490 



•THE TSOPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [January i, 188O. 



A small amount of the bruised bnrk was distilled 

 with water, when a slightly milky distillate was 

 obtained . of faint cinnamon smell, with a very slight 

 oily suiface, tlio ijhlegma being of a muddy brown 

 colour. 



Another quantity of the bruised bark was macerated 

 for a fow days with water, with the addition of a 

 small quantity of caustic potash to sh'ghtly alkaline 

 reaction, the result, after expression and filtration, 

 being a yelliiwish-brown liijuid of same flavour as the 

 bark. Sulphuric acid caused in the liquid a whitish 

 turbidity with subsequent yellowish, crystalline precip- 

 itate ; with hydrochloric acid also a whitish turbidity 

 with sub.sequcnt brownish crystalline, precipitate ; 

 both liquids, after addition of the acids, separating 

 also on the walls of the precipitating vessels resinous 

 matter as a Hocculent, brownish mass. The yellow- 

 ish, as well as brownish precipitates mentioned proved 

 to be cinnamic acid, more . or less contaminated with 

 precipitated resinous matter. 



Continued experiments proved that the odorous 

 principles rest in an oily substance, cinnamic acid and 

 its combinations, and resinous matter. Benzoic acid, 

 as a proximate -principle, could -not be identified, 

 neither is there an alkaloid present in the baik. The 

 peculiar action of potassic hydrate on the alcoholic 

 extract, producing the exact coumarin flavour, deserves 

 continued attention, which I shall give it in due time. 



Although, as a rule, not comparable to frankincense, 

 which is a pure resin, and of a pronounced, strong 

 ami penetrating smell upon ignition, this bark, from 

 its milder, l>ut more aromotic odour, may be con- 

 sidered a good substitute for fuudgation in churches, 

 and the oltobalsamic constituent, being contained in 

 the bivrk to the extent of 15 per cent, will, uo doubt, 

 be found adaptable to many uses, and many event- 

 ually replace Peruvian balsam, than which it is much 

 finer and more delicate. — .',;,'rican Di'vgi/ist. 



DICJC4ING AMONGST SHRUBS. 



Oi)inions about the advantages or the disadvantages 

 of digging amongst shrubs are not all on one side, 

 as, although the practice is not favourably looked 

 on by the majority of cultivators, on account of the 

 injury more or less done to the roots that lie near 

 the top, especially when the work is canied out 

 thoughtles,sly, still, there are those who contend that 

 by the loosening of the surface soil the rain is enabled 

 to descend more readily, and thus convey to the 

 roots the requisite moisture, much of which, if the 

 top crust were left undisturbed, would run off to a 

 distance beyoiul the reach of siu'h roots as most need 

 it. In this, as in most other things cunnected with 

 gardening, soil and situation make a ditference in 

 the course best to pursue. On ojjen or fairly porous 

 soils, csijecially where the annual rainfall is above 

 the average, or where th^ shi-ubs are for the most 

 part young, and have not to strugg'e for sustenance 

 against the uioistiu-e-cxhausting intiueiu'e of the roots 

 of large tree.s. there can be little question that even 

 shallow digging— as amongst shrubs it ever should 

 be— is «o far a Jui.^take that tliere is no need for it 

 on tile score of enabling the winter rains to soak 

 (lowii and suthclently moisten the sidwoil, on which 

 til a great tmasiirr the roots have to depend djuing 

 Ihc Slimmer. Ihit where, hi addition to the rainfall 

 being light, the ,^oiI Is of » ehaiaeter that causes if, 

 daring the dry season, to form a close, linpervions 

 fcrusfc, the greater part of the much-needed autumn 

 and winter rains run away, leaving the under stratum 

 ^Ontimlousiy in ,a semi-dry condition from one year's 

 end to another, so as to make h(\Tlthy growth iin- 

 |>ossible. This state of matters is most apparent 

 amongst old shrubs that are more or less overhung 

 with the branches of trees, and equally under the 

 moisture-robbing inHuence of their roots. After the 

 past very dry suninier, the state of the large quant- 

 ities of shrubs that exist under such contlitions 

 lequiries consjfleration, as regards the moisture in 

 I lie soil indispensable for their future well-being. The 

 ime for loosenins; the soil— digging amenget root* 



has an ugly sound for persons who fully realise the 

 importance of their not being injured — is at hand; 

