 well rooted, the runners between the main plants and the new ones may 

 be cut, and the latter allowed to establish themselves. 



If^ a grower determines from the start to have matted rows, the three rows 

 to form the matted one are best planted 10 inches apart, and an extra width of 

 4 inches allowed for an alley or path row. These measurements allow sufficient 

 rojm for the pickers and for tlie cultivator to be run through in offseasons. 



The number of plants required for an acre, if planted 2 feet by 1 foot, 

 would be 21,V80 ; if 2 feet by 10 inches, 26,136. If matted rows are planted, 

 the number of plants needed will be increased by one half. 



How to Plant. 



For planting, chf)Ose only good liealthy runners with a good root seivice. 



If the roots are too long, cut them back to about 3 inclies. If the ground is 



in good tilth, a hole suthciently large for th(! plant can be hooked out by 



hand or with a small scoop; otherwise a small drill can be made. Spread 



