348 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [November i, 1887 
Elasocarpus trees, their widespreading branches afford" 
ing a deep shade, which gives solemnity to the scene. 
The temple itself stands in the middle of a circle 
marked out with a rugged stone ' wall 3 or 4 feet 
in height. The temple is dedicated, it is supposed, 
to the Fire God of this particular tribe, as within the 
circle there is a small hollow in the ground, which is 
the sceue of one of their religious ceremonies — namely, 
that of walking through fire. The hollow is filled with 
burning ashes, through which each devotee walks slowly 
and majestically; this rite is performed once a year. 
This locality is extremely rich in Ferns ; in addition 
to Tree Ferns in abundance there are numerous others, 
including Adiantum caudatum, A. hispidulum, Davallia 
tenuifolia in huge masses draping the branches, 
Pteris geranifolia, P. cretica, and many others, whilst 
the trees are draped with such species as Asplenium 
furcatum, Elaphoglossum conforme, &c. Lilium neil- 
gherense is alsd found in abundance in the neighbour- 
hood. It is frequently seen growing out of the fissures 
of damp cliffs and rocks, and seems to like a good 
deal of moisture. As a rule it produces only a single 
flower on each stem, but I have frequently seen 
from two to three on a stem, and I believe as many as six 
blooms have been counted on one stem. It is a very 
beautiful plant in its wild state. It is now, I believe, 
becoming very scarce owing to the ravages of collectors. 
After building the house on the Deva Shola plant- 
ation, I laid out a small flower garden in front, 
planting it mostly with Verbenas and Petunias the 
first year, which at that time were all the plants 
I had available. I devoted a bed to each variety, 
and the result was startling and unexpected. After 
the north-east rains ceased the plants began to bloom 
and for a whole year presented such an appearance 
as I never saw before produced by plants of the 
same kind. The beds during that time were simply 
a blaze of the brightest coloured flowers, and were 
the admiration of all who saw them. On the pillars 
of the verandah I had Passiflora edulis, which gave 
me fruit all the year round, Bignonias and Mandevilla 
suaveolens, which yielded its sweet scented flowers 
abundantly at all seasons. By the way, I have seen 
this plant in the Botanical Gardens at Ootacamund 
which had found its way to the top of a large tree, 
covering the crown of its supporter with a wealth 
of its pure white blossoms, which is another proof 
of the mild nature of the climate. The above-named 
gardens are extremely interesting and are well 
managed; but I shall have more to say regarding 
them perhaps in my next paper. — Planter. — Journal 
of Horticulture. 
{To be continued.) 
COCONUT CULTIVATION IN CEYLON. 
COOLTES' IDEAS OF MANURING — THE STRICTURES OF 
" W. B. L." REPLIED TO — DIGGING THE SOIL ROUND 
COCONUT TREES — TnE EFFECT OF MANURING. 
Siyane Korale, 14th October 1887. 
In your issue of the 21st ult. « W. A. D. S." draws 
attention to a marked peculiarity of all natives to heap 
rubbish or manure at the font of trees. It is an inr 
clination which they seem not to be able to overcome. 
I have found it strong in the Tamil coolie as well. 
Under your personal direction he will spread the man- 
ure round the trunk of a tree : once withdraw it or 
set him to apply manure without detailed and specific 
instruction aud he will revert to his favourite plan. 
Nothing seems to be able to convince him that the 
mouths of the tree are not at the trunk. I had recent 
experience of this. In my manuring operations, which 
are rather extensive, or in placing weeds and branches 
at the feet of my coconut trees, i religiously avoid the 
trunk or the space within two feet of it. Yet during 
my recent absence from the estate I find that both 
cattle manure and husks, which I apply together, had 
been carefully piled round the trunk. The result of 
heaping rubbish round the trunk is that it sends out 
mors, which give to the tree an ungainly appearance, 
but heap rubbish or not, as a tree increases in height 
dame nature enlarges its foundation or base. I heartily 
KuliKctibe to the system advocated of cutting » treuph 
about 18 inches or 2 feet from the tree and 6 to 8 inches 
deep, either as a receptacle for manure or to receive 
the droppings of cattle. I have, practised this all along. 
