TH£ TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [February f, 1890; 
Similar results were noticed *here nitrate of soda 
was applied, as also, though not to the samp extern, 
in the plot where ordinary dung was used. We may 
infer from this that nitrogen, when resolved into 
nitric acid, combines with lime as its favourite base, 
BO that it is most necessary that soils should contain 
a sufficient supply of this important constituent when, 
ever nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, or even 
farmyard dung is intended to be applied. 
It may here be mentioned that all soils which 
contain less than 1 per cent, of lime in the form of 
onrbonate of lime may be considered as deficient in 
this respeot, while those containing more than 4 per 
cent, of carbonate of lime should not, as a rule, re- 
require any additional supply. 
It is a curious and interesting fact that of the foils 
sent np from different parts of the country for analysis 
and report from time to time, in most of the cases 
there is a very marked deficiency of lime, and it may 
be useful to conclude this paper by introduoing t a few 
of the results as praotical illustrations of the import- 
ance of liming. 
No. 1. — Soil sent by Mr. John Mountain, Braoe. 
borough, Lincolnshire, and taken from a field of tur- 
nips which were affected so badly with fingers-and-toes 
and canker at the roots that there was not a sound 
bulb in the whole field. 
On analysis of the dried soil only -38 per cent of lime 
was found — in round numbers J grain in 100 rrains. 
This failure of turnips was no doubt due to insufficient 
lime and acidity of soil, as there had been 10 tons of 
dung and 3cwt. superphosphate applied per acre, which 
should have given a good crop. 
No. 2. — Soil from Llanhilleth Rectory, Monmouth- 
shire, upon which it was found impossible to get a crop 
of peas though well-dressed every year with horse 
manure. On analysis only "12 per cent of lime was 
found. The application of a good dressing of freshly- 
slaked lime in the autumn produced a marked effect 
the following summer, as an excellent yield of peas was 
obtained. 
No. 3.— Soil sent by Mr. J. Sutton, Abbey Farm, 
Huntingdon, and taken from a field which only gave 
2 qrs. of barley per acre, notwithstanding that 4 owt. 
of good artificial manure had been applied. 
Found the soil to be unusually acid, with much ve- 
getable matter containing '34 per cent of nitrogen and 
only *79 of lime. 
The land evidently wanted draining and liming and 
this was recommended accordingly. 
No. 4. — Soil, from Mr. John Norman, Barton Farm, 
Horwood, Devon, and taken from a field of a light, 
porous nature, upon which seeds following oats had 
failed in 1884. 
On analysis only '40 per cent of lime was found, 
or less than £ grain in every 100 grains, and it was 
therefore no wonder that clover seed had failed. 
It would be possible to give a greater number of 
instances where lime was found to be deficient, but 
space will not admit. We should remember that the 
use of manufactured manures, such as super-phosphate 
dissolved bones, or even dissolved Peruvian guano, does 
not render the occasional application of lime un- 
necessary. Indeed, quite the contrary, as all these 
manures are essentially acid in their properties, and 
doubtless tend to make the soils upon which they 
are used more acid than they otherwise would have 
become under the old-fashioned way of farming. 
Moderate but more frequent doses of lime are there- 
fore required to counteract this tendency to acidity, 
as well as to meet the direct requirements of plant 
life. Lastly, in distriots where limestone is used for 
metal on the roads, the muddy scrapings will furnish 
one ef the most- economical dressings for the improve- 
ment of the adjoining grass meadows. 
79, Mark Lane.B. O. 
« 
CINCHONA IN JAVA. 
Our Amsterdam correspondent writes : — " It is a 
fact deserving attention that in 1889 about 44 per cent 
more Java cinchona bark of private plantations 
has been sold here than in the preceding year, vizi 
3,719,935 lb., whilst I bad in my letter dated December 
28th, 1887 estimated the importation of private bark 
in 1889 at 25.000 packages of about 150 lb. ear-h equal 
to about 3,7£0,000 lb. A London firm of brokers are 
apparently in error in saying, as they do in a recent 
report that 1 the present crop of Java cinchosabark 
shows a moderate'increase as compared with the previous 
(1887-88) Java crop '; and also in their statement in 
an earlier report, that 'the last crop (1887-88) of 
Java bark shows an increase, but not the heavy quantity 
anticipated by so many expressing an opin'on.' The 
firm in question probably alluded to y-ur issue of 
31st December 1887. in whioh the future output of Java 
crop (1888 and 1889) was correctly estimated, as I do 
not know of anyone el«e having published an opioion 
with figures on this subject. I maintain my opinion 
expressed in my letters of December 14th and 28th, 
1887 :— (1) That an average of 4 per cent of quinine 
(sulphate) in the bark produced is the vital question 
for a plantation of cinohonabark ; (2) that Java, where 
still many poor trees, cultivated from seed are exist- 
ing, will progress in quantity and quality of its bark 
from year to year ; and (3) that Java and other dis- 
tricts producing hark of at least 4. per c^nt quinine 
will in a few years be the only ones where cinchona 
growing will offer a profit, however moderate that may 
be." — Chemist and Druggist. 
THE OEIENTAL COFFEE COMPANY, 
LIMITED. 
Mr. J. Young presided over the thirteenth annual 
general meeting of the shareholders of the above com- 
pany, held reoently at the offices, 32, Great St. He- 
lens, E. C, and moved the adoption of the report, in 
which the directors pointed out that the result of the 
year's working, although fairly good, was not so satis, 
factory as was expected, owing entirely to unfavourable 
weather. A heavy monsoon was followed by a long 
drought, which prevented a good deal of crop from 
ripening, and the total quantity shipped was 83 tons 
2 cwt. The prices obtained for ooffee fortunately com- 
pensated, in a great measure, for the deficiency in the 
estimated crop, the average realised having been 86s. 9d. 
per cwt., against 65s 5d. the previous vear. The 
bal ance sheet showed that, after covering the adverse 
balance brought forward from last year, and the pay- 
ment of an interim dividend at the rate of 5 per cent, 
per annum, a sufficient amount remained to pa^ another 
dividend at the same rata, and carry forward £313 lis 2d 
to the current year. This, it wis hoped, would be 
satisfactory to the shareholders under the circum- 
stances. The prospects for the coming year were not 
so good as was hoped for, the drought above-mentioned 
having lasted just long enough to injure the blossom 
considerably, and having been followed by an equally 
long peried of heavy rain with hardly any of the 
usnal breaks of sunshine, the growing crop had in- 
evitably suffered, and would probably not exceed eighty 
tons. But as the price of coffee had advanced, and 
fine qualities were likely to be scarce, the directors 
trusted that the result of the year would be about 
the same as the last. The speculative excitement of 
the year having centred mainly on mining aud brew- 
eries, the directors had not considered the time op. 
portune to endeavonr to make a further issue of 
shares in a purely agricultural enterprise, but would 
carry out the wishes of the shareholders as soon as a 
favourable ti tn6 arrived. The report wns adopted*^— 
H. # C. Mail. 
Coffee in Brazil. — "The Instituto Fluminense 
de Agriculture, Government experimental farm, has 
succeeded in grafting Maragogipe and Java coffee" — 
says the Bio News — " on Liberian stookp. This is an 
important rrntter, if it can be made of commeroial 
value, for the state of Bio de Janeiro particularly, 
for if the old Btocks can be used for grafting, and 
this can be done with some fruit bearing trees, there 
is no reason why this ooffee zone should not show a 
return of its former prosperity." 
