910 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[June 



i 88 



D- 



PLANTING IN NETHERLANDS INDIA. 



(Translated for the "Straits Times.") 



By last advices the sugar cane disease known by 

 the name of Serch is steadily spreading from West 

 to East Java, the only means of checking its pro- 

 gress being to pull up and burn the diseased canes. 

 Scientific inquiry has hitherto failed to find out the 

 nature of the disease and has resulted so far in guess- 

 work at its causes, as is evident from a lengthy 

 report by Dr. Treub, a Government botanist, who 

 had been officially charged with carrying on researches 

 on the subject, specimens of diseased canes being sent 

 to him for examination and experiment. Among their 

 rootB he found an animal parasite which was most 

 numerous on the most diseased plants, but was 

 altogether absent from the roots of healthy canes, and 

 turned out to be a Heterodera of the same kind, but 

 much smaller, as the parasite which in Europe has 

 proved to be the cause of that degeneration in beetroots 

 ascribed at first to exhaustion of the soil. This para- 

 site called by Dr. Treub Uetcrodcra Javanica might 

 with almost absolute certainty be designated 

 as the cause of the Sereh disease, were it not that in 

 specimens of diseased cane preserved in spirits, and 

 other specimens received afterwards at Buitenzorg, 

 Heterodera Javanica was sought for in vain which may 

 be accounted for by the roots of the latter specimens 

 being too short, from the extreme ends more likely 

 to be parasite infested having been broken off. Dr. 

 Treub comes to the conclusion that even when it has 

 been conclusively made out what parasite brings on the 

 disease, there will be necessary not less difficult re- 

 searches into the habits, propagation, and spread of 

 this microscopic creature, before anything can be re- 

 commeuded with certainty as remedy for the disease. 

 Iu any case further iuquiiies will take months. 



CULTIVATION OF TEA, CINCHONA, &c, 



IN MALABAR, SOUTH INDIA. 



[To the Editor of the "Field.") 



Sir— Iu your issue of the 21st instant, I notice a 

 letter'from Mr. A. K. Hinde, anent the culture of various 

 promising products suitable to the Malabar and Wynaad 

 districts of Southern India, and this being a subject of 

 great interest aud importance, perhaps the following ad- 

 ditional details and estimates may prove of value to some 

 of your numerous readers. 



I have already given you my views regarding Rheea Iibre 

 cultivation, together with full estimates for bringing 1,000 

 acres into beariug ; consequently, airy further remark 

 regarding this valuable product would be superfluous, 

 beyond my endorsing Mr. Hinde's opinion that rheea cult- 

 ivation must pay on the fertile lauds in the Malabar and 

 Wynaad districts, particularly those lands situated imme- 

 diately on the slopes of the Western Ghauts. 



Regarding Tea. On the higher portions of the Nilgiri 

 Hills aud in the Wynaad, 400 lb. of tea per acre per annum 

 is looked upon as an excellent return ; but I think the 

 time has now arrived when the South Indian planters 

 should take the initiative from those of Oeylon, and 

 plant at lower elevations than they have hitherto attempted. 

 Taking into consideration the fact that some of the Oeylon 

 tea estates have yielded from 800 lb. to 1,0001b and even 

 so high as 1,200 lb. per acre per annum, Malabar and 

 Wynaad, with superior soil, facilities for manure, a cheaper 

 and more constant labour supply, to say nothing of the 

 forcing climate, should compare favourably with Ceylon, 

 even to the extent of exceeding these excellent results. 



Accordiug to Oeylon estimates, the up-keep charges are 

 put at 45 rupees per acre, exclusive of manuripg; but, as 

 I have advocated the system of liberal manuring, almost 

 trom the commencement, I have placed the up-keep 

 charges at 80 rupees per acre, and assuming these figures 

 tho cost of a pound of tea, should be as follows *- 



Cultivation... 

 Crop charges 

 Transport, packing, and 

 shipping... 



400 lb. 

 per acre, 

 an. pi. 



GOO lb. 

 per acre, 

 an. pi. 



C 2 



2 



800 lb. 



per acr e 

 an. pi. 



I 7 



1 6 



2 



Cost per lb. free on board 4 11 3 10 3 3 



The London charges, including freight, amount # to 4|d 

 per lb., which gives the gross cost as follows :— 



10£ 9J Si 



Valuing the tea at only Is per lb., the following table 

 will give results : — 



Oeaea Rubbek. — This valuable quick-growing rubber tree 

 has long since been acclimatized in India and Oeylon, 

 anil now its systematic culture in permanent plantations 

 is all that is required to insuro success from a commer- 

 cial point of view. It has been found to thrive admirably 

 when planted in rows about 12ft. apart, allowing about 300 

 trees to the acre, planted at this distance. After the fifth 

 or sixth year the following should be the lowest returns, 

 provided the trees Bre carefully tapped : — 



£ s. d. 

 Sixth year, 300 lb. rubber per acre, value, say 



3s per'b... ... ... ... 4fi 



Deduct cost of up-keep, supervision, &c. , per acre 8 



Profit per acre... ... ... 37 



Or, £3,700 per 100 acres after the sixth yoar. 



When it is observed that the above is irrespective of 

 any other crop, such as rheea or coffee, which might well 

 be cultivated under the shade between the rows, it will 

 bo seen that there is ample scope to enhance tho value 

 of the returns per acre. 



Cinchona. — The cultivation of cinchona in Wynaad has 

 been attended with considerable success of late, but 

 much remains to be done, especially in the matter of 

 planting those superior kinds, the barks of which are 

 known to bo superior iu yield of quinine. I am in poss- 

 ession of recent advice from the estate of a fried of 

 mine in Wynaad to the effect that the average results of 

 twenty-one trees not quite six years of age has proved 

 on chemical analysis, to be 11'31 crystallized sulphate of 

 quinine, which result, at tho prosent market rate of ten 

 pence per unit, represents the value of the bark at over 

 9s per lb. These trees are of the Ledgeriaua species, and 

 all information up to date indicates a most promising yield 

 for success to cultivators of Cinchona Ledgerinna in Wy- 

 naad. Plauting this valuable species on semi-abandoned 

 coffee estates, or on exposed land, has been, and will be 

 a failure ; and from this reason alone C Ledgeriaua has 

 acquired the reputation of being a delicate species ; but 

 on well sheltered and moderately rich virgin forest land, 

 or even planted amongst coffee, it ought to be cultivated 

 very successfully. 



I feel I cannot trespass further on your valuable space 

 by entering into any more detailed estimates, but I shall 

 be happy to forward them to any gentleman who may 

 feel interested in oinchona. Land in S. India has not been 

 so cheap for years, and iu some instances I have known 

 well-roaded estates over 1,U00 acres in extent, containing 

 considerable areas of good forest aud scrub land, including 

 well-built bungalow and estate buildings, sell for such 

 small sums as £2,000 and £3,000.— W.J. Kemp.— Fuld. 



