MISCELLANEOUS CROPS. hi 1 



air for a shori nine. A. good many farmers still prefer bo plough on in the 

 stools at tins stage, 1 >u t others among the mosl successful growers find that 

 ploughing away from the plants cuts off the old roots thai have fulfilled their 

 function, and encourages tin' formation of a new anil more vigorous rool 

 system on the sides Thus Invigorated, the stools have a firmer hold on the 

 ground, and from the roots send up better canes than if the lower remaining 

 nodes of the canes lately harvested are allowed to shoot again. 



The methods of effecting this root-pruning vary a great deal, a few carry 

 ing it out i'ii all four sides, others doing it on three sides out of four, and 

 others again two out of four sides, contenting themselves by " ploughing on " 

 on the remaining sides. The implement used is generally a mouldboard 

 plough with disc coulter attached. 



Shaving the ratooncrop stubble just below the surface has a very stimu- 

 lating effect on cane, but it is an operation that has so far been done by 

 hand, and cane-growers are still awaiting the introduction of a horsepower 

 implement to pi rform the work economically. 



It is interesting to add that farmers have observed thai where tram lines 

 have been laid for the removal of the cane, those stools that have to be 

 trimmed hard in levelling the track are often the best in the whole crop. 



Where this root pruning does not form part of the farm practice, it is 

 usual to give a thorough working. The after cultivation in both methods is 

 with the disc cultivators until the growth of the cane again puts an end to 

 all such work. 



Rotation. 



it is convenient before turning to discuss the varieties of sugar cane 

 grown in this State, to say a few words on a subject to which allusion has 

 been made several times in this article, and to which we are assured 

 farmers will be compelled a^ time goes on to devote more and more attention. 



Rotation of crops lies at the very basis of good farming. Tn certain 

 countries (chiefly countries where farming has been followed for many years) 

 a systematic rotation is specifically prescribed in the mortgages and leases 

 under which land is commonly held, so well do owners and tenants recognise 

 it as an essential part of good husbandry. New land may yield profitably 

 under one crop «for a few years, but do so indefinitely it will not. .Sooner 

 or later a change becomes imperative. 



Continuous cropping brings with it depletion of the vegetable matter in 

 the soil and declining fertility, and it permits the invasion of diseases and 

 pests that increase in the vigour of their attacks as the strength and virility 

 of the crop declines. Postpone its effects in various ways we may attempt to 

 do, and even with a measure of success, but deliver ourselves from this law 

 of nature we cannot. Wheat farmers have learned it; so have maize 

 farmers ; Americans will all their resourcefulness have not been able to avoid 

 it : the patient farmers of civilisation thousands of years old have bowed to 

 its dictates, and the cane-growers of our northern rivers cannot claim 

 exemption 



We have already indicated that this is a phase of things not unknown on 

 the Clarence, Richmond and Tweed, but the theory — excellent thing that it 

 is — has yet to be put into common practice. No doubt legumes are grown 

 from time to time and ploughed in between two cane stands, hut the complaint 

 " that we do not get the yields we once did " has hut one answer. 



The cane-grower is in the fortunate position, too, that crops Suitable for 

 the purpose and capable of returning a reasonable profit without undue loss 

 of time, offer themselves. Maize, for, instance, can be sown after the stools 



