270° 
THE GARDENERS CHRONICLE. 
' [ApriL 22, 
of—littering them lightly, except about five acres, with sour 
grass, green IndianCorn, and the trash of a field that I have 
thrown up Cane planting in. Throughout the late drought 
all my young Canes preserved a verdure superior to those of 
my neighbours ; this may have been from a better time of 
planting, or from greater distance given to the plants ; the 
plants that had no litter are more vigorous now than those 
of my neighbours, that had not the benefit of that ma- 
nure ; which proves that flat tillage can succeed, and gives 
strong grounds to imagine that it will be more productive 
in Sugar-cane cultivation than holing. My ideas of ad- 
vantages to be derived from flat tillage, independent of 
saving the expense of holing and cross-holing, were, that 
the holes occasioned a great loss of moisture to the plants 
where most required, after the spongelets of the roots had 
proceeded a few inches from the stocks—the centres of 
the holes with. moderate rains showing an interminable 
depth of moisture ; whereas the banks where the feeders 
had entered show only a very superficial quantity; and 
from the larger surface of the earth through holing being 
exposed to the action of, the sun and atmosphere, the ge- 
neral moisture of the fields was more rapidly evaporated 
than if the surface had been flat. That the centres of the 
holes where the plants were set, being the receptacle for 
all wet, was the principal cause of the loss of plants— 
damped off before they could vegetate. That forming the 
holes b uried in the banks a large portion of the humus of 
the fields, below the reach of the feeders of the Cane. That 
in littering the fields to preserve moisture and keep down 
weeds, a certain quantity of trash would go farther on a 
flat than on a holed field, That in heavy rains more soil 
would get carried off the fields, where they were in loose 
banks than would get thrown down, and more of the so- 
luble portions of the mould incorporated with the running 
water, than if the soil was not broken up—exemplified in 
the colour of the water that runs off a newly-holed field, and 
that of one that is not holed, when heavy rains occur. That 
Canes will be cut with greater facility on a flat field than 
where they are to be reached after in the bottoms of deep 
‘oles. That Canes will be carted off the fields with less 
labour where the fields are flat, when compared with what 
our starved cattle suffer, in hauling Canes across the Cane- 
holes. In addition to the above, I beg leave, in conse- 
quence of certain persons having lately fallen back to set- 
ting a Cane-plant to each eight square feet, or less, of 
land, instead of setting only one plant in each hole, to state, 
that to each of my growing Canes are allowed thirty-six 
square feet of land.” The other communication was as 
follows :—‘‘ Mr. J. Briggs having, in Nov., 1841, expressed 
his intention of planting his Canes on the system above de- 
scribed, and knowing the success which attended his plans, 
however much at variance with those in general practice, 
I was induced to prepare half an acre of land by ploughing 
it entirely; the other parts of the field being formed into 
ridgelets, I found it particularly convenient in being 
able to cart the manure on the land, which was easily 
divided into basket-heaps, at 8 feet asunder, which marked 
the distance for setting in the Cane-plants, allowing one 
plant to 16 square feet of land. The remainder of the 
field (8 acres) was planted at the same time the last week 
in December, and trashed in March. On the half-acre 
planted without holing, (half of it isa black soil on white 
clay, the remaining half is a black soil on a white rock ; 
the Canes are generally as good as on any other part of 
the field. Under these circumstances I have been induced 
this season to plant 23 acres without forming holes, 15 of 
which I have ploughed as before mentioned, and 8 acres 
on Mr. J. Briggs’s system. I have ventured thus largely 
with the fullest confidence of success. These expecta- 
tions being realised, a new order of things will dawn on 
Many may say, Have we not succeeded highly by the 
formation of deep Cane-holes, and why these innovations ? 
