l82 



may be added to these figures. By removing tlie first tubers as 

 soon as ripe, by means of a " macliete" and allowing the plant to 

 remain in situ for six months longer, a second crop may be har- 

 vested ; by this method, called " castration" in Trinidad, it is esti- 

 mated that an acre of Tanier can be made to yield thirty tons of 

 tubers at one planting ; few crops can produce one half of this 

 amount. 



Though preferring rich, moist loam, the Tanier is content with 

 almost any soil ; like its near relative, the Taro, or Elephant's 

 Ear, it revels in plenty of fresh water, but while the leaf develop- 

 ment may be greater in wet situations the tuber percentage suffers. 

 The leaves vary from pale green to deep mauve purple ; in some 

 sorts, like the " Palma," leaves three feet wide by four feet long 

 are common. A Tanier field in its prime is a beautiful sight. 



Boiled, fried, or baked, the better kinds of Tanier are superior 

 to the Irish potato ; though most varieties are not so " mealy" they 

 are richer, firmer, and possess more distinct flavour. Most sorts 

 are pure white, but four are pinkish purple, and several are of 

 various shades of yellow. The roots keep fairly well after har- 

 vesting and would undoubtedly endure shipping to the Central 

 States. 



And now that the days of popular prejudice against anything 

 new in the food line are dying out fortunately, we may expect to 

 see the rare and royal old Tanier soon entering the northern mar- 

 kets and rapidly gaining favour as one of the best of many good 

 things to come out of the Tropics. Twenty thousand years late 

 but it will win ! 



RING-BARKING. 



By A. TATHAM, Australia.* 



Seeing what a vast amount of ring-barking has been performed 

 in Australia in the past, it may seem somewhat of an anomaly to 

 describe the process now. This article, it is hoped, will be of use 

 to future operators, and tend to prevent, or at least lessen, some of 

 the annoyances and expense usually connected with it. Tne sub- 

 ject will be discussed under the following heads : — 



Why does ring-barking kill a tree .'' 



How to ring-bark. 



When to ring-bark. 



Ring-barking compared with felling and burning-off. 



WHY DOES RING-BARKING KILL A TREE .' 



The only way to answer this question is to describe the struc- 

 ture and functions of the roots, stem, and leaves of a tree. A tree 

 cannot grow unless it gets moisture, as it is utterly incapable of 

 getting nourishment from the soil except in a soluble form. The 

 roots that perform this office are the very fine thread-like ones 



♦Agricultural Journal of Victoria, IH. 9, 190.5, p. 642. 



