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THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[April i, 1885, 



b ark after such washing is a more certain barrier to 

 living enemies, because more elastic and less liable to 

 crack by the expausiou of growth or from the alternations 

 of temperature. 



Something can be done, too, by directly preventing 

 the development and dissemination of the spores. In 

 numerous cases the winter is passed only by spores on 

 or withiu dead leaves. Careful destruction of these may 

 assuredly be very helpful. If one has an isolated vineyard he 

 may do much toward freeing his Vines from fungus 

 depredations by burning affected fruit as discovered and 

 just before the leaves tail in autumn, pruning and burning 

 all refuse, then the following season frequently picking 

 off any diseased leaves, tendrils, fruit, &c., as the marks 

 appear. This has been practically tried with excellent 

 results ; but it takes some labour and eternal vigilance. 

 Knowing just how, where, and when to strike is im- 

 portant in any warfare, and advantages can frequently be 

 gaiued in the kind of struggle now in question. In some 

 localities Apple trees, especially certain kinds, are badly 

 afflicted with a fungus on the leaves and fruit, which 

 burrowing in the tissues causes a reddish or yellowish, 

 usually a swollen spot, from which finally appear numerous 

 cylindrical spore vessels, becoming with age fringed by 

 uplifting into threads. More or less injury is done accord- 

 ing to the number of infested areas, often, however, 

 utterly devastating the tree. This fungus (Gymno- 

 iporangia) has a regular alternation of growth on the 

 Apple tree and the Red, Cedar, forming on the latter balls 

 sometimes mistaken for the fruit of the tree. These balls 

 are an inch or more in diameter, and in May send out, 

 when soaked with rain, conspicuous yellow gelatinous 

 masses, which must have drawn the attention of all who 

 have had the opportunity of seeing them. The battle 

 would be a hard one against this species if fought only 

 on the Apple, but on the Cedar it is by no means so 

 difficult. The annually produced balls (galls) can be picked 

 off, if so desired, without great labour from one or a few 

 trees, or, what is still easier and more effectual, the 

 Cedars can be entirely destroyed and the Apple orchard 

 perfectly saved. Other such cases are known, and more 

 may be by proper investigations. It has been proved 

 that the rust of Wheat (Puccinia) has an alternate stage 

 on the Barberry, and the latter has in some places been 

 carefully rooteil out on this account. But facts show 

 that the Barberry cannot be essential to the develop- 

 ment of this fungus, for the latter prevails in regions 

 where the shrub is not present at all. Either the altern- 

 ation is not essential or something else answers the 

 place of the Barberry. Suppose this last to be the truth, 

 which indeed is most probable, and suppose this un- 

 known something to be as valueless to the farmer and 

 as readily extirpated as the Barberry, what benefit — 

 counted in money — would successful investigations confer ! 

 Is it not worthy of endeavour, fostered by governmental 

 or other aid ? And if so in one case, what shall we say 

 of the hundreds in which the demand for information 

 is still more urgent because less is already attained? — 

 Journal of Horticulture. 



Leaf-eating Ants. — Just round the house I at first 

 attempted to make a more formal flower garden, and, to 

 that end, planted countless Crotons, Jasmines, Hibiscus, 

 Eranthemums, Roses, Colcus, Lilies, and innumerable other 

 things. But at once an enemy came down on these. 

 This was the leaf-cutting ant (.Ecodema cephalotes), which 

 is the true and almost insurmountable obstacle to garden- 

 ing in these parts. Many stratagems did I try to prevent 

 the vast hosts of these small beings, which walk and 

 br'nr destruction chiefly at night. First cotton-wool was 

 titd round the stem of each plant, and this kept off the 

 ants until the wool, becoming soaked, was no longer 

 fibrous, after which the ants walked freely over it. Next 

 I tried to make a more durable minute fence roand each 

 plant by surrounding each with a strip of tin, the upper 

 edge of which had been cut into a very fire and long 

 fringe; but though if these were cut finely enough the 

 ants did not pass tliem, they failed by preventing the 

 plant from getting sufficient water round its crown. 

