35S 



fHS TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, [Nov. 2, 1885. 



(iardeiis" but tlie plauts now beiug raised are from , 

 seeds and cuttings of a young jilant received la 

 November lSti3, f-om Ootacarauud, which has grown j 

 and seeded freely. A very powerful anesthetic agent 

 found in the leaves has lately brought the plant into j 

 notice, and enquiries have been addressed to Europe i 

 as to the method of preparation. The extract of the 

 leaves relferred to, is said to be likely to become ol 

 \'ery great importance to facilitate a certain class of 

 surgical operations. The dried leaves were not i 

 obtainable in Loudon when the last mail left at ten 

 shillings per pound; the extract from the green 

 leaves was selling at ten shillings an ounce, and 

 the alkaloid had been as high as twenty two shillings 

 and six pence per gramme. 



Crotoii 0(!.— A thousand croton seeds were obtained 

 from Oeylon, but though many germinated' and pro- 

 mised well all died during the rains. This valuable 

 medicinal plant ought to grow well in the Gardens, 

 as many of its near relatives do, but so far all 

 attempts to induce it to do so have failed. 



.U„lw/<uii/.— On a reference from Government, a 

 report was' prepared and submitted recapitulating as 

 far as possilile the information possessed by the 

 Society regarding the introduction and growth of 

 Mahogany in this Presidency. 



Little was unfortunately done during the past year 

 in distributing the tree. Though seed was asked 

 for from .Jamaica direct* none was received. Two 

 parcels containing 3,100 seeds were received from 

 Calcutta, but, as is usual when the voyage is in any 

 way prolonged, nearly all had lost their vitahty, 

 and 40 plauts only were raised in spite of every 

 care. 



By actual experience it has been found that a 

 very much larger proportion of Mahogany seeds reach 

 Madras without losing tbeir vitidity when sent in bags 

 by post, direct from the West Indies, than when sent in 

 casks first to London and there transhipped. It tor 

 some reason it be more convenient to send the seed 

 in casks, it would probaldy tnn-\ with greater safety 

 if tightly packed in soil to prevent shaking and 

 excessive dryage. 



Nothing has yet been decisively ascertained to 

 explain why the Society's old Mahogany trees which 

 flower so freely bear no fruit. . 



A small parcel of seed of Sapiitdas sapoiiana, iHe 

 berrv of which is used for soap, was received trom 

 Jtr Morris, Jamaica, but only one plant survives. 

 Nothing mori^ has been heard of the success or 

 lailure of the Society's attempts to introduce the 

 handsome American Cat al pas. The young plant raised 

 and presented to the garden by T. (.ovrada Row, 

 );si|., mentioned in last report, died. 



rianls nV llic Australiun Salt Hush, .-llrlj'/cr nitm- 

 inidiirki are to be si*n growing well in the gardens,- 

 but they have as yet shown no signs ol sowing 

 their own seed or otherwise proMdmg lor taking 

 care of themselves, which is required before they 

 tan be said to be successfully introduced. 



Seed of l\nt.via u.f/aUi, Australian "Sheep-bush," 

 was again written for and received from Adelaide, 



but did not succeed. . 



Araciuhii which has been long enquired for was 

 again written for, but not received. 



A spleuded coUectiont of seeds was^ received from 

 Kew in July, large numbers of which germinatt'il, 

 hut were caught in the critical seedling stage by 

 the bad weather. Many, however, survive, and it is 

 still hoped that we may succeed in rearing numerous 

 valualile acquisitions from amongst them. 



Manv fine batAcs of seeds have been received 

 fr<m. he Neilgherry Hills, particularly from Charles 

 [ r V Fsq , ctonoor, which have been sent to, eorre- 

 fluomieuts u other parts ot the world, par icularly 

 to Kew, Australia, and Natal, where it is believed 

 they are especially welcome. 



