624 



THE TROPICAL AGRICtJLTURtST. [March i, 1886. 



heaped up ready for burying in the longitudinal 

 holes which are being dug at near intervals in the 

 rows of growing tea ; 3. — Ground as clean as garden 

 beds, in which the prunings, Ac, have been 

 buried, while the moss has been rubbed from the 

 branches of the tea bushes, before the development, 

 (with wonderful rapidity considering the elevation,) 

 of the fresh buds and leaves. 



In less than three months from a pretty heavy 

 pruning the bushes get into full yield again, and 

 can be plucked at intervals ot from a week to ten days 

 for twelve to eighteen months, before the sweep- 

 ing application of the knife becomes further neces- 

 sary. On the left side of the ravine, the system 

 ot paths and drains is well shewn. Rock except 

 in the beds of streams being rare, the estate is 

 exceptionally well roaded. In respect of rock frag- 

 ments on the soil, the fine district ot Haputale, 

 in which road making must be difficult and ex- 

 pensive, is a striking contrast to Dimbula. So with 

 most of the old Matale districts. 



The soil at our highest elevations has been pro- 

 nounced perfect for tea and the period seems dis- 

 tant when manure will be absolutely required, but 

 the manner in which our " cattle shed field " 

 has responded to the small quantities of fertilizing 

 material available, shows liow largely yield could 

 be increased by manuring, if only the system could 

 be made to pay. The ditticulty in regard to the 

 kepping of cattle on Ceylon plantations is the 

 great cost of imported food (gingelly cake and grain) 

 and imported labour in the shape of cattle-keepers, 

 while guinea and swamp grasses reijuire to be 

 themselves carefully cultivated, or they will be ex- 

 terminated by inferior grasses and weeds, on the 

 principle of the survival of tlie fittest. A tew milch 

 cows must be kept on most estates, but probably 

 instead of resorting again to those extensive cattle 

 establishments, so common in the palmy days of 

 coffee, tea planters will avail themselves ot the 

 ammoniacal white castor cake, with a small pro- 

 portion of bone superphoFphate ; also potash and 

 nitrates, all in moderate quantities. Meantime the 

 effects of merely stirring the ground by fcirks and 

 opening up the soil by the burying of prunings 

 and other substances is most beneficial. 



The Falls of Abeb.— The object for which this 

 photograph was taken was defeated by the misty 

 and windy weather which prevailed. Coffee, with 

 a few cinchona trees, occupies the foreground, and 

 a few .scattered trees belonging to a bell ot the 

 original forest are seen on the lidge, HOO feet above 

 (.5,200 against 4,900 feet in the sheltered valley 

 where the camera was placed), but a confused mass 

 represents the really fine and exceptionally lasting 

 groves ot Vhichdnn qfifiiialin, which it was wished 

 to show, growing at heights aliove the coffee up 

 to the edge of the ridge. Down •' the falls of Aber" 

 tumbles one of several streams which unite in the 

 sheltered valley near the remains of the tea nurs- 

 ery of December 1874. Unlike the considerably 

 larger stream in " Maggie's (irove, " this rivulet 

 has been bared ot forest and the effect, especially 

 in rainy weather, is very striking, the descent be- 

 ing exceedingly abrupt. 



View of tuk Cincuona-crowsf.d Hii.i,, .abovk 

 " Maooif.'s Grove." — The dark, misty weather and 

 the strong wind prevented this picture coming nut 

 well. A peep at one of the many waterfalls in the 

 belt ot natural forest which covers the stream, is 

 obtained and a group of tall blue gums rises to 

 the left ; but, unfortunately, the fine cinchonas 

 which cover the slope down from the ridge, 

 can only be brought out by a good magnifying 

 glass, 



Tea Toppino.— a correspondent writes: — "The 

 Vade Mecum is to hand. I am very pleased 

 with it: but I find that all young tea should be 

 topped at 3 feet, both according to Armstrong and 

 the V. M, How is it that we all top at 1 toot, 

 ir>" and 18"? and some men I have heard ot doing 

 it at 9". The two Indian men who were over the 

 other day found fault on the score of all Ceylon 

 tea being too low. Can you give information as 

 to what is the right height for 1st topping? 

