17 



months to a depth of four inches for $21.96 per acre per annum, while 

 in plot 5 the land was forked once in three months to a depth 

 of four inches at a cost of 321.21 per acre per annum. In Plot 6, 

 harrowing was conducted twice a month for $7.26 per acre per 

 annum. The harrows were first drawn by buffaloes but Indian 

 bullocks were found to be very much cheaper. A couple of bullocks 

 can harrow five acres per day of eight hours. The above figures are 

 the results obtained in one year, but now the costs of changkoUing, 

 forking and hairowing are very much less, in some cases about half, 

 while surface weeding remains more or less the same. It is usually 

 found that as deep tillage is continued the costs become less, for 

 a time, until a high class tilth is formed when chaises remain about 

 the same. 



Artificial fertilizers. — The cost of spreading artificial manures 

 varies somewhat accoixling to the quantity applied. Two hundred 

 and fifty lbs. of a mixture can be broadcast and slightly covered for 

 31.80 per acre. 



The cost of applying 1,000 lbs. of lime spread around young trees 

 and turned under amounts to about $9 per acre, inclusive of labour, 

 while one ton broadcast all over the land, and turned under would cost, 

 approximately, 323 per acre. A complete mixture consisting of 4 lb. 

 per tree, sulphate of ammonia, li lbs. per tree, double super- 

 phosphate, 1 lb. per tree, sulphate of potash, and 1,000 lbs. lime per 

 acre was applied at a total cost of 328 per acre (November, 1911). 



A dressing of four cwts. Perlis guano cost 38.50 per acre, while 

 three cwts. Bone-meal worked out at 313 per acre (November, 

 1911). 



Discussicni. 



The Chairman (Mr. R. W. Muni'o) : Here again, gentlemen, we 

 see what an extraordinary amount of instructive knowledge we can 

 gain from these papers. I think you will all notice how very parti- 

 cularly the views of Mr. Spring agree with those of Mr. Vesterdal 

 on this subject. Both have, I think, dealt with the subject quite 

 independently of each other, and yet both of them agree on the main 

 points. One of the greatest points of interest I wish to invite 

 discussion on is the matter of drainage. We must thank Mr. Spring 

 very much indeed for the valuable information he has given us. I 

 invite you to discuss this subject for as long as we have time. I 

 think Mr. Prior will give us his views on the matter. 



Mr. Prior said that he wished only to mention what liad been 

 his experiment on Golden Hope Estate in manuring during the last 

 18 months, on what was known as '" peat land," on a plantation 

 that had been planted in 1907 and first tapped in 1912. Three 

 portions of 10 acres each had been tried with basic slag, lime and 

 forking, respectively. In 1913 the whole field was forked over and 

 12 pikuls of lime per acre applied. All plots were tapped during the 



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