October, 1909.] 



353 



Miscellaneous. 



Dr. Barber has given much attention 

 to the cultivation and selection of 

 groundnuts, with the result that he 

 has secured a form, of the Mauritius 

 groundnut possessing extra good bear- 

 ing qualities. About 120 lbs. of this seed 

 were supplied me for trial at Mazeras, 



Sugar canes of several selected kinds 

 are under cultivation at the experi- 

 mental farms and are said to have 

 special merit as sugar producers. 



Sugar canes of inferior merit are 

 grown in several parts of East Africa 

 where there is a considerable opening 

 for sugar making to supply local wants, 



From the Customs return it is ascer- 

 tained that for the eleven months ending 

 February 28th of the financial year 

 1908-9 the quantity of sugar or other 

 similar sweetening matter imported into 

 the Protectorate was 36,466 cwts, of 

 the value of Rs. 395,894. 



Through the goodness of the Superin- 

 tendent of the Madras Horticultural 

 Gardens a case of plants and several 

 packets of seeds were obtained as well 

 as a large parcel of seed of the excel- 

 lent hedge plant "Inga dulcis," 



Guindy, the residence of the Governor 

 at Madras, is the source of the small 

 fine flavoured banana of that name. 

 Some years ago suckers of the "Guindy " 

 banana were imported to Bast Africa 

 from the West Indies, and are estab- 

 lished at Mazeras on a small scale, A 

 dozen suckers were obtained on the 

 occasion of my visit to Guindy. 



Bangalore.— The Botanic Gardens 

 (Lai Bagh) are well known and hold a 

 high place in India. Numerous hand- 

 some trees and shrubs are established 

 in the gardens, and large plant struc- 

 tures are filled with well grown pot 

 plants. 



Through the generosity of the Superin- 

 tendent I brought away a case of choice 

 plants and. numerous packets of seed. 

 I was also shown over the beautiful 

 garden attached to the palace of His 

 Highness the Maharajah of Mysore, at 

 Bangalore. The various coloured Bou- 

 gainvillea, of which the gardens have 

 a fine collection, are objects of special 

 beauty. 



Rice Growing.— The visitor to India 

 cannot fail to be surprised at the enor- 

 mous amount of land placed under 

 cultivation of rice in various parts of 

 the country. Not only is the plant 

 extensively grown where water is plenti- 

 ful either naturally or by means of 

 irrigation, but huge areas of what 

 appears to be practically waste land 

 are used for the purpose. 



45 



The flat land is formed into sections 

 generally in the shape of a square of 4- to 

 1 acre or more in extent. A bank of 

 a foot or so high is raised around each 

 plot so as to conserve the rain-water, 

 and at the proper time the seed is sown 

 in the ordinary way. 



After seeing India it is easy to realise 

 the enormous possibilities for rice grow- 

 ing in the warmer parts of East Africa. 



According to the Blue Book the im- 

 ports of rice into the Protectorate during 

 1907-S amounted to 101,164 cwts. from 

 India and Burmah, and 9,058 cwts. from 

 German East Africa, of a total value of 

 Rs. 57,960. 



Henaratgoda (Ceylon),— By the kind 

 permission of the proper authorities the 

 conductor of the Government Experi- 

 mental Gardens at Henaratgoda afforded 

 me much practical information in the 

 tapping of Para rubber trees and after- 

 treatment of the latex and the pre- 

 paration of " biscuit" rubber. 



The Para rubber trees first planted at 

 Henaratgoda are upwards of forty years 

 old. One large plot thirty years old is 

 planted at 12 feet square, but the dis- 

 tance is considered too close. A tree 

 selected for measurement in this plot 

 had a circumference, at 3 feet from the 

 ground, of 6 feet 6 inches, and a height 

 of from 60 to 70 feet. As a contrast an 

 adjoining tree of the same age had a 

 girth of only 20 inches and a height of 

 about 50 feet, The method of tapping 

 witnessed was that known as the " three- 

 cut herring bone." Experiments eon- 

 ducted at Henaratgoda have proved 

 that, taken year by year, as much latex 

 is secured by the " three-cut herring 

 bone " system as is the case when a 

 much larger number of cuts is made. 



The method of tapping known as the 

 "full-spiral" and "half-spiral" are not 

 in favour at Henaratgoda, though both 

 have been given a good trial there. 



The " three-cut herringbone" system 

 is carried out as follows :— On fairly old 

 trees the rough baik is lightly removed 

 with a draw knife such as is used by 

 carpenters, but on young trees this is 

 not necessary. The circumference of 

 the tree is then taken with a tape and the 

 trunk divided into two equal parts to a 

 height of about 5 feet from the ground. 

 At each half section a perpendicular line 

 is marked off with a piece of chalk, and 

 on either side of this line three oblique 

 lines are similarly marked off, a foot 

 apart, connecting at their base of this 

 line three oblique lines are similarly 

 marked off, a foot apart, connecting 

 at their base with the perpendicular 

 line, To enable the oblique line to 

 be accurately laid off, a triangular- 



