134 



.each acre. No plough is used for the first three years on this light 

 Boil, but instead the hoe and the assam fork. 

 I will now go more into detail. 



PREPARATION OF LAND. 



Clearing, — In grourd covered with forest or woodland some are con- 

 tent to cut down and burn, leaving the stumps to decay ; but it is better 

 if it can be done, so to cut the trees that they will tear up their roots in 

 their fall. The trees should be carefully selected, marked and cut up 

 for their special uses — timber, posts, piles, tramway sleepers, firewood, 

 etc. The underwood and brush can be used to burn up the roots and 

 the trunks of useless trees such as Guango, Bastard Cedar, etc. 



The ground should finally be carefully stumped. Even if the land 

 is virgin soil and does not require ploughing, it is better to ttump at 

 first. The plants can then be put in at regular distances at once, — an 

 important matter in many ways . and if ploughing is necessary at a 

 later period, there is no delay caused by digging out stumps. Stump- 

 ing also ftcilitbtes cutting and carry irg the fruit. 



If the land is not the virgin soil of a forest, and especially if it be 

 old cane land or pasture, it should be first thoroughly ploughed at least 9 

 inches deep, and harrowed. If the situation is on hill-sides where the 

 plough cannot be worked, the pickaxe for stony ground, and the fork 

 for soft ground should be used. 



Distance. — The usual distance is 15 by 15 feet, or 14 by 14 feet, but 

 these distances are modified according to circumstances, and planters are 

 continually trying experiments with other distances. One planter 

 finds that a hill-side of 15 acres on the north side planted 8 by 8 yields, 

 8,000 straight, or more than 500 to the acre. Another, in a hot, flat 

 district on the south side, finds it advantageous to plant 8 by 8 in 

 order to shade the ground as soon as possible. It stated by the 

 advocates of close planting that the crop comes in sooner, that it can 

 be regulated with greater success so as to come in during the five 

 months of high prices and that less weeding and less water are 

 required. On the other hand, it will be found necessary to remove 

 every alternate row for first ratoons, and probably for third ratoons to 

 reduce the field to stems at distances of 16 by 16 feet. Where there 

 is too much shade, the bulbs are apt gradually to grow higher out of 

 the ground with less hold against the wind, and the plants run up 

 with a weak stem and irregular bunch. Another system is to increase 

 the distance between the rows, and decrease it tetween the plants in 

 the row, making the wider intervals run north and south. A planter 

 who reaps 330 payable bunches per acre, planting 14 by 14, gets a 

 yield of 400 per acre where he has planted 10 by 10 feet. 



A planter who is planting cocoa and utilizes the banana for shade,, 

 says that he has generally planted 14 feet square with cocoa in the 

 game line. If cocca is planted in the centre of the square field imple- 

 ments, of course, cannot be worked either way, but by planting in the 

 same line as the banana, they can be used for two or more years 

 without apparent injury to either plant. However, he states that, 

 after seme experience, he thinks 16 feet square would be preferable 

 both for banana and cocoa cultivation, but there are considerations e£ 

 locality, soil, fertility and so on which prevent a hard acd fast line 

 being laid down. 