Now for " W. B. L," from whom a letter appears in 
your issue of the 12th inst. nearly a mouth old. A 
cause is not advanced one whit by abuse or Iobb of 
temper, which usually betoken a paucity of arguments. 
Besides, " W. B. L." has been betrayed by these 
into making an excellent precept of " one Paul of 
Tarsus" serve as an introduction to a confused meta- 
phor. What in the name of all that is ridiculous ie 
" the virus of an overteased monkey "? This is evidently 
an attempt at being smart and caustic, with what re- 
sult let your readers say. 
When he dismounts from his "metaphorical charger," 
which being translated is " high horse," in which his 
performance is akin to that of a beggar under similar 
circumstances, i. e. on a horse, no matter whether it is 
high or low, I feel that I meet him on even terms. I 
shall not fail to benefit by " W. B. L." 's advice for 
qualification as a practical planter. I suppose his qualific- 
ations to be considered as a practical planter rest on a 
surer foundation than his claim to being observant. We 
had lately a specimen of his observation. A man who 
commenced planting when I was " sucking my mother" 
lately made the positive assertion that " the first event 
iu germination (of the coconut) is the conversion of 
the water into a light spongy substance." Why, a school- 
boy would have qualified himself for a whipping if 
he asserted anything so ridiculous and displaying such 
an absence of observation. 
" W. B. L." is guilty of dust-throwing, and is evading 
the question at issue between us, when he re- 
presents or rather 7«is-represents me as predicting 
dire consequences if the roots of the coconut tree are 
disturbed. I took and take exception to his dog- 
matic assertion that he "approves of annual ploughing 
or digging merely because it cannot in general be 
done oftener. As to disturbing the roots it is a 
matter of no consequence ; no coconut tree ever 
suffered from a deficiency of roots to take up any 
plant food in the soil ; I want no main roots within 
nine inches of the surface, as the deeper lying 
mains send up abundance of feeders into the upper 
soil." That is the point of issue between us, for I 
say the ab'ove is opposed to all rules of agriculture 
not to say commonsense. If the richest soil is at 
the surface, and the " deeper lying mains send up 
abundance of feeders," then, I say, it is injurious to 
the tree to have these feeders constantly disturbed by 
ploughings, annual or oftener. I have seen a field of 
coconuts said to be manured and ploughed annually, 
and it presented a by no means healthy or vigorous 
appearance, but I have not seen coconuts whose 
roots have been disturbed oftener, for I do not think 
a man so foolish as to do it can be found even amongst 
uneducated natives, who dig round their trees never 
oftener than ouco in two years, as far as I know. 
I assert and assert unhesitatingly that most of the 
feeding roots of a tree are well within the 
shelter of the branches. This is supported not 
only by observation but by authorities, whom if I 
cite, even your broad-sheet will be filled. I am not 
represented correctly when spokec of as a " strong 
conserver of roots." I am more correctly a strong 
conserver of roots from frequent disturbance. As a 
coconut tree, unlike other trees, is constantly throwing 
out main roots from the stem, any temporary check 
it may receive from having its roots cut in digging 
a shallow trench round it is more than counter- 
balanced by the benefit it will receive from the 
manure or other plant food placed in the trench, 
I do not indulge in theories but in facts, therefore 
the advice given me to again examine the space 
rouud a tree in order to satisfy myself that it is 
occupied by main roots and not by root-hairs 
is unnecessary. I found and find moat of the root- 
hairs round the stem aud within shelter of the 
branches. I draw a distinction between cattle-manure 
aud cattle-shed manure. In the latter category I in- 
clude manure made by littering the sheds, so that 
the liquid portion of the manure is absorbed and 
doeg not run to waste, " W, B. L." and I are no 
