552 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[Feb, I, 1886. 



oils, anil few are more valuable than that obtainable 

 from the "B«cr(^,y;>(«.v ijlohithis." Th>i way to extract 

 the oil is as follows: — Fill a largo still with the 

 macerated crushed leaves, and water and distil at a 

 low temperature. Shake up the product with a 

 little salt (this causes tlie oil to separate more 

 rapidlj' from the water which comes over with it 

 from the still), decant the oil from the water and 

 filter through the paper. The li?aves should be 

 macerated for twenty-four hours and thou mashed 

 up. This process facilitati^s the extraction of the 

 oil by breaking down the cells whicli saiTound tin; 

 glands that eontaiu it. 



FEBN CULTURE. 



Ferns are so universally popular, and are now used 

 in such a variety of ways, that the demand for 

 plants of all sizes has considerably increased during 

 the last few years; and it requires some skill and 

 management to keep uj) a supply throughout the 

 year; especially of small plants suitable for the fancy 

 pots whicli are now so much used. For this purpose 

 tile plants must be of a limited size, and to have nice 

 healthy plants it is necessary to make successive^ 

 sowings. Although the spores germinate most freely 

 during the spring and summer, yet, under favourable 

 circumstances, they may be induced to grow at any 

 season of the year, even during the dull mouths of 

 November and December. 



To ensure success in raising Ferns from spores it 

 is of the first importance that the fertile fronds 

 should be collected at the proper time, and they 

 should always be selected from plants grown in isolated 

 positions as far as possible ; as, where several sorts 

 come in contact with one another the spores, which 

 float about freely, will often settle on the fronds of 

 different sorts, and it becomes difficult to ensure a 

 crop of the particular sort that is desired, Nephro- 

 dium moUe, Pteris longifolia, • anil sunie of the 

 tlymnograuimas, are among the most troublesome 

 Fern-weeds, and .should iiaver be allowed to come in 

 contact with those that are required to be increased. 

 The best time to collect the fertile fronds is just as 

 the spore-cases begin to open ; as soon as the fronds 

 are taken off they sh'iuM be folded up in paper, and 

 if put in a warm dry place, in a few days there 

 will be plenty of spores ready for sowing ; or they 

 will keep in good condition for a very long period. 

 As good fertile fronds of many sorts are only to 

 be had at certain seasons, it is necessary to lie on 

 the look-out so as to secure them when they are 

 obtainable, bearing in mind that it is better to have 

 a little extra stock, rather than to run short of any 

 particular sort. 



SoWINd TKE SrORKS. 



The plan we adopt is somewhat different to that 

 which is usually advocated — viz., we usually use 

 4S-size pots, which are filled firmly to within about 

 an inch of the top with good biam, using nt) drainage 

 whatever, and after the pots are fille<l they arc 

 thoroughly watered. P.efore sowiug the sopres, we 

 sprinkle a little burnt ballast over the surface of the 

 soil, or potsherds powdered fine anil sifted through a 

 fine sieve. As soon as the spores are sown, each put 

 is covered with a piece of glass and stood in a 

 saucer of water; the saucers are not kept constantly 

 lllleil with water, but suflicieut is given to prevent 

 the pots requiring any surface watering; the pots are 

 placed under a stage near- the hot-water pipes, where 

 they remain until the spores begin to germinate, 

 they are then removoo to a lighter position, and the 

 glasses are taken olf every morning until the prothallia 

 are well developed, when the gla.s.ses m ly lie dis- 

 pensed with allrogether. As soon as they are suffici- 

 ently devi'loped we prick them off into pots or 

 boxes, the coMipost for which consists of equal parts 

 of loam and peat, with a liberal all nvance of .sand 

 added; plenty of dr.'dnago is also used. 