In reply, I may say, Has not British West India under- 
gone the greatest change perhaps ever known amongst 
civilised nations, in the measure of Emancipation? and 
consequently measures must be carried out with respect 
to Agriculture, by adopting machinery, and substituting 
brute force for manual labour ; then, and not till then, 
can we expect to be placed amongst the ranks of the free 
country of Europe. Being interested in the success 
of your Society, I have drawn up these remarks on 
Ploughing, for the benefit of Agriculturists generally, 
A field containing 16 acres ‘of land was taken by me in 
November, 1841, and from the state in which it then was, 
1 am certain that no manual labour could have cultivated 
it in the manner in which the plough did, so as at that 
late season of the year to pulverise the soil properly, and 
thereby make it yield a fair return. I ploughed the field 
in ridges at 4 feet distances, and afterwards cross-holed it 
by manual labour, allowing a labourer to dig 300 holes 
for 25 cents ; I also allowed a ploughman and two drivers, 
the former at 40 cents per day, and the latter at 30 cents 
each, who ploughed me 3 of an acre per day}; conse- 
quently the expense of ploughing the 16 acres was 21 
dollars, and the cross-holing 36 dollars 25 cents, making 
a total of 57 dollars 25 cents for the whole field. 
would also remark that this work was not performed in a 
careless manner, but put out of hand in a masterly style, 
as will be observed by the Canes growing on the land; and 
I am sanguine, although we have suffered much from 
drought, that the return will not be less than 40 hhds. 
sugar. My opinion as to what the field would have cost 
if prepared by manual labour, is, that the first cost of 
holing would have been 72 dollars 50 cents, allowing a 
labourer to dig 150 holes per day, at 25 cents ; cross- 
holing, 300 holes to each labourer, would amount to 36 
dollars 25 cents, making a total of 108 dollars 75 cents ; 
added to which, the expense of weeding, which could not 
amount to less than 20 dollars, would make a grand total 
of 128 dollars 75 cents. Now the cost of ploughing and 
— 
holing amounts to 57 dollars 25 cents, which deduct from 
the 128 dollars 75 cents, leaves a balance in favour of 
the plough of 71 dollars 50 cents. 
Hop-poles.—A voluminous paper, which“had been fur- 
nished by an experienced friend of one of the members of 
the Maidstone Farmers’ Club, was read at a late meeting. 
The writer confined his observaticns to the growth of 
Hop-poles, and recommended, in rich soils, the growth of 
Ash, Willow, and Chesnut mixed, as the roots of those 
plants derive their nourishment from different depths of 
the earth—the stocks being not less than 6 feet apart. 
He stated “that Ash is good for clay soils, and should 
be cut every 8 or 9 years ; that exuberant shoots should 
be thinned out in the second year ; that the Poles should 
always be cut upwards; that, in young plantations, it is 
a good plan to cover with Hop-bines, to keep down the 
weeds and retain moisture ; that the Ash stocks, when 
planted alone, should not be less than from 6 to 8 feet 
apart ; that care should be taken to carry off superabun- 
dant moisture by ditches. That Chesnut is best for light 
and sandy soils ; being exceedingly durable, growing as 
fast as Ash in suitable soils, and not so susceptible of 
injury. That Willow is generally of little value, but that 
the Gull and Plumtree sorts may be grown on dry loamy 
soils, with Ash and Chesnut; that the Sallow grows 
rapidly on wet land, but that little expense in ditching 
would make most soils more valuable for growing Ash or 
Chesnut. That in wet and boggy soils, difficult to drain, 
Alder will sometimes grow well, where other sorts will 
not grow ; that the Alder is an excellent wood for trunk- 
ing in drains, That the Red Birch is considered in some 
places a good wood for Poles, and is very productive, 
although not so valuable as either Ash or Chesnut; and 
and that the White Birch is not worth cultivating. That 
the Oak makes durable Hop-poles, but is liable to bend 
in the first year, and is of slow growth; but that, if 
grown with Ash and Chesnut, they draw it up much 
more rapidly than would otherwise be the case. That, 
generally, Beech is inferior for Poles, and produces little, 
where Ash, Chesnut, and Willow would produce more. 
That many of the natural woods of the country, which 
now grow an occasional stock of Ash, and are overrun 
with brambles, would pay well for grubbing and planting, 
either wholly with Ash or with a mixture; that when the 
stocks are planted 6 feet apart, the Poles grow quicker 
and the stocks last longer than when planted more thickly ; 
that 6 feet apart will give 1,200 stocks to the acre, and 
that these will generally grow 6 or 8 Poles apiece; that 
all grass, weeds, brambles, and underwood should be cut 
away from the young shoots, which should be carefully 
thinned out in the second year, and the cut shoots left 
on the ground to prevent the fallen leaves from blowing 
away; that when the plantation is confined at the top, 
it is a good plan to cut off the lower branches to the 
height of 4 or 5 feet, to promote the free circulation 
of air. That the writer of the paper felt convinced, 
after 30 years’ experience, that attending to these 
directions in planting and cultivating will enable a 
person to grow two good crops, where, and in the 
same time as, one inferior crop is grown at present.’” 
