February i, 1883.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



651 



rate they grow, that this period must elapse before 

 the trees oau yield a return of anj' value. Tlie Cear« 

 grows very rapidly in twelve months and then begins 

 at an average height often feet to throw out branches. 

 Trees of even eight mouths' growth havo a few clusters 

 of fruit. At the end of the 3rd year they attain a 

 height of 13 feet or more with numerous branches 

 epreadiug out 10 or 12 feet. The truuk has a girth 

 of about 20 inches a foot above ground. In its second 

 year it commences to bear profusely, so tb.at the price 

 for rubber seed will soon go down. The inner branches 

 are rathei numerous and spiudly. They ought pru 

 perly to be thinned out with the object of growing 

 thicker and etout lower branches, that would also, 

 besides the trunk, be fit to be tapped in a few years. 

 Strong winds occasionally play havoc with the branches 

 when the tree is topheavy. The branches snap off 

 easily, and as they lie on the ground bogiu in a few 

 days to throw out healthy shoots of afoot in length 

 and brfore there is a sign of a root, the seed falling 

 from the bursting capsules germ under the trees easily. 

 It has already been pronounced a big weed, the growth 

 of which will have to bo checked and regulated in the 

 vicinity of delicate products. The roots spread on and 

 a little above the surface, throwing out carrot-shaped 

 tubers. These are relished by the pigs, but two coolies, 

 it seems, experimenting on them as edibles were poisoned 

 to death. The rubber thrives best where the soil is 

 rich and penetrable with an alavanga to some depth. 

 It is not therefore advisable to plant out a field of 

 them above a 100 feet or so above the bottom or base 

 of a hill, liut along ravines, flats and gentle slopes, 

 &c.; in fiict wherever there ie a fair depth of .loil, it 

 can be safely put out. Those plants high up and near 

 ridges have not their leaves of a healthy bluish-greeu 

 tinge, but have rather pale and sickly leaves and seem 

 small in growth. Once a year after crop the rubbers 

 drop their leaves eutirely and look very bare, but 

 throw out a fresh flush in 3 weeks or so. In all prob- 

 ability a tree grown under favourable conditions will 

 not be sufficiently developed and lit till its 4th or 5th 

 year to be operated on. Though the sap can be drawn 

 from a three year old tree, the yield cannot be much 

 or of miioh value, while the lacerating process in 

 drawing the sap will retard its growth and make it a 

 poorer tree at a desirable age. If the milk or juice 

 is dropped into water it coagulates and tlie rubber is 

 ready in a few moments. As neither cardnmnms nor 

 cocoa growing amongst the rubber seems to suffer from 

 the rootlets or fallen leaves, tbey might answer a 

 double purpose and be used as shade trees — Yours 

 faithfully, W. PROWETT FERDINANDS. 



COFFEE AND WEEDS. 



Dkak SlR,-^Mr. a. F. Halliley draws attention to the 

 Galaha and Kitoolamoola estates as an example of the 

 benelit accruing from weeds being allowed to grow with 

 the coffee. He tells us that the latter estate never came 

 np to the former in crops as it was kept cleaner; 

 also that it is better sheltered. Now Kitoolamoola 

 lies along a valley running north and suutb, with 

 a gap overlooking Horagalla estate and the Oodoo- 

 wella clearing on the north end, aud another gap 

 over Duually on the south, and for two monsouns 

 I recollect the trees in the belt next Dunally crashing 

 down one after the other from wind; so fad to see 

 where the better shelter obtain.s. Next he does not 

 inform us of the very great superiority of the Ga- 

 laha 6oil over the other, nor of the limestone through 

 the Galaha coffee, which is conspicuous by its ab- 

 sence in Kitoolamoola, and where limestone is found 

 the soil is generally known to be good coffee soil. 

 Mr. Halliley cannot, I think, deny, if he knows the 

 places in question, that if Galaha also had been kept 

 scrupulously clean from the commencement, aud the 



lines there built on the patanas below, as in the 

 other case, so as to make things equal, the crops 

 from it would have in any case more than doubled 

 those from the other estate. What can the manager 

 of the Lanka Company say anent a recent pur- 

 chase of the Company's in Dikoya, which a year ago was 

 as nice looking a little place as one could wish 

 to set eyes upon, but in consequence of weeds 

 having been allowed to get the upper hand could at 

 the time of purchase hardly have been recognisable 

 as the same estate ? 



My experience in six districts has been that, where 

 weeds were allowed to be present in good soil, the 

 cofl'ee suffers no appreciable detriment, but where 

 weeds and poor soil come together the coffee absol- 

 utely collapses, and I have no doubt that there 

 are hundreds of other planters who could bear me 

 out in this if they choose. 



With reference to page 343, vol. 1, Tropical Agri- 

 cuUunst, I must have been singularly unfortunate in 

 my experiments with club moss laid on the surface 

 of the garden, as it had the effect of making the 

 plants weakly and stunted, but they recovered im- 

 mediately on the moss being removed. Under cert- 

 ain single trees grasses do grow right up to the 

 stem, but there are always deep feeders, and the 

 grass roots do not interfere with them; but aa a 

 rule when trees are planted out in lawns at home a 

 circle is cut of the turf around, and, if this is not 

 done, the plaats will not grow properly : at any rate 

 they fail, if surface feedi-TS.— Yours faithfully, 



SWADDY. 



CARDAMOM CULTIVATION. 



Dear Sib,— Many planters having written to me 

 for information about cardamom planting, and, as your 

 promised pamphlet has not yet made its appearance,* 

 I will thank you to give a corner for a few hints on 

 cardamom planting. 



(1) Cardamoms thrive best in a light soil. If you 

 have very stiff soil take some river sand aud paddy 

 husk and mix with your soil. 



(2) Shade is best for the lowoouutry ; in high 

 elevation no shade is necessary. 



(3) The distance apart must depend on the richness 

 of soil — from 8 to 12 feet. 



(4) Holes one foot deep and 20 inches wide will 

 do, but fill in sufficient surface soil so that after the bulb 

 is planted and soil well stamped down this soil 

 is at least from 4 to 6 inches above the other soil 

 so the wash will not injure the fruit afierwards; it 

 will also be more easy to keep insects away or 'de- 

 stroy them. Insects should be looked for either late 

 in thn afternoon or early in the morning. Woodash, 

 lime, river sand, soot or sulphur will destroy or keetj 

 away insects. 



(5) Young bulbs from 12 months to 2 years old 

 are certainly the best f<ir planting and on no account 

 should the tops be cut off. Double plants are the 

 safest ; the tops sh'uild be tied to stakes and .some 

 exti-a shade be put around the bulb for a week or 

 two. The soil should just cover the bulb. A great 

 mistake is made in planting the bulbs too deep." 



(6) The theory that cardamom bulbs grown from 

 seed will not fruit I have proved to be faUe. 



(7) The theory that cardamom bulbs should be 

 taken up every 5th or 6th year, as it would not fruit 

 after that, I have also proved false. After the bulbs 

 have fruited thrice it will be necessary to prune the 

 bulb; that is cut out all that are decaying and put 

 new soil or soil and manure mixed where the old 

 bulbs were taken out, You will soon lind new bulbs 

 taking their place. 



* In the press— in an advanced condition.— £d. 



