THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [January 2, 1888. 
We are so accustomed to look on indigenous tea 
as the best, that it is never noticed that even im- 
provement in it is quite possible. It is the best 
(in certain respects) of our present varieties. No one 
as yet has attempted to breed on a large scale a 
conspicuously good leaf-bearing variety, which is what 
the industry requires, and which would probably be 
fcflnd among the better class Hybrids. 
As a rule, the indigenous plant does not give crops 
of 8 and 10 maunds per acre. It forms a more open 
bush ; whereas the Hybrid is wellknown to give even 
over 10 maunds per acre, and up to 900 lb. per 
acre over large areas, the bushes having denser 
growth or many branches, and hence many more 
shoots for plucking from with a given size of stem. 
One can see through an indigenous bush, but not 
through a Hybrid, so to speak. Occasionally most 
planters see bushes in their gardens that yield per- 
sistently quite an abnormal amount of leaf. What 
is needed is to select from such, and by crossing 
■with its own pollen, secure a new variety that will 
give heavier leaf crops. 
The reaction from China and Hybrids in favour of 
indigenous seed is most natural. The evenness of the 
flushes is thereby attained, which is impossible in 
mixed gardens ; but the scientific breeding of tea, for 
the purpose of producing an even and heavy leaf- 
cropping variety, has not begun. The true habitat 
of the indigenous tea tree has been only vaguely 
settled. Many so-called " indigenous " gardens or plots 
are obviously where early Shan settlers planted the 
tea not as we do in rows, but irregularly scattered ; 
and indeed in most of these sites there are reasons 
to think this "indigenous" has not been introduced 
more than some 60 or 80 years. Few indigenous 
plots can show lea trees 35 feet high, and 3 feet 
6 inches round at 4 feet up, dimensions that are 
found occasionally in Upper Assam, and are ap- 
parently greatly exceeded in Upper Burmah; So that 
one of the prime conditions in the case has an ele- 
ment of uncertainty in it. "Where, however, we find 
virgin forest extending over large areas, with a con- 
siderable per cent of tea therein, the chances are 
it is "indigenous." It is found both in the hills and 
plains, aud as the original tea drinkers of these parts 
were mostly bill tribes, living for the most part on 
hill tops and spurs, the fact of its being found in 
such p'aces is quite natural. That it can, and does, 
grow on level, or even low land, near water level, 
is also certain. The general idea is that it is confined 
to hills, but this, as is well known locally, is not 
true. Occasionally it is said that the seed of any 
garden should not be again sown on the same plot, 
or it may be near it, or used to fill vacancies therein. 
The reason for this is not at all obvious, and gener- 
ally speaking, when looked into, there are no facts 
to support the statement. 
There is also a prejudice against the seed of plant 
raised from so-called "indigenous:" it is considered 
in some way or other to have deteriorated. But there 
is general iy one way alone by which this can have 
been effected, i-e., by crossing with Hybrids growing 
re<r or not far off, this crossing is so common, that 
to it we may safely trace the supposition that pure 
in igenous degenerates by change of habitat. Thus 
crossing with inferior Hinds and transfer to inferior soils 
are the only conspicuous causes of degeneration. If 
the former is avoided, aad indigenous seed, or seed 
even off plunt from it, is put in to good soil, there 
is no reason to expect it may degenerate. The chances 
lire equal that it may even improve. — Indian Planters' 
G< ze'te. 
A CHEMIST'S HOLIDAY IN MYSORE. 
By David Hooper. 
List July I visite I the native province of Mysore, in 
Southern India, and I thought tbat some notes of my 
t ur in this intrresting country might be acceptable to 
the readers of jour journal. 
Mysore i» an undulating tableland lying between the 
Eastern aud Western Ghauts. It is 3,000 feet above 
t he sfa, but elevations occur in Main Ad, on the western 
and mountainous side, ranging from 2,000 to 6,000 feet. 
The region botanically is characterised by bamboo, and 
the rather dry climate is favourable to the production 
of gums, resins, and other exudations from plaute. 