» Vide Vol, III, New Series, 405, 

 + Rde Vol III. New Series, page 414, 



Affciicy. — Etforts were as usual made to comply 

 with all demands on the Society made by both 

 members and others in Madras, and at a distance, 

 to act as agents to engage gardeners, and obtain garden- 

 ing and agricultural books and implements. Many 

 tools were made for sale and to order in the Gardens. 



CULTIA'ATION OF THE GllAPE VINE IN 



NOKTH OEYLON. 



(C ommv.iUcutid.) 



A good number ot your readers know that Jatt'iii 

 is famous for its grapes. The grapes are rips in 

 May .and September. The cultivation of the grape- 

 vine requires as careful study aud attention as any 

 other delicate plant. A grape-vine, carefully attended 

 to, bears at the first year. To those who wish to 

 cultivate the grape-vine, the following may be useftil :— 



1, You should be careful to select your plant out 

 ot the sweet vine. There are two kinds of grapes 

 in Jaffna. One of a greenish colour aud sour, however 

 ripe the fruit may be. The fruit is also not so Large 

 as that of the sweet vine. The fruit of the sweet 

 vine is of a hght bluish colour. The seed could be 

 seen through the rind when the fruit is perfectly ripe. 

 It is as large as au ordiuary marble. The plant is 

 obtained by buryiug one of the branches. 



i'. The pit, before you plant your vine. shouM be 

 well manured, at least three or four months previously 

 It should be about the depth of 10 or 12 feet and 

 8 to 10 feet in breadth. The manure to be useil is 

 cowdung. The vine does not thrive when other 

 manure is used. After the vine is planted a circle 

 about four feet in radius should be made round it, 

 so as to hold the water that is let in. It sbouhl then 

 be watered twice a day, till the pit becomes a muddy 

 pool. If it is not done so, the plant dies on account 

 of the heat arising from the manure. 



3. After the plant has sent out its branches, ami 

 these begin to creep, the next thing it requires is a 

 platform. This is ordinarily made out of Palmirah 

 timbers ; and several plauts could lie allowed to creep 

 on one. It should not be very high ; a man s height 

 would be quite sufficient; so that a m'n could stand 

 underneath and pick out the bugs and caterpillers, 

 that may eat up the leaves. 



4. The mouths for iiruning are January and .July. 

 The pruning is generally done ou a new moon. Tin- 

 uruning coujists in cutting olt the secondaries or thin 

 branches ou which tlure are leaves. The primaries or 

 thick branches should uot be cut. After the pruning 

 the iirape vine aupears quite bare, with only jealless 

 branches spread out on the platform. What the vine 

 then wants is manuring. This is done by digging out 

 the soil, from the pit, and exposing the roots ^ ou 

 should be careful that the roots, especially the tap 

 or main root shoald not be cut, while digging ; ana 

 water should not be then let in at all. After allow- 

 ing the roots to be exposed and well dried, the pit 

 is then to be filled with manure, and covered up with 

 soil The manure as I have said before, should be 

 cow-dung, which ought to be dry aud well-powdered 

 before it is used. Uorse dung, ashes and other man- 

 ures are destructive to the vine. After the manure 

 is put in, vou shovdd let ill water twice a day, once 

 in the mor\iing, at sunrise, aud once in the evening; 

 at sunset, till the pit becomes a muddy pool. Manur- 

 ing once a year iu July is quite siirticieut. 



'-, The grape vine requires exposure to the sun, and 

 should not be planted where other trees ca.st their 

 shadow. Coconut and Palmirah trees are destructive 

 to the grape vine as they send out their roots, and 

 hinder the roots of the grape vine from si'";a'b"ff- 



Lastiv care should be taken that no rubbish or 

 fishy substance be left to accumulate m the pit, where 

 the" vine is planted. 



If careful attention be paid to the planting, man- 

 uring and pruning of the grape-vme, it « sure to 

 , growweU, ami be remuuerative--' Ceylon Patnot. ' 



