66 



THE AGEICULTURAL NEWS. 



February 28, 19U. 



use throughout the Tropics, for which we think there 

 is a great need, can be got best by considering the 

 possible scope and arrangement of the contents. 



The first section might be devoted to surveying 

 and mensuration data, including drainage and irrigation 

 formulae obtained under tropical conditions. This 

 could be conveniently followed or preceded by weights, 

 mea.sures and currency tables used in the different 

 tropical countries, including factors for conversion. 

 Data relating to steamship communication within the 

 Tropics would also be useful. 



The machinery used on tropical plantations 

 comprises so large a subject as to demand treat- 

 ment by itself The more important rules and 

 formulae used in the central sugar factory, and 

 in the preparation of rubber, tea, coffee and citrus 

 products might be jiresented It would appear to be 

 impossible to avoid, in the arrangement of this data, 

 a geographical classification; indeed in the case of all 

 the other data the names of the countries to which the 

 facts are specially applicable would have to be stated. 

 Closely connected with machinery is labour. A 

 table showing the approximate cost of labour for the 

 more important operations in different parts would be 

 both interesting and generally useful; also notes 

 connected with languages, customs, and management. 

 This might be followed by concise information in 

 regard to estate records. 



Leaving now what may be called the economic 

 side of the information, that devoted more especially 

 to natural science may be considered. Tropical soil 

 data is very widely scattered, and the bringing 

 together of tables of analyses would serve a particularly 

 useful purpose. This would naturally be followed by 

 manurial results with different crops, including a short 

 account of the chemical nature and action of fertilizers. 

 It would be necessary to deal with the cultivation 

 of each tropical crop separately. The data given would 

 include the names of the more common species and 

 varieties, soil and climate suitable, planting and 

 harvesting data, and average yields. In the case of 

 a crop like cotton for instance, considerable sub-division 

 would be required for the inclusion of American, 

 Egyptian, Indian and West Indian data. The diseases 

 and insect pests of the different tropical crops might 

 be best dealt with in a separate section, and as far as 

 possible in tabular form, with brief notes in regard to 

 remedies and control. 



Live stock does not constitute a very important 

 tranch of tropical agriculture compared with the posi- 



tion of domestic animals in the farming systems of tem- 

 perate countries. This is because it is only in a few 

 places in the Tropics that live stock are raised to 

 make a direct profit on. They generally represent 

 working capital. Still meat and milk have to be 

 provided, and labour has to be performed. A short 

 account of the different native breeds would be 

 useful, together with such results as have so far 

 been obtained in regard to crossing and selection. 

 Data is needed badly too, in connexion with the 

 mechanical power exerted by different animals when 

 carrying out various operations. The subject of 

 feeding, of course, is important, and tables showing the 

 composition of the various food-stuffs used in the 

 Tropics would be required. A few concise veteri- 

 nary notes on the common diseases and their dis- 

 tribution would not be out of place. There would 

 be scope in the book under consideration for a 

 few short, concise essays on miscellaneous mat- 

 ters. We have in mind subjects like fermentation, 

 the significance of the chemical analysis of tropical 

 products, weeds and weeding, green dressings, chemical 

 control of milk-supply and the like. Finally a section 

 presenting meteorological data would not be irrele- 

 vant. In this could be included an account of hurri- 

 cane warnings and the general rules of rainfall. 



We have now sketched in outline the scope and 

 arrangement of the suggested publication. L"n- 

 doubtedly, from the practical point of view, the chief 

 objection to such a work would be that a portion of the 

 matter would not be of direct use to the planter of 

 any one particular crop. Although tropical agricul- 

 ture is the calling of specialists, there is at the same 

 time a large number of people interested in more than 

 one tropical crop, and even in the case of the purely 

 rubber or cane grower, for instance, it would be an 

 advantage to have matters of agricultural practice 

 and science compressed into a handy form for reference 

 at any moment. 



As regards the use of such a book for educational 

 purposes there can be doubt. In schools and colleges 

 and in the work of Departments it would be invalua- 

 ble. It should be appreciated also by the general 

 trader, merchant and journalist. How long it would 

 remain sufficiently up-to-date one hardly dares to 

 think about, but one thing is certain, that in tropical 

 agriculture there now exists in wonderful confusion 

 a large number of unalterable truths which, though 

 their significance may be modified by subsequent 

 experience and research, their stability as facts can 

 never be undermined. Let them be gathered together. 



