December t, 1889.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST* 
423 
walls of tbe withering-floor are not perfectly air-tight 
and where there is a crevice or crack, the air, an- 
swering to the suction of the fans, can be felt blowing 
in ; but these defects make do apparent effect upon 
the withering; as tbe fans are superior to such trifles. 
[Will Ceylon planters who have tried the Blackman 
Fan for withering kindly favour us with the 
results? The account above given is most interest- 
ing and seems important. But what a revolution 
has taken place in the ideas of tea cure, since 
we were told that we must make provision of space 
for withering tea slowly by cool atmospheric air. — Ed. 
T. A.-] 
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SOWING AND GERMINATION OF SEEDS. 
(From, the Jamaica Bullitin) 
No hard and fist rule can be laid down for sowing 
seeds. Small ones are, as a rule sown thickly while 
large seeds are planted siugly and at some distance 
apart. Then, again, large seeds require to be covered 
rather thickly with soil, while small seeds need only be 
very lightly covered. 
Germination is the first act of vitality in plants. The 
quantity of moisture uecessary to euable tbe seed to 
germinate varies with the Dature of the plant. Seeds 
of water plants should be entirely immersed, but those 
of land plants need only be kept moist, and it is essen- 
tial to germination that they should be kept moist, for if 
allowed to become dry they shrivel (except of course 
hard coated seeds like some palm seeds) and the germ 
looses its vitality. If seeds get too much water on the 
other laud (except water plants) they undergo a kind of 
maceration which destroys their germinative power. The 
atmosphere should have free access to the seeds, hence 
the soil should be light and open. Seeds buried in stiff 
clay, or at considerable depths below the surface do not 
germinate. All seeds do not take the same time to 
germinate, beans and peas for instance germinate very 
rapidly, while some of the palms, Ceara rubber, &c, 
often take years before showing any signs of growth. 
The soil used for covering seeds should always where 
practicable, be sifted. Where a large quantity of small 
seed is sown, e. g. tobacco seed, it will answer the purpose 
if, after the seed is sown, the beds are lightly raked over 
so as to cover tbe seeds. Very small seeds need not be 
covered at all, but immediately after sowing they should 
be watered and the water w'll carry them down a suf- 
ficient depth for all their requirements. It is always 
6afer to sow small and delicate seeds in boxes or pots, 
but it is of great importance that these should be 
thoroughly drained. The boxes or pots may be covered 
with glass which will prevent excessive evaporation 
and will keep the atmosphere in them in a state condu- 
cive to germination. The glass should be removed 
as soon as the young plants appear or they will be 
" drawn " by it, and will become weak and straggly. 
Ants are very fond of some small seeds and in a 
short time will carry away every seed out of a box. 
To put a stop to the depredations of these mischievous 
little creatures a good plan is to have a staud ma'le 
with for legs, large enough to hold one or two seeds 
boxes, and either have the legs tarred, or ants each 
in a small tin of kerosine oil; this will prevent ants 
getting at the seeds. I have already mentioned that 
all seeds do not take tbe same time to germinate, 
some taking a few days, and others years. It is not 
desirable that we should have to wait one or two 
years for the seeds of a certain plant to grow, and 
some remedy to prevent this long delay, or rather 
some remedy to promote and assist germination is 
usually resorted to. Various remedies have been 
suggested, but the most effectual is generally admit- 
ted to be that of soaking the seeds in water for some 
time previous to sowing. The water causes the seeds 
to swell and the tough integuments which enclose 
the embryo burst. Although soaking seeds to induce 
germination is a good remedy it is not always an 
effectual one. I have mentioned that the Beeds of 
the Ceara rubber (Manihot Glaziovii) often take years 
to germinate, and this has been the caBe although ( 
the Heeds were soaked in a box, two sides of which 
were made of perforated zine, placed in a running 
stream of water and allowed to remain there foe I 
over two months. The seeds of this tree, however, 
are exceptionally hard, and recourse was had to filing 
and griding down the ends of them. This was 
rather a tedious and slow process but was fairly 
successful. The seeds of the Ivory nut Palm (Phytele- 
phas macrocarpa) also take a very long time to 
germinate. Some seeds lose their vitality soon, while 
orthers retain it for a long time. Nutmegs, for 
instance, should be sown when quite fresh; if kept 
for any length of time the kernel shrinks and will 
be heard 1o rattle in the shell it the nut is shaken. 
When this is the case germination cannot take place 
and it is useless to sow the nuts. I might mention 
also that great care should be taken in handling 
nutmegs when even quite fresh. If roughly shaker 
the embryo becomes detached and the seed will not 
grow. Coffee and Cocoa seeds also require to be 
sown immediately aster ripening. 
In sowing seeds in beds in the open, as for in- 
stance, Cocoa, it is best to sow in small drills 6 or 
8 inches apart, and the seeds should not be placed 
too thickly, ao that when the young plants appear 
they will have sufficient light, air and space to de- 
velop. It is the practice in some parts to "plant 
at stake," as it is called, that is, tbe ground is 
loosened and the seed is placed where it is intended 
that the plant produced by it shall occupy a per- 
manent position. It is a much better plan, however, 
to raise the plants in beds and transplant when 
strong enough. If a planter wishes to establish, say, 
2,000 nutmegs on his property he cannot possibly 
give them the same care and attention during their 
infancy, if the seeds are planted singly over a lar" e 
area of ground, aB if he had all in a seed-bed or 
nursery under his eye. W. Habris. 

COCONUT CULTIVATION. 
In his report on the Coconut leaf disease, it will be 
remembered tbat Mr. Drieberg advised deep draining 
on Coconut Estates as a means of overcoming the dis- 
ease. In reviewing that report I ventured to inquire 
what system of draining he advised, and whether deep 
drains cut at right angles to the slope of a hill, especial- 
ly where the subsoil was gravelly, would not teud to 
deprive the soil of too much moisture and re-act pre- 
judicially on the coconut tree in seasons of drought. 
Mr. Drieberg has not thought proper to answer these 
questions, which is a pity, for his opinion on such an 
important branch of cultivation will be of great weight. 
The great interest I have in the subject made me refer 
to it, in a private communication, to one whose opinion 
is authoritative, and I am sure he will excuse me if I 
quote his reply and discuss it publicly. The subject is 
of public interest, and my chief object in carrying on 
discussions on agriculture in public, is to induce an 
interest in the subjuct by all those engaged in this 
most important occupation, and who, in the generality 
of instances, carry on a happy-go-lucky system of cul- 
tivation. My authority writes, " In answer to your 
question whether Coconut trees are better able to with- 
stand drought which grow on well drained lauds I 
say most emphatically, Yes. This is one of the most 
important results of drainage. There is the advant- 
age of a reserved supply of moisture which the tree 
draws in by capillarity, and the resulting advantages 
of sinking water which you know all about. The 
necessary chemical operations in the soil cannot go on 
unless the pores are free to be occupied by air." With 
due deference to my friend, 1 think that all the advant- 
age of drainiug he enumerates have special reference 
to those brauches of agriculture in which European 
Agriculturists are engaged. I do not for a moment 
wish it to be understood that I deny that the resulting 
benefits of draining are of local and not of general ap- 
plicatioa. All I wish to say is that circumstances alter 
cases, and that because draining is of vital importance 
in tbe cultivation of cereals and roots in Eu.ope, which 
is carried on in swampy laud suffering from an excess 
of moisture, it does not follow that deep drainage is as 
essential in the cultivation of Oocouuts on undulating 
land, where natural drainage is ever present and where 
the soil is opened up aud aerated to a very great extent 
