November i, 1883.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



317 



too well the coutinnal loss of leaf, and how the 

 separate organs iu the tree are thrown out from per- 

 formiug their proper functions by this loss, how as 

 the twigs and branches died back a corresponding 

 (juantity of the roots were not retjuired, decay com- 

 mcuced, and there was the proper food in quantity 

 for grub to thrive and increase ou. The recovery of 

 some cott'ee from the attacks of grub mipht be ac- 

 counted for by the prevalence of leaf-disease fluotnating 

 in a measure with the weather, and where the ravages 

 nf disease ceastd for a term, the balance between 

 leaf and root would be restored and the trej would 

 improve slowly, the grub in fact having pruned 

 away the diseased roots. In Dolosbage, in 1S7S. 

 the coUee in places used to die out iu small 

 patches that increased annually, and, no doubt, 

 was the result of this decay in the roots, followed by 

 very wet weather ; this would cause canker in the 

 tap-root, by the other roots not being able to .absorb 

 tlie moisture collected round them, and so spread fi-bm 

 tree to tree as is seen in orchards at home. That //. V, 

 has afifected the bearing capacities of the coffee is nn. 

 doubted, and this c|uite apart from the alteration iu 

 the se.isons we are at pi-eseut experiencing; micros- 

 copic investigation reveals that bnth in old and youno 

 coffee the polIcR is often immature at the proper 

 period for fructification, and sometimes is entirely 

 absent ; this cannot be laid at the door of seasonal 

 influence. 



It is an old saying that misfortunes never come 

 singly, and the truth of it is exemplified in our case 

 by the manner in which (he seasons are so to speak 

 out of joint. The bearing wood is from this cause 

 green and immature when wanted, and, when the 

 trees do their best to crop, the blossoms are rendertd 

 abortive by a semi-deluge ; if some succeed notwith- 

 standing iu being able to set, it is in great part rotted 

 off whilst stdl green by superabundance of wet. But 

 this may really be, in a measure, a blessing in dis- 

 guise fur those who possess cofleo of a superior stam- 

 ina, and which would succumb if allowed to hoar 

 as formerly, since being so weakened by succes«ive 

 attacks of disease an average crop would be too 

 much for it to sustain ; and I cannot believe that such 

 coffee is also doomed. Th; hand of man is unconsciously 

 making provision for the survival of the fitles^ 

 by in a great many instances having to abandon land' 

 and by planting up other weaWy portions with tea 

 and other products nreparatory to the removal of 

 the coffee, and he is aided by nature in this work by 

 the collapse and death of )jlants through excessive 

 weakness or from the attacks of grub or from the 

 adverse weather. As this destruction of degenera'e 

 plants proceeds a corresponding reduction °in the 

 multiplication of disease-spores mu-t ensue until the 

 minimum is reached, by which time the strength and 

 excellouce of the remaining trees will be fully est- 

 ablished ; and this will be the proper time for the 

 use of Messrs. Storck's and Sehrottky's applif-ations, 

 so as to cause the permanent eradication of Hrmilna 

 with perfect success. Tiiis followed by tlio liberal 

 application of manures and high cultivation, and no 

 stinting of any kiud at the fir.<.t so ns to complete 

 the cure, and then the old capabilities of the cuffee 

 for beaiing will be resumed for the natural term of 

 Its existence. When tihis latter arrives. Ceylon as a 

 coffee producing country will be i dream of the p!i»t, 

 as all tho land suitable for its growth will have' 

 long before been taken up for other products ; but 

 the le=isoa we are at present learning of planting 

 different productions throughout the one area, or, in 

 more homely phrase, of not putting all our eggs in 

 one basket, will havo begun to bea- frnit, and Ceylon, 

 like a phrenix risiu.; from its ash^s. will possess 

 every pro'|j< ct of a muoU more brilliant and b-tinr' 

 future.— Faithfully yours, "SVVADDY." ^ 



41 



EUBBER : - 



IN- 



FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS 



HARVESTING. 



New Peradeniya, 2ad Sept. 1S83. 

 De.\r Sik, — I send you in a match-box a sample 

 of Gear) rubber eliminated by a completely new me- 

 thod. The milk was taken from a tree tapped on the 

 18th of Sept. I found the milk flow freely, and al'o 

 that the cambium in the previous cuts was renew- 

 ing as well as could he desired. Will you kindly shew 

 tile sample to the broker who saw the Haputale 

 samples and ask him his opinion ; also keen the sample 

 sent you at the disposal of Messrs. J. M. Robertson 

 & Co.— Yours faithfully, H. A. GILLIAT. 



[The Haputale rubber cannot be compared in quality 

 to the splendidly clean and elastic piece Mr. Gilliat 

 sends : no spirit was used by tho H-putale planter, 

 hut he got ijiiantity. We are now writiug to ask luni 

 to try and get SO or 100 lb. weight from his trees 

 which would be readily bought here and sent to 

 Europe as a shipment to try the market. — Ed.] 



CINCHONA BARK ANALYSIS. 

 Complaint of a Cinchona Planter against the 



Analyses jiadb in A.m.steedam. 

 ( Translated for the " Ceylon Observer" by J, D. Y.) 

 To the Editor of the Bataviaasch llandeUbkid. — 

 Dear Sir, — I feel sure that you will confer a favour 

 on all cinchona pliut^rs by giving the following state- 

 ment a place in your columns, as it will serve to show 

 how our business is sometimes managed iu Europe, 

 and that it is of much importance to us to secure the 

 services of some one in Amsterdam, who besides having 

 an extensive knowledge of all that relates to quinine, 

 should also possess the advantage of being a con- 

 scientious man. 



In September 1881, it was thought advisable to 

 uproot 4,000 ciuchoua plants of five years' growth, 

 as from neglect and other causes they had noc come 

 on well and injured the general birk of the plaut- 

 aion. They yioidd about i.SOO kilograms of birk. 

 Before the sale, samples of tins invoice were annlyz'-d 

 by Messrs. d'Ailly it Sons of Amsterdam, and the 

 result was as follows: — 



Quinine. Chiuchonidine. Other alkaloids. 

 Root bark O'J ... la ... 126 



Stem do. 08 ... 0-1 .. 0-4 



The analysis made here in India, although not sent 

 with the invoice, gave : — 



Quinidine. Chiuchonidine. Other akaloids. 

 Root bark 0-9 ... 16 ... 1(5 



Stem do. I'l ... 0-9 09 



In November 18S2, I began to uproot the other well- 

 grown trees, then six year« old ; and iu February Last, 

 90 bales, weii;hing about 5,500 kilograms were shipped. 

 Samples of this iiivo c: were also analyzed by Messrs, 

 d'Aiiloy & Sons, and gave as follows : — 



Quinine. Chiuchonidine. Other aokaloids. 



Root bark 4 ... 8 ... 2 04 



Stem do. 0-26 ... 0-2 ... U7 



Whilst the analyses made iu Java aud forwarded with 



the invoice, showed the mean out of fifteen samples 



to be : — 



Quinine. Chiuchonidine. Other alcaloids. 

 Root bark IS .. 1-4 ... 2 '9 



Stem do. 1'4 ... 9 ... 1 9 



It is not necessary to point out to you the in- 

 consis'ency of these results obtained by Messrs. 

 d'AilIy & Sons. I feel, however, very gratetnl to the^e 

 gentlemen for the insight they hive thus allbnle-l ii=, 

 the cinchona plant U'S. AcoordiuJ to those anulyses. 

 we should do well to harvest our bark before the 

 trees complete the age of five years, as immediately 



