744 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[April Ij 1884. 



palm of the hand on the stone until it is of a cylindrical 

 shape, with a sharp point. The point, about | of an inch 

 long, is then cut off and forms the *'sui," or *'sutari," as 

 it is termed in some districts, from its resemblance to the 

 point of a cobbler's awl. After half a dozen or more 

 "sutaris" have been made, some straw is cut into lengths 

 of about 2h inches, and a "sutari" inserted iu each end; 

 the straws "are then put in the sun to dry, care being 

 taken that the '•sutari" points are not injured. As soon 

 as a *'sutari*" is thoroughly dry and hard, the point is 

 "edged" on a brick after which it is soaked iu some animal 

 fat for a night and the instrument is ready. Occasionally 

 the point of the "sutari" is slightly curved. Suis weigh 

 on an average 1^ to 2 grains, and vary in colour from 

 dirty white to dark brown or nearly black. A handle of 

 wood is then made, about 8 to 3^ inches long and like the 

 handle of a bradawl. At the euS of the handle, which is 

 about an inch in diameter, two holes are drilled, about J 

 to g of an inch in depth, and about J of an inch apart, and 

 into each hole the thick end of a " sutari " is pressed, 

 a piece of cloth being first spread over the holes in order 

 to afford a firmer hold. Bamboo wood is frequently used 

 for a handle, a small cane being selected and a portion 

 cut off so as to include town joints ; one joint has the 

 holes drilled for receipt of the " spikes," while the other 

 is sometimes removed, exposing the cavity of the bamboo, 

 in which the spare " sutaris " are kept wi*apped in a rag. 

 The blow given with this instrument is delivered with great 

 force, so that the whole of the sutari protruding from 

 the end of the handle is driven into the flesh ; any attempt 

 to withdraw the " sutari " by pulling at the piece sticking 

 out, invariably breaks it, a portion being left in the wound. 

 In some cases "suis" are made with the milky juice of 

 the Calotropis gigantea — muddar — instead of with water ; 

 and the effect is then supposed to be more rapid. MetalUc 

 mercury, dhatura, aconite, and arsenic are also o casionally 

 incorporated with the paste from which epikes are pre- 

 pared. "When the subject of " Sui " poisoning first eng;'ged 

 attention, there was a suspicion that dried snake poison 

 might possibly be the active principle ; a number of spikes 

 were therefore forwarded to Dr. Ewart, President of the 

 8nake Comjnitt^e, who came to the conclusion that the 

 snake poison theory was untenable. — Indigo Flanters^ Gazette. 



ORIGIN OF DOMESTICATED VEGETABLES. 



There are two methods of studying the origin of our 

 domesticated plants, the one historical, the other through 

 investigation into the causes of variation. The first method 

 has the disadvantage that events of this character but 

 rarely find explicit record; the second, that we as yet have 

 a deficiency of proper data. We are hence obliged, if we 

 would attain truthful conclusinns, to combine the two me- 

 thods, and through painstaking consulting of scattered 

 mention, tlie guarded interpretation of hints to be gained 

 from tradition and vernacular names, and the recognition 

 of changes due to the acts of man, to follow the protean 

 changes from course to course, until we either attain the 

 limit of our knowledge or indication of the original species. 



AVe may in the furtherance of this course recognise cert- 

 ain truths which we must consider axiomatic ; that varia- 

 tion is an indication of changed enWronment. and that 

 departure in the plant from the natural motive towards a 

 motive more subservient to man's wants is evidence of 

 man's interference; that as through man's agency plants 

 become removed from natural conditions, and have qual- 

 ities dependent upon domesticated conditions impressed 

 upon them, so when neglected by min these acquired 

 qualities disappear in a large measure, and the pUnt changes, 

 not reverts, to conditions which enable it to satisfy the 

 requirements of Nature; that change of form, added to 

 the plant through man's selection, if beneficial to the plant, 

 when left to Nature will be maintained in the plant esc^ipo 

 or garden wilding ; that a large number of varieties is an 

 indication of antiquity of culture, especially if such varieties 

 are of different types. 



Applying these thoughts to a ca,<:e in illustration, we 

 should at once infer a greater antiquity of origin for the 

 Turnip than for the Ruta-baga; for the Carrot than for 

 the Parsnip ; and where the varieties and types are very 

 many, as in Maize, Wheat, Beans, &.C., we should infer 

 very great anticjuity of culture. So seedless fruits indicate 



man's ancient interference, and should only be expected to 

 occur in regions which arc, or have been, occupied by man. 



