254 



THE 'AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



August 11, 1900; 



DURABILITY OF BAMBOOS. 



In reference to a note in the Ayrictdfiiral A^cics 

 (Vol. V. p. M) on the above subject', Mr. C. S. Rogers, 

 Fore.st Officer in Trinidad, has forwarded the following 

 interesting extract froni the Inilian Forester, the 

 'ournal of the Indian Forest Department, dealing with 

 this question : — 



A series of experiments and observations was conducted 

 at the Indian Museum, Calcutta, throughout the greater part 

 of the year 190-3 with a view to a.scertaining whether it was 

 possible, by impregnating; or soaking the bamboo with some 

 preservative material, to protect it from the shot borer's 

 attacks. ... 



The bamboos experiitiented with were from a lot received 

 at the Government telegraph workshops in Calcutta from 

 Northern India. They had been cut in the cold weather of 

 1902-3. As already exjjlained in the previous note, these, 

 bamboos were to be converteif into field telegraph posts, and 

 in the hope of giviug them .^ 'me protection against the shot 

 borer pest, they were subjected to a series of soakings in 

 water, copper sulphate, aiid Rangoon oil (the crude petroleum 

 of Burma, C.S.R.). I?or over eight months untreated 

 bamboos and those treated with one or more of the above 

 solutions were kept under close observation, all the lengths 

 experimented with having been received direct from the 

 workshops, chosen at haphazard by the Superintendent. 



As a result of the careful observations throughout this 

 period, it was proved that the untreated bamboos were 

 invariably attacked by the shot borer {Dinoderus minuius), 

 within a couple of months, i.e., between March and May ;. 

 that soaking in water alone or followed by emersion in the 

 copper sulphate solution was equally innoxious to the beetles; 

 but that those bamboos, which had proceeded the further 

 stage and had been soaked in Hangoon oil, were immune from 

 .subsequent attack by the pest. It was shown that the insect 

 passes through no less than five generations in the year, 

 different swarms of the adult individuals appearing in April, 

 June, July, September, arid October, and that the attacks of 

 one or more of these generations with those of their resultant 

 grubs would ordinarily ha.ve reduced the bamboos, if untreated, 

 to powder; it was therefore held to have been proved, as 

 a result of the experiments, that the life of the bamboo had 

 lengthened by at least -|a year as a direct result of the 



impregnation. 



It has since been possible to trace the history of these 

 treated bamboos, all of which were converted into field tele- 

 graph posts, a further st^ge in their career; and the evidence 

 that has been obtained both by the use of the posts in the 

 field, and, equally important, by their storage in an open shed 

 without any special protection being afforded to them in the 

 workshop yard, points to the wonderful efficacy of the oil 

 treatment. It is the purpose of this supplementary note to 

 give publicity to this facfi firstly, owing to numerous inquiries 

 as to the necessary treatment to be given to bamboos having 

 been received from the Public Works Department; and, 

 secondly, because the oil treatment for the preservation of 

 bamboos may be said to-bave now passed the rubicon of the 

 experimental stage and- to have reached the arena of 

 practical utilit}-. > 



To go back to the p^mboos converted in 1903. Some 

 of them were sent up that year for service with the Tibet 

 Mission. They were retiirned to store in Calcutta about the 

 beginning of the present year, and Mr. L. Truniger, C.I.E., 

 who was in charge of the field telegraph with the Mission, 

 has stated that they had fully answered expectations. Some 

 pi these returned posts frere in.spected by the writer in the 



yard at Calcutta towards the end of March last. Although 

 it was two and a half years since they were cut in the forest 

 of Upper India and close upon two years since they were 

 treated with the oil, they showed no trace of attacks by the 

 DiiioJerus beetle. It ma}- be contended, and .justly, that 

 throughout 1901 those posts had been at an altitude greatly- 

 above that at which either of the shot borer beetles could, or 

 do live, and that they were thus safe from their attacks. 

 This was so, but the same argument does not hold good when 

 we come to consider those converted bamboos which remained 

 throughout the year in store in Calcutta. An inspection of 

 these has shown that they have remained equally immune from 

 the pest. Most are aware how short is the life, economically, of 

 the bamboo after it has been cut, and many know the difficulties 

 which stand in the .jjath of the lance, the tent-pegging, and 

 hog spear ;)Urveyor. The results that have attended the 

 treatment of 9,000 bamboos in 1903, are well worthy of the 

 consideration of these latter, for on present observations it 

 has been shown that the impregnation with oil leaves the 

 bamboo strong and serviceable two and a half j-ears after it 

 has been cut. 



Arrangements/ have been made to keep some of these 

 posts under continuous observation with the object of 

 ascertaining the longevity to which the treatment enables- 

 them to attain. 



That the Telegraph Department has the fullest confi- 

 dence in a discovery, the full credit of which chiefly belongs 

 to it, is borne out by the fact that an additional 30,000 

 bamboos are, at the time of writing, being put through the 

 treatment and converted into field telegraph posts. It may 

 be stated that the recommendations of the previous note are 

 being followed, the bamboos being first soaked in water for 

 five days (this is very necessary for reasons previously given), 

 allowed to dry for several days, and then re-soaked in the 

 Rangoon oil (crude petroleum), this latter, as used in the 

 workshops, having the consistency of treacle. 



AGRICULTURE IN ASHANTI. 



The Annual Report on Ashanti for 190.5 contains 

 the following reference to agricultural operations in 

 that district : — 



Everything points to the fact that the Ashanti will, 

 if encouraged, turn his attention to the cultivation of the 

 soil for economic purposes. Numerous new cacao plantations^ 

 were started during the year, mainly in the southern and 

 eastern parts of Ashanti, and it is hoped tha). the high prices 

 obtained in Kumasi will prove an incentive to the further 

 cultivation of the plant. 



The natives have not yet learnt to plant out young 

 rubber or kola trees, but every endeavour has been made to 

 induce them to do so. The number of kola trees in bearing 

 increases automatically every year, and the young trees are 

 watched over and well cared for by their owners, but 

 .systematic cidtivation is desirable. 



The area of land under cultivation with farm produce 

 is increasing, and food is becoming more j)lentiful in 

 consequence. 



Both tobacco and rice (hill) are grown in Jaman territory,, 

 but, so far, only for local consumption. Cotton has not yet 

 been attempted on any large scale in Ashanti, although 

 efforts have been made to distribute seeds. 



When the projected Botanical Station is establi-shed ir^ 

 Kumasi, a strong ' endeavour will be made to augment the 

 cultivation and increase the production of the various 

 agricultural commodities of Ashanti. 



