June i, 1886.3 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



S35 



an iugrcdient in asthmatic cigarettes, with bclladona, 

 etnimonium, etc., it is entitled to share iu the 

 remedial effect. 



The limited medical rauge of tobacco is unimport- 

 aut in comparison with its social and physical in- 

 fluences. Among its many beneficent powers, it ap- 

 pears to allay worry and lighten toil. It is an aid 

 to ment«l work, and a hel|) to retleution and com- 

 placency. It promotes sociability, and in the words 

 of one of it-s champions, "makes a man act more 

 like a Samaritan.'' While it i^ neithur likrd nor 

 needed by animals, who loatlie it, it .seems to bo re- 

 quired and craved by man, to whom its character- 

 istic properties appear peculiarly grateful and often 

 useful, it has repeatedly and unjustly been called a 

 curse, but those who have written most of its bane- 

 ful effects, as a rule, have never used it. Indeed, this 

 comforting substance is so far removed from the idea 

 of a curse, that it should not be forgotten v.licu we 

 recount the many blessings of mankind. — Indian Agri- 

 culturist. [Apart from the undoubted and direct injury 

 done to young persons by the use of tob;»coo, the worst 

 probably that can be said against it is that a good many 

 who smoke much drink in proportion. On the other 

 hand it enables many to di>pense with alcoholic stimul- 

 ants. If smokers would only smoke where the habit is 

 not a nuisance to nonsmokers there would be no cause of 

 complaint. But it seems rather hard that smoke inhaled 

 and sent round the salivary glands of one person should 

 be ejected by him into the atmosphere breathed by his 

 neighbours. — Ed.] 



PRUNING FRUIT TREES. 

 Much has lately been written on this subject, but 

 plain instructions showing the best means and mode of 

 checking exuberance of growth and inducing fertility 

 are still wanted. Is it not a deplorable fact, in view of 

 all that has been written about pruning and its effects, 

 that in nearly every garden one enters or sees, be it 

 large or small, where ordinary fruit trees are grown, 

 the trees, though they may ha annually prunsd, are 

 usually run wild, showing a ma.'iimum of growth accom- 

 panied by a minimum of fruit buds or fruit ? The 

 trees are not infrequently beautifully formed — the 

 result of much careful pruning to this end. This is 

 particularly noticeable in them after their annual winter 

 pruning ; but, seen in summer or autumn, they usually 

 present a plethora of strong immature shoots, instead 

 of an abimdance of fruit. This is especially noticeable 

 in the case of apples on the crab ami pears on the wild 

 pear stock. The object the various pruuers seem to 

 have in view is probably twofold — pruning to keep the 

 trees circnni?cribed and at the same time induce fertility. 

 But, judged by general results, the latter is by no means 

 reali8e<l. JIany of those who prune vigorous trees must 

 surely begin to see that it very ineffectually secures tho 

 object in view, viz., constant fertility. Kor more th.an a 

 year I have been acquainted with a small neglected 

 garden, the house in connection with which ivos, until 

 jnst recently, uninhabited for more than twelve months. 

 In the garden, in a clump rather closely planted, are 

 about three dozen pear, apple, plum, anil cherrv trees. 

 Their trunks vary from 4 in. to in. in diameter, and 

 their heads, previous to being pruned last month, 

 ranged from 10 ft. to 15 ft. or more in height, and all, 

 without e.iception, beautifully proportioned and balanced. 

 A few, of course, were perhaps too dense, especially 

 some of the varieties of pear of compact, upright 

 growth. Evidently— and I took particular notice of 

 them— they had never been pruned from tho time 

 they were planted out as low-stemmed standards. Their 

 bold port, strong leiding shoots and branches, literally 

 beset with nut-brown fruit buds, indicated a degree of 

 prolific force seldom exhibited in over-nursed, much- 

 pruned fruit trees. To keep such trees healthy and 

 fertile, some, I presume, would recommend that they 

 be allowed to keep on and upward, unchecked by either 

 knife or saw at their tops or roots. Others, with a 

 view to kopp them circumscribed, seeing that they are 

 alrei ■ly till enough for all practical purposes in a small 

 garden, and fertile, would root-prune them, and 

 probably thin out s few of the branched But that in 



not what has been done. The garden last month was 

 let to two men to dig and prune ; the outcome is, that 

 those once handsome trees are fore-shorteneil half-way 

 back, and tho stumps almost divested of their flower- 

 buds ! They are practically spoilt. Instead of the 

 prolific force already referred to, when they start into 

 growth a week or so hence, they will exhibit what some 

 call '■ concentrated vigour," and will take some time, 

 perhaps a series of years' growth, uuprunod, before 

 they again attain the highly fertile condition enjoyed by 

 them previous to being ruthlessly pruned. 



