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THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[Aug. 2, r886j 



organic matter, or humus. In order to test the 

 importance of this process of soil fertilisation, or, 

 rather, of conversion of elements of fertility from 

 an inert state to one suitable for the nourisliraent 

 of plants, Prof'^ssor Laurent, of the School of 

 Hortculture, Vilvorile, Belgium, last year carried 

 out some careful experiments, a record of which has 

 been sent to us. Buckwheat was grown in pots 

 under four different conditions, namely ; — 1. In 

 natural soil ; '2. In earth first sterilised, but after- 

 wards inoculated with bacteria of the soil ; 8. 

 In sterilised soil ; 4. In sterilised soil with the 

 addition of chemical manures. The conditions of 

 the experiment were such as to exclude the inocul- 

 ation of the sterilised soils in the third and fourth 

 series. On the occasion of the first observation 

 recorded the plants of the first series were the most 

 robust ; those of the second were healthy, but not 

 as forward as the first ; while the plants in the 

 soil free from bacteria were comparatively puny ; 

 though those of the fourth set, having the aid of 

 artificial manures, were superior to tliose of the 

 third. The results were summarised in the following 

 table, averages being given : — 



No. of 

 Seeds, 

 Sept. 29 

 94-07 

 90 

 23-5 

 00-75 



Thus, it will be seen, says a writer to the Suv^dnnl, 

 the action of bacteria in nitrifying the organic 

 constituents of the soil had a greater fertilising 

 effect than chemical manures consisting of nitrate 

 of potash, undissolved phosphate, sulphate of lime, 

 sulphate of magnesia, and sulphate of iron. — 

 Eiiropedii Mail. 



Peaches and Plums, — "New Galway" has long 

 been famous among Ceylon planting districts for 

 its fruit-trees, and '-Warwick" estate in tliat district 

 stands out very prominently. We have lately liad 

 the opportunity of appreciating delicious plums and 

 peaches from Mr. W. I. Cotton's orchard on this 

 property. When the railway gets to Ambewela, Mr. 

 Cotton ought to lay himself out to find a market 

 in Colombo for his fruit. 



Tea at Hankow, — A correspondent writes from 

 Hankow to a Shanghai paper dating his letter the 

 Slst May, as follows : — " Some ten days ago I wrote 

 you concerning the sad state of the tea market and 

 on the possibility of the bankruptcy of many of 

 the native tea merchants, consequent on tlie high prices 

 paid in the interior. Little did I think then that the 

 losses would be of so disastrou.s a nature as to affect 

 the minds of those most deeply interested, but I have 

 now to record the deaths by suicide of two men 

 by opium poisoning at Hankow, and of one by drown- 

 ing at Hankow. Ratlier than lose face by their 

 liabilities, these three men have destroyed themselves, 

 and as this is only the commencement of the season, 

 what we may expect later on is sad tocomtemplate." 

 — Dallij Press. 



Tea in Japan is thus reported on in the Jujmu 

 Weehly Mail of June 5th.- -The Tea trade has been 

 large, nearly 20,000 piculs of leaf having changed 

 hands, but prices have been somewhat i)'regnl:ir, 

 tlnctuating a dollar on most dcsci iptions. 'I lu re 

 appear to be ample supplies tonu;eta large demand. 

 Again the Jupaii U'ci'hhi Mai! of June 12th reports: — 

 The Tea trade which closed last week with a 

 downward tendency in prices, lias again been 

 extensive, though heavy stocks of leaf and free 

 arrivals have induced a fall of a dollar per picul 

 on all grades. The second crop has commenced to 

 come in, and the supply appears to be ocpial to 

 the demand, and likely to continue so. 



Advices from Assam (20th June) say that 

 the coming tea crop will be very short and below 

 the estimates. Cholera is raging on some gardens, 

 and the coolies bolting into the jungle to die. 

 The tea-seed crop is good, but being plucked off 

 and thrown away, in order to increase tlie yield 

 of leaf — last year's shipments of seed to Ceylon 

 having been unsatisfactory, both to seller and 

 buyer (consignments mid to have left Calcutta in 

 good order, proving to be rotten on arrival in 

 Colombo), have not been encouraging. — Cor. 



Drouoht and Heat in South Australia. 

 — Dr. Schomburgk in his report for 1885 on the 

 Adelaide Botanic Gardens, from which we shall 

 extract copiously in the Tropical Agriculturist, 

 states that the rainfall of last year was only 

 15-887 inches, or 5-272 below the average for 40 

 years. In five mouths, September-January, only 

 3 inches of rain fell. The heat was terrible : 

 maxima being attained, of 182 in the sun and 115 

 in the shade ! No wonder, if crops failed and 

 general depression existed. After the heat came 

 a temperature of 29" and 30° in May and June, 

 with frost. Not an equable climate certainly. 



Petroleum as Fuel for Tea Furnaces. — 

 In the Western and Eastern Hemispheres petroleum, 

 in more or less degrees of purity, is found super- 

 abundantly in North America and on the shores 

 of the Caspian and in more moderate quantities in 

 Burma and in portions of north-western India. It 

 seems probable therefore that, as far as price is 

 concerned, the substance, probably in its imjjure 

 state and perhaps mixed with coal dust or other 

 substances, can be supplied at a price which would 

 render its use economical in tea preparation, where 

 supplies of timber fuel have been exhausted and 

 cannot be supplied cheajjly. But the question re- 

 mains can the strong and penetrating odour of 

 naptha be so expelled that there may be no danger 

 of its injuriously affecting the flavour of so delicate 

 and sensitive an article as tea '? We suppose modern 

 science will prove equal to the solution of this 

 problem. — We have since learned of a patent 

 " hydro-carbon fuel " (petroleum and water, mingled 

 in a fine jet), so free of smell that a chop can 

 be cooked over the flame. We are going to make 

 enquiries about it. 



Tea in Japan. — The Japan Gazette thus 

 refers to the opening of the tea season : — Our tea 

 season 1880-87, is bidding well to be quite as 

 •sensational as that of 1882-83, and results will 

 probably be the same in heavy and disastrous 

 losses. Early this week circulars announcing im- 

 portant reductions in overland freight both by 

 regular mail steamer as well as per sailer and 

 rail were sent round and concurrently exchange 

 rates declined, which seemed to embolden buyers, 

 and in consequence an excited and somewhat in- 

 discriminate demand was established. Grades mostly 

 in favour were teas for price, and rates paid 

 preposterously high considering quality obtained. 

 Settlements tor the first six days of closing week 

 amount to the large total of 17,090 pels, against 

 arrivals as reported 19,080 piculs, so stocks in 

 hand are only but very moderate and native dealeis 

 appreciating tlie circumstances, are more than firm 

 in their demands. To criticise prices would be a 

 work of pure supererogation, the same old madness 

 seems still to afllict the buyer in Eastern Chaazse ; 

 a sort of hete noir seems to bestride him as 

 pertinently ami tenaciously as ever the Old Man 

 of the Sea harrassed Sindbad, and until buyers 

 can convince themselves that it is more or less 

 a barren honour, that of being largely represented 

 on the home markets with fh'st and early ship- 

 ments, so long will strained and extravagant prices 

 prevail in the East. — Daily Pren^. 



