January 1, 1886.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



4C1 



separation of tlic aqueous particles of the sap from 1 

 the soli'l particles that were dissolved in it. to the j 

 deposition thus effected of various earthy aud other 

 substances, either introduced into plants, as silex aud 

 metallic salt«, or formed there, as the vegetable 

 alkaloids to the extrication of nitrogen, and probably 

 to other causes as yet unknown, that the formation 

 of the peculiar secretions of plants of whatever 

 kind is owing. Aud this is brought about principally, 

 if not exclusively, by the ageucy of light." This 

 idea or theory is directly opposed to the Professors 

 who distinctly lays down that the sap is elaborated 

 before it reaches the leaves and is exposed to the ; 

 light. He proceeds to exemplify his theory by facts. 

 In the year 1^32, being in charge of a Conserv- 

 atory, he trained twelve Black Uambourg vines in 

 the following manner : — The stems were outside the 

 bouse, the roots in a rich border, at three feet from 

 the ground the vines branched into two stems each 

 thirty feet long, one branch of each vine was trained 

 inside the house, where the heat was early in 

 February 70'. The other branches were trained out- 

 side of the glass roof. In a short time the branches 

 inside, pushed their buds, extended their leaves and 

 had large bunches of ripening berries, whilst th 1 

 branches outside, where just beginning to showa 

 signs of life. In the meantime, the fruit inside 

 had ripened; the leaves having performed their ' 

 functions, had become yellow and were falling fast; 

 whilst the branch outside was making vigorous 

 growth. The Professor asks, how did the descending 

 sap from the branch inside rush down that three 

 feet of stem, through which was rushing a resistless 

 upward flow of sap towards the vigorous branch out- 

 side i For eight years this trial was repeated, and 

 yet no protuberance was formed at the junction of | 

 the limbs, which should have been the ca.se, if the 

 theory of sap desceudmg was correct. The Professor 1 

 instances the case of a cherry tree, when some of 

 it-s branches were enclosed under glass and precisely ! 

 the same effects observed. Again a fig tree was 

 treated in the same manner, and whilst the figs 

 inside were being gathered fully ripe, those outside 

 were hanl and green. Yet another instance, — a lady 

 trained some branches of climbing rose, through 

 the windows of her room, and at Christmas when 

 there was a hard frost outside and not a leaf on 

 the parent trees, the branches inside the room were 

 covered with sweet smelling roses I The Professor 

 declares from numerous examples which he has practic- 

 ally witnessed, that the theory of the downward 

 flow of sap is a fallacy, and that to cause an upward 

 flow, light, moisture and heat are necessarj', for if 

 these be excluded, exhalation is entirely prevented. 

 Further, that the flowing sap begins to move in the 

 upper branches, long before the o..<ceiiding sap begins 

 to move from the roots. We think the Professor 

 has to a great extent made out his ca.«e, though 

 perhaps, the oher theory of the descending sap may 

 be correct partially. It was always a puzzle to account 

 for the fact, that in many vineries the roots arc 

 outside, and when the house is startetl in say Febru- 

 ary at 70' the buds at once sprout, whilst the roots 

 which are probably in a temperature of 30" to 40" 

 and the stems are dormant. The facts adduced by 

 the Professor of one set of branches outside and 

 one set inside, explain clearly how the sap may be 

 ataftcd in the branches before the flow from the 

 rest* begins. Again, the Teak and Blackwood trees 

 have (when wounledin the trunk near the ground) 

 a curious habit of climiualiag from the soil where 

 none exists to the eye, solid pieces of lime, as 

 much as four feet in length and six inches in breadth, 

 now this looks very much as if the lime hatl been 

 deposited outside of the stem by the ascending sap, 

 father than by the descending, as the theory is that 

 on descending the sap is gradually absorbed by the 

 tree, consoqaently so large an amount of lime would 

 hardly have been left to be deposited all at one sjjot. 

