854 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. {Dec. 2, 1920. 



m 



to be thought of. Of varieties, one like Innes 131 — erect in habit and a 

 poor stooler — requires comparatively little room. Usually the seed is planted 

 18 to 24 inches apart in running drills that are 5 feet from one another. 



Square planting is, however, much the better system. It affords the 

 roots more space and permits of thorough cultivation both ways while 

 the crop is growing, and that by medium of horse implements at a minimum 

 of expense throughout the life of the crop. It is one of the reasons advanced 

 by advocates of the square system that the ratoon crops are heavier by 

 reason of the intercultivation that it makes possible. 



Some variation is found, of course, in respect to the distances between 

 the plants, from 4 feet 3 inches square to 5 feet being variously used. As 

 before, this depends somewhat upon the soil and the variety, but 4 feet 

 6 inches may be accepted as a useful medium for average conditions. 



It is a prime doctrine of cane-growing that you should " plant deep, but 

 cover lightly." The apparent contradiction is explained if it is added that 

 a furrow 8 inches deep is opened in the prepared soil, the plant or set is 

 put at the bottom of the furrow, and 2 or 3 inches of soil drawn in, after- 

 cultivation being allowed to fill in the furrow as the plant grows. Early 

 in the season the covering may be on the lighter side, but at no time should 

 it be heavier than indicated. 



The opening of the furrow is generally effected with the mouldboard 

 plough, which is used twice (once in each direction), but some farmers use 

 a double mouldboard implement for the purpose. 



The dropping of the sets is usually done by hand, farmers generally pre- 

 ferring that method, on the ground that they can place the sets according to 

 their own desires, and then cover them lightly with a hoe. 



Some importance is attached to the position in which the sets are placed; 

 it would appear reasonable to expect that with one 'eye on each side as 

 the set lies in the drill the germination would be quicker than where a 

 shoot had to make its way from underneath the set to the surface, but 

 there are many who hold it a matter of indifference, averring that the plant 

 will come through quite as quick under the Tatter as the former condition. 



" Get it up quick ; that is the main thing," said one farmer, thus tersely 

 expressing the general opinion that an early and vigorous start is of fir^t 

 importance. 



Good Drainage an Essential. 



Where the ground is apt to be waterlogged or flooded from time to time, 

 some success has been obtained by throwing up ridges and planting the sets 

 along the tops, so that the roots strike downwards to the water, and follow 

 flood-waters down as they subside. There is on all three rivers, land 

 that will no longer carry cane for the reason that it requires systematic 

 drainage, and to this aspect of matters many farmers could address them- 

 selves with profit. How large a part it plays in cane-growing in some 

 countries may be illustrated by the fact that in Louisiana thousands of 

 acres that cannot be drained into the rivers are made available for cane by 

 huge pumping plants. 



