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THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[July i, 1882 . 



from which the experimental cutting was made had 

 beou out previously iu the month preceding, but no 

 manure had been given it since July 1S79. It was also 

 very scantily irrigated, the only wateriuf^s being one 

 in May (after tlie first cutting), and one ten days before 

 the experimental cuttiug was made, that is to eaythe 

 crop kept green during the hot mouths from April tnjuly, 

 with only one watering, and was but little affected by the 

 failure of raiu in July and August. It may be safely 

 eaid that no other fodder crop now known in India 

 could have done this, nor in all probability could the 

 guinea grase in its first year. But in the second year 

 iti roots naturally become far struuger and larger 

 Ihau the roots of any annual grass can ever be, and 

 are therefore able to seek the moisture they require 

 at a greater depth in the ground. Hence guinea grass 

 iu its second year may be considered a deep feeding 

 crop, the only one now known iu India, and as such 

 it is more able to resist drought than any other of 

 the fodders cultivated. It appears specially well suited 

 for planting .ilong the banks of caual distributaries, 

 streams or. ponds, where its roots will be able to 

 obtain moisture for themselves without requiring sur- 

 face irrigation. It may be mentioned that on account 

 of tliese advantages, Mr. Buck made several attempts 

 to obtain a consignmeut of seeds from Mesjrs. Suttons 

 and other seedsmen, but failed, since it does not 

 appear to be recognized iu England by the name it 

 bears iu India, and th>re seems to be a like confusion 

 as regards its scientific name. A consignment has, 

 however, now been promised, and a quantity of seed 

 has been raised in tlie farm for distribution during the 

 ensuing year." 



From the report of tlie Commissioner of the Chhattis- 

 garh Division, we extract a few passages : — 



The main difficulty iu the way of increasing the 

 supply of cultivated forage has hitherto been the indif- 

 fereuce which the ryots of Chhatlisgarh and Sambalpur 

 evinced in regard to fei-ding their cattle. But the great 

 mortality which has taken place among their herds 

 duriut; the last two years has opeued their eyes in 

 some degree to the folly of leaving their animals to 

 die from neglect and semi-starvation ; and during last 

 cold weather wherever I went I found both malguzars 

 and ryots ready to appreciate, iu theory, the import- 

 ance of properly feeding their plough cattle. I think 

 then we have reason to hope tliat the practice of 

 cultivating forage may gradually make its way in this 

 Division, and s»me trouble and time may well be given 

 by executive officers to working for this result, for its 

 effect on the agricultural prosperity of the country will 

 be great. 



A manure which shall be both abundant and cheap 

 is greatly needed iu Chhattisgarh, where so large a 

 proportion of the droppings of cattle are consumed as 

 fuel, audit seems not improbable that bone dust may 

 supply this need to an appreciable extent, for boues 

 are fairly plentiful, and they can be ground into 

 powder with the ordinary lever mill at small cost. 

 With regard to tt'e value of bone dust as a fertilizing 

 substance, Mr. Buck remarks in his agricultural report 

 for 1879 :— 



"The high cost of bone euperphosphate in this 

 country must place it beyond the reach of the ordinary 

 cultivator, but bone dust, that is to say bones pow- 

 dered fine, but not treated willi sulphuric acid, is 

 within the reach of everybody, and though more tardy 

 in its results than the superphosphate (being l^ss soluble) 

 will give in the end almost as satisfactory results." 



been iu operation here more than eighteen moriths 

 during which time we have been supplying tbe prin- 

 cipal towns in India with our coft'ee, including 

 Bombay. The dates are not reduced to a chider, 

 but only sufficiently roasted to admit of grinding, 

 and are then mixed with oue-fourth of Mocha to 

 three-fourths of date, 



I may add that you have advertized our coffee iu 

 your paper, and that our agents are Messrs. More- 

 nas & Co., Medows Street, Fort, Bombay, who have 

 always a stock on hand. K J. EAROLEY MARE, 



Manager, Date Coffee Co. Ld. 

 Kurrachee, Napier Road, May 2. 



[But, as the result of Mr. Gladstone's resolutions, Mr.. 

 E. J. Eardley Mare will find the occupation of his 

 Company gone as far as importation of their stuff into 

 the United Kingdom is concerned. If the Company 

 called their commodity date dust or powder, all would 

 be right, but dishonesty is involved in the term "Date 

 Coffee.— Ed.] 



THE DATE COFFEE COMPANY LIMITED. 



TO THE EDITOR OF TUB "TIMES OP INDIA." 



SiK, — I shall be obliged by your correcting an 

 inaccuracy in an article in your paper of the 26th 

 nil. Jtfejriug to this company. The works have 



The Neddiwattum Pubescens Seed, offered for 

 sale by public auction by Mr. Symous yesterday, 

 (June 4th) realized an average price of R2 19 per oz. 



Kapok. — The attention of shippers in Ceylon was 

 first directed to this cotton as an article of export by 

 the remarks of the Ceylon Commissioner to the Mel- 

 bourne International Exhibition. Kapok or silk cotton 

 has recently been shipped to Australia from Galle, 

 per P. & 0. steamer, and it is to be hoped that ere 

 oug a lucrative trade may be established. — Cor. 



Damaged Coffee Bean.s from Badulla. — With 

 reference to the damaged coffee beans in parch- 

 ment, which we noticed a few days ago, a quantit}' 

 of punctured cherries has been sent to its, and 

 the idea of damage by hail suggestBd. But our 

 entomological referee writes : — 



" The damaged cherries have been carefully ex- 

 amined. Tlie wounds are deep, penetrating the parch- 

 ment and injuring the bean more or less. Some have 

 become quite withered and blackened. The mischief 

 appears to have been done by some insect, perhaps by 

 the bug strachia geomelrica, described at page 13 of 

 Nietner's 'Coffee Tree and its Enemies.' Tbe insect should 

 be searched for by the sender of the damaged berries." 



Coffee Cultivation in Perak. — "It is satisfactory," 

 says the Penavg Oazdte of 2ind April, " to hear from 

 Perak that the prospects of coffee are looking up, 

 and the extraordinary results so far, of the labours 

 of tbe pioneer planters, ai'e encouraging to an unex- 

 pected degree. Liberian seedlings, only I en months 

 planted out in the field, blooued twice in February 

 on some estates, and, what is mure important, the 

 blossom has set well, and so extraordinary has been 

 the growth that some of the trees have attained the 

 height of five feet within the above short period. In 

 the district where these results have been obtained 

 (that of Slim) there appears to be one well-defined 

 season at all events. This of course does away with 

 the objection so frequently urged, that, owing to the 

 want of periods wherein trees might lay back at rest 

 after delivering a large croj), they would be exhausted, 

 unless maiiured to an extent which would almost cover 

 any profit that might be obtained. This theory was 

 based on the fact that collee trees in the plains iu 

 the .Straits show blossoms and berries in all stages at 

 the same time throughout the year. We are referring 

 to the Ar.ibica species, none other being known in these 

 parts tin within the last year or two. But the Lihenan 

 species is a much hardier plant, and may he able to 

 etaud tbe brunt of such a drain on ita resources," 



