f 
ee 
‘This article is, however, more particularly designed to draw publi 
attention to the Divi Divi as a tree with which to clothe areas of land unsuit 
able to the growths of other, perkaps more valuable, products; and in places” 
where the land has been long neglected, or where weeds abound, or where 
the land has been overeropped, or, again, where nut-grass predominates 
-—in places such as these—the Divi Divi might be planted, both to 
-redeem the value of the land from the robber and give not a little profit 
' beside. As an ornament itis not to be despised; the delicate pinnate leaves: 
afford with their deep green a pleasant relief to the eye; doubtless with a 
_ gardener’s care a compact handsome object might be obtained. To plant Divi 
_ Divi as a cover and cure for weeds, it would seem that the plants should not 
be planted at a greater distance than about 15 feet apart; they should be 
guarded with a small girdle of galvanised iron netting pinned to the ground by 
hooks made of galvanised iron wire, such as is used for telegraph purposes. 
This enables the farmer to note the growth of the Divi Divi. The galvanised” 4 
1 
net rings should be about 18 inches diameter; they can be removed for the: — 
“purpose of weeding. The weedsin thelessimmediateneighbourhood canbe mowed) 
‘down, or ascrub-knife may be used to destroy them. After about five years 
there will not be much growth of any kind beneath the somewhat dense shade 
_ of the Divi Divi tree. The first heavy crop may be looked for then. Iam told 
that in Central America the pods are dislodged from the tree by using long” 
light poles. ‘This mode of gathering the crop is very simple, but will not always 
be possible; but some light bagging might be spread, on which the pods would 
fall, and thus be more readily secured. The farm barn floor would form a_ 
convenient drying-floor. A quantity of these pods, which had evidently been: — 
immature when gathered, is to be seen in the Cairns collection of exhibits, 
International Exhibition, Bowen Park. The season when the crop is quite: 
mature is from the latter end of the month of June to the end of July. It 
should not be taken, from what has been said in this article in respect to the: 
cultivation of this tree, that imperfect tillage is best. The more you can get 
agricultural implements to work on any land for any agricultural enterprise: 
the better, so that the farmer who best does his work will be sure to get the best. 
results. Mr. Boyd, on the Herbert River, is planting Divi Divi on some sugar” 
lands where Oyperus rotundus has a firm hold, and the cultivation of sugar-cane * 
‘is too expensive to be maintained. Divi Divi seed-pods will be available for 
distribution after this season’s crop is collected at Kamerunga State Nursery. — 
‘ 
