98 



TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO BULLETIN. [[XX.2,3&A. 



EXPERIMENT WITH DRAINS AT VARIOUS 



DISTANCES. 



It was also in Field 14 that the experiment with drains at various 

 distances was tried last year. (') Approximately two and a half acres 

 were ploughed flat and marked off into three sections, having 

 frontages of 1 1 0, 44 and 66 feet respectively. The land was ploughed- 

 drilled and planted with cuttmgs of Badilla at distances of 5 feet by 

 5 feet, leaving the space necessary for puttmg m the usual dram every 

 22 feet in the first section and a dividmg drain between the 44 and 

 66 feet plots. The plots were similarly treated and the canes reaped 

 and weighed separately (1) on April 28, 1921, as plant canes at 

 19 months of age and (2) on March 28, 1922, as first ratoons at 

 1 1 months of age. The foUowmg results were obtamed : — 



Yield of Canes per Acre. 



Plant Canes, 

 19 months old. 



First Ratoons, 

 1 1 months old. 



Average for Plant 



Canes and First 



Ratoons. 



During the period of growth as plants i.e. the 19 months from 

 October 1, 1919 to April. 30, 1921, the rainfall was slightl/ below 

 normal; 72* 10 inches of ram were registered. On the other hand 

 the rainfall from May 1, 1921 to March 31, 1922 was unusually high. 

 75*06 inches of rain having been registered during this period. 

 Notwithstanding the heavy rainfall obtained during the period of 

 growth of the first ratoons, the plot with drains 22 feet apart has 

 given only a very slightly better yield^than the plots with drains 44 

 and 66 feet apart. If the yield for the two crops are taken together it 

 will be seen that the plot with drains 66 feet apart has given the best 

 results and that the plot with drains 22 feet apart the lowest return. 

 The soil in this field and at the Experiment Station generally is a 

 sandy loam and naturally porous. Under these conditions the 

 results indicate that it is unnecessary to have drains every 22 feet or 

 even every 44 feet as the best result was][obtained from the plot with 

 the drains 66 feet apart. 



(1.) B^iU. Dept. Ajr., Trinidad and Tobigo XIX, 1!)5, 1922. 



