April i, 1884.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



737 



that, given the right cane, rUjht elevation and situation, the 

 yield of Ceylon canes would be sufficient, (taking our cheap 

 labor iuto account) to make a little profit for those who 

 planted them. We do not waut small capitalists to ex- 

 periment and lose their little all in tryiug to makc^gojdB 

 on growing one ton of sugar, as " D. E." says, and thus 

 to give the cnterprize a bad name, but what we do want 

 is to induce the large Australian companies, backed by i>ast 

 cupitul, to come here and make a profit by growing 5,000 

 or 511,000 tons of sugar. The Colonial Sugar Refining Com- 

 pany of Sydney, tor instance, could put up refineries at 

 Colombo, and refine the vast amount of ^Wwj sugar now 

 shipped to England for that purpose. Ceylon alone has at 

 least 80,000 acres of sugar palms, and makes 20 or 

 30,000 cwt. of jaggery, while Madras and Bellary have prob- 

 ably 150 to 200,000 acres of sugar palms, dates, etc. ; sugar 

 from all of which could be refined in Ceylon in addition 

 to cane sugar, which the natives would grow for the 

 mills, if they obtained even a small margin of profit. 

 Such lartje companies as that above referred to could 

 as well stand the fluctuations of the market if working" 

 here, where the labour difficulty does not exist, as in Queens- 

 land, etc., and would be content with a small profit until 

 the .swing of the commercial pendulum "supply and 

 demand " brought present temporary low prices up again, 

 and would besides give employment to Ceylon planters, etc., 

 who would thus share iu the advantages which would fol- 

 low their coming. 



It is for the Planters' Associations to discuss the ahove 

 facts with a vie\v to experiments by their members at 

 various elevations, with various canes, with ditferent soils, 

 rainfalls, and methods of treatment, and if any encourag- 

 ing results are manifest to make overtures to the large 

 sugar companies, who are now fighting a hard hattle with 

 the laljour ditideulty in Australia and Fiji and seeking in- 

 vestment in countries like Borneo and New Guinea which 

 have not half the advantages possessed by Ceylon. 



Aline of steamers direct to India calling at Colombo has 

 been started, and will every day bring us nearer to the future 

 great market for tropical produce, Australia. 



In conclusion. Sir James Longden, who was in Demerara, 

 said : '' It ha.s never been my privilege to see a more in- 

 ferior lot of canes than I have seen in Ceylon," and he 

 TALKED of introducing new varieties and reviving the sugar 

 industry here.— I am, sir, yours faithfully, 

 VEDDA. 



Wood AsBE.s as a Fektilizer. — The following from 

 the Prairie Farmer with reference to the great value 

 of wood ashes as a fertili-.er is worthy of the best 

 attention uf our selectors and farmers :—" The effects 

 of pota-h upon the soil are well known ti be remarkable. 

 One hears continually that " the la'ul never forgets a 

 dressing of esbes, " and oases are continually spoken 

 of where the effects are apparent after thirty or forty 

 years. This is not surprising when the actios of potash 

 in the soil is considered. Much error is taught iu this 

 r^.^pcct. Potash is held by the soil very firmly, and 

 ao IS phosphoric acid ; and both of these are the 

 principal ferfcilisina; elements of wood ashes. Dr. Lawcs 

 states that potush and phosphoric acid remain in the 

 soil for a'; least thirty years, and an applio.ition of 

 the-e fertilisers made thirty years ago at Rothamstiad is 

 still recognised by its eftects upon the crops. Potash is 

 one of the most neoiss'ry ingredients of the soil for plant 

 food. It is at the s-une time very abundant in the 

 soil, but unfortunately is held in its combination with 

 silica, in the form of a silicate, in an insoluble and 

 inert condition, and therefore it is that an application 

 of putash, in whatever form it may be, to the soil has 

 such remarkably favourable effects. I(r is because of 

 their effects upon the toil in rendering the potash 

 available by dissolving the silicate that lime, salt, 

 chloride of potash, an i perhaps gypsum, or the sulph- 

 uric acid released from this in its decomposition, aro 

 so benelicially used as fertilliseis ; and it; is this effect, 

 also exerted by the atmospherj and the weather upou 

 the tilicates in the soil, that makes fall ploughing, 

 fallowing, and cultivation of so much use." —Queens- 

 louder. 



