81 
A distinct advantage which enabled experiments to be com- 
menced almost at once was the existence on this piece of land 
of a considerable number of lime trees that had been planted in 
the year 1893 by the boys of the Reformatory school at Morne 
ce. ; 
From the time of planting in 1893 the lime trees were properly 
cared for until the closing of the institution in 1895, when they 
were abandoned and allowed to become overgrown with bush 
a condition which lasted until 1913, the year the Agricultural 
Department took over the land for experimental purposes. 
Naturally the trees were found to be poor in condition and 
attenuated in appearance, but it was seen at the time that with 
a certain amount of trimming and proper attention given to 
drainage, they would soon pull round and develop into good 
healthy bearing trees. 
Faulty planting necessitated many of the trees being perma- 
nently removed, whilst in some places fresh trees had to be 
planted to make up the plots with trees planted at suitable and 
equal distances apart. 
ll this had to be done before the plots could be lined out 
and manurial treatment commenced. Meanwhile, a patch of 
old pasture land near by was being planted with young limes 
and marked off into eight } acre plots; the object being to 
duplicate with the young cultivation the experiments carried on 
with the older trees, thus confirming or otherwise the results. 
Further, it was hoped that the results would show to what 
extent old lime trees were capable of responding to manurial 
treatment. 
It was intended that the experiments should be conducted 
in two series : 
Series 1. With old trees (8 plots). 
» 2. With young trees (8 plots). 
The scheme of manuring is outlined below :— 
Complete manure. 
Control—no manure. 
Mulched with grass and leaves. 
Nitrogen only (Sulphate of Ammonia)’ 
Nitrogen only (Dried blood). 
Phosphate only (Basie Slag). 
Potash only (Sulphate of Potash). 
Phosphate and Nitrogen (Dried blood and Basic 
Slag). 
These experiments were continued satisfactorily and a record 
of yields of the old trees, (series 1), kept until 1916, when the 
@ 13017 . 
Go 89 PO 