 and, taking into -account the still unusually dry state 

 of the subsoil in many localities, there is little doubt 

 hatt loosening a few inches of the surface will lielp 

 the much-needed water to get down. An important 

 matter bearing on this suliject is the proportion of 

 trees allowed to remain where the joint occuimncy 

 exists. To keep the surface of the' giouiid, when 

 interspersed with old trees, fairly clothed with shrub.s 

 is often indispen.sable, and it is only by juilicious 

 management in retaining uo more trees than will 

 admit of the undergrowth of evergreen shrubs growing 

 fairly, that the surface covering can be kejit in a 

 satisfactory state. How often may be seen unsightly 

 objects, such as buildings that would have been better 

 hidden, standing exposed through the undergrowth of 

 shrubs not being able to thrive, on account of the 

 trees above being so much too close together, that 

 the combined shade of their branches, aa^l the im- 

 poverished, moi.stureless state of the soil caused by 

 their roots, reduce the growth of the shrubs to a 

 bare existence. Nor is the condition of the trees 

 when under such joint posses.sinn calculated to prolon" 

 their existence, especially if they have reached 

 maturity and are in a dry locality; as the roots of 

 the shrubs inflict only homewhat less injury on the 

 trees than those of the trues do on the shrubs, the 

 difference being that the tree roipts stretch out fur- 

 ther in search of food and moisture than those of 

 the shrubs are capable of doing. As may be seen in 

 places innumerable, the joint occupancy of trees over- 

 head and shrubs below can bis satisfactorily mauagi'd, 

 even up to the time when both have reached what 

 may be termed old age ; but only by keeping a fair 

 balance between the top and the undergrowth can 

 this be secured. — Fxekl. 



AMEEICAN FLOEICULTURE. 

 There are, it was stated by the President at the 

 recent convention of the .Society of American Florists, 

 not fewer than 8.000 florists engagei I in the business, 

 either growing plants or raising cut flowers for sale. 

 Allowing 400 feet of ghass-covered .surface to each 

 florist, gives us a total of 3,000,000 square feet ; in 

 other words, (i^O acres. Calculating that half of tho 

 glass structures are used for gr(iwin„' plants, and that 

 one- third of the .sp.ace is actually covered with them, 

 and averaging the size of pots used at 3 inches 

 diameter, ami allowing two crops each year, tho 

 number of plants would be about 40.000,000. 



The remaining half of the glass structures are used 

 for the purpose of growing cut flowers ; the actual 

 number produced is almost incredible. I can state, 

 liowever, that during the past season — beginning with 

 November art! ending with April — nine large grower.s 

 of Hoses sent into the New York market close upon 

 4,000,000 of flowers, and when I state that Ibis wan 

 not 50 per cent of the Koses sent to New Vork 

 alone, the magnitude of Rose growing will be imag- 

 ineil. The Koses grown around I>oston. Philadelphia, 

 Pittsburg, Oleve'and. Chicago, 'Washington, and all 

 other places, could not be less ihan twice as many 

 as were produced for the New Vork market. Thi» 

 vvoidd brmg up the niimher of cut Koses proJuccl 

 during the pJist .^eason tn L' 1 ,000.000. It Would be 

 fcry s:ife to multiply the number of Oariiation (I iwers 

 produced in the .same time from all ."ources bv at 

 least five; this would give IL'fl.OOO.OOO. Fabulojs as- 

 this niay seem, I feel that my calculations are rather 

 under than over tlie actuil number placed in the 

 maiket. It would, moreo\"e", be very safe tn .'-tate 

 that at least one-fourth as many Koses and '';\rn" 

 ations are annually raised by gentlemen fot their o-.vn 

 enjoyment, which represents as nv ch \ alue as if tlu-jwu 

 on the market and sidd over the counter. Of vaiioufs 

 otlier flowers, thongli iiot in the same proporli-in, 

 there are produced many niillions. 



The bulb trade, the bulk of which is represented 

 by importation, has grown to be a source of great 

 value to the business, and as there is « dutv of 20 