Ferns, when pricked olf in a small slate, must be 

 lifted and replanted in patches, and thesi' require 

 dividing agaiu when potted off into siuall pots, 



though in soma caies they are not divided singly, as 

 when grown in tul'ts of 1;hree or four together they 

 are more useful, and are useful much sifiuer ; this 

 especially applies to Adiantums of different kinds, 

 Pteris serrulata ami its varieties, P. hastata, P. 

 cretici and its varieties; while such sorts as P. 

 tricolor, P. argyrea, P. tremula, Cyrtoniium falcatum, 

 or any of the Cf yranocjrammas, are better 

 singly. — H. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 



grown 



The Coffee Crop in Coobci. — From a comrauiiic- 

 ation fron the Press Commissioner which we 

 have received regarding the prospects of the coffee 

 crop in Coorg, we learn that the crop is expected 

 to yield during the ensuing j'eav an outturn of 

 about ii,C>i'-i tons. With three or four small ex- 

 ceptions, this estimate embraces, every estate in 

 the province. The outturn is considered by the 

 Chief Commissioner to be a favourable one, and 

 represents about 1 ewt. per acre. — Mnilnis Times. 

 \^INE Diseases. — The Italian Ministry of Agriculture 

 has authorised the formation of an luteruatioual 

 Exhibition in the Royal School of Vine Culture and 

 Uinology (wme making) at Conegliauo, near Venice, 

 tor the special puqiose of getting together a collection 

 of implements and machines destined for the application 

 of lime and other remedies for mildew and Peronospora, 

 in Vines. The implements, such as pumps, syringes, 

 spray producers, will be tested practically, and prizes 

 awarded as follows:— One Gold Medal and SOU lire 

 (francs); three Silver Medals and 150 lire with each; 

 live Bronze Medals. The Government will also purchase 

 premiated instruments to the value of 1000 lire, for 

 the purpose of distributing them in agricultural schools. 

 Apjilicatious for permission to exhibit should be sent 

 to the "Direzioue della R. .Scuola di Viticoltura ed 

 Kiiidogia in Onnegliano, Italy." before February 22, 

 1886, and all machines umst be sent to the model 

 farm of tlie School before March 1, 1836. The trials 

 will commence on March 2. — Gardmeis' Chronicle. 



HoKrn'iT.ruKE .\Nn Fi.ouiciTt.TURE i.v Silesia.— 

 Court gardener Hoffmann has expressed the opinion 

 that it is not possible to compete with Italy and 

 France in horticulture and rtoriculture, since the coun- 

 tries require neither glass nor heating for their Howers. 

 This has induced a large agriculturist in Lower Silesia 

 to study the question whether the axuiliaries ni-cess- 

 ary with our climate to the production of the tiuer 

 garden products cannot in that province be employed 

 sufHcieutly cheaply. Possessing coal mines and glass 

 and iron works he thinks conservatories of requisite 

 .size should be procurable at moderate cost, though for 

 the establislmient of these on a scale sufficiently large 

 for the cultivation of tropical fruits of all kinds, but 

 particularly oranges, lemons, and citi-ons. a (iovern- 

 inent advance of from 20 to 30 millions, free of in- 

 terest, would be necessary, as well as adequate pro- 

 tective duties. We fear, however, that the scheme 

 is chimerical. It is a hard matter to contend agaiusC 

 the order of natur(^ — Knhlmr's German Trade lievieir. 

 AuRU'Ui.rFRK IN Geumvn WiisT Ai'im'A. — r.ieuten.ant 

 Siegui. Israel writes en this subject that his many 

 years residence in West Africa convinces him that 

 agriculture is quite possible there. He has either 

 planted or seen planted in Africa potatoes, wheat, 

 radishes, cabh:iges, cucumbers, oats, vines, and toma- 

 toes, and if they :ire only grown properly they sncceeti 

 splendidly. He al.so believes that it is possible to 

 educate tho blacks to .field labour, and even to cultiv- 

 ate their own ground. Pea or ground nuts are very 

 largely planted, and are sold to factors as 2s. per 

 bushel of 2S kg. The ni^groes also plant kassava or 

 janis, floury kinds of rimts, and sweet potatoes are 

 likewise successfully cultivated a-s food. Lieutenant 

 Israi'l allows that the elini:ite of West Africa is very 

 I trying for Europeans, bu^. he maintains that in pro- 

 ! cess of time it will be more toleralde, and he in- 

 [ stances the vast improvement which has come over 

 the salutary state of the European popuhitiou in Sierra 

 j T,eone and Ijagos since tioctors settled there and 

 hospitals were ostablshed. — Kiihloir's German Trade 

 Sei'iew. 



