370 



f NOV EMBER, 1912. 



We learn that there are about 44,325 acres devoted to Bananas in the 

 West Indies (estimated in 1905): in Queensland the area does not exceed 5,000. 



The following analysis furnished by Mr, Hattrick is instructive as 

 indicating what the plant extracts from the soil :— 



(a) In plants (6) In Bunches (c) Total 



per acre. per acre. per acre, 



lbs. lbs. lbs. 



Pure Potash ... (K 2 0) 193*6 77*88 271*48 



Phosphoric Acid ... (P 2 5 ) 14 8*52 22 52 



Lim e ... ... (Oa0) 99-0 3*15 102*15 



Nitrogen ... (N) 55*8 28*74 84*54 



THE BRANCHING OF RICE. 



The Bulletin of Agricultural Intelligence and of Plant- Diseases for 

 September, 1912, has an article on the above by Mr. N. Novelli :— 



The author applies the term "branching of rice" to the phenomenon 

 by which, under given conditions, from the lowest nodes of the principal 

 culms already well grown (and sometimes likewise from the nodes of the 

 secondary culms), corresponding to the points of insertion of the leaf 

 sheaths, axillary shoots may be put out which, although later than those 

 springing from the stock of the plant, continue to grow and finally end 

 by forming panicles. 



The varieties of rice on which the author has up to now mostly en- 

 countered this anomaly are Nero di Vialoue, Ranghino, Grpppi and Chinese 

 Originario ; it would seem, therefore, that the phenomenon is more common 

 in the varieties attaining greater vegetative growth. Two years ago, at 

 Vigevano, province of Pavia, Italy, in a low-lying rice field sown with Nero 

 de Vialone, the author reckoned that about 10% of the plants had 

 branched. 



Although the phenomenon may not be very frequent, it nevertheless 

 cannot, owing to its effects, be otherwise than injurious to production. 

 The axillary shoots in point of fact never bring their ears to maturity, 

 and act as real suckers on the principal culms, depiiving the latter of their 

 nutriment, inhibiting their development and retarding the ripening of 

 the principal panicles, which are thus left with less vigour and poor in 

 well-formed grains. 



Observation and investigation covering several years have led the 

 author to include among the presumable causes of the phenomenon the 

 irregular function of assimilation on the part of the plant, an enfeeble- 

 ment of vegetative development due to mechanical causes and excessive 

 height of water in the rice field during sprouting. 



To prevent branching of rice the author recommends : (a) that no very 

 late manuring, especially nitrogenous, should be carried out (on soils on 

 which conversion is deemed to take place slowly it is necessary to advance 

 the time of manuring); (b) not to carry out late weeding or rolling; (c) not 

 to keep the water too high in the rice field during sprouting. 



