January i, 1885.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



525 



a plane surface. The first colour is then followed in a similar 

 manner by a second, using a fresh brush, aud thus in 

 turn by a third, and so on, at the pleasure of the operator, 

 each particular drop showing no disposition to mix with its 

 fellow. The pattern thus made is mostly of round drops, 

 but should it be desired to vary it, combs of different degrees 

 of fineness are drawn in different directions gently over the 

 surface of tank for a few seconds, where the colour is trans- 

 ferred from its surface to that of the paper, and after being 

 hung to dry, is burnished by hot steel rollers : no particular 

 quality of paper is needed, the ouly requisite being it should 

 not be too highly calendared. A smooth piece of board is 

 now drawn over the surface of the tank, when it is ready for 

 afresh operation. The edges of the books are stained in a 

 similar manner, the book being taken unbound and pressed 

 between boards tightly together, so that none of the color 

 shall penetrate beyond its surface ; they are afterwards, when 

 dry, burnished by a hot iron tool by hand. The products af- 

 forded by the process are of infinite variety, and, as can be 

 imagined, no two products are ever exactly alike, and, by 

 varying the colours, an almost endless kaleidoscopic change 

 eau be produced— Oil and Oolorman's Journal. 



AGRICULTURE ON THE CONTINENT OF EUROPE. 



(Special Letter.) 



Paris, November 1st. 



It is a fact well-known to all gastronomists that the 

 flesh of wild animals, is more delicate and savoury than 

 that of the same species domesticated. Two causes pro- 

 duce this difference : first, limitless liberty ; and second, a 

 greater range of food from which to select. Now, this 

 difference is not the less sensible with respect to the ani- 

 mal's hair or fleece ; and the fact was shrewdly noticed in 

 Spain from an early hour in the production of beautiful 

 wool. It was thus the association known as the Mesta 

 was founded. It was composed of the grandees the in- 

 fluential monasteries, and other rich landowners,' who be- 

 came the joint-owners of those immense flocks o'f nomadic 

 sheep, which incessantly travelled from province to province, 

 in an order most favorable to the seasons. In consequence 

 of these migrations, the sheep enjoyed the same liberty 

 as if m a wild state, and their fine wool rapidly became 

 famous. The flocks thus united were called Merinos— hence 

 the origin of the name; they were also designated trans- 

 humantes, because they voyaged in summer up mountains 

 and 111 winter in the valleys. Each flock was a subdivision 

 of the mesta; there was a superintendent on horseback 

 for every 50 shepherds: he directed all movements 

 selected the most grassy routes ; he was besides a vete- 

 rinary surgeon. The shepherds on setting out as well as 

 on returning, received an indemnity; in addition, they had 

 2 lb. of bread daily, independent of their wages. 



M. Rouviere is the founder and propagator of green fodder 

 in stacks in the open air, as M. Goffart is the apostle of 

 ensilage. The plan of M. Rouviere has the important merit 

 to cost nothing; and, therefore, there can be no excuse for 

 not giving it a trial. And those who intend adapting 

 ensilage would be wrong to lay out money in. constructing 

 trenches before having tested the Rouviere system The 

 chief difficulty m the case of the latter, is the difficulty 

 of keeping the stack from inclining if the work-people 

 are at all inattentive. M. Rouviere builds his stacks rect- 

 angular pattern, with three stakes driven into the ground 

 on each side to guide the laborers, aud which are ultim- 

 ately pulled up. The stack is built to eleven or twelve 

 feet, and the maize tipped from the waggons, on each of 

 the four sides in rotation, to prevent the stack from taking 

 a lean. M RouvK-re now recommends the employment 

 of increased weight; instead of 16 cwt. per square yard, 

 he adopts double that pressure, and in regular instalments 

 of b cwt. daily Thus he can correct any oblique teudency 

 of the mass. His beet-leaves were preserved in this man- 

 ner, equally as sound as his unchopped maize 



A farmer writes that his fields were invaded by couch 

 grass. He got rid of the terrible enemy in the following 

 manner :-Plough m autumn at a uniform depth, in sprinc 

 harrow and plough again, repeating the process. The simple 

 exposure kills the weeds. Eut the ploughings must take 

 p ace in dry weather, and never harrow till proceeding to 

 plough. A root crop, say potatoes, mil enable what may 



remain of the pest to be removed. Keep a wide and clean 

 open furrow between the headlands, and that nurserv 

 ground for the switch— the ditch. 



