TREE CULTURE IN SOUTH ^AUSTRALIA. 77 



leer with a certain degree of success in the raising and planting of 

 eucalyptus plants. With pines it has proved a failure. 



I will now describe the system. 



The reed referred to (arundo donax) is a native of the south of 

 Europe, and is now seen growing luxuriantly in different parts of the 

 colony. It can be cultivated here wherever there is moisture in the 

 subsoil, although, of course, it prefers deep, moist, low-lying spots for 

 quick and rapid growth. The roots (or cuttings) should be planted 

 during the winter season, and may be planted in rows 3 to 4ft. apart. 

 The ground should be cultivated about them occasionally, so as to encou- 

 rage health and vigorous growth. The first year's shoots will generally 

 be found too small and slender for the purpose of forest-tree growing ; 

 they should, therefore, be cut down two or three times during the season 

 and removed. It should be remembered that the oftener the reeds are 

 cut, the stronger will the growths become. 



The second year's growths will generally be found suitable for the 

 purpose of tree-rearing, and if the reeds have been planted in a congenial 

 site, sometimes more than two cuttings may be obtained from the same 

 stocks in one season. The young and tender growths should now there- 

 fore be cut and stacked for a time iintil their woody matter has dried 

 and become shghtly hardened, after which they may be cut into the 

 required lengths. 



All tubes should be cut and rotted twelve months before being used. 

 This was not done at first, with the result that many plants died off from 

 the reed not decaying in time to allow the full expansion of the stem. 



The operation of cutting the tubes should be done with a sharp saw, 

 and the motive power may be by horse, water, or hand, in accordance 

 with the number of tubes required. In the Forest Department Nurseries 

 the work is performed by water-power chiefly. For all ordinary purposes, 

 however, a very sharp small hand-saw will suffice. 



The tubes should be cut to about Sin. in length, and it is necessary for 

 the proper working of them afterwards, that they be all as nearly equal 

 in length as possible. When cutting them, the knots or junctions of the 

 various growths should be left out as much as practicable, as shown in 

 Fig. 71. 



Should reeds be scarce, however, these junctions may be utilised, 

 and the woody matter afterwards cleared from within them by a long 

 angular shaped tool such as is represented in Fig. 70, before they are 

 made use of. 



The next operation consists in laying the tubes in position for the re- 

 ception of the soil and seeds. There may be various ways of doing this 

 according to the conveniences and appliances of the intending planter, 

 but we have found the following to be a ready and inexpensive way of 

 doing it : — Beds about 4ft. broad, 9in. deep, and of such lengths as may 

 be required, are laid out in the nursery ground, with sides and bottoms 

 of concrete or boards. These bottoms must be properly level in order to 

 secure uniformity of surface on the top of the bamboos. An inch or two 

 of good loamy soil should now be spread upon the bottom of the bed, 



