June i, 1885.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



92S 



on mature tea, shade is a mistake and retards flushing. It 

 is true that the natural habitat of the tea tree is forest, 

 hut under the unnatural conditions in which it is grown in 

 tea gardens, close planting gives tho necessary shade to the 

 soil, while the buds and shoots are well exposed to light aud 

 air which stimulates growth of foliage, or flushes. Again at 

 certain times of the year, aud the larger part of each day, 

 the shadow of the tree at all times rather indefinite actually 

 does not fall around the stem where tho benefit is seen, 

 hut away from and beyond this particular area. 



So that on all accounts, " shade " may be laid 

 aside as a cause. The question of " drainage " has 

 been alluded to above, and is equally unlikely 

 as a cause. Not only is there nothing specially not- 

 able in the appearance, position or arraugement, of the 

 roots or rootlets of this tree in particular, but the benefit 

 seen is often at the edge of a khud, as well as on open 

 slopes, or flat land. The mode in which such drainage 

 could act is also never indicated, whether as drawing 

 moisture towards itself or assisting in its escape. Thus 

 " drainage,'' as we understand the term, seems inadequate 

 as a cause also. 



Fertilization of the soil around from the decay ot the 

 fallen leaves seems a far more likely cause for the 

 heuefit we see, aud it is well kuown that in this respect 

 all trees are not alike. But even here we see peculia- 

 rities in the case that make us pause— peculiarities that are 

 very definite and that cannot be evaded tending to shew that 

 this also is not the cause we seek. For instance it seems that 

 long years after the stem and branches of the tree have 

 been removed, aud the fall of foliage ceased, the effect 

 of the tree is obvious, and it has been said that the good 

 effect due to fertilization may remain. If the question 

 remained in this stage, it is likely enough that this solution 

 would be accepted and that the fall and decay of the 

 foliage of this tree would be considered the cause of the 

 good arising from it. But it seems that where Saw seedlings 

 have been put out in part of a " tea nursery," the stimul- 

 ating effect of the Saw was very clearly marked, and that 

 portion far exceeded in vigor and growth the portions 

 where there were no Saw seedlings; as all of these aud 

 the tea was but one year old, it is obvious that decay of 

 fallen foliage seems to be also inadmissible. 



Lastly, it is urged that perhaps the Saw roots, in as- 

 similating certain substances, may set free others specillye 

 beneficial to tea. Steps are beiug taken to prove whetha' 

 the effect is due to decay of foliage, by planting Saw 

 seed with tea in a nursery, every fourth bed having Saw 

 plants. The result is looked forward to with interest. It 

 is also proposed to plant out if possible seedlings of the 

 other trees that are closely allied to the Saw among 

 nurseries, so as to see whether they shew a similar influence. 

 That the Medeloa, has an equally good effect has been 

 observed for some years. 



The trees belonging to this group are :— 



1. Saw (or KalaSiris), Alhizzia stipulata. 



2. Koroi (or Moroi),v(. (Moiutisimn. 



3. Hirih, Siris, or Sirisha, A. Lebbek, (probably). 

 '1. Moj, said to be Iiigo biyemma. 



5. Medeloa, said to be Acacia Elata. 

 — Indian Planters' Gazette. 



AMERICAN COMPETITION IN QUININE. 



The following important information is from the 

 Cliemist and Druggist of April 15th : — 



Our American correspondence shows that very shortly 

 tho present condition of the quiuiue trade both in 

 Europe and the United States may be seriously 

 affected by energetic competition from that side. From 

 figures published in Mr. D. C. Robins' Review of the 

 Drug trade of New York, it appears that during 

 the past six years the importations of quinine into that 

 port have increased nearly five-fold, namely, from 

 228,000 oz. in 1879 to 1,'JG3,000 oz. in 18S4. In the 

 same period the importatioi] of bark has correspondingly 

 declined. In other words, since the removal of the 

 duty on quinino American manufacturers have gradu- 

 ally relinquished their attempts to compete with 



European works. What are the normal rates of profit 

 on it is a very close secret, but it has seemed evident 

 that they were not great enough to balanco the 

 extra duties which Americans have to pay on all 

 their raw materials, on all their utensils, and, con- 

 sequent on their fiscal system, on all the labour they 

 have to employ. But ot late they have shown signs 

 of impatience at foreign domination in this matter. 

 Domestic manufacturers have taken the initiative in 

 reducing prices. A new factory is being set up in 

 New York with plenty of money and experience 

 to support it, and we are confidently informed that 

 not only is it intended to meet the foreign product 

 on equal terms in the great market of the West, but 

 that an invasion of this hemisphere may certainly 

 be relit d on. The policy talked of is that they 

 will even sejl at a loss on this side with a view of 

 " persuading " Continental and other makers to drop 

 the American markets. We shall behold with 

 equanimity auy such competition, as the result must 

 be to ben fit ecousumers and to stimulate trade. 

 From the notice of Mr. Robbius' report we quotes 

 as follows : — 



There is one important feature in this valuable 

 report which may have an important elfect on the 

 future of the quinine market here. The falling- off in 

 the importations of cinchona bark has assumed large 

 proportions ; for instance, the imports of cinchona 

 bark into New York for the year ending December 

 31st 1S84, were S,150 bales, agaiust 11,250 in 1883 

 28,000 in 1S82, 31,700 in 18S1 and 32,800 in 18S0 ; 

 while the imports of quinine have been steadily in- 

 creasing, being for the past six years, each ending 

 June 30th, as follows : — 



oz. oz. 



1884 ... 1,263,732 | 1881 ... 40S.851 

 1883 ... 1,055,764 1880 ... 416,998 

 1882 ... 794,495 I 1879 ... 228,348 



It is understood that American manufacturers are 

 resolved to make a vigorous effort to reverse the 

 condition of things indicated by the Ggures just 

 quoted, and we regret that iu this pamphlet Mr. 

 Kobhins does not touch on this important point, as, 

 from his association with the only quinine factory 

 in New York, his views would be of interest. 

 Messrs. Robbius, whom we consulted in New York 

 ate one of the two or three linns controlling tho 

 Hark and Quinine trade in America. 



Tki.ueniya, 6th May.— The May number of the 

 Tropical Agriculturist to baud : as usual, it is highly 

 interesting and full of valuable in format inn. I hope 

 the Ceylon public fully appreciate it ami that its circ- 

 ulation is large and increasing. It is not every colony 

 cau boast of a periodical like it. I trust the younger 

 members of the planting community especially value 

 it. I entirely agree with one of your correspondents 

 that it should belong to every estate library. 



The Origin of Ceylon Graphite (Plumbago). — Mr. 

 W. King of the Geological Survey of India, 

 and one of the most experienced and able of living 

 Geologists so far as India and the East are concerned, 

 is good enough to write with reference to a recent 

 discussion which he has seen iu his copy of the II a I. hi 

 Observer, as follows : — "You were all rightabout the 

 Graphite, with that querist 'R.' Your graphite as far 

 as is known occurs only in the gneisses : and those of 

 Ceylon aud Southern India are ' as old as the hills/ which 

 age is past counting even in geological time. The 

 gneisses were in all probability sedimentary rocks 

 in their youth : aud the vegetable remains they most 

 likely coutained became graphite. In those days the 

 vegetation of the laud which now exists as the 

 fundamental rock of Ceylon was perhaps as luxuriant 

 as that of Southern Ceylon is now," 



