October i, 1882.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



313 



difficult, and sometimes precludes altogether the possib- 

 ility of such aa operation. It is often the case that 

 some pollen matures and impregnates the stigma, 

 with which the anthers are in close contact in <Ae iurf, 

 before the flower opens. Indeed, cases have occurred, 

 and I believe not unfrequently, where fair crops have 

 been producf-d without any blossom ever having blown, 

 Notably, about 20 years ago, several estates in my 

 knowledge failed to blossom. The spike grew to be 

 about a third of an inch long, and then, in planters' 

 parlance, " turned to brush " at that stage without 

 acquiring so much ae the size of decent spike. Yet 

 crop ensued on each of these estates, and, though it 

 came in such a questionable way and was by no 

 means abundant, the quality of the bean was ap- 

 parently unimpaired, and betrayed no euch sign of 

 deficient stamina as to raise doubt of its being suffici- 

 ently fertilized. The unfavourable weather of that 

 blossoming season seems to have had no effect on the 

 productive power of the trees, which yielded their 

 crop notwithstanding the disadvantage of so imperfect 

 a blossom ! Have we not here a proof of some new 

 cause of infertility to account for the different behavi- 

 our of our trees in these days as compared with 

 what they proved themselves capable of doing formerly, 

 even when they had to contend against such adverse 

 influences. Today we are not sure of a crop, even 

 though the spike pass through all its normal stages 

 and develope into tine, healthy-looking flower. Would 

 that we could discover the secret of this fatal defici- 

 ency. But, be it what it may, it evidently does not 

 consist in, or depend upon, the agency of insect 

 fertilization. 



Careful analysis of all the theories which have been 

 suggested to account for the loss of fruit-bearing 

 power in our coffee trees seems to show that we 

 are yet entirely in the dark both as to the nature 

 and origin of the malady. Our inquiries seem, in fact, 

 to have been pursued in wrong directions. We have 

 been seeking for the cause of a world-wide discourage- 

 ment of agricultural euterprize in strictly local in- 

 fluences. Our researches into the cause of a sickness 

 which afl'ecta a whnle race have been restricted to 

 the study of a particular disease of a single family 

 Had the same industry and perseverance with which 

 we have studied local coffee leaf-disease been di- 

 rected to logical inquiry in the wider domain of the 

 agriculture of the world, we should have been 

 saved much futile effort, and might possibly have 

 acquired useful, practical knowledge. A review of our 

 past efforts seems to indicate that the true nature 

 and origin of our misfortune should be sought by 

 inquiry into the various forms in which discourage- 

 ment has smitten the agriculture of other countries 

 beside Ceylon, and into the degrees in which other 

 branches of the vegetable kingdom have been affected 

 here and elsewhere. Should our researches fail to 

 reveal the reul cause, which may probably lie out- 

 side the bjundaries of our present knowledge, they 

 might nevertheless show the limits of its sphere of oper- 

 ation ; and, more important still, they might unfold 

 to our view the nature of those counteracting agencies 

 whicli are so strikingly exhibited in the strange ex- 

 ceptions we see around us to the general rule of infert- 

 ility. The facts that discouragement has not extended 

 equally to all countries, though none would seem to 

 have been t'ltally exempt ; that all classes of veget- 

 ation have not b-en affected in the same manner and 

 degrees ; and that some branches of agriculture have 

 altogether escaped the malific influence which has so 

 severely smitten others, are all facts full of signi- 

 ficance, and therefore full of promise to patient, 

 intelligent research. 



The impel feet review of our past enquiries into the 

 cause of the misforiiine which has befallen our staple 

 enterprizo, which this letter closes, is submitted to 

 40 



my fellow -planters in hope that they may add their 

 contributions to the common cause. Before su_'gesting 

 more particularly the course of enquiry which seems 

 to me most promising, I wait for such aid as their 

 criticism and remarks may afford. W. 



JN-AND-IN BREEDING, &c. 

 Deak Sir, — With respect to in-and-in breeding I 

 think the general idea is that any peculiar trait of 

 individuals or races of men or animals is maintained 

 by that means. It narrows rather than widens the 

 intellect. The race-horse is kept a race-horse thereby. 

 Extraneous influence destroys this speciality of character. 

 The Jews, who were a peculiar people, went in largely 

 for cousin marriages, and this habit is often given 

 as one cause of their dissimilarity to all other people. 

 It has also I believe been proved by breeders of fox- 

 hounds, harriers, beagles and such like uniform creat- 

 ures that suddenly introduced extraneous blood has 

 broken up the beautiful equality of style and unifonnity 

 in their mode of hunting, and wliat has been har- 

 mony has become discord and confusion. The action 

 of the exti'aneous blood is, however, I believe, said to 

 be more potent but less plastic in its progeny : 

 creatures are often larger, but irregular, and scarcely so 

 symmetrical and beautiful. A far removed strain in 

 horses and dogs does not produce progeny so true of 

 type and so amenable in the hands of man, and 

 whip-cord is thereby often more in request. Among 

 plants, true type and character cannot be assured, if 

 kindred and often hardier species of the same are 

 gi'owiug near by, and the very peculiarities you may 

 require may thereby be eliminated. I write this in 

 reply to rather an imperfect representation of the 

 Queenslander in the Observer. In all cases of in- 

 and-in breeding, I think it can be clearly proved that 

 it retains peculiarities. Intellectually in man it would 

 act the same, but it has been argued that the mind 

 of man will not bear a strain in only one direction 

 \vithout injury.* This I can say nothing about : it 

 is too delicate a subject. All our most useful domestic 

 animals, all our prize oxen, horses, poultry and every- 

 thing else of special eminence is the result of breed- 

 ing-in. Once allow the hardier and rougher outsi ler into 

 your flock, and you may have a creature better able 

 to fight the battle of nature, but as an economical 

 creature tor the use of man from generation to gener- 

 ation you must return to the flock and adopt what, 

 if inquiries are made, wiU prove to be breeding from 

 very close relationship. W. F. L. 



THE NORTH TR.4VANC0RE LAND SOCIETY, 



AND THE PkOSPECTS OF THE KaNNAN DeVAN HiLL 



Districts with Cixchona and Tea. 



gm^ — About 18 months ago,you inserted an article 

 in your paper which I wrote to the iield under the 

 name ele plume oi " Staplegrove,," descriptive of the 

 «ountry owned by the above Society, and you advised 

 planters to wait and see wimt progress would be made 

 in planting by the Society before they thought of 

 investing in land in tiie new district, 1 am now on 

 another visit to the Kannan Devan Hills, and I think 

 that a briff account of the pi ogress of the enterprize 

 mav be not unwelcome to the planting community, if 

 you will kindly iive it a place in your journal. 



It will be remembered that I stated, in the article on 

 the " Kannan Devan Hills" alluded to above, that the 

 country seems h.irdly to have been visited by any 

 European, until Mr. Munro, the well-known Peermaid 

 pl.inter, penetr.ated into it about 2'1 years ago, and 

 directed atientiontn it in a pamphlet entitled "A Heport 



* What does Galton say in his book on the subject ? — 

 Ed. 