The following paper was also read by a member :—‘‘ The 
growth and improvement of woodland is more peculi- 
arly a landlord’s business, as few tenants have a term 
sufficiently long, or an interest great enough, to induce 
them to plant. Wise landlords, however, should, "by 
taking the chief expense, have their woods constantly 
filled up every fall. They ought also to choose plants of 
the best growth, and of that sort of wood which thrives 
on the soil. November is the best month to plant in. No 
land is more neglected, and yet none would pay better in 
this part of the county of Kent. I have myself helped 
to plant land with wood, (not worth 10s. per acre to rent 
as arable,) which, by attention, and, of course, with some 
-expense, has, from a nine years’ growth, sold for 40/. per 
acre, and even more. The contrast between highly culti- 
vated and bad woodland, is almost beyond conception. 
When wood is first planted, it ought not to be in foul, 
poor land, as it generally is, but in tolerably clean land. 
If foul when planted, let it, however, be kept clean after- 
wards, by digging and hoeing; and by Hop-bines, or by 
some other plan, let the land be manured. The first 
grand point is to choose that sort of wood which grows 
kindly on the soil; the next to keep the land clean. I 
have seen woods planted, which, from want of care and 
attention, after all the expense of planting, have been 
worth little more than they were at the time they were 
planted, though twenty years have passed. I have seen 
others make a comparatively quick return. I am now 
speaking of woodlands in this immediate neighbourhood, 
as, where Hops are not cultivated, and wood is grown for 
faggots, their expense or trouble may be thrown away. The 
land for Chesnut, where kindly for its growth, seems to 
need no other preparation than being tolerably clean, and 
not too poor. Weeds, &c., must not be allowed, however, 
to choke up the plants insucceeding years. Either cover the 
land with bines or hoe, and keep it clean. The English 
Nut grows better and straighter than the Spanish. Let 
landlords raise their own plants from the nut or keys, Or 
in the best manner. Ona soil not kindly for Chesnut, 
but kindly for Ash, I have often thought that it would be 
wise first to plant Plum-tree Willow, and then, as that 
decays, to fill up with Ash. I know this will be a work 
of time ; still, the ground gets more kindly for Ash, from 
the leaf of the Willow, or some other cause, and the Wil- 
low pole is very good. If all Ash is planted, let the 
land be kept clean, or be covered with bines. ‘There 18 
great difference in the value of poles; still, I think that 
land will pay best which is allowed to grow what wood it 
does grow kindly and freely, though the pole may not be 
worth so much. Many people, to avoid the expense of 
planting, use layers or poles adhering to the’stub, and 
laid in the earth. This, I think, is seldom successful, 
though I have known it to succeed in deep rich land. 
As a landlord I would always find plants and plant them 
too, on a yearly tenure. On a lease of avy length, I would 
allow plants and have the tenants plant them at their 
expense, where a term of about 14 years exists, and Larch 
grows kindly. As a tenant, even ifnot having plants found, 
I would plant Larch. It is better, however, for landlords 
and tenants fairly and justly to consider the interest of 
each other. The growth of wood may be a national good. 