 AVe are inclined to think that the truth of the two 

 theoricJ! lies midway, that much of the ascending sap 

 does under uertaiu conditions deposit in its upward ' 



course, and that in certain cases, a residuum of the 

 sap is left which after being elaborated by exposure 

 through the leaves finally descends aud is absorbed 

 in the tree. AVe think the Professor, when he assumes 

 that nearly the whole of the sap descends, is ascrib- 

 ing to the other theory, more tlian it claims, or ever 

 even asserted. Practical planters are very much in- 

 debted to Professor Robsou for his very interesting 

 theory and ..> practical results. — J* tauten' Jietietc. 



TOBACCO CULTIVATION. 



Letter from H. Caine, Esq., Assistant Manager, 

 Poosa Tobacco Farms, Tirhoot, to the Superintendent 

 of Andamaus and Xicobars, dated Gth October 1SS5, 



I have been requested by the Secretary of Revenue 

 and Agricultural Department of India to send you 

 full instructions as to the method employetl here for 

 cultivating, preparing wjil, sowing, planting and treat- 

 ment while growing of tobacco. I shall endeavour to 

 do so in as clear and concise manner as possible and 

 hope you will have no difficulty in following out the 

 instructions. 



Frepiiiations of So!?.— Tobacco land should be well- 

 drained upland which has lain fallow some time or 

 that has had some light crop in it; this land sfaould 

 be well manured with well-rotted manure. AVe plungli 

 our lands twice monthly. .Just before the time for 

 tran.splanting the soil is ploughed up and well pulvf;rize<l 

 by a henger or beam of wood dri(Rm by bullocks 

 over the ui>tumed soil so as to bend it and to briak 

 up any lumps of earth. The soil should be sufficiently 

 dry for this* purpose so as not to cake and liarden. 



Sred-hcds. — These should be made up in a suitable 

 situation, that is, protected from the hot afternoon 

 sun, having some building or grove of trees on the 

 west side. The seed-beds .should be raised some six 

 inches off the ground and have trenches dug all round 

 so as to carry off any superfluous moisture, the beds 

 should be well worked with a kodalie and good, rotted 

 manure well worked in. After pulverizing the soil 

 and levelling it, pick off any stones or other rubbish 

 and it will be ready for sowing the seeil. The size 

 of the beds should bo about 4 feet x 15 feet; this 

 is more convenient than square beds as it enables, 

 the plants to be attended to without risk of destroying 

 them by trampUng on them. 



Soieiny the Seed. — The seed is sown broadcast with 

 the hand, mixed with .some sand or ashe.s so as to 

 sow evenly ; care should be taken not to sow too 

 thickly. About one chittak of seed ought to be found 

 sufficient for one of these beds which woidd furnish 

 enough plants for one beegah of land. .^Vfter having 

 sown and if there is a hot sun. it would be ailvisable 

 to cover the beds mth light mats. The seed should 

 germinate in 7 or 10 days at least. American seed 

 does ; Sumatra takes much longer. The plants may 

 require watering, which should be done with a wat«;r- 

 ing can with a rose, when the plants are well up and 

 large. Only water seed-beds in the evening. As soon 

 as the seedlings have leaves of the size of a penny, 

 they are capable of bearing transplanting. Before 

 taking up the seedling to transplant, water the beds 

 well an hour beforehand ; this is dona to looseu the 

 earth about the roots so that the plant* may b« 

 taken up without injury. To take op the seedlings 

 they should be seized by the underside of the two 

 largest leaves by the finger and thumb having one 

 leaf on each side, not by the stem, then pull up 

 gently, taking care not to break the leaves. They 

 may then be placed in an open basket. AVheu the 

 basket is full, it should be covered with a cloth if 

 the sun is hot and the seedlings slightly sprinkled 

 with water and then carried off to tran.splant. The 

 seedlings are planted out in rows .3 feet x 2 feet 

 apart, for which purpose a knotted cord is used — 

 the knots being 3 feet apart. This cord is drawn 

 by two men — one at each end. Across the field 

 or portion of the field at a distance of 2 feet from 

 the outer edge, the cord in drawn out and then 

 trampled upon by coolies. The knots leave an im- 

 pression in The soil where the scedliuge have to bo 



