1 Noy., 1899.] QUEENSLAND ‘AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 491 
fingers back upon the wrist and leaving them there. The roots are left in that 
State until the next season, and then the same cruel operation is carried out 
again, until the roots are diseased by being constantly bruised and broken, when, 
of course, the tree suffers and begins to decay. The proper way to clean under- 
neath a tree is to start just at the extremity of the branches, keeping your face 
to the opening until finished. You need not disturb the soil near the stem of 
a large tree, for do what you will there you cannot improve the growth of the 
tree ; because all roots at that place cannot feed, being too large, but you can 
throw some of the soil from the first remove round the stem. If you want to 
prevent decay, feed them just as I have explained; that is, at the extremity of 
the feeding roots, and that is just where thelrain trickles down from the leaves. A 
practical man can see immediately what is the matter with any tree that is sickly- 
looking; if the top of the tree is decaying, it is the fault of the tap-root entering 
the cold wet ground, and the remedy for this is to excavate and cut the tap- 
root clean off. I say clean, for the least bruise will affect the tree’s future 
growth. If the branches wither and the leaves fall off from the lower branches, 
it is because the surface roots have been disturbed and doubled back in the way 
Thaye already described. There may be some other cause, but that is the chief one. 
As all plants in this colony are surface-rooted, it is advisable not to disturb them 
by that process. If the rootlets require separating the best way is to geta 
pointed pick and work from the stem by continuous drawing: this does no harm, 
and the few roots that are torn up are of advantage to the tree’s growth ; it 
separates the mats of roots and draws all towards the feeding point. There is 
no necessity to throw any soil back, get some mulching and cover all underneath 
the tree with a good coating. If you have ay manure especially good, I have 
told you where to put it. 
I know of one instance where the owner, wishing to prevent the roots of a 
eamphor-tree from coming into a bed made around the stem, placed bricks and 
sheet iron close round the bottom with the object of preventing its roots coming 
through ; but very soon they got beyond this confinement ; they turned upwards 
and now the 2 feet of soil is a mass of fibrous roots, and the tree has splendid 
foliage. 
‘Phere is no pursuit wherein so much depends upon the right thing being done 
at the right time as in this; and in all other pursuits the man of close observation 
and systematic habits—who is not too proud to learn from any sources, however 
humble—is the one who will succeed, for there is no better guide than to seek 
the advice and experience of others, and by following the advice tendered it will 
be the means of preventing decay, and will also give to the plants new life. 
Tropical Industries. 
SUGAR-CANE FROM SEED. ' 
(Translated from the Rapport Annuel de La Station Agronomique pour 1897.) 
By A. ALEXANDER RAMSAY, 
Sugar Experiment Station, Mackay. 
Am the present time there exist already many new varieties which can be 
cultivated without probable failure, and this number will be added to from year 
to year, since at various places sowings have been made which have succeeded 
completely. The sowings are now facilitated because seedling canes yield seed 
haying a germinative power more developed than those from old varieties, ani 
. 
