MANURES AND MANURING. 2O/ 



2. The retention of such humus, against the oxidiz- 

 ing influences of hot climates. 3. Whether through 

 the medium of this humus, or in a more direct 

 manner, it renders adequate for profitable culture 

 per-centages of phosphoric acid and potash so small 

 that in the case of deficiency or absence of lime the 

 soil is practically sterile. 4. It tends to secure the 

 proper maintenance of the conditions of nitrification, 

 whereby the inert nitrogen of the soil is rendered 

 available. 5. It exerts a most important physical 

 action on the flocculation, and therefore on the 

 " freeness " and permeability of soils. Or if put 

 more simply, a free application of lime, at the 

 rate of perhaps i Ib. to a tree, enables plants to 

 draw upon all the resources of a soil which other- 

 wise might be locked up from them. 



Of Coffee pulp as a manure we do not ourselves 

 think much, though we know it has been highly 

 spoken of. No doubt it should not be altogether 

 wasted, but may well go to form the basis of some 

 useful compost. 



There is yet another manure indigenous to 

 estates which must not be overlooked. This is 

 inana grass, a tall species of its family growing 

 luxuriantly upon most hillsides just beyond the 

 forest line. It is cut, brought down, and the ground 

 between the rows thickly thatched at the rate of 

 perhaps a coolie-load to a bush undoubtedly a 

 costly work, but one paying well on heavy, cold, 

 clay lands. It keeps down weeds, is practically a 



