13 



and prepared, as previously indicated, they should be hauled to the 

 field where laborers are held in readiness to put them into the ground 

 with as little delay as possible. This is accomplished most economically 

 by the employment of women and children who take the bundles, of 

 points, pass along the rows, and stick them down through the loose 

 earth into the bottom of the furroAvs until the tips only are visible 

 above ground. They are generally set at an angle of about 45° in single 

 or double lines, using from 20,000 to 30,000 points to a hectare. If 

 the loose earth in the bottom of the furrow is not sufficient to cover 

 the points as desired, the planters may rake in additional dirt from 

 the sides of the furrow with their feet, hands, or hoes. Under this 

 system of planting plows are very rarely used for covering the points. 

 It is a common practice in many parts of the Islands to have the plant- 



FiG. 9. — Five-tooth cultivator. (Planet Jr.) 



ing done by contract, the unit being a lacson of 10,000 points. Many 

 of the planters in Negros determine the area planted from the number 

 of lacsons of points put out by the contractors. 



It would not often happen that the planting of whole canes could 

 be resorted to in the Philippines, but when this system is used it would 

 probably be in the rainy season when the cane was immature and 

 could be planted by simply cutting down the stalks and laying them 

 horizontally in the furrows, after which they could be covered to a 

 depth of 5 to 10 centimeters with a small plow. In some cases the 

 leaves or leaf sheaths are removed, but in Louisiana most of the fall 

 planting is done with the leaves on the freshly cut cane. 



Cultivating. — It is very important that young cane be thoroughly 

 cultivated in either the dry or rainy season, as in the former it greatly 



