December i, 1S83.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



437 



CAN COFFEE BE GROWN IN SINaAPORE ? 



One of the most noticeable features in the history 

 of these Settlements during the last ten years, dating, 

 iu fact, from the arrival of Sir Andrew Clarke amongst 

 us, and the inauguration by him of new ideas as 

 to the position and duties of Government towards 

 the Settlements, and more especially towards the 

 Native. States on the Weslern slope of the Penin- 

 sula, has been the development of plantipjj enter- 

 prize in the Straits. The misfortunes of Ceylon in 

 its coffee industry aided in this development by 

 sending abroad a number of Ceylon planters in search 

 of *' fresh fields and pastures new''. How far. from 

 a mercantile point of view, planters have been suc- 

 cessful, it is impossible to say, and is a matter of 

 considerable doubt. Tapioca planting has been a great 

 success, of wliich we have a striking instmce in our 

 midst in the Chasseriau estate, due entirely to the 

 energy, perseverance and skill of its proprietor. Yet 

 tliis success has not been unchequered by misfortune, 

 and is now materially modified by the gr?at fall in 

 the price of tapioca. The Chasseriau estate, more- 

 over, is about the only instance that is generally 

 known as a success. How other planters have suc- 

 ceeded is not known, and their reticence on the 

 subject is remarkable. Some years ago large blocks 

 of land were taken up in Johore for coffee and tea 

 planting!, and we know that a Planters' Association 

 exists in the territory, yet what their experiences 

 have been so far can only be conjectured. Yet it 

 is a question of considerable importance whether tea 

 and coffee can be grown in the Sti'aits. Both have 

 been tried in Singapore. Tea is, we are afraid, very 

 doubtful, but coffee may succeed. Our enterprizing 

 townsman, Syed Moliaincd .^Isagoff, Esq. , for example, 

 has, it is said, a small but flourishing .coffee plant- 

 ation at Bukit Tungal, in Thomson Road. Mr. 

 Chasseriau has about (iO acres on his estate planted 

 with Liberian coffee, and asserts with French energy 

 that be is going iu ten years to revolutionize plant- 

 ing cnterprize on the island by showing how cotTee 

 can be planted with success and with great prolit, 

 and we can only hope that he is right, not only 

 for his own sake, but for the sake of planting en- 

 torprize generally in the Straits. — Straits Times, 27th 

 Oct. 



PRUNING FRUIT TREES. 



The prmcipal use of pruning is to preserve the symmetry 

 of the ti-ees, though in closely planted orchards it is necess- 

 ary to prune to keep the trees within bounds. Pruning 

 for either of these reasons is easily accomphshed, but there 

 are other reasons for pruning which only the man of ex- 

 perience and scientific acquirements can properly understand. 

 Supposing an ordinary pruner was sent into an orchard to 

 prune, his endeavour would be to cai-ry out either or both 

 of the abovenamed purposes, and he would therefore prob- 

 ably prune the hardest those trees that had made the most 

 wood, and leave unpruned or lightly pruned those that had 

 made httle or no wood ; while the man of experience would be 

 likely to act in a directly opposite manner; he would be 

 aware that the trees making the most growth were the least 

 fruitful, while the others had probably borne more than they 

 could bring to a first class condition. His object, therefore, 

 would be to reduce the bearing propensity or power of the 

 latter, and by the same means increase (heir power of growth ; 