 Then I put wider circles of tin round each plant, and 

 put fresh tar ou these twice a week ; but this plan too. 



failed, partly because of the immense labour and consider- 

 able expense which it involved, and partly because the 

 successive coats of tar flowed down and clogged the 

 ground round the plants. Meanwhile, many attempts to 

 poison the enemy were made and failed. Calomel was a 

 delight to tbetu; arsenic seemed their favourite food; carb- 

 olic acid pleased them, if possible, still more; and 

 corrosive sublimate raised their spirits to perfectly terrible 

 heights. All these new food substances seemed but to 

 stimulate them to new exertions in the way of leaf- 

 cutting. At last, in despair, I determined to remove the 

 flower garden to a level space of ground by the side cf 

 the river after I had completely surrounded this with 

 a deep ditch, to be kept always full of water. Ants 

 apparently do not care to make their nests in the clay 

 soil such as that at the river side; and the ditch prevents 

 their making occasional raids into the new flower garden. 

 So the plants there are now doing well. At some future 

 time I may have something to report of them; but for 

 the present my concern is chiefly with the wild garden ou 

 the hill.— E. Iai Thukn, British Guiana.— Gardeners' Chronicle. 

 Gas Lime for Mossy Land. — On grass lands, where moss 

 exists, gas lime is one of the best and cheapest remedial 

 agents. According to the nature of the growth of the 

 moss, it may be used either neat or mixed with soil. 

 AVhen used in its r.eat state it will not only take off the 

 moss, but leave the land bare of vegetation, but the grass 

 will return the following spring, sweet and good, and 

 free from the moss. Where land is beginning to show 

 traces of mossy growth, the best plan is to mix in the 

 autumn equal parts of gas lime and soil — road scrapings 

 will do. Turn it, and then apply in the following spring. 

 Many parks, in the hands of gentlemen and noblemen, if 

 treated in this way, would carry double the quantity of 

 live stock they do at present.— Land and Water. 



Manuring. — A question often occurs as to the amount 

 of manuring which is most profitable to apply to land. 

 A light dressing over a wide surface is by some believed 

 to be best, while others insist on heavy manuring on a 

 limited area. The question is answered by the manner in 

 which the manure is applied. If merely spread on the 

 surface and ploughed in, a wide and thin coat would be 

 most profitable. A large mass would not become inter- 

 mixed with the soil, and in a dry season might be worse 

 than useless. Five thin coats, ploughed under in as many 

 successive years, would be much better than one coat five 

 tines as thick simply turned under at one operation. A 

 large amount may be applied in a single season, provided 

 it is first finely broken and pulverised, and then intim- 

 ately intermixed with the soil by repeated ploughing aid 

 harrowing, or on a small scale with the spade, hoe, and 

 steel rake. — land and Water. 



Agricultural Education.— We reprint the following 

 letter from the Times because it is as applicable in its 

 way to horticulture as to agriculture, and the principles 

 are the same in either case : — " A number of meetings 

 have recently been held in Oxfordshire and Bucking- 

 hamshire with a view to the establishment of night 

 classes during the winter for teaching the scientific 

 principles of agriculture. There is a growing opinion among 

 the more educated young men that agriculture requires 

 something besides commissions and inquires and fair 

 trade. It has been estimated that the annual waste from 

 careless and unskilful methods of managing manure 

 amouuts to nearly £5,000,000. Add to this the want of 

 knowledge in the purchase of artificial manures and their 

 application, the waste of feeding stuffs, the odd pieces 

 and corners of fields that might grow other things beside 

 rank weeds anil Couch-grass, and the waste of time in 

 going to markets, auctions, and fairs. No industry can 

 afford this general waste without difficulties, nor will any 

 reduction of reut or local taxation, or increased price of 

 Wheat, do anything for men who make no effort to 

 improve their industry by increased scientific kuowledge. 

 The natural history of the wireworm, the leather-jacket, 

 the dissolving of bones, the building up of plants, the 

 judicious mixing of food, and many other things which 

 farmers would be the better for knowing, can never 

 be acquired bv what is called practical farming. I would 

 commend these classes to the consideration of the clergy 

 and all who take interest in the welfare and education 

 of young meu in rural districts, " — Gardeners' Chronicle, 