 It seems to me that an amended Cameron sys- 

 tem might be propagated with great advantage to 

 all young tea, which, it seems to me, is not getting 

 the' right treatment." Tea planters, like others, 

 must be largely guided by personal and local ex- 

 perience, but ice have never heard of or seen 

 topping at 9 inches. 



Passifloba Eduiis — An excellent figure and an 

 exhaustive account of this interesting species, which is 

 in some places cultivated for its delicious fruits, is 

 given by Sabiue in vol. iii. of the Tiangactwna of the 

 H^rticHltura! Societi/, under the name of the Purple- 

 fruited Passion-flower. A short time ago, in a florist 

 and seedsman's shop, in one of the leading London 

 thoroughfares, we saw fine frniting branches of the 

 common hardy P. c.erulea, labelled " the true fruiting 

 Passion-flower, Passiflora eduiis ; " those who were in- 

 duced to try the fruits of this would hardly be likely 

 to give them a high place for desert purpo.ses. Ac- 

 cording to Sabine, the North American, P. incarnata, 

 was the first species introduced to this country, " and 

 for more than a century, the only species cultivated, 

 of one of the most beautiful genera ot plants exist- 

 ing." — Ganhiierx* Chronicle, 



0iKNAM0\ Plant. — Under this name, with the ad- 

 dition of " Oiuuamomum dulce," graceful foU»ge and 

 very fragrant, in company with the Passion-flower 

 above mentioned, there was a nice batch of healthy 

 seedlings of some Monocotyledonous plant, in all 

 probability a species of Elettaria. On our calling the 

 attention "of the shnpman to such a palpable blunder 

 he assured us that the plant was correctly named, 

 and, to prove his point, bruised a portion of a young 

 leaf, when sure enough a certain aromatic odour, 

 somewhat resembling that of the Cinnamon, manifested 

 itself. Of course no one with the slightest knowledge 

 of economic botany would be at all litoly to mistake 

 a Cardamom for the Oiuuamou plant; still, in the 

 interests of those who are guileless of any botanical 

 knowledge, and who have a love for plants, it is as 

 well to mention the facts already stated.— f;«,i?«nffs' 

 Vlirmiicle. 



Kui'ALVpTiis GuNNiL — lu a reccut number of Foi-eslrii 

 au account is given ot some notable trees at NN'hitting- 

 bame, Kast Lotbian, the property of A. .1. Jtidfoor. 

 Ksq., M.P. Amongst utbers, jiaiticular mention is 

 made iif a Kucalj ptus— E. vimiualis. This plant does 

 not bfcloog to that species at all, but to E. Gunnii. In 

 spite- of the error in the name, J'ur^.iti-i/ i» correct in 

 looking upon the Wbittinghame Eucal.ypt as perhaps the 

 most remarkable tree of its kin.l in Britain. The tree 

 in (|uestion was brought as a seedling from Australia 

 in 1846; it grew nipidlv in its new home until the 

 memorable winter of 1860-01, when it was cut down 

 to the ground by the severe frosts which then prevaded. 

 During the following summer it broke away iulu four 

 limbs, which have now reached a height of about 60 

 feet, forming a tree of a novel nnd striking character. 

 The girth of the sten> below where the massive limba 

 project is nearly 12 feet, and the branches are laden 

 with tinwers and last year's seed-vessels.— r/.Ti'™*";'' 

 Chronich. 



FLIES AND BUGS. 



Iteetles, insects, roaches, ants, bed-bugs, rats, mice 

 gophers, chipmunks, cleared out by " Rough on Rats." 

 ■yV. E. Simth St Co., Madras, Solo Agent*. 



