224 



the ripe stem. If a field is being reaped, and it is desired to increase the 

 area then, the canes should be reaped,cutting them to within two inches of 

 the ground. Some one should then follow and grub out the remainder of 

 the stalk going low enough if possible to secure a little root on it. This 

 will generally give a piece about four inches long and this inserted into the 

 ground with about half an inch left above the surface will make a strong 

 plant in an incredibly short space of time in favourable weather, and the 

 old plants will be all the better for the removal of the stems for propa- 

 gating. In the event of not wishing to propagate, care should be taken 

 to cut the stems as low as possible, as the plants grow much stronger than 

 they do when the old stumps are left five or six inches above ground. 



The best distance to plant is twelve inches apart in the rows with 

 eighteen inches between the rows on fair land, but on strong land eighteen 

 inches to two feet would be quite close enough. If planted nine inches 

 apart they have to be hand-weeded when young, which is very expensive 

 whereas at eighteen inches or two feet they can be hoed through. 



" If the land is fairly rich and they are kept clean while they are young, 

 they will grew so thickly even at two feet that very little weeding is re- 

 quired, except perhaps after the cutting of crops of stalks in about the 

 same way that sugar canes require to be looked after. 



" The piece which was planted three feet apart is now so thick as almost 

 to prevent any weeds growing except when the crop is reaped. 



Hope Industrial School. 



"The boys of the Industrial School have received instruction in the fol" 

 lowing practical work- pruning cocoa; sowing seeds of cocoa and coffee ; 

 potting seedlings ; pruning coffee ; planting ramie ; planting pines and 

 potatoes (Irish), growing tomatoes, carrots, turnips, cucumbers and ochras, 

 weeding and cleaning land, manuring. 



" In vine culture they have been instructed how to propagate vine plants 

 from cuttings, how to make a proper border in which to grow the plants, 

 how to plant out young and old vines, how to prune old vines, how to dis- 

 bud old and young vines, how to stop old and young vines, how to train 

 old and young vines. As there were only two bunches of grapes, they 

 received very little instruction as to the proper method of thinning bunches 

 of grapes. 



"They have also been taught when to water and how to water vines, 

 and what is quite as important, when not to water. This is the first year 

 that we have had an opportunity of giving them any instruction in grape 

 culture, and as the vines were all removed from King's House we could 

 not allow them to fruit. 



" They have also had lessons in budding, an art in which they quickly 

 got interested. After about six weeks' continuous patient instruction in 

 the methods employed to remove the scion from its parent and to place it 

 on the stock,' they budded 9 (> orange plants out of which they got exactly 

 half to grow - a very good result, considering how very awkward they 

 were at first. 



" The theoretical teaching has been on the subject of budding and graft- 

 ing; 



Eoots "| their work and the relation of one another in the econ* 



btems > ,1 , 



T f omy or the trees : 



Leaves ) J 



Selection of fruit in relation of progeny ; 

 Propagation by other means than by seeds. 

 "Of the boys Burke continues to make the most progress, next to him 

 come Murray, Nathan, Reid and Salmon. 



