and Magazine of the Ceylon Agricultural Society. 



591 



per acre per annum over and above that obtain- 

 ed froni the utmianured plot. The mulching gave 

 the greatest gain of all, viz., 402 lb. in excess of 

 the return from the unmanured plot. Dr Watts 

 mentioned also that the cacao tress on the mul- 

 ched plot are much finer and better developed 

 than those on the other plots, and also that the 

 soil of the mulched area is in exceptionally good 

 physical condition. Although such good re- 

 sults have been obtained with mulching alone, 

 Dr Watts pointed out that in many casos it will 

 be well to supplement mulching with modorate 

 applications of nitrogen and phosnate. It is 

 believed that potash is not urgently noodod as 

 a fertilising constituent iu Dominica, as the 

 soils of the island are fairly well supplied. 



The results obtained with the experimental 

 plots ih the country districts show that 

 manures are beneficial and remunerative in the 

 establishment of young cacao, and that pen 

 manure, when obtainable, is likely to give the 

 best results. 



Observation shows that good general results are 

 likely to follow the intelligent use of the weeds 

 growing in a cacao orchard. When the country 

 experiment plots were first laid out in Dominica, 

 attempts were made to keep weeds down 

 thoroughly by a system of clean weeding. The 

 soil showed signs of deterioration, but on alter- 

 ing the method of treatment, allowing the weeds 

 to grow to a moderate height, and then cutlassing 

 them down, or bedding them in with the fork, 

 surprisingly good results followed. 



Trinidad. 



According to Dr. Barrett there is Very little 

 correct cultivation of cacao, as he understands 

 it, in Trinidad. Great importance is attached 

 by him to the danger of leaving black or brown, 

 or otherwise diseased pods on the troes. These, 

 it is claimed, breed spores by the million, any 

 one of which was capable of carrying disease 

 to the trees and in time killing them. Cement 

 should not be used for filling holes as the wood 

 leaves it, as ants, etc., get in and attack the 

 wood. The best filler is clay and fibre, two 

 parts of clay and one of soft, fine fibre ("barfleur" 

 or cotton fibre) mixed with enough water, 

 better still oil, and, preferably, resin oil, to 

 make a nice paste, capable of being pressed into 

 the hole of the tree. It is good to varnish the 

 surface with a dressing cf resin oil. The holes 

 should be cleaned out carefully, and by an ex- 

 perienced hand, a 1 or 1^-inch gang© chisel 



being a good instrument to use. In clover 

 hands the clearing out of tho rotten wood 

 could bo dono very quickly, 



Grenada.. 



In Grenada the experiments in many 

 cases were carried out on plots of about one 

 acre in extent, chosen from land belonging to 

 peasant proprietors, situated near the road. On 

 those plots proprietors are shown how agricul- 

 tural operations, such as forking, draining, and 

 pruning should be carried out, and how man- 

 ures should bo applied. Tho results obtained 

 were highly satisfactory. Two facts were spe- 

 cially apparent : (!) That on heavy red clay, as 

 that mot with in Grenada, the cacao responds 

 quickly and liberally to applications of guano ; 

 (2) the pen manure, when applied in heavy 

 dressings, ami thoroughly and deeply forked iu, 

 is of considerable value. Manuring increased 

 tho crops during the four years under review: — 



10)3 No manure yielded 



do With m inures yielded 



1904 No manure yielded 



do With manures yielded 



19C5 No manure yielded 



do With manures yielded 



100B No manure yielded 



do With manures yielded 



Wet Cacao per plot 

 . . 759 lb. 

 1,063 to 1,281 lb. 

 .. 548 lb. 

 808 to 870 lb. 

 .. K73 lb. 

 814 to 1,179 lb. 



.. 748 lb. 

 763 to 1,519 lb. 



A table of the gains when using the pro- 

 per manures (at any rate in Grenada) points out 

 that in one case where manure of an unsuit- 

 able character was used, a loss £4 4s per acre 

 was incurred, whilst in the best case a gain of 

 £20 16s was obtained. This shows a difference 

 of £25 per acre, though using the right and the 

 wrong-sort of manures. It therefore behoves one 

 to well study the question before making a start. 

 The gains from mulching of grass and loaves are 

 described as being phenomenal. The mulch is 

 applied once a year, it is spread evenly over the 

 surface, and allowed to incorporate itself with 

 the soil by natural agencies. It is nofcburied or 

 forked into the soil, and the thickness of the 

 mulch, even when freshly applied, rarely exceeds 

 an inch.— Journal of the Jamaica Agricultural 

 Society for April. 



A TEA-CLEANING MACHINE. 



This article describes a unique machine Which 

 was formerly used for grinding coffee, but which 

 has been remodeled and fitted up for the clean- 

 ing of tea by a Hamilton, Canada, tea and ooffeei 

 man. This machine holds about a chest of tea, 

 and a half-hour'3 time is consumed in cleaning 

 it, The owner esays tho cleaning makes th$ 



