726 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[March 2, 1885. 



ANALYSIS OF TOBACCO LEAVES. 



Province of Production. 



Nagato. Shimozuki. Settsu. )suuri. 

 Percent. Percent. Percent. Percent. 



Water- - - 

 Ash - - - 

 Nicotine - - 

 Acetic acid - 

 Oxalic .. 

 Malic „ 

 Citric „ 

 Pectic ,, 



■ 6-41 



■ 15-76 



245 

 005 



■ trace 



■ 079 

 • 0-52 



124 



10-01 

 8-45 

 3-02 

 0-04 

 027 

 102 

 0-59 

 5-84 



763 

 20-71 

 392 

 001 

 0-25 

 1-83 

 0-92 

 7-42 



13-18 

 9-80 

 1-89 

 00S 



trace 

 2-98 

 089 

 2-35 



THE HOOT* 



Introducing the subject. Mr. Ward requested his andienee 

 to dismiss expectations or apprehensions of marvellous 

 descriptions of tropical or rare roots on the one hand, or 

 lists of the peculiarities of various kinds of roots, or so- 

 called roots, on the other. The object was to show, as 

 well as time permitted, how much valuable information 

 could be derived from careful study of a common root, 

 and that this information is important alike to botanists 

 and agriculturists, as is so much other which they have 

 in common. 



The germination of a seed was then shortly described 

 and fully illustrated (as was the lecture throughout) by 

 diagrams, and showed that the young root proceeds to 

 enter the soil to fulfil the purposes for which it has be- 

 come adapted — viz., to hold the rest of the plant, and to 

 absorb water and dissolved food matters in the soil. The 

 curious properties of the tip of the root were then 

 examined,. It is sensitive to various influences, turning 

 towards the centre of the earth with marked persistence. It 

 also avoids the light and tends towards a^moist curface ; 

 but, strangest of all, perhaps, are its sensitive actions towards 

 solid bodies and irritants, and its curious rocking movements. 

 Sometime was employed in shortly describing these matters, 

 and showing how they probably aid the tip to enter the soil. 



The structure of the firm, rigid, and even elastic tip, 

 and its protective cap, was then sketched, stress being laid 

 on the fact that such a body could not possibly serve as 

 an absorptive organ, but that it is admirably adapted for 

 beiug steadily pushed between the particles of soil, aided 

 by its guiding sensitiveness to various influences, its tend- 

 ency to slightly rock on all sides, slippery surface, and 

 concial shape. The elongation of cells behind pushes this 

 tip slowly and steadily forward with relatively enormous 

 force. This point explained, the lecturer then proceeded 

 to show how root-hairs arise in millions on the parts 

 which have ceased to elongate — an obvious adaptation, 

 which prevents their being rubbed off as the rest of the 

 root moves forward. 



A still more beautiful adaptation to the same end was 

 shown in the origin and development of the rootlets, 

 which arise beneath the surface of the elongating roots, 

 to come out when the part has ceased to move forwards, 

 hence employing the time but avoiding the danger. The 

 efficient distribution of root-hairs and rootlets was com- 

 mented upon, showing how every crevice of the soil is 

 successively explored from the central roots, the rootlets 

 reacting differently as regards gravitation from the prim- 

 ary root. The mode in which root-hairs attach them- 

 selves to particles of sand, slate, &c, in the soil, glueing 

 themselves to their surfaces, was described, and then Mr. 

 Ward shortly explained their action in absorbing the aerated 

 water and its dissolved salts. 



The clear evidence of adaptation in structure and function 

 to the environment was touched upon; the author pointing 

 out that the historical matters here concerned, and the 

 comparison of a large series of forms would take several 

 lectures, but would be quite conclusive as to the struggle 

 for existence which roots have undergone before they earned 

 their present rights as dwellers in the land. — Hardeners' 

 Chronicle. 



* Abstract of a lecture delivered before the Manchester 

 Horticultural Society, November 6, 1884, by H. Marshall 

 Ward. M.A., Assistant Lecturer in Botany at the Owen 

 College, 



foreign forest produce. 



