TO Xov 



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Tomato Groiviiii- in the XortJi. 



699 



by Bendigo growers. Although situated mostly on the slopes of hills, 

 the gardens are a network of surface drains. So important is the effective 

 carrying out of this work that some of the growers would not have them 

 more than 15 feet apart. This matter, however, is governed to a great 

 extent by the nature of the .soil. Loose, porous, sandy soils do not require 



TERRACING. MR. PUIGH S PLANTATTOX. BENDIGO. 



the drains so close together as those of a retentixe nature. The drains 

 are about 2 feet deep and run with the fall of the land ; they cut the 

 field up into narrow lands and make horse tillage practically impos.sible. 

 Such drains are, however, not the most economic ; they hamper operations, 

 and take up as much land as would grow sufficient produce to pay in a 

 few seasons for the initial cost of effective underground drainage. 



STAKING SYSTEM. BENDIGO. 



In irrigating, the water is brought to the head of the field and worked 

 down the narrow lands, zig-zagging across them, and filling the gutters 

 between the rows. No hard and fast interval between watering is fixed ; 

 it depends on the weather, .soil and condition of the plants. Excessive 

 watering is almost as detrimental to the success of the crop as the lack 