I miglit with propriety stop here, but I should like to 

 make a few remarks on another by far too prevalent 

 phase in the growth-condition of fruit trees, quite 

 distinct from the healthy, vigorous, and prolific phases 

 we have already eonsidered. I refer to trees that are 

 known to have ralapsed into fertile ways. It; is usually 

 exhibited by trees about fifteen and over fifteen years 

 of age. They are, as a rule, neither vigorous nor quite 

 exh.tusted. I have more particularly in view a few 

 pear and plum trees trained to the walls of a garden in 

 Scotland ; I saw them about this time last year. They 

 are, as near as I can judge, eighteen years old. I know 

 that tor many years they were highly fertile — bore 

 heavy crops of fine fruit. They do so no longer, not- 

 withstanding that their extended branches are well 

 furnish''d with rather large branching spurs. Neverthe- 

 less, flower buds are now seldom formed thereon, or 

 when they do, and blossom, fruit seldom results there- 

 from. It is a clear case of exhaustion. They lack the 

 prolific force of early days, and it can only be renewed 

 in the trees as they now stand by pruning the stay-roots 

 that have wandered deeply into the hungry 'subsoil, 

 and by freely mulching with good manure. There are 

 thousands of trees in a similar condition that are greatly 

 in need of similar treatment. — G. S.. — Field. 



TOBACCO CULTIVATION IN CEYLON. 



The following is the result of our observatiou and 

 experience : and we are of opinion that if our friends 

 in Colombo only take the trouble of studying this 

 branch of Agriculture, they are sure to be able to 

 enter the field as competitors, and the Western Pro- 

 vince may vie with the North in the Produce of Tobacco, 

 The district of Udnkinda and Badulla at one time pro- 

 duced excellent tobacco. In hilly districts the dec- 

 livity of a hill, rather gradual than abrupt, or a spot 

 that is shelterf'd from winds was found most suit- 

 able for the growth of the plants : but at the samo 

 time it is necessary that the plants enjoy a free air; 

 for without that they will not prosp.^r. The ground 

 or wood land for planting tobacco must be wel' 

 burned, as tho greater tho quantity of wood-ashes the 

 better. The spot must bo well strewed with nsh-'s, 

 laid smooth and light: then blow the seed from the 

 palm of the hand gently on the bed, and cover it 

 with palm or plantain loaves. A\''hen the plants are 

 about three inches high, draw them and plant th'im, 

 about two feet asunder; and when they become as 

 high as one's knees, cut or pluok off the top, taking 

 care to let tho best alone for seeds. The plant should 

 now be daily attended to, to destroy caterpillars that 

 infest it, as also to take off every sprout or sucker 

 that puts out at the joints, in order to throw the 

 whole vegetable nourishment into the large leaves. 

 When the edges and points of the leaves begin to 

 turn yellow cut down the stalks and see that mois- 

 ture is fully off the plaut. As fa.st as it is cut, let 

 it be carried into the tobacco room, which must bo 

 so close, as to shut ovit all air, arid hung up on lines 

 tied across for the purpose of drying. M'hon the 

 stalks begin to turn brownish, take them off the linos, 

 an<l put them one upon another, and liv on them 

 heavy weights for about a week e'* furtuitob' and they 

 are fit for sale. It is a common practice in Jalfna, 

 after the ground is prepared for planting, to bury 

 a few inches deep, at the place where the tobacco 

 plaut it to be put in, green leaves of an oleaginous 

 species as the tobacco tree quit© enjoys such feeding. 

 In a dry climate the irrigation of the land with water 

 from the well is no doubt a matter of great im- 

 portance. We are sorry to obnerre that our tobiceo 



