May I, 1884.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



821 



tea-maker, and accountant, but he must also be a skilled 

 agri-horticulturist, versed in the treatment of diseases in- 

 cidental to the tea plant, the proper draimigc of low land, 

 and the application of manures, in the blending or proper 

 admixture of which he will have to become an adept. 

 Some time ago the Indian Agriculturist drew attention 

 t-o the value of crude limestouo as the bapis of most of 

 those t'eitilizin^ agents which have now become recognized 

 as necessary stimulants to all lautls that have been under 

 cultivation for more than five years, — by which period the 

 average of our tea plantations attain their mnxiraum yield. 

 That there are exct^ptions we know, but we are here con- 

 cerned only with tea gardens as a whole. 



In selecting sites for tea planting, no one who could get 

 fiat land would select tedahs. But though a large area 

 of desirable plots exists, they are mostly in the hands of 

 native or other proprietors, and thus many people in 

 opening out fresh lands to supplement their present area 

 are compelled to make use of ieelahs more or less steep, 

 and to counteract the drawbacks of such lands by a sys- 

 tem of ' terracing.' Now, though this system is impera- 

 tively demanded to keej) the plants in proper position on 

 the hilsides almost all the surface soil is so much dis- 

 turbed in the primary operation, that at the end of the 

 rains but a very small proportion remains in situ. Theo- 

 retically, the only portion of tlie terraced land thoroughly 

 deprived of the original vegetable deposit is the apex of 

 the teehih so treated, the argument beinjEj that what sur- 

 face soil is disturbed from above is retained on the lower 

 torracea. But if we will but watch the etYocts of heavy 

 rain on newly terracud land, it will be apparent that 

 the surface soil, from the light nature of its compos- 

 ition, is carried so rajiidly over the edges, as the terraces 

 liecoines soaked with water, that it is almost all washed 

 down to the foot of the hill by the end of the first 

 rainy season; and although the loss of it has no material 

 effect on the tea plant for the first yar or two, a few 

 minutes reflection will tend to show that manurini^, by 

 means of renovating pits upon terraced teelah-s^ is absol- 

 utely necessary from tho time the plant commences to 

 yield, because the very process adopted for the benefit of 

 tlie plant at the outset is such as, by depriving the soil 

 of its most valuable constituents, to ensure the rapid 

 deterioration of its yielding powers. Much indeed might 

 be done were the surface soil from the upper terrace 

 scraped together, and buried either in a trench running 

 right round the inside of the terrace, or in pits dug 

 behind the place subsequently tn be occupied by the plant. 

 But although this might eke out the yield, possibly for a 

 couple of seasons, it must now be apparent to all who 

 have had experience of tedah gardens that, without re- 

 novating aid artificially supplied, the yield must gradually 

 fall off until it becomes no longer remunerative. To any 

 one knowing the Svlhet and Cachar, districts tolerably 

 well, this can be ascertained beyond all question by re- 

 ferring to the statistical accounts of the annual yield of 

 the numerous gardens in the agency of the firm publish- 

 ing the quarterly reports alluded to. In the instance of 

 one garden, the falling ott" has been so marked a? to 

 lead the sbareholders to look upon the existence of the 

 Company to be ensured only by larg:G extensions yearly ; 

