311 



forms of spelling" and pronunciation, with the least possibility of 

 confusion ? 



I suggest the Tropical Agriculturist give the lead in adopting 

 Cacao as the proper spelling, so that we may have : 

 Cacao (Thcobroma, cacao), 

 Coca (Erythroxylon coca), 

 Coconut {Cocos nucifcra). 



Yours faithfully, 



J. S. DE SiLVA. 



[Our correspondent is not c|uite correct in stating that Coconut 

 is the universal spelling. Probably the vast majority of people 

 spell the word with an a. Turning up the Stores List we find 

 "Cocoanut biscuits," "Cocoanut oil" ; and confectioners and 

 traders throughout the United Kingdom would spell the word in 

 the same way. Again, while Coconut is probably more correct, 

 Cocoanut is certainly not incorrect. Thus the Century Diction- 

 ary after an exhaustive explanation of the origin of the two 

 forms of spelling adopts Cocoanut in the text. Xor are we pre- 

 pared to scrape the word Cocoa especially as Cacao is generally 

 mispronounced. Indeed, if we are to come to origins, the ulti- 

 mate criterion after all of what is correct, coconut, cocoanut, 

 cocoa, cacao would all go overboard as designations of trees. The 

 coconut palm was at one time called the cocoa-tree ; cocoa or 

 cacao, whichever is preferred, the chocolate-tree, and is so called 

 now in some countries. — Ed. T. A.] — Tropical Agriculturist 

 ( Ceylon ) . 



BANANAS. 



The experiments of R. G. Bartlett in Ceylon, in the way of 

 manuring bananas, show that potash is the esential portion of a 

 banana manure, manures wanting in this agent being of little or 

 no good. Mr. Piartlett advocates the manuring of virgin land. 

 The manure he found to give the best results financially consisted 

 of 4 lb. of dried blood, 2 lb. sulphate of potash, and 2]/^ lb. super- 

 phosphate per stool. — Wealth of India. 



PASSING OF THE HORSE. 



"The horse (says the Pinang Gacctfe) has played an important 

 part in the world's affairs, and from a purely sentimental point 

 of view, it is difficult to regard his passing without some feeling 

 of regret. But sentiment has to be stifled in these commonplace 

 days, and it is a cold irrefutable fact that the introduction of 

 machine power is so much appreciated that it will soon be time to 

 consider whether horse traction, with its inctirable, objectionable 

 conditions attaching it, should be permitted at all in cities and 



