, 1908-10-31

HHSA
they may produce and bring to maturity q
number of bolls. and also be III a condition
better to Withstand the attacks OF lnsect
pests and fun us diseases. It is not sufh-
cient to prepare the ground we'll before plant
ing the soil must also be kept III suitable
condition throughout the growing period OF
the plant.
During time of drought it is especially i'm
portant that a good surface mulch is main
tanned. It is well known that a soil, the
surface of which has been allowed to cake
and harden, gives up moisture much. more
rapidly than when the surface layer is kept
regularly pulverised and planters in dry
districts have learnt by experience that the
best returns with limited rainfall are obtain
ed when the surface is broken up after each
shower.
The question of how to carry out these
wedding and mulching operations in a salts
factory way and at a cheap rate, and more
over, in such a way as not to injure the spread
ing secondary roots Of the plants cultivated,
which, in many cases, are not more than z
or 3 inches from the surface, is one which
has received a good deal of attention from
agriculturists. Having this oil ject in view
implement makers lave put machines OF
various designs on the market. Some
of these machines have teeth about l inch
broad for entering and breaking Up the soil,
while others are fitted with shovels 2 TO .
inches broad, which may be substituted by
sweeps - inches in breadth. Other irnple-
ments again are fitted with spring teeth or
with discs for the same purpose.
Machines Of tie above types are drawn by
one or by two horses. The one-horse I'M
plement passes down the space between two
rows, while the two horse machine straddles
Il = -f-l f@o1 I~, ~1oN yoIIIo
on each side 1t is obvious that the former
implement can be used later in the growing
period of the pants than the two-horse
machine, being able to pass between the
rows of plants when the latter have grown
too tall 70 be straddled without injury by
the two-horse machine.
The depth at which these implements
work can, i'll most cases, be easily regulated,
and many of them are made SO that their
widtl can he easily altered to suit the vary
ing distances between the plants.
Ga my estate in Tobago I am at present
working a one-horae cultivator known as the
Planet Junior'(No. 81, which is proving a
vegy useful machine. It is meat, strong in
make, and can eaeily be drawn by q pony.
The cul' ivator is fitted with five pointed
shovels, four If which are about % inches
wide, while the fifth is about 4 inches in
breadth. these ShOVe!S are arranged two
in front and three behind. Broad sweeps
can lie obtained, which can ba substituted
for the three rear shovels and for shallow
work, such AS is required in cotton cultiva-
tion, these are strongly recommended.
The Planet Junior machine is fitted with
a wheel in front, and the depth at which the
machine is required to work is regulated by
raising or lowering this wheel. 1t is most
important that the planter himself should
arrange the depth at which the machine shall
work. Som cultivators are fitted with q
lever for altering the position Of the wheel,
but, in my opinion, a machine with q wheel
the position Of which can only be altered
by taking out a bolt (as in the case Of
Planet Junior No. 81 is preferable.
With a good pony an area of about 4
acres per day eau be cultivated by means of
the machine referred to. The price of the
implement is about$1O.O0.
In regard to the use of these mechanical
cultivators at Barbados, it has been stated
by planters that they might be worked with
advantage on the rcd soils of the island, but
that they would be of no use on the black
soils. When the soils of the latter kind are
in a sticky condition, it is possible that the
machines would be of little value ; but pro-
yiled thew wara 6tto6 with eroopu bolo~.