August i, 1885.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



145 



ANALYSIS OF KAINWATEI! FROM DIKOYA 

 BY MR. JOHN HUUIIK8, F. C. S. 

 Planters' Association of Ceylon, Kandy, 



lUth July ISSo. 

 Sir, — I beg to enclose for publication correspond- 

 ence with Mr. John Hughes, P.O. s, wi^h his inter- 

 esting report ot' the analysis of a sample of rain- 

 water collected by Mr. Giles F. Walker of D:koya 

 during the south-west monsoon of 1884. — I am, sir, 

 yours faithfully, A. PHILIP, Secretary. 



Planters' Association of Ceylon, Kaudy, 15th April 18b5. 

 John Hughes, Esq., r.c.s., ^Vnalytic.il Laboratory, 79, Mark 

 Lane, London. 



Dear Sir, — Keferriug to your letter of the Utli May last, 

 I beg to enclose steamer receiiDt for a caFO containing rain- 

 water collected by Mr. Giles F. Walker of Dikoya during 

 the -south-we^t niousoon of 1SS4. 



filr. AValkcr remarks, that, as this monsoon was so very 

 mild compared with what the soutli-west generally is, the 

 analysis of this water, he fears, will not fairly show tlie 

 amount of salts we get when we have persistent heavy 

 winds from oft' the sea for days together. But, as, owing 

 to the unusually light rainfall, it has taken a great many 

 days to give tho amount of water required the analysis will 

 be useful for comparison with that of the rainwater last 

 sent by him, which was collected on only eighteen days as 

 against fifty-seven this time. I annex table of rainfall dur- 

 ing the period in which tho water was collected for your in- 

 formation, should you consider the analysis of the sample of 

 practical value for the purposes in view. — I am, dear sir, 

 yours faithfully, (Signed) A. Philip. 



Jititn-icater 6 bottles — about I gallon, collected at St. John 

 Del Key, Bogawantalawa, Ceylon, by Giles F. Waker. Elev- 

 ation about 4,.300 feet above sea-level. 



The water was collected duiingthe S. W. monsoon be- 

 tween loth July and 2nd Oct. the rainfuU being as follows : — 



1384.— July 15th -44 inches, 16th -05, 17th -17, ISth -03, 

 23rd -2.5, 24th -07, 2oth -03, 2Sth -04, 2Sth -05, 29th -06, and 

 30th -02 inches ; August 2nd -40, ord -50, 4th 29, 5th -10, 

 6th -38, 7th -30, 8th -53, 9th -36, 10th -10, 11th -26, 12th -07, 

 19th -05, 20th -24, 21st ■11,22nd -25, 23rd -15, 24th -23, 25th 

 •50, 26th 1-14, 27th -CO, 28th -30, 29th -12, 30th -19 

 and 31st -04 inches; September 1st -52, 2nd 'OS, 3rd -14, 

 7th -06, 8th -47, 9th •24,10th -iO. 11th -04, 14tl; -08, 15th 

 ■08,17th -56, I8th -60, 19th 1-82, 20th ■12, 21.st ^12, 22ud^l8, 

 23rd -02, 25th ■07,28th -05 and 29th 02 inches ; October 1st 

 11, and 2nd ^07 inches. Total 13^97 inches. 



Remnrhs. — The S. W. monsoon 'Hiring 18S4 has been ex- 

 ceptionally mild, the rainfall having been much below the 

 average, and high strong winds only occasionally prevailing, 

 end then but for short period. (Signel) Gn.EsF. Walker. 



To the Secretary of the Oeyloj PUuters' Association. 



Analytical Laboratory, 79 Mark Lane, London, E. C. 



June 12th, 1885. 



A. Philip, E.sq. Kandy.— Dear Sir, — I have much pleasure 

 in sending you the results of my analysis of the six 

 bottles of rainwater sent by Mi'. G. Walker and referred to 

 in your letter of the 15th April 



From the interesting particulars of the daily rainfall 

 which you have forwarded, it appears that the sample 

 analysed represents the rain registered between the 16th 

 July and 2ud of October a period of TO d^ys and amounting 

 in all to 13 97 inches. Ot this the greater portion was 

 made up of small showers varying from 02 of an inch to 

 ■60 except on August 20th when 114 was recor<led, and on 

 September 19th when 1'82 was re^isiered. Tho analysis 

 (hows that the water so collected was not specially rich in 

 ammonia compounds, while the niimTal salts, usually 

 brought by the burstsot the S. W. mimsoon, are not at all 

 considerable, as indicated by the sniill quantity of chloride 

 of sodium. Indeed most of the mineral matter consisted ot 

 finely divided earthy matters which in the form of dust 

 natur.'^Ily mu-^t get into the receiving vessels during so long 

 a period as 79 days I should like to know whether Mr. 