Cotton So\vn in Drills and the Eattooning oi' Cotton 

 Bushes are thus noticed in the Report of the Cawnpore 

 Experimental Farm : — The sowing of cotton in drills was 

 tried for the first time on the farm this year. The re- 

 sult showed an increase of 39 per cent in cotton and 

 30 per cent iu seed over a croj^ raised on the plan 

 which is generally used in these provinces. The experi- 

 ments will be repeated next year. Another system, which, 

 as far as I know, is never practised by the native agri- 

 culturist, yielded most satisfactory residts. New Orleans 

 and Upland Georgian cottons rattooned, and in the second 

 year of their growth gave double and half as much again 

 as the jiroduce of plants sown this year. The American 

 cottons maintained their very high price iu the Cawnpore 

 market at a time when native cottons were suffering a 

 most serious decline, and realized K23-12-0per maund, while 

 good Bengal only commanded R13-12-0. 



Oranoes, Sugar, and Cork. — In his report on the trade 

 and commerce of Cadiz, Consul Gerald Perry mentions 

 that the orange gi-ows at Algeciras in considerable quant- 

 ities, and might become an article for exportation were 

 the means of transport more favourable. A large number 

 of oranges, however, are sent to the Gibraltar market. The 

 sugar-cane is said to grow well in the shelt.'red and watereil 

 valleys of this vicinity, and several tracks of laud have 

 been planted with it, giving the owners so far favom-able 

 returns and encouraging them to extend their plantations, 

 and it is hoped that in the course of time the sugar-cane 

 may become an important produce of the district. The 

 cane is sent by sea Ho La Sabanilla, close to Estepona, the 

 nearest place whore a sugar mill is established. There are 

 also extensive cork woods near Algecu'as. In years past 

 the destruction of these trees was enormous, but now the 

 owners take care to foment their growth in view of the 

 fair and increasing returns they bring, and as the demand 

 for cork wood is very great, it is believed that the ex- 

 portation from this place will augment. The prices of the 

 article are as follows : — 



Pesetas per 



Cork iu clean panes — Spanish Cwt. 



First quality ... ... ... 30 



Second quality ... ... ... 22 



„ „ rough... ... from 8 to 12 



The Spanish cwt. is equal to 46 kilos. — Uritisk Dude Jorunal. 



Lubkicatinr and Illuminating Oils in England. — In 

 a review of the oil market in London the Ironmonger of 

 recent date says that contracts are now being entered 

 into freely for the delivery during the winter months of 

 petroleum oil. Colza oil is less iu demand for domestic 

 use each year, but for lighthouses it is still the only 

 material employed. "Wliere colonial indents for hundreds 

 of barrels were formerly received, the numbers are now 

 received only in tens. The expense and difficulty of pro- 

 perly lubricating moving machinery has led to many mater- 

 ials being employed. The old fashioned sperm oil is still 

 used in many workshops, and for tricycles and bicycles 

 it is much in request. Neatsfoot oil, when it can be go^ 

 genuine, is an excellent lubricant, but is liable to be sticky. 

 The ragosine oil, a natm-al lubricant introduced from 

 Russia, is rapidly coming into use in England. It is un- 

 cougealable in cold weather, as it remains litiuid at 50® 

 below freezing point, and is neutral as rej;ards its chemical 

 qualities. Therefore it has no action on the metals. In 

 the course of some exhaustive trials maile in the English 

 and French navies, the corrosion of the boilers and tubes 

 was found to arise from the condensed warer glassing 

 from the condensers into the boilers after having been used 

 iu the cylinders, and passing through the valves and copjier 

 tubes in the form of steam, taking ujt oii its passage 

 acids set free from the lubricants ust'i. and causing a 

 galvanic action between the two metals, and increasing 

 the corrosion of the boiler plates. To over ome this chem- 

 ical action, and suppress the acid portions • f the lubricants, 

 recourse was had to mineral oils, and tl y are now used 

 coiupulsorily for lubricating cylinders and :s'ides. The gov- 

 ernment at Woolwich arc using " met;i ine " for high 

 speed shafting with great success ; the jt rnals are taken 

 down and bored with a number of small hv' s in every part, 

 into which the metalline is fixed in small pellets, taking 

 the pressure of the shaft off the meta, of the journal, 

 and requiring no fiu'ther atteutiou. — Old U'ld Faint Review. 



