1 Serr., 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 323 
markers (EE) are 10 inches long and 8 inches by 4 inches thick, and are fastened 
to the holders (P P) by 2-inch holes near the ends. The markers are bevelled 
at the bottom to facilitate their passage over obstructions and make a more 
distinct mark. At B B are upright sticks 3 feet long, by which the marker is 
guided in a straight line by the driver. At the ends of rows the marker is lifted 
round by the rear handles. Our sketch is taken from the American 
Agriculturist. ipo 
YIELD OF STRAWBERRIES. 
WE have often been asked what should be the yield of an acre of strawberries. 
An acre of strawberries means from 10,000 to 16,000 plants, according to the 
distance apart at which they are planted. If each plant produces 1 Ib. of fruit 
in the season, and this is certainly not a great crop for one plant, the total result 
will be over 7 tons to the acre. But suppose the plants to be planted at a 
distance of 23 feet between the rows and 14 feet between the plants, there 
would be 11,616 plants per acre, which would yield over 5 tons of fruit. Of 
course there are many circumstances which contribute to a decreased yield—- 
drought, flood, heavy rains, disease, destruction of fruit by birds and noxious 
insects, &e.—so that, as a matter of fact, 2 tous per acre may be looked upon 
asa good crop. The great trouble of strawberry-growers is one which affects 
all growers of small fruits, such as coffee, native gooseberries, &e, and that is 
the question of labour. Great losses must occur where considerable areas are 
planted of a fruit which requires picking as it ripens, owing to the impossibility 
of obtaining a sufficient supply of temporary labour. When the population of 
the colony has increased to quadruple its present number, this difficulty will 
doubtless be overcome, but at present it cannot but militate against 
a very large 
extension of the strawberry-growing industry. 
RUBBER IN BRITISH NEW GUINEA. 
Ty the discussion on Sir William MacGregor’s paper before the Royal Colonial 
Institute, Mr. H. A. Wickham said :— 
With regard to the resources of the Possession, I may mention that for 
thirty years I have had experience in tropical work, and T must state, even with 
so little time at my disposal, that, in my opinion, the most promising product 
likely to be of commercial value from New Guinea is indiarubber, particularly 
of the Para variety. In this I speak advisedly, because so far back as the 
seventies, under the initiative of Sir Joseph Hooker, I introduced this variety 