 Walker has made any notes respecting the prevalence of 

 thunder during the time this sample w.is being collected. 



From the absence of nitric acid in appreciable quantities, 

 I am led to conclude that there was not much thunder 

 between the dates of collection named above, but I should 

 be glad of information on tbis point, The question of how 



19 



iax leaves have the power of absorbing nitrogen from the 

 atmo.sphere has recently had some new light contributed 

 through the valuable researches of Jlr. AV. O. Atwater of 

 Middletown, Oonnoctient, who maintains that some ex- 

 periments made by himself clearly prove that electncili/ 

 exerci.ses a most important etfuct in promoting the assimi- 

 lation cf/;-tc nitrogen by plants. I may add that if 

 further experiments confii'm Mr. Atwater's results, we may 

 assume that the absence of electricity in the oxpeiimeuts 

 of Boussingault, Pngh and others may probably explain 

 their failure to solve this important problem, an j to fully 

 understand how the atmcsphere which consists of 4-5ths of 

 nitrogen should be the original source of .supply to the whole 

 vsgetable world of the most important element of food.— 

 Believe me, yours faithfully, (Signed) JOHN HUGHES. 



Analysis of a Sample of Kain Water sent by Mr. Gilas 

 Walker of Del liey Estate. Bogawantalawa, Ceylon. 

 Elevation about 4,300 feet above sea level collected during 

 the S. W. moiifoou between 15th July 1884, and 2nd Oct. 

 Total rainfall 13-97 inches. 



An Imjierial Gallon contains on evaporation solid 



residue dried at 

 Consisting of 



Organic and "^'olatile matters 

 Mineral matters 



Un at = 2^89 grains. 

 Per gallon. Per acre per' 

 every inch of rain 



1-63 = 5-204 lb. 



r26 = 4^069 „ 



Grams 2-89 = 9-333 „ 

 Also by direct determination: — 



Containing Free Ammonia ■OOl grains 1= -003 lb. 



Albuminied Ammonia ... -009 „ s: ^029 



Chloride of Sodium ... -217 ,' c '700 ',| 



This water appears to have been most carefully collected 

 and preserved for analysis free from any large quantity 

 of extraneous matters. It contains very little ammonia and 

 no appreciable quantity of nitric acid. The proportion 

 of mineral salts is also very small, though somewhat more 

 than in the sample reported in November 1883. 



(Signed) John Hughes. 



PLANTING IN NETHERLANDS INDIA : 

 DELI, BORNEO, MACASSAR. 

 By last advices from Macassar coffee leaf-disease 

 has appiand in the nonhern distriois ot that pro. 

 vince which had been hitherto almost exempt fran it. 

 Messis. Van den Bossche, Meuteu and De Meyer, 

 as well as the N. I. S. N. Company and the Factory 

 of the Netherlands Trading Company have, on ap- 

 plication, been granted have by Govtrn^nent to secure 

 concefsions from the native authoiities in ICaat IJoruco 

 for working coal mines, without havirg to refund to 

 Government the oxpeiiscs attending oliicial survey 

 of the mining .'election.', and with permission 

 to stipulate with the native chiefs for exemption from 

 impoit and export duties. No limit is even fi.\-ed tu 

 the area of land selected, jjrovided it be proved that 

 ixteneiou of the boundaries of the selections is called 

 for to further mining operatioi s, tlie limit hitherto 

 being 2,000 hectares or 4,940 acres. These unusually 

 favourable conditions arc aicribcd to powerful ii;flueiico 

 having beuu brought to bear at the Hague in favour 

 of the oouccssioraries. 



Mr. J. T. Uremer, in an article in a Puloh Macaz'iio 

 on Kling coolie immigration into Deli, thus poin'a 

 out how it is that the abovenuncioued class of labour 

 is in demand there ;— For tobacco groninj', propeily 

 BO called, Chinese coolies are unsurpasatd, Their 

 wages are in a great measure dependent on their 

 zeal and care which can oily be gaugeel after 

 the Clip has been gathered in. Their calcula'- 

 ing turn of mind prompts thera in hope of lii^h pay 

 to bring under cultivation as much land as pofsil le, 

 for this purpose to work at the land in the cool of 

 the night by moonlight, to lay tfce'r nurseries care- 

 fully out, and put the young plants out judiciru-ily, 

 to clear the g.owing crops of caterpillars and suckers j 

 in short to do ever.\thiDg in their power to turn ouc 

 »3 high a yield as poesibk of the Oe»t 'luality, Ex. 



