Jan. 1687.] 



45 



of roots of Hevea was allowed to end with the debateable statements on page 

 It should, I think, be made clear that this statement was not made at the time of 

 the lecture and that there was no reply to Mr. Bamber's remarks. " My statement 

 here " refers to the December " T.A.," not to the lecture room. 



T. PETCH. 



PEPPER STEM DISEASE. 

 Dear Sir,— Is there any known remedy for Indian stem disease in Pepper ? 



HILLER MACK AY. 



Pundaluoya, January 12th. 



[The Mycologist at Peradeniya remarks :—" No remedy has been found for 

 the wilt disease of pepper which occurs in India, Cochin China, and Java, though it 

 has been under investigation since about 1900. An experimental pepper farm has 

 been opened in Malabar, and it is hoped that it will be possible to raise a 

 resistant variety. The disease is attributed to eelvvorms in Java, but Dr. Butle 1 ' 

 considers that it is caused by a nectria which lives in some of its stages in 

 the soil : all agree that the roots of the vine are primarily affected. As it is likely 

 to cause serious damage wherever it obtains a footing, all dying vines should be 

 immediately burned, and the soil mixed with quicklime."— Ed.] 



Current Literature. 



Report of the Cotton Growing Industry, British Centrat Africa Protectorate. 

 —By S. Simpson, cotton expert, Zomba ; Published at the Colonial Office :— 

 This report includes a history of the cotton industry in British Central Africa ; 

 and we learn that the native inhabitants grew and wove their own indigenous 

 cotton in a primitive way when Dr. Livingstone pioneered there. Cotton growing 

 in earnest has only been carried on during the last 8 years, its adoption among 

 British planters was due to the failure of coffee, previously the sole crop grown. 

 The soil in the Protectorate varies greatly from rich alluvial in the valleys and 

 lake shores to red clay with sandy patches in the highlands, and a thin soil on 

 the mountains. But, "the whole question of cotton growing" we read, "is one 

 of climate, and it is on this pivot that everything turns." Tables given show the 

 rainfall in various parts of the country, and it is seen that the wet and the dry 

 seasons are definitely defined ; this is in favour of cotton, as.the crop can ripen 

 and be gathered in the dry period. Every encouragement has been given to 

 encourage cotton growing among the natives, and in 1901 and 1905 twenty tons 

 of seed each year were distributed free of charge. 



" It is essential to ensure success that the seed distributed should be of 

 the best and grown under European supervision. If the seed produced in the 

 native gardens is utilised for the production of next season's crop, a good quality 

 of native-grown cotton cannot be put on the market." This deterioration of seed 

 and the necessity of seed selection, which is thus pointed out by Mr. Simpson, 

 is just as necessary in Ceylon and has been emphatically pronounced as essential 

 here by Dr. Willis. Labour in B. C. Africa is plentiful but not very efficient; 

 and transport is a heavy item. Of late years quantities of Egyptian, American 

 Upland and Sea Island seed have been imported. Of others, Gossypium peruvianum, 

 Kidney cotton, was introduced about 12 years ago ; G. Sherbaceum has long been 

 cultivated by the natives ; and (/. Barbadense was probably int rod uced by Arabs, 

 Methods of cultivation are given, and the following estimate of cost of cultivation 

 is of interest, 



