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from below and after some days or weeks when the burning has 

 ceased, it is broken up and after the unburnt pieces of wood and 

 charcoal are removed — the gardener considers that charcoal in the 

 proximity of pepper roots fosters fungoid disease — the whole is 

 mixed up together. Thus is produced burnt earth which varies 

 much in quality according to (l) the kind of soil used to produce 

 it, and (2) the nature of the combustions. The soil preferred for this 

 purpose is a mixture of jungle soil rich in humus, and ordinary yellow 

 clay of the garden : if jungle soil only be used, it often acts as a 

 complete damper. During the burning, it is most important that the 

 combustion shall be slow and that the earth as a whole shall not be 

 overheated as baked earth is useless. If the top or sides fall in during 

 the burning the aperture must be filled up lest the burning be accel- 

 erated. 



Thus prepared it is obvious that the soil which is in the imme- 

 diate neighbourhood of the burning logs becomes quite overburnt, and 

 the most valuable part of the heap is the black middle stratum. 

 Wherein lies the indisputable virtue of burnt earth is somewhat 

 doubtful, but one may expect it to possess several points of superiority 

 over unburnt earth viz. 



(1) in the absence of living organisms, fungi bacteria, etc. 



(2) in the presence of wood ashes. 



(3) in the presence of the products of the incomplete 



combustion of the wood. 



(4) in the presence of the products of partial decomposi- 



tion of the organic matter contained in the jungle 

 soil itself. 



(5) in the increased porosity of the product. So far as 



I know, no experiments have been undertaken to 

 elucidate this problem. 



The manure proper of the pepper gardener is prawn refuse and 

 this is excellent. It is rich in organic matter, in phosphates and 

 in Calcium salts and moreover has a great advantage over ordinary 

 chemical manures in that it is not too easily soluble and is not 

 liable to be entirely dissolved by the first shower of tropical rain. 

 Nevertheless, it is expensive and the supply is not unlimited. 



An account of pepper cultivation would not be complete without 

 some mention of diseases resulting from insect ravages and other 

 causes. Very formidable pests are certain small plant bugs which 

 attack the flowers and the setting fruit. When the flower spikes 

 appear, there may be seen flying about the vines a number of small 

 black insects each armed with a long spine on the back and one on 

 either shoulder ; these settle on the flowers and feed thereon. The 

 insects belongs to the Membracidae and is a species of Ccntrotus. 

 Another plant bug, but one much more sluggish is a small black 

 flattened creature which crawls along the spike destroying the 

 Mowers. It is one of the Tingididae and is called Elaamognatlius 

 Heivitti. Still another flower-eating creature belonging to the same 

 order is a small flattened insect, green in colour, its sides fringed with 

 tiny spines. This is an immature form whose adult I have not seen : it 

 may be a Centrocnemis. This pest is very sluggish, but it is a serious one. 



