The Cultivation of Guayule. 



209 



TABLE 57. 



TRANSPLANTING. 



Another method of getting a stand of guayule started and having the 

 advantage of speed is by transplanting field plants into irrigated ground. 

 Experience has taught that it is of little use to attempt to preserve the 

 aerial part of plants of any size, and that even small ones frequently die 

 back. Of a plantation of some hundreds of individuals so treated (at 

 Caopas), scarcely 25 per cent grew, but upon cutting them back a consid- 

 erable additional number revived (plate 46, fig. B). If it should be found 

 desirable for any reason to start a crop of guayule from field plants, the 

 best method is to cut back to the top of the tap-root and send the tops to 

 the factory for extraction. The returns from these would go far toward 

 the expense of the operations. It is difficult in any event to start stocks 

 unless previously pollarded. 



The portions to be planted should be handled as rapidly as possible, 

 being kept from drying out by means of wet burlaps, or some such means. 

 They should be planted deeply, the cut surface being no higher than the 

 surface of the soil, and they should then be thoroughly irrigated. The 

 question as to the amount of water which may be used without doing them 

 damage is answered by the simple experiment (exp. 145, Feb. 9, 1908) of 

 putting a number of plants into water with their roots and basal part of 

 the stem totally submersed. In four days numerous actively growing len- 

 ticels were to be seen on the submersed stem, and on March 14 a rootlet 

 10 mm. long had grown from one plant, while others had started. By 

 February 24 rootlets 6 to 8 mm. long occurred on the upper parts of the 

 tap-root, and even roots of the third order were subsequently formed. 

 There was no sign of disorganization, so that, unless the soil itself should 

 introduce unfavorable elements, we may believe, as indeed experience in 

 general shows, that the guayule can stand abundant water. 

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