In France and Germany it is kept up for firing or for 
making charcoal, where coal is scarce and dear. Fir is, 
in many places abroad, indigenous, and the few hops 
grown are generally poled with Fir. Little pains, however, 
are taken to plant or keep the woods beyond what nature 
does. The timber is preserved in these woods, and 
as their value is not great, consisting of brush-wood, it 
does but little mischief. In many places timber grows 
tolerably well and supplies the navy, &c., but not like the 
stately Oak of England. Where timber is grown in England 
(save on poor clay soils) it ought to be grown more toge- 
ther, so that it may not destroy thrice its worth in crops 
of Corn, &c. In highly-cultivated rich land, an Oak or 
Elm will do this. Landlords cannot have timber and rent 
too. Though not a part of wood cultivation, or a very 
trifling one, let me refer to the growth of Pollards. In 
most old leases these useless and injurious things are in- 
serted, and the covenants bind the tenants to preserve, to 
top, and top, instead of rooting them up as pests and nuis- 
ances to the tenant, without one shilling of profit to the 
landlord. Hedge-rows are, in my opinion, better grubbed 
up. The Poles grown on them are generally crooked, and 
they root out and injure the crops. Let woods be inclosed 
and like timber, kept together. There is one well-known fact 
about hedge-rows. When grubbed, however poor the soil, 
Corn or aught else grows well on the land for years without 
manure, whilst a wood of any size, if grubbed, is sterile 
for years. I mention the circumstance without endeav- 
ouring to account for it. How much more Corn might 
be grown, if landlords would allow, and tenants have the 
spirit to take up the waste hedge-rows, &c., and fill up 
many useless ditches! What a quantity of land now lies 
almost barren that might be made profitable, and how 
many hands might be employed that are now idle! Much 
has been said of draining, &c., as a means of employment. 
Here is another as useful. It isthe duty of every man, 
be he landlord or tenant, to find employment for the 
labourer. Let him consider that he not only relieves and 
employs him, but he feeds his wife and children, and 
brings them up with honest and industrious habits. In 
what I have here stated I have only taken up the heads 
of wood cultivation, leaving to my brother farmers to 
enlarge and improve. If I have digressed, the object 
I have had in view was to call the attention of both 
landlords and tenants to other useful improvements.’” 
Here an interesting discussion ensued. On all hands it 
was considered that it would be best for landlords at least 
to provide the plants for filling up, even if they did not 
put them in. An instance was named where two planta- 
tions were separated by a hedge, lying on precisely similar 
soil. One had been well cultivated by the landlord, and 
after twelve years was worth from 40/. to 45/. per acre ; 
the other was held by a tenant on a short term, and was 
not worth more than perhaps 5/. per acre. Many in- 
stances were mentioned where land, the fee-simple of 
which was not worth 5/. per acre, had in a few years pro- 
duced a crop of Larch or Ash, worth from 30/. to 451. ; 
and considerable tracts of poor land in Kent and Sussex 
were supposed to be ptible of similar imp 
In reference to the recommendation to plant as much as 
six or eight feet apart, it was said that when planted too 
distant the outer poles were curved at the bottom, and 
the best part of the pole was much wasted in sharpening. 
Instances had occurred, however, where, when planted too 
thickly, the plantations had fallen off after the first crop. 
It was the general opinion that plants ought to be planted 
in a good sized hole, and not deeply. Difficulties had 
been found in planting mixed sorts, as in some soils Wil- 
low had outgrown Ash, and both had greatly outgrown 
Chesnut. On the other hand it was contended that all 
our natural woods were of mixed sorts. In some clays, 
as at Nettlestead for instance, Chesnut had grown well, 
whilst in other clays it had not succeeded. Crop Willows 
on clays had been known to produce poles in six years. 
Cases were mentioned where Larch had been planted 
thickly, and alternate plants thinned out as it had grown, 
for poles and use pieces, the remainder being ultimately 
allowed t6 stand for timber, and to have become of great. 
value. In selecting plants it was considered that Ash 
should not be less than six feet high, Larch about three 
feet six inches, and Chesnut abovt the same, with a 
good root. Larch plants, it was said, could be procured 
from Scotland at about 11s. per thousand. The following 
resolution was then adopted :—‘* That the improvement 
of woodland appears to this club to be a matter of greater 
importance than it is generally considered. That in select- 
ing the sort of wood to be planted, the best criterion is to 
observe those which already grow best in the soil, and to 
plant similar sorts ; that some members are in favour of 
planting mixed sorts, whilst others prefer planting only one 
sort. That the holes for planting should be large, and 
not too deep ; that the after-cultivation should be carefully 
looked to, and if some manure, or a covering of Hop- 
bines is put on the! land so much: the better.”— 
The following communication, which arrived too late to 
be read before the meeting, contains so many useful hints, 
that we append it to the report:—‘It is generally said 
that a tenant is but little con d in the g + of 
woodland, as it is almost wholly in the hands of the land~ 
