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Correspondence. 



DATURA STRAMONIUM IN ASSAM. 



Dear Sir,— I note your remarks re "Stramonium" in the " Tropical Agri- 

 culturist" of August, 1905 (page 358). Datura grows in Assam wild and in large 

 quantities, but its cultivation is forbidden by law ; it is an excisable article. This was 

 forbidden, 1 understand, on account of the abuses of the plant by the natives. 

 Can you tell me what the values of the seed and leaves are ? 



Yours faithfully, 



R. C. WHITE. 



Silghat, Assam, June 2nd, 190(5. 



[They contain a virulent poison and are one of the favourite poisons with 

 Eastern natives. The drug is said to be of ixse in asthma, rheumatism, &c— Eu.j 



IPECACUANHA. 



Sir,— Alan Walters in his " Palms and Pearls of Ceylon " says :— Of oranges 

 and lemons there is no lack, and equally common is the Ipecacuanha (I. Cephaelis 

 from Greek Cephaele, a head, because its leaves are disposed in heads), a native of 

 Brazil, with a bright-orange flower. I have in vain tried to find what this is, 

 which according to Mr. Walters is so common. 



Is it then the Binkohomba (sans) Kirata or Bhunimba used as a febrifuge? 

 It is said to contain all the properties of Ipecacuanha. 



I am informed that large quantities of it are gathered in the Moragala and 

 other districts for exportation. 



GEO. E. WEERAKOON. 



Talangama, 28th June, 1906. 



[Perhaps our readers can throw some light on this.— Ed.] 



THE ROTATION OF CROPS. 



Dear Sir,— The question of a proper rotation of crops in market gardening 

 was lately discussed at a meeting of one of the branches of the Society. As a 

 further contribution to this important subject. I annex a cutting from The 

 Garden, (May 19th, 1906) which may prove useful to local market gardeners. 



Yours truly, 



C. DRIEBERG. 



" This is a most important matter for consideration, and a proper system of 

 rotation in cropping should be strictly carried out. Never allow the same kind 

 of vegetable to occupy the same piece of ground two years in succession, except 

 in such cases as asparagus, rhubarb, seakale, &c, which occupy the ground for 

 several seasons. Although the same plot may produce for several years in succes- 

 sion good crops of the same kind, such as onions for instance, by being well and 

 judiciously manured, yet it is not by any means a good practice. In the end the 

 land would become so exhausted that no system of manuring would again fit 

 it for a similar crop until a rigid system of rotation had been practised. Crops, 

 such as cabbages and potatoes, which are of an exhaustive nature, should be 

 relegated to different soil each year. Tap-rooted plants should be succeeded by 

 those having fibrous roots ; thus beet, carrots, and parsnips may be followed by 

 the cabbage tribe, which may also succeed beans and peas, 



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