8 Jan., 1908.] 



Tra>ispla)iti}ig Tobacco Plants. 



17 



to break up the soil where the plant was to be placed ; the planter put 

 in each plant by hand, and he was followed by another man carrying 

 buckets of water and watering each plant. This method entailed covering 

 the plant with grass to (prevent baking of the soil round the plant and 

 scorching it. 



The machine is drawn by two horses and is of light draught. It rolls 

 the ground, ploughs and works the soil immediately before the plant is 

 put in the ground, and waters the plant under the surface, leaving a dry 

 well worked mulch on top. It also distributes a fertilizer if required, and 

 marks out the next row for the machine to travel down. There is no 

 hoeing required, no carrying of water, and the whole of the work is done 

 by a man and two boys, all of whom are provided with seats. 



.-\ good day's work for three men under the old system was an acre in 

 two days, but with the machine three men can with ease transplant three 

 acres, or in other words, put out 10.000 plants. The great feature, how- 

 ever, is that the machine iplanted tobacco actually grows better, and with 

 a smaller percentage of misses, than where the plants are put out by hand. 

 This is due no doubt to the fact that the soil is worked up to the last 

 moment, and that the plants are set in water with a dry mulch covering 

 which pre\ents evaporation and caking of the soil. 



THE BEMIS TR.\.NSPLANTER. 



The machine is most useful on the farm in many other respects, as it 

 also plants maize, potatoes, broom corn, and would, I think, iprove of 

 great use to market gardeners for transplanting cabbages, tomatoes, &c. 

 It has been proved suitable to Victorian conditions, the great desideratum 

 to gain best results being a thorough preparation of the soil beforehand, 

 a matter that should be attended tO' in any case. The cost of the machine, 

 which is an American invention, is ;£i6 delivered in Victoria. It is simple 

 in construction, and with ordinary care should be very durable, and smart 

 boys can learn to manipulate it in a few minutes. For planting potatoes, 

 maize, and manv other crops, it can be worked with one horse and two 

 men or bovs. 