 whereas, iiad the money already sunk in such extensions 

 been employed in the scientific application of manure to 

 the older portion of the property, the average outturn 

 wouhl have been maintained, and the garden kept within 

 the original area. Moreover, these extensions necessitate 

 a nmch greater expense in the way of additional labour 

 and superviziou than the careful nursing of the old garden 

 would require. We think therefore that the efforts of 

 our tea planters shoidd be directed to the utilization of 

 all such material for forming manures as can be collected 

 within a reasonable distance of the factory, such for in- 

 stance as cowdung, stable refuse, and hkeel soil. But it 

 is evident that these manures alone do not possess 

 the n;qusite strength 'to compensate tho plant for 

 the severci strain put upon it, and so long as this demand 

 is exacted, it appears to us quite evident that something 

 more stimulating and nonrishiug is required. A close in- 

 vestigation into the merits of limestone has confirmed ng 

 in the opinion that the present yield of our tee/ah gardens 

 would be largf'ly inr-reAsed were a regular system of manur- 

 ing resorted to, and wo trust soou to hear that the col- 



lection of a compost of all animal refuse, mixed with one- 

 third its bulk of crushed limestone, is being carried out 

 on all gardens where renorating pits can be dug without 

 endangering tho .stability of the plant. That this would 

 bo a work of time we admit, but in the present state of 

 the tea industry an increased yield as soou as possible 

 is absolutely necessary, and the effects of manure, such 

 as wo recommend, would increase the outturn for qbicker 

 than large extensions even of the best jaty which latter 

 must always remain for two or three years at least 

 a dead weight, ou the finances of the factory. .Some 

 doubts have been expressed as to the safety of applying 

 limestone to tea, but as that matter can at once be set 

 at rest by a visit to easily accessible places, we need do no 

 more than refer to it here. Terriah Ghat, at the foot 

 of the ascents to Shillong via CherraPoonji, is well worth 

 a visit, if merely for the purpose of proving our argu- 

 ments in favour of'imestoue. For here may be seen its 

 effects on jack, areca, sago, plantain and pan (betel pepper 

 vine), while, close by, the Khassias at Bolahgunge have 

 recently discovered that the apparetitly infertile sand 

 chars exposed during the cold weather, are so impreg- 

 nated with the mineral as to yield heavy crops of dhal, 

 potatoes, and yams. Those who are u?ider the impression 

 that limestone is inimical to tender vegetable life, may 

 be surprized to learn that the most delicate of all tlie 

 ground orchids, AiUBctochiius^ is found in the most flour- 

 ishing condition in the clefts of limestone reefs. To such 

 as would wish to see the effects of the mineral upon 

 tea, wo recommend a visit to the Sundai estate in the 

 Jaintia Hills. It will thus be seen tliat limestone is suit- 

 able for enhancing the yield of fruit-bearing trees, not 

 plants and pure vegetation, as demanded by our tea planters. 

 Our object in advocating its use as tho basis of a com- 

 post, is that it is procurable in limitless quantities and 

 at a nominal price — recommendations that shouKi have 

 due weight with tea proprietors at the present juncture. 

 — Indian Ayricidturist. 



DISEASE IX SILKAVORMS. 



We drew attention some time ago to the effect which the 

 disease of the silkworms known as La PCbrlrte was supposed 

 by some experts to have on the silk crop, of this country. 

 As was to be expected our articles greatly interested those 

 who were engaged in silk manufacture in Europe. There 

 has been much discussion of the statements we made public. 

 Requests to be furnished with specimens of silkworms eggs 

 have been received here, and attended to. European ex- 

 perts will soou be able to examine these eggs thoroughly, 

 and test their condition by the process of M. Pasteur. The 

 results of that gentleman's scientific investigations of Chinese 

 silkworm eggs will be interesting and valuable. French and 

 Italian sericulturists will no doubt give their attention to 

 the matter. Manufacturers of silk goods in Europe, whose 

 business is so deeply concerned in there being always a 

 good crojj of raw silk obtainable for export in China, are 

 pretty certain to take measures to have the extent of the 

 evil ascertained. We'^ay therefore hope that something 

 will be heard of the result of the scientific investigations 

 before many months have passed. Since our articles appeared, 

 several people engaged in the silk trade here have care- 

 fully considered the subject of them. The result is, as we 

 are informed, that two opinions now receive support among 

 the trade. One party sees evidence of the existence to a 

 s(.'rious extent of La Fd'rine, and others, while admitting 

 that the disease has always prevailed to some extent in 

 China, maintain that it has hitherto been successfully treated 

 by the natives. As we stated l>efore, their method is to 

 subject the eggs to baths of salt and water and lime an«.l 

 water, by which means it is held that they succeed in 

 preventing the weekly and consumptive eggs from hatching. 

 These precautions are thought sufficient by the Chinese, and 

 those among foreigners who do not consider that the decline 

 in the supply of silk in late years is attributable to disease 

 in the worms. Only a small propnrtion of sickly worms, 

 they say, pass the bath tests and thus propagate the disease. 

 That may be true, or nearly so, hut the means a<lopted 

 nppear to us to be insufficient to irradicate a disf.nse, which, 

 as we know from its ravages and effects on the production 

 of silk in Europe, can carry such wholesale destruction. 

 As a contributor shows in the Chincae Notes we publish in 