Woods and forests seem attracting especial attention 

 this year. In the report on the Russian forests, the various 

 kinds of trees found in the country are treated of rather 

 fully, and the limit of each kind given in detail. Under 

 the head " Industries iu Wood" some very interesting facts 

 are recorded ; thus in referring to carriage and cart build- 

 ing it is stated that a vehicle is seldom finished off on 

 the spot: one village will provide the spokes for the wheels, 

 another the boxes, another will make the body for the 

 cart. Another great industry is that of wooden spoons, 

 of which about 126,000,000 are annually made. Iu the same 

 way are the spoons finished off : one will cut the wood 

 into lengths, another shape the spoon in the rough, another 

 hollows it out, and at last it passes into the hands of the 

 varnisher. The spoons are generally made of Birch, Poplar, 

 and from the dust of Boxwood. One cubic fathom of wood 

 makes about 4,000 spoons ; a man can make ISO iu a day. 

 The average price per 1,000 is from C to 8 roubles, and 

 about 3,200 cubic fathoms of wood are annually used for 

 this purpose. They are exported, via Tibet, to Khiva, 

 Bouchara, and via Astrakan to Persia. 



Yokes are mostly made in the Government of Kazan, of 

 Elm and Willow. Three workmen iu u family are calcul- 

 ated to produce from 700 to 1,000 in the course of the 

 winter. From the bark of the Alder tree a green dye is 

 extracted, with which they are stained. Their principal 

 markets are in Simbirsk and Samara. In Tula concertinas 

 are made to the extent of 250,000 yearly; and in the 

 Government of Viatka, besides concertinas, organs and 

 violins are also made. Besides these and many other 

 branches of industry in timber itself, an important trade 

 is done in the bark of the Lime tree. From this material 

 more than 100,000,000 pairs of bast shoes are made annually, 

 each pair requiring three-fourths of the bark of a young 

 tree. Au immense quantity of bast is used also in making 

 matting and sacks, and it is estimated that this industry 

 considerably exceeds 2,000,000 roubles a year. Iu Viatka 

 alone 500,000 Lime trees are cut down annually for this 

 purpose, and 900,000 mats and 600.000 sacks made annually. 

 The best matting is called " Schangskaia," and is largely 

 exported to England. Tar, pitch, turpentine, birch oil, and 

 charcoal are also large and important products of the 

 Russian forests. 



Under the heading "Plantations along Railways," some 

 careful details are given of the extent to which this has 

 been carried, with the object of protecting the track from 

 snowdrifts. On the railways where it has been tried it 

 has been very successful, so that it is proposed to carry 

 it out more generally. Seven rows of plants have been the 

 rule, some of trees and some of shrubs. The following 

 plants it seems have been most successful: — Elm, Ash, Oak, 

 white and yellow Acacia, Lime, Maple, Whitethorn, Ekeag- 

 nus hortensis, Hazel, wild Plum (Prunus spiuosa), Gledi- 

 tschia, Mulberry. Amorpha fruticosa, Ligustrum vnlgare, 

 Sambucus. &c. These have for the most part been planted 

 in an unfruitful soil in dry exposed places, but have never- 

 theless done well. Along the Tunic Railway, Government 

 ol Oharkoff, the Pine (Pinus sylvestris) has been planted 

 and flourishes, and at Karlowka, in the Government of 

 Poltava, it grows on the open steppe. 



For fixing the sand plains at Aleschki, on the Dneiper, 

 the Government has p'anted largely Salix acutifolia, Genista 

 tinctoria, Ulex europ;eus, Prunus spinosa, and Pinus marit- 

 ima. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 



Fuire FRQM Pi-KUAuiA. — At the list meeting of the 

 Linnean Society Rome cloth was shown made in China 

 from the fibre of this plant, which was very tough and 

 strong. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 



Bhoussa Tea. — At the last meeting of the Linnean 

 Society Mr. W. T. Tkiselton Dyer showed a specimen of 

 Tea made at Broussa from the leaves of Vaccinium 

 arctostaphylos. So close was the resemblance and fragrance 

 to that of ordinary Tea, that the customs' authorities re- 

 fuse' I to allow the samplejto pass without paying the duty 

 as Tea. The quality of the infusion was stated not to be 

 good. Mr. Bennett alluded to the use of Ledum leaves in 

 Canada for like, purposes. It is hoped that Dr. Schorlem- 

 mer will analyse the leaves both of the Vaccinium and 

 the Ledum to ascertain whether thein or any allied alkaloid 

 be present. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 