If a highway leads from Jericho to Jerusalem, it is 

 certainly proper to infer that the same road leads from 

 Jerusalem to Jericho. If variations of a certain kind are 

 produced only by man's interference, if the fact be well 

 established, it is certainly proper to infer that if variations 

 of this kind are found they indicate a former cultivation. 

 We can even go further, and say that if the agency of 

 man induces numerous variations favourable to a man's 

 wants in a species, then that the presence of numerous 

 variations in a species, of a kind favom-able to man, indicate 

 a preWous agency of man. Thus, the pecuhar distribution 

 of the Vitis californica in rows, near Fort Whipple iu 

 Arizona, is considered conclusive evidence that the ancient 

 Pueblo Indians were in the habit of cultivating it; evidence 

 of a dissimilar character, but very neai-ly as conclusive, 

 for the ancient cultivation of the Vitis Labrusca is seen 

 in the variability of this species, which is strikingly iu 

 the direction of the improvement of the fruit in inchviduals, 

 as is kuown to the many farmers in New England who 

 have transplanted improved kinds to their door-yards, and 

 is a matter of common repute, as well as evidenced in 

 the various named varieties, as the Concord, which have 

 originated from its seed. .If we plant the seed of the 

 Apple, as we note the varying quality of the seedlings, no 

 two oeing alike, we can infer from this circumstance that 

 the Apple is a domesticated fruit, and of human origin ; 

 if we likewise plant the seeds of the American Crab, we 

 may properly infer that it is a wild or natural species 

 from the power its seeds possess of coming true to name. 

 This method of research, if supplemented by a historical 

 record, offers much promise to the investigator. 



A^'hen we consider the number of species of vegetables 

 that America has furnished to civilisation, their number 

 of variations, their high degree of improvement, and their 

 constancy to type, we may infer, prima facie, that a 

 civilisation, capable of producing these results has existed 

 in the past. We need but mention the Maize, the Bean, 

 the Pumpkin and Squash, the Tomato, Peppers, the Potato, 

 the Cassava, Chocolate, &c. 



It is not imiirobable that many of our so-called natural 

 species, to which our domesticated varieties are refe(t-ed, 

 are themselves but escapes from a cultivated state. I do 

 not know whether the wild Parsnip of America has a 

 close resemblance to the wild Parsnip of Europe or not. 

 We cannot readily suppose that the wild Parsnip was really 

 brought to America, for it appears more reasonable to be- 

 lieve that it is an escape from cultivation; as the Salsify 

 certainly is about Geneva. In default of any mention, we 

 certainly should be justified by common consent in refer- 

 ring our cultivated Parsnip for origin to our wild Parsnip, 

 and yet how erroneous this would be. The same remark 

 applies to the Carrot. Should we not, therefore, be slow 

 to refer the cultivated Parsnip to the wild Parsnip of 

 European fields, or the cultivated Carrots to the wild Car- 

 rots? Avena fatua is supposed to be the parent from of 

 the cultivated Oat, but why not more reasonable to suppose 

 it to be an escape, modified only from the cultivated Oat 

 iu order to meet the conditions necessitiatcd by its struggle 

 under Nature's conditions? 



The history of Indians, after the discovery, shows that 

 they were greedy for new sources of food supply, and 

 the facts connected with their habits of living all show 

 that they exercised a care over vegetable productions. Thus 

 the Meioa and the Peach received distribution over wide 

 areas in advance of Euiopean discovery; the Onion was 

 even mentioned by Corlez as found in 5lexico; the Maize, 

 the Beau, and the Squash, in varieties, all plants of tropical 

 origin, and which could not maintain themselves without 

 care, were staple crops throughout northern America, even 

 to Lake Conlonge on the Ottawa river, and beyond the 

 St. Lawrence, where the crops required seeding, protection 

 and preservation of seed over the winter months. The 

 Sunflower was grown for its seed by the Hurons, as seems 

 also to have been the Jerusalem Artichoke for its roots. 

 Bartram notes seeing iu the South a plantation of Hickory 

 Nut cultivated by the Indians. The Prunus americana 

 seems to have been planted by the New England natives, and 

 this seems also to have been the case with Prunus Ohi- 

 casa in the South-wtst, although I find no district mention 

 of the fact. Numerous other illustiatiuus otcux' in my uoies 