Severe winters in France being habitual, do not allow 

 of root-crops remaining on foot. The roots are generally 

 stored m si os or pits. In case the latter exhibit indic- 

 ations of falling in, be sure decomposition exists • in this 

 case open the trench, remove the sound roots to a shed 

 and make the new pit more secure. Where stored in cel- 

 lars so long as the frost is not severe, let the air circulate 

 freely. Some farmers leave the smaller roots durintr the 

 winter into the soil in order to utilize their sprouts for 

 ever in the spring During winter German farmers give 

 their horses-which are not the less fatigued despite the 

 fewer hours of work-every week small portions of salt 

 mixed with oak bark, some juniper seeds, and wormwood 

 reduced to powder. In Saxony, an excellent practice pre- 

 vails, that of taking the chill off the water supplied stock • 

 frozen water often can be dangerous for cows in calf' 

 For milch cows that have to put up with a dry diet meal 

 .hinks are ever supplied in a tepid condition ; in the best 

 dairy districts of Holland, Delft and Kampen, and even 

 the once-celebrated Friesland, hay and linseed cake drinks 

 constitute the chief winter feeding. 



The beet-sugar factories are at full work, but complaints 

 are general that the yield of roots has been inferior this 

 season. Some fabricants are endeavouring to sell their sugar 

 in the crystallized granular form, such as America presents 

 her cane-sugar in the market. If the public accept the 

 new fashion, the fabricants will economize something in 

 expenses. s 



Touching the phylloxera, the insect continues to advance 

 only the more slowly, as it marches to colder zones The 

 precautions to check its progress are severe, but it gains 

 ground all the same. The vintage is terminated ; the vield 

 save some local deceptions, has not been bad. Commerce 

 is still slow to purchase new wines ; however, some trans- 

 actions for samples, under ten degrees of alcoholic strength 

 have been sold at 15 to 22 fr. per 22 gallons, above 10 

 degrees at 25 to 38 fr. 



Algeria bids fair to become a great wine-producing 

 ?° a ?££ 5,° r the area , 0f lts viue y a rds is increasing annually 

 *" }$m ^ 6re Were but 1,98 ° acres of ™ es in Algeria- 



£,r^ 77 * el ' e IT 33 ' 52 ,° acres - The area is nowtbout 

 50,000 acres, with a production of 350,000 hectolitres of 

 wine per annum. M. Leroy-Beaulieu, in his recent book 

 on colonization among the Arab tribes, says that should 

 the immunity from phylloxera which Algeria has hitherto 

 enjoyed continue, it would not be surprising if in ten vears' 

 time there were from 375,000 to 500,000 acres of vineyard 

 in the country, with an annual production of 150 to 175 

 million gallons. It is of course unlikely that Algerian wine 

 will, at all events for a long time to come, take the place 

 of any of the historic European brands; but it is probable 

 that it has a prosperous future before it for labelling 

 under other names which smell more sweet.— Straits Times 

 Rhea CuLTiVATioN.-It is now about fifteen years since 

 the Government of India offered R50,000 as prize for the 

 best machine for extracting the rhea fibre. As those sub- 

 mitted for the trial did not answer the required con- 

 ditions, the prize was withheld. Subsequent experiments 

 weremade from time to time aud lately during the Calcutta 

 Exhibition, but the results were doomed to disappoint- 

 ment \\ e now hear that the Gleurock Company of South- 

 ern India who have plenty of capital to go upon; with 

 such an able and enterprizing manager as Mr. Minchin 

 will spare no pams or trouble to render the experiment 

 successful. From figures published in a Madras paper, 

 it appears that £o ,s considered sufficient for the upkeep 

 It is, however, not only necessary that the machine should 

 be perfect in itself, but the rhea must be highly cultiv- 

 ated, in order to yield what is expected of it- it will 

 require much manure, as it is an exhausting crop, but the 

 market value being £30 a ton, a large margin is left to 

 fall back upon. The process of cleaning, according to an 

 estimate of Dr. Forbes Watson, will cost from £7 to £9 

 per ton An acre of the plant will produce 10 cwt of 

 clean fibre per annum. This at £15 would not leave much 

 profit Cultivation per acre £5. cleaning say £4 would 

 leave but little for freight and other incidental charges 

 Ine fibre to be profitable must give at least £30 an ac-e 

 — Indian Agriculturist. ' 