 while in regard to the former he would endeavour to check 

 their exuberant growth, and induce them to become more 

 fruitful. The over-proHfie trees he would prune hard, thin- 

 ning out a large proportion of the fruit-bearing spurs, by 

 which means the supply of sap the roots were able to send 

 up the followmg spring would be less divided, and each 

 remainiuj,' bud would receive a larger share th.an it would have 

 done bad the whole of the buds been allowed to remain 

 and claim their share. The result would be that e,ach bud, 

 luaving received an extra supply of sap, would make stronger 

 50 



gi'owth and more foliage than before ; the leaves, by re- 

 acting upon the roots, would cause a great extension, and so 

 the vigour of the tree would be increased ; the enlarged 

 number of roots sending up a constantly increasing supply, 

 both shoots and fruit would benefit thereby. That such 

 results woiUd be obtained may be seen whenever a tree, 

 whether aged, decepit or young, is headed dowm; the super- 

 abundance of nourishment, finding a limited demand, be- 

 comes used up in the formation of wood of vastly increased 

 strength, while any fruit there may happen to be is pro- 

 portionately enlarged. In this climate the fruits of cooler 

 countries are forced, as it were, by the. to them, un- 

 natural amount of heat and light, into a condition of pre- 

 cocity, which, if not checked, must necessarily end in we.ak- 

 ness ; the endeavour should therefore be to counteract the 

 tendency to precociousuess and maintain the tree in a well- 

 balanced condition, producing no more fruit thiin it can 

 bring to full maturity, and a due proportion of wood for 

 the mainten.anco of that condition — a suitable and pro]:erly 

 cultivated soil, with due supplies of manure, being, of course, 

 unrlerstood. The difticulty- of attaining the desii-ed result 

 is sometimes greater in the case of an over-luxuriant, and 

 therefore partially or quite barren tree, than iu the opposite 

 case, especially when it happens to have an unlimited root 

 run. Trees in such a condition not imfrequently continue 

 to receive the usual amount of pruning year after year, 

 thus producing such an exuberance of sap that blossom buds 

 cannot be formed, except on a few weak and pinched spm-s, 

 and increase so slowly iu number that it requires many years 

 before the tree is brought into a full-bearing condition ; 

 whereas, it such a ti'ee is left altogether unpruned, it would 

 certainly become fruitful either the next or the following 

 year. Tlie aim, then, should be to maintain a fair b.alanco 

 between the pi-oduction of wood and fruit, and if the natnro 

 of the variety to be operated upon is known, a scientific 

 pruner can soon establish, and afterwards maintain his ti-ees 

 in that condition, by checking over-luxuriance, and encour- 

 aging the formation of fruit buds, or the contrary, as may be 

 necessary. Much good may, in many cases, be eifected in 

 checking over-luxuriance by summer pruning, for if the young 

 growth of the most vigorous tree is coutinixally stopped, its 

 vigour mil presently be reduced, and even its health may be 

 impaired, if the process is carried to an extreme. Summer 

 pruning is generally neglected, partly from ignorance of its 

 good effects, and partly because orchardists have little leisure 

 at that season. It is, however, of great vahie, especially in 

 the formation of useless wood that h.as to be cut away at 

 the end of the sea.son, and increasing the strength of that 

 which has to remain. — Leader. 



THE NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA, 



Our correspondents write hopefully of the revived 



prospects of the Northern Territory in view of the 

 passage of the Palmcrston and Pine Creek Railway 

 Bill. The pastoral and agricultural industries are 

 growing in importance, and mining operations are 

 still successfully conducted, tliough want of water 

 through an exceptionally dry season has somewhat re- 

 tarded them. 



We learn from Captain Green, of the China mail 

 steamer "Tannadice," that his vessel brought to Port 

 Darwin on her last trip from Hongkong a buffalo bull, 

 three cows, and a calf, sent by the Indian Govern- 

 ment to the South Australian Government, and con- 

 signed to the Acting Government Resident at the 

 Northern Territory. The cattle were in charge ot three 

 "ghee" makers, hailing from Cawnpore. "ud their 

 pul-pnse in proceeding to the Northern Territory is 

 to introduce there the "ghee"-making industry, which 

 the leader of the party tried with slight success iu 

 Victoria some time aeo, "Ghee" is a kind of butter 

 in great request in India amongst the natives, but 

 it is said to he not a great favourite with Eurojieans. 

 Whatevir the ultimate prospects of the industry in our 

 northern country may be, its in.auguration was satis- 

 factory enough, as the cattle were lauded in capital 

 coudiliion, and the keepers were in good health. 



