September i, 1882.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



249 



coffee fields, until favouriug conditions attracted it 

 with electric rapidity oyer the whole existing area 

 of coffee ! Whatever may have been the influence or 

 condition which gave it such fatal force, it passed 

 away after a short reign, the bug retired into its 

 previous inactivity, and so remains to this day. Its 

 attack followed a long period of rain, and was attrib- 

 uted by many planters of the time to " wet feet." If 

 this view be correct, we may hope that modern drainage 

 may save us from renewed attack. But, whatever 

 may have been the favouring conditions which first 

 introduced the attack, I am satisfied that, if they were 

 now to re-appear, the fire of our old enemy would 

 be relighted, and the sooty foe would return, and 

 would remain as long as those conditions prevailed. 

 In like manner, were hcmilda to be for a while 

 wholly extirpated by some remedial agency, whilst the 

 conditions still existed which first attracted it from 

 its latent state, it would again leap forth from its 

 lurking places, and resume its devastating work. These 

 pests ore not freaks of nature or chance visitations, 

 but the workings of her immutable laws. As the 

 black bug disappeared without artificial agency, solely 

 by changed conditions of an unseen and unknown 

 nature, so will lumileia disappear ; but not until that 

 primary cause which first brought it out of its latest 

 state shall have ceased its influence. In other words, 

 it will continue obedient to law. Would that we 

 could discover that law ; or learn at the least how 

 to take the hints that nature gives us in counteract- 

 ing its efl'ects. The secret is embosomed in those spots 

 where fertility still stands in strange contrast to 

 surrounding fruitlessuess. W. 



COFFEE UNDER HIGH CULTIVATION IN 

 DIMBULA : THE COST AND RESULTS. 

 Yoxford, Dimbula, August 8th, 1882. 

 Dear Sir, — In reply to " G. W."'s question in your 

 issue of the 1st instant, it is undoubtedly the case 

 that only on the manured fields of the estate is the 

 coft'ee now bearing a first-rate crop. There are patches, 

 however, which, owing to exceptionally favourable ch-- 

 cumstauces, have a very good show of crop, though 

 unmanured. The main difference between the manured 

 and umnanured fields is that the fomier are bearing 

 evenly, while the latter are patchy. On the older 

 coffee, which is more exhausted by previous cropping, 

 I find that one application of artificial manure by 

 itself is hardly sufficient to restore the trees to good 

 heart, but that, if the artificial is bulked with a little 

 compost, the desii'ed result appears to be at once 

 attained. 



As to your question of cost, I shall be in a better 

 position to give you exact figures next year, but, 

 at present, I can say that coffee manm-ed last year 

 at a cost of R.50 an acre is this year bearing from 

 7 to 8 cwt. 



Refcnring to a previous letter from your correspond- 

 ent "G. \V., " criticizing my experiments and com- 

 paring some of his own, I would first observe in reply, 

 that, in accurate scientific experiment, appearances 

 count for little ; and secondly that, if your corre- 

 spondent had given the subject practical consideration, 

 he would never have suggested plots of such a size 

 as 300 trees in length by 10 in breadth. Further, 

 in support of my method of experiment in small 

 plots, I will quote from the last report of the Aber- 

 deenshire Agi'icnltural Association, in which the fol- 

 lo'R'ing sentences occur : — " Experience of plots of 

 various sizes had led to distrust of results from large 

 plots, and to the ailoption of plots 34 ft. 7 in. by 

 lift. 3 in., or l-ir2th of an acre: this size is highly 

 recommended both for insuring equality of soil, con- 

 ditions of cultivation, and accuracy of work." 



In conclusion, let me disclaim all pretensions to 

 3U 



knowing all about manuring. I consider that, at 

 present, I am but at tlio commencement of the en- 

 quiry, and only through tlie cumulative experience 

 of years of experiment do I hope ultimately to arrive 

 at something like definite conclusions. My experi- 

 ments have, however, ah-eady taught me much of 

 which I was previously ignorant, and, if others would ' 

 but make a few similar trials, their experience, like 

 my own, would soon lead them, each one for his owH 

 estate, to the adoption of the most profitable system 

 of cultivation. — I remain, dear sir, yours faithfully, 

 Wm. D. BOSANQUET. 

 [Hear, hear. — Ed.] 



Tea. — ^The latest reports from the tea-growing dis- 

 tricts continue favourable, and the outturn from 

 most gardens up to date has been larger than the 

 eetiuiates. — Pioneer. 



As Vanilla beans were never so cheap as at tlio 

 present time it is probable that those who are foud of 

 icecream will this year learn the true flavor of vauilla. 

 Heretofore all sorts of abominable mixtures of tonka 

 and other flavorings have been palmed off on manu- 

 facturers of ice cream as true extract of vanilla, and 

 the consumers, not being a judge, and perhaps never 

 having tasted the delicately pleasant flavour of the 

 genuine article, were satisfied. There is now no excuse 

 for adulteration when prime beans can be purchased 

 for one-third the price asked three years ago. — OH and 

 Drug News. 



Recent Coffee Crops and the Seasons. — We attract 

 attention on page 247 to the important facts related 

 by Mr. Robt. 0. Bowie, as coming within his own 

 experience in the Dimbula district and bearing upon 

 this important question of the seasonal influence on 

 recent coffee crops. So far as the higher districts 

 are concerned, it is quite certain that the blossom- 

 ing season — January to March inclusive— crt)jno< be too 

 dry ; and, after such a south-west monsoon as the cur- 

 rent one, we think there is good reason to anticipate a 

 drierspriug in 1883 than has been experienced since 1878. 



Budding vs. Grafting : — Maskeliya, 25th July. — Bain 

 and rivers almost impassable in this monih's weather 

 acooimt ; crops smaU, but no smaller than om' neigh- 

 bom's'. On the whole the valley should send away as 

 much as last year. Coffee looking weU : where not 

 touched by wind and veiy little leaf-disease and that 

 on shuck trees only. Cinchona doing well : looks just 

 now a little knocked about by the wind. " Budding " 

 will whip "gi-afting" yet. All you want is two gimwad 

 punches, one a size larger than the other and a string. 

 The business is simple : with the larger punch, punch 

 out a piece of the hark to the cambium of Ledgeriana 

 or good hybrid with a little shoot or eye in it ; with 

 the smaller tool pimoh out a piece of the bark of suc- 

 ch'ubra. Then put the Ledgeriana or hybrid into its 

 place at once and tie with a piece of worsted or soft 

 string, a little clay or grafting wax round the circle, 

 and I 'U lay a penny on the bed. The punches should be 

 of different sizes, as the (bark) piece punched contracts. 

 Mam-itius grass makes a good covering for shaved cin- 

 chona ; the damp instead of injuring does good. Young 

 trees shaved in March 2J years old and covered with 

 it have renewed well. The new bai-k is thicker than 

 the original, and on some of them the Mauritius grass 

 has grown uito a matted mass. It does not take long 

 for a cooly to remove it to a ravine out of the coffee 

 afterwards. Mana grass is preferable, when procurable. 

 •' Poor Ramasamy " begging for work. Too many in 

 the district ; not for the work that is required to 

 be done, but for the amount of money to do it. Grub 

 begiuuing to eat the roots of cinchona as well as cofl'ee. 

 I do not believe there is a coffee tree on om' flats 

 that has not ha<I 1 dozen to IJ dozen grab eating 

 away at his roots. Some folk say they have no grub ; 

 dig round a true and look. 



