1 Ocr., 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. — 297 
to 1 lb. of clean coffee would yield 3,603 lb. of clean coffee per acre. The 
total result as given above shows an average of a little over 64 Ib. of cherry 
picked daily by each labourer, giving, as stated, a daily wage of 1s. 94d. per 
man, or 10s. 8d. per week. 
NOTES ON GINGER-GROWING. 
Tie Journal of the Jamaica Agricultural Society publishes extracts from a 
pamphlet by Mr. J. B. Kilmer, of New Brunswick, N.J., on the subject of 
ginger cultivation in Jamaica. : : 
As we have amongst us some agriculturists who have turned their attention 
to this crop, it will be of advantage to them to glean from Mr. Kilmer’s 
experience some valuable facts relating to the methods employed in that island 
in planting and preparing ginger for the market by the small settlers in the 
ginger-producing districts. — 
One of the essential requirements for the growth of this plant is—sun- 
shine. Another requisite is moisture. [These we have in abundance in 
Eastern Queensland.—Ed. Q.A.J.] 
The underlying soil (in the ginger districts of Jamaica) is white and 
yellow limestone, with trappean formation. ‘This is covered in some of the 
nooks or valleys with a pulverent mould or loam deposit several feet in depth. 
The plant grows luxuriantly in such soil, but will apparently not thrive in 
marshy soil, nor where there is present more than 10 to 20 per cent. of clay or 
30 per cent. of sand. 
The Government returns for the whole island give only about 250 acres 
devoted to ginger. This amount of acreage would not give the amount 
harvested. But the real cultivation is not in acres, many cultivators having 
beds varying from 6 feet square up to the size of a building lot. A few 
cultivate from one to six acres. Large lots are very rare. 
. From 25,000 to 50,000. of the people of Jamaica are more or less 
dependent on the ginger crop for such ready money as is essential to maintain 
their existence. 
The ginger planter divides ginger into “‘blue” and ‘“‘yellow” from the 
colour of the rhizome. These are also known respectively as “turmeric” 
and “flint.” The root of the blue is hard and fibrous, and less valuable 
commercially. 
There is also a.division into “ plant” and “‘ratoon”’ ginger. The latter is 
a product of laziness, and is a return crop secured by leaving a part of the 
“hand” containing a bud in the ground. Ratoon ginger is smaller in size of 
hands than the planted, and loses each year in flavour. 
GINGER-PLANTING. 
Ginger is planted during October and November (in Queensland). The 
process differs little from potato-planting. Hach finger containing an “eye” 
or embryo is planted in trenches or holes a few inches below the surface, and 
about a foot apart. The growing plant needs plenty of sun, and weeds must 
be kept down. The plant grows to a height of 4 or 5 feet. Its cone-topped 
flower-stems reach from 6 to 12 inches. : 
On wet soil, and. during very rainy seasons, the root is subject to. 
what is termed “black rotten.” The root fills with water, swells in spots, 
turns black, and emits an offensive odour. In this condition it is attacked by 
insects and worms, which has given rise to the belief among planters that the 
rotting is caused by a so-called ginger worm, (It is possibly a fungus 
disease. ) i 
Growing ginger must be well watered. An all-important feature is the 
rapid impoverishment of {the soil that follows the ginger culture. The soil 
which produces the very highest quality of ginger—realising, perhaps, £10 per 
ewt. in,the London markets—is the very deep, black soil of virgin forest. 
Vv 
