August i, 1882.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



143 



a leaf, and which assertion I claim to have disproved. 

 It is certainly far more intelligible to expect that, 

 where the tube of a germinating spore, a comparatively 

 solid body, can enter a stoma an atmosphere can 

 follow, than to suspect a process of gestation m the 

 very tissue of live plants, their seeds and juices. 



Many thanks for the paper coutaiuiug Mr. Sabon- 

 adiere's letter. The action that gentleman recommends, 

 although not an absolute condition of success with 

 my treatment, would be found to make a vast differ- 

 ence in the point of expenditure, and this is what 

 I meant in .my letter when I said that I ' ' ventured 

 to predict that when my treatment had been in 

 general use for a twelvemonth in a district, the treat- 

 ment could then be periodically discontinued," etc., etc. 

 Mr. Sabouadiere hints at a total stamping out of the 

 disease, which, in the abstract, is possible. I know 

 nothing about your grubs in Ceylon, but as to the 

 predilections of the genus generally, in tropical coun- 

 tries or elsewhere, I adhere to my oi'iginal opinions. 



I shall endeavour to be in Ceylon in October next 

 to demonstrate my treatment and claim the reward, 

 and in the meantime leave my interests in the keep- 

 ing of the planters and the press. — Yours tiiily, 



JACOB P. STORCK. 



P. Si. — For the system of permanent vaporization 

 through carbolic acid I hereby claim he/ore yourself and 

 the world priority of invention, which priority I am 

 in a position to prove step by step thi'ough my plant- 

 ation diary and my correspondence. J. P. S. 



THE~CIN(rHONA GENUS AND THE SPECIES 

 COMPOSING IT: CROSSES AND HYBRIDS. 

 Dear Sir, — With regard to the interesting article 

 in your paper of the 13th instant, I should like to 

 make a few remarks. As to the origin of the cin- 

 chona genus, we mny presume that all the numerous 

 species wliioh compose it can trace tlieii- origin back 

 to one parent form, the progeny of which, extend- 

 ing over a large tract of country of varying con- 

 ditions of soil and climate, have assumed permanently 

 the form of growth best suited to these conditions ; 

 the fittest have survived in each case, and the 

 characteristics which rendered them so have become 

 permanent. These are the various species whicii 

 compose the genus cinchona and, hybridization apart, 

 the seed of any of them will produce plants referable to 

 the same species, though they may shew numerous vari- 

 eties. The indigenous and China Assam tea plants are, in 

 the opinion of many aulhorities, true species. Though 

 no doubt originuUy tracing their origin to one parent 

 form, their characteristics are permanent, and, such 

 being the case, they appear entitled to be con- 

 sidered separate and distmct species. The evidence 

 that G. robusta is a hybrid appears very conchi>ive, 

 and such is now the opinion of most authoritii'S. 

 That it is a hybrid between the two permanent 

 species, sucoirubra and officimdis. is almost as clear. 

 It is certainly not. a varieiy of officinalis, as it is tie- 

 quently raised fiom seed of succirubni trees. Now, imli- 

 viduaU are claseed under the same species— are vari-'iies 

 of it in fact — when th" difference between them is no greater 

 than experience has shewn between plants niised Jrom the 

 same p 'rent. Thus from the seed of an ofBciunlis tree 

 of any 'ype we may get specimens of the varieties, 

 uritusinga, crispa, etc.; we should not get a sucoi- 

 rubra plant; from the seed ot an indigenous As- 

 sam tea tree, we should not get a China plant. 

 The limits within which it is possible in the pro- 

 geny of a plant to vary, coincide with the limits 

 which include the members of the species of which 

 it is representative. Unless, therefore, we change 

 our definition of a species, we are bound to consider 

 the various types of cinchona, succirubra, officinalis, 

 calisaya, &o., with the indigenous and China species 

 of tea, as having claims to specific rank. 



An interesting paper has been published by Dr. 