The earliest accounts describe the country as covered 
with forest, and it is only within the last century that 
the cultivation of cereal crops, areca, and date palms 
has partly displaced the wooded tracts. There are a few 
of these forests left, considerably reduced in size, but 
the names of the districts indicate the character of the 
trees once grown, as, for instance, Ohaudanaranya 
(Sandal Forest), GaDgajaranya (Abrus Forest), and 
Kundaranya (Jasmin Forest). The language almost 
universally spoken in Mysore is Canarese, from the 
countiy of Oanara bordering on the north-west. 
The large European and military station of Bangalore 
was my first destination. Here were an extensive native 
town, or pcttah, two bazaars, and the bungalows of 
the English residents scattered in the suburbs among 
tropical vegetation. The Government Botanic Gardens, 
called "Lai Bagh " (Red Garden), are ably super- 
intended by Mr. J. Cameron, f.l.s. They represent 
all the indigenous aud naturalised trees and shrubs, 
both economic and ornamental, grown in this part of 
India. The most handsome in the collection is undoubt- 
edly the "Flame of the Forest" (Ctesalpinia pulcher- 
rima). The umbrageous tamarind, with its dark green 
foliage made up of delicately pinnated leaves; is also 
a prominent tree ; its green acid pods, not unlike 
broad beans, are preserved and exported. Catharto- 
carpus fistula, another large tree of this order, is well 
named the "Indian laburnum" from its resemblance 
when in flower to the attractive Cytisus; the long cylin- 
drical pods or lomentaceous legumes have suggested 
to the natives two other names — If Candle " and " Long- 
pudding tree." 
The chief article of commerce in Mysore, and the 
most important item in the Forest Revenue, is the sandal 
wood. The Santalum album is from 30 to 60 feet high 
with not a very robust habit ; the colour of the stem 
is darker than that of the figs and cassias in its vicinity, 
the flowers are small and red, but neither the bark 
sap-wood, leaves, nor flowers have that fragrance which 
is found in the duramen or heart-wood. The sandal 
is propagated by seeds, and as both the wood and the 
tree are a Government monopoly, the fruits are care- 
fully collected by servants, whether from forests or 
from the compounds of private houses. Natural grown 
sandal is being attended to by having a system of 
special men called " sandal monegars " to look after 
their cultivation, as there is a doubt if the artificially 
grown trees will have the same amount and quality 
of perfume as the self-sown. The wood is sold by 
auction once a year, the larger portion being purchased 
by merchants of Bombay. Until the sales it is stored in 
depots called " Kotes," situated in several towns in 
the province. Mysore sandal is appreciated above all 
other kinds, especially in the China market, and it 
has a steady net price of 45'. per ton at the place 
of production, showing it to be the most valuable 
wood in the world. During the year 188G-1887 a 
better sale of the wood realised about 46,000?,, a 
substantial increase to the Mysore Forest Revenue of 
one lakh of rupees, or 10,000/., over the sales of the 
pievious year. 
The Lai Bagh contained many other trees noted for 
affording medicinal products: — Stryclinos Nvx vomica, 
with its round green fruit sheltered under the branches ; 
Mallotus Philippincnsis, with its drooping inconspicuous 
inflorescence, like most of the Euphorbiacere ; Erythroxy- 
lon Coca in a healthy condition although overrun 
by black ants; the climbing Arbus precatorius, with 
its dusky pods and scarlet seeds. Pterocarpus inai- 
siipium, the Malabar kino, and Butea. frondosa, the 
Bengal kino, grow side by side, and form a trio of 
timber trees with Pterocarpus santalinus. A few species 
of Eucalyptus, from Australiya, were not flourishing at 
this altitude. Besides these maybe seen Dichopsis r/utta, 
from the Straits Settlement; Manihot Glaziovii, from 
Brazil; Araucaria Cookii from California; Artocarpifs 
incisa, from the South Sea Islands; and Davimara 
robusta, from New Zealand — all yielding secretions used 
largely in the arts. 
