585 



Quick lime is formed by driving off the carbonic acid by burning. 

 It is extremely caustic and quickly decomposes vegetable and animal 

 matter hense its value as a fertilizer for soils containing large quanti- 

 ties of peat, consisting of roots and fibres, that would otherwise remain 

 a long time in an undecomposed state. Caution is necessary in ap- 

 plying lime to some soils as it possesses the property of setting free 

 ammonia one of the indispensable constituents of plant food. Lime 

 is also a valuable fungicide. 



In this country plant food substances are easiest obtainable in 

 combination in the form of one of the many artificial manures now on 

 the market which are composed in such a manner as to contain as 

 near as possible in .a concentrated form the quantities of each sub- 

 stance necessary for the healthy development of plants. 



When ordering manures it is always advisable to order direct 

 from home from some firm of good repute. 



The present prices of these manures may stand in the way of them 

 being generally used, but it is reasonable to suppose that if a demand 

 arose shipments could be made from home at resonable rates. 



The good effects of manures on coconuts is indisputable and from 

 what we at present know the yield of latex from para rubber trees is 

 considerably increased by their application and it is possible that the 

 quality is also improved but this, I think, is an open question at the 

 present moment. At any rate further results of experiments will be 

 waited for with interest in order to find out whether the rubber is 

 equal in quality or better than that from unmanured trees and 

 whether the extra yield will justify the extra outlay. I don't know 

 that these points have been demonstrated up to the present time but 

 everything points to such being the case. 



T. Wilson Main. 



"LALANG" (IMPERATA ARUNDINACEA, Cyrffl.) 

 AS A PAPER MAKING MATERIAL. 



One of our correspondents sent a sample of lalang grass recently 

 to England, and has received the following report, also samples of 

 paper made from lalang grass entirely and \ lalang and \ cotton : 



CERTIFICATE OE ANALYSIS. 



Sample of Lalang Grass Marked " Exchange, Singapore, 



Straits Settlements " on 23rd July, 1908. 



This is to certify that the above sample has been carefully ex- 

 amined with the following results : — 



This grass was forwarded to • The Aynsome Technical Labora- 

 tories " for investigation, that its commercial use as a source of pulp 

 for paper making might be ascertained. 



The object of the present report is to draw attention to the import- 

 ance and value of this grass as a pulp-producing material, and to indi- 

 cate its chief characteristics and economic value. 



The sample was a pale buff colour, lustrous in appearance and of 

 fair strength, of the order Gramineae. 