 Triinen in the Journal of Botany, entitled ''Ciu- 

 chonii Ledgeriana a Distinct Species," in which it is 

 stated that Mr. Moens has never seen "am thing 

 like Ledgeriana, either botanicall.y or chemically," come 

 from seed of a Calisaya. — Yours faithfully, 



T. C. OWEN. 



ARABIAN COFFEE IN CEYLOM— IN DEFiSNCE: 



AND HOW TO CULTIVATE HIGH AND LOW 



ESTATES IN THE PRESENT DAY. 



Maria Estate, 20th June 1882. 

 Dear Sir, — I have been waiting to see some one 

 take " Aberdonensis" to tusk for the manner in which 

 he writes of Arabian coffee, but not finding any 

 reply to date I cannot let his letter remain un- 

 answered any longer. I had intended, liowevcr, not to 

 write any more about Arabian cutlee, but to work on 

 with manures and disinfectants, and let those that 

 are doubtful leave it alone, or come and see that 

 it can be made to pay, if properly treated. 



1. The letter of " Aberctonensis" speaks of the 

 abundance of wood and the absence of crop. There 

 are about as many high estates, which, as a rnle, sbow 

 abundance of wood and no crop, except in a very 

 dry season. Here then is what I would say in such 

 cases : Prune your trees ot all superfluous wood in 

 November, or December at latest. When dry weather 

 sets in lay the roots bare, and put some country 

 lime over the roots. If there is still too much sap, scrape 

 with the back of the pruning knife the outside bark 

 down to the white cambium in one or two places 

 from top to bottom of tree, and you will let the super- 

 fluous sap escape, and secure a blossom which will oive 

 fiuit and not turn into wood. The lime will keep 

 leaf-disease away and summer the roots. Use dis- 

 infectants with manure (lime and ashes). Great mis- 

 takes are made in pruning for the sake of appear- 

 ance and too much wood is left on the trees. 



2. For low estates (esijecially on steep land) trench 

 or waterhole, to save as much rainwater on your 

 land as possible and let it soak into the ground. Ap- 

 ply your manure in holes ; once in three years fork 

 the ground ; grow shade trees, but these trees must 

 be thinned out or pruned when j on find you have plenty 

 of new wood on your coffee. If the roots of the shade 

 trees damage your coflTee, cut all the roots off that you 

 find in one foot depth all round the tree. Do not 

 cut all branches off and merely leave a crown at the top, 

 but cut all branches off up to 10 feet from the ground. 

 Then select so many (say eight) primaries, good dis- 

 tances apart, cut oil others off and top your trees 

 at 20 or 25 feet. The deep roots of the shade trees 

 will be able to feed on nourishment which has go;ie 

 below the coflee trees, and the leaves will absorb 

 nitrogen from the atmosphere. Jak, suriya and cro- 

 ton are some of the beat trees for shade. By all 

 means plant all new products among coffee. As re- 

 gards comparing Arabian coffc^e with Libcrian, I can 

 show Ar.ibiiiu coffee four years old beating Liberian 

 of the same age by oue-third of crop, both close together; 

 and I have some old Arab. an which no Libcrian can 

 beat. I have both growing. 1-earn to know the wants 

 of Arabian eotfie tiees fiom the looks of the tree 

 (leaves and new wood); attend to its w'ants, and it 

 will pay better tban Liheriaii coffee, at Icael at 1,SOO 

 feet elesation. — Y'ours truly, J. HOLLOWAY. 



P. S — With reference to your corresponde its, "Tell 

 the Truth," "Kehbokka,' and " K. C. B." Imust refer 

 them to my previous letter, and my challenj;e last year, 

 and I can at all times prove statements made by me. As 

 regards the poetry of " E. C. B." dedicated to J.ames 

 HoUoway (I presume he meant me), I can only say 

 if I could not rhyme better I would not send that 

 epistle to the papers. .1. H. 



