212 



[September, 1912. 



An application of salt is beneficial, and so is the planting of an aloe 

 seedling by the stem of the plant. The sprinkling of a handful or two of 

 fresh jak or lunumidella saw-dust is also effective. But, perhaps, the 

 easiest and surest remedy is the application of a solution of corrosive 

 sublimate on the husk— say a tea-spoonlul to a bottle of water. 



During the first five years, the wary bandicoot, rat and porcupine 

 prove yet more serious enemies. The damage done by them is all the 

 greater, because tbey do not appear on the field until the plant is, to a 

 certain extent, advanced in growth. The porcupine perfers to make a 

 meal off the plant just when it shows a stem above ground. My exper- 

 ience of the bandicoot, waiting until the plants are 4 or 5 years of age to 

 begin their destruction, may be exceptional ; but in a field of 7j acres, 

 no less than 150 plants were destroyed within a few weeks. The field 

 was under cinnamon at the time. 



Protecting Plants 



Nor would it be out of place to urge the necessity of taking steps to 

 protect plants, duiing the first five years of their existence, from the 

 attacks of cattle. They do a tremendous amount of damage— the growth 

 of plants eaten down by them is seriously retarded ; and such plants will 

 seldom thrive and develop into good trees. Badly attacked plants should 

 be rooted up and replaced if possible by plants of the same age as those in 

 the field. The advantages of cattle on a plantation are great, but it is not 

 advisable to bring them on to the land until after the plants are free from 

 the danger of their attacks. No pains should be spared to protect plants 

 during the first five years against the bandicoot, the porcupine and cattle, 

 for it is of paramount necessity that plants should be started in their 

 growth under the most favouiable conditions. 



Weeding and Green Manuring, 



The plants themselves need practically only the clean-weeding of a 

 circle of say 5 feet in diameter. The application of wood ashes proves 

 beneficial to plants and a mulch of green manure. Between the 

 rows of plants I would only 2ut down the brushwood, and in 

 order not to expose the ground to the full force of the sun, the 

 growth of some leguminous plants offers a double advantage in 

 enriching the soil as well. A great object should be to maintain the rich- 

 ness of the soil, remembering that the roots of the palms are wide-spread- 

 ing and surface feeding ; and when the trees grow up they will require all 

 there is to be had. The future welfare of the tree will be greatly helped 

 by conserving the richness of the soil. Green manures can always be 

 grown with advantage. There are soils which will not be impoverished, 

 to the detriment of the palm in later years, by the growth of catch crops, 

 but care should be taken tc chose such as are not too exhausting. 



The application of manures on a system will not be necessary before 

 the palm reaches the bearing stage, nor even in the first few years of 

 bearing. The advantages of applying some manure to stimulate those 

 plants that are backward are obvious- They need a helping hand and 

 timely help should secure uniformity in the plantation. I shall not touch 

 further on the all-important subject of manuring and on the great bene- 

 fits to both trees and crop from the application of suitable manures. It is 

 a large subject and the Association will, I hope, induce some other 

 member to read a paper on it on a future occasion. 



