October i, 18&7.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
22 ] 
iu cases of extreme prostration. Once introduced, its 
value would become apparent and a highly remuner- 
ative price commanded. It reproduces about eight 
tubers from one, maturity being indicated, as with 
arrowroot, by the drying up of the leaves. Should 
it not be found suitable to the plains it would, I 
am convinced, succeed at Shillong or any other 
station at an elevation of our 2000 feet outside the 
rain-belt; my own observations iu the Neilgherries 
leading to the conclusion that any rainfall in excess 
of 100 inches would induce rot. 
Though many economic plants will doubtless sug- 
gest themselves to the intending establisher of what 
may be called an omnium plantation, and nothing 
need be said to deter one from introducing them, 
it would be better to defer their planting until the 
place is well stocked with indigenous ones of ascertained 
commercial value ere experimentalizing with exotics, 
the successful rearing of which must be at least 
•peculative. 
Aniseed, and anise star are both to be found iu 
abundance in Assam, the one uuder the name of 
Mahori, the latter under that of Badian. Among 
the low hills round about Gowhatti, on the old road 
to Cherraponjee, and in the terai forest of both 
sides of the Khassia and Naga hills, sufficient seed- 
lings of aniseed for stocking an acre can be easily 
procured, but considerable care is required in trans- 
porting them, and this should be done during the 
cold weather, the plants lifted with as much earth 
round the roots as can conveniently be carried. As 
the object with the former plant is to obtain as 
luxuriant a foliage as possible, high cultivation and 
copious manuring should be resorted to ; tho plant 
may be put in 4 feet by 4— the same distance as tea 
is planted ; but if that part of the district iu which 
the grant is situated is more than ordinarily subject 
to visitations of blight and red spider, it will be 
prudent to plant somewhat wider — say 5 by 5 ; for 
though tea leaves afflicted with the two pests men- 
tioned make but little perceptible difference in the 
turn-out (not out-turn), the quality of the oil of 
aniseed will be very sensibly affected by the presence 
of unhealthy leaves, hence the aniseed plantation 
must be kept clean and iu good order. To get the 
largest yield from the plant, pruning with that view 
tuny be carried out as experience dictates, and the 
best treatment followed with tea will probably be 
found to answer. The plant readily responds to the 
use of the knife, aud will yield, weight for weight, 
about 50 per cent above tea, so that the usual 
task for plucking may be increased in proportion. The 
leaves should be gathered precisely as with tea, but 
removed from the plucking baskets more often* for 
no heating must be permitted, and plucking should 
only take place in dry weather. The leaf may be 
subjected with advantage to a light rolliug in the 
mass just sufficient to break the cells and the oil 
then pressed out, or may be extracted by distillation ; 
but whichever method is pursued, both press and 
still should be enamelled or of polished iron and 
kept scrupulously clean, as on the clearness of the 
oil and freshness of the leaves depends its price. 
It may then be sent to market either in small casks 
or bottles, and as numbers of the latter cau be 
always purchased for an almost nominal value in the 
districts, for the first consignment or two their use 
would, perhaps, be preferable; but of course all these 
Butters need careful calculation as to cost. 
Anise star or liadian, the object with which is to 
procure the largest amount of fruit (or seed)— which 
latter is not quite the correct term— will require 
that class of manure that contains the greatest 
amount of phosphates. Hence pulverized limestones, 
banes, and animal or fish offal will be best for it, 
and M nil these cau be had at smull cost, large 
crops may be secured ; although the chief dependence 
UOald be placed ou the fruit, the bark of Badian 
is almost equally rich in properties peculiar to the 
shrub. I'.ntli seeds and bark may bo lightly crushed 
and t'ten intused in spirits of wine or distilled in 
the usual manner. Tho Inrgo demand all over 
Europe and America for duisettu for llavouring pur- 
poses would tend to make this particular industry a 
considerably remunerative one. Packing, for export, 
must depend upon circumstances ; but, as this is a 
choice article, well corked and scaled bottles are to 
be recommended. It is as well to mention that the 
flavour of the preparations from both these plants 
is so pungent aud pouetrating, that the house set 
apart for their manipulation should be kept distinct 
from all buildings devoted to other manufactures, 
and that tho few people it will be necessary to 
employ in the aniseed business should be retained 
for that special purpose. Natives are proverbially 
careless in these matters, so that strict vigilanc; 
to prevent interchange of the tea and auiseed 
baskets must be specially guarded against. .Scented 
tea is all very well in its way, but, impregnated 
with the powerful odour of anisette, would find 
scant favour cither with dealers or the general 
consumers. 
Audropogon b'chceiianthus, or (jhunlho bina, as 
the Bengalis term it, is a small stunted-looking 
shrub that is found under the hills on the south 
side of the two valleys that now form Assam. It 
is well-known in Ceylon aud Southern India, and 
from its fresh-gathered leaves is distilled the lemon- 
grass oil of commerce. In its native state the 
Ghundho appears an unpromising plant from which 
to expect any large yield of leaf, but when well 
manured aud cultivated it responds to generous 
treatment, and will well repay those who care to 
raise it. The pruning is much the same as that 
demanded for other leaf -producing crops, and, though 
even the coarse, tough, older leaves are impregnated 
with the essence and yield largely, care must be 
exercised to avoid over-plucking, as the plant 
needs considerable lung power, and if unmercifully 
taxed will soon die out and have to be replaced. 
It is better allowed to attain G feet in height ere 
plucking, when it will be sufficiently robust to with- 
stand close cropping, but as soon as signs of ex- 
haustion, such as drooping of the lower leaves, 
become apparent an interval of rest should bo 
accorded. It should not be touched from October 
to April, and only on bright warm days. If fire 
is used the heat must be low, but a brighter and 
clearer oil is obtained if a glass fretort is made 
use of, so arranged as to revolve slowly in the full 
beams of the sun that the mass of leaf may be 
kept constantly turning over, otherwise a disposition 
to " cake " is induced, aud the outturn is 6treaked 
with unsightly films of dark muddy line that will 
detract considerably from its market value. The plant 
may be propagated from layers, cuttings, or separ- 
ation of the roots, but is sufficiently abundant to 
provide independent saplings for stock without re- 
course being had to the above somewhat tedious 
methods of multiplication. As this is an essential 
oil, and the produce of your experimental acre will 
not amount to any large quantity, either bottles or 
half-niaund tins may be used for the first export- 
ations. Tho refuse, after all oil has been extracted, 
being liable to ferment and become offensive, should 
be burnt and consigned to the general ash-pit, tho 
sifted lye from which will be found the best thing 
to use for cleaning all oil presses, retorts, etc. — ■ 
Pharmaceutical Journal. 
♦ 
In Mauritius there is a cactus, closely resembling 
the ordinary prickly pear, except that it has not a 
single thorn or hair on it. It is used on that island 
as a forage plant. We should like further information 
from one of our Mauritius confreres, for it would be 
of considerable benefit to some parts of these Lslauds, 
which at present are useless during dry seasons, for 
cattle feeding. The plant bus beeu introduced at the 
Cape of Good Hope with excellent results. [On this 
paragraph, from the Honolulu I'luntirt' UoHthlu t wo 
would remark that we shall believe iu a perfectly thorn- 
less cactus when wo see it. But the thorns of the ordi- 
nary prickly pear can bo got rid of by means of lire, 
after which tho branches cau be crushed tor forage. 
Ed."! 
