February t, 1888.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
SOAP A SUCCESSFUL IlKMEDY FOR 
SOBERS, 
To the Editor of thp " Australasian." 
Sir, — Since rending in your valuable paper, some 
two years ago, that common soap was a remedy for 
the borer in young orchards among the fruit-trees, 
I have used it id, say, 20 cases or more, and found 
it quite successful. 1 always took care to force tlio 
soap well into tlio hole the borer bad made, after 
which the grub gave no further trouble. — Yours, &c, 
J. L. Beale. 
♦ 
MULBERRIES. 
The foliage of the green-fruited and black-fruitod 
Mulberry tree is very variable, but tlio outline of 
the tree is dcprcssingly monotonous. This tree im- 
parts to all the Central Asiatic cultivated districts 
on ibis side of the mountains of the border range 
of Sungaria their luxuriant appearance. The Mul- 
berry tree iu Kashgarin, or in the country of the 
Harts, is used for silk culture. — a quiet occupation 
for women; while the tasteless Mulberries ape shaken 
from the tree by the children. They are considered 
the most valuable nourishment from the regions of 
Garaf shan, eastward to tho Amu-Daria. Dried Mul- 
berries furnish a swcot food in tho countries where 
corn is scarce, and in every household, large piles 
are stored for winter use. In Sbugnan, a dishful of 
dried Mulberries is used as tho unit of measure, 
and the help of the physician, as well as the skill 
of tho singer, is valued at so many dishes of Mul- 
berries. All through tho l'aendsh district the dried 
berries are ground. A bagful of Mulberry meal 
forms the provision for pedestrians and hunters. In 
the region of Vacndsh a heavy bread is baked out 
oi Mulberry meal, which replaces the corn bread 
during hard times. <>u the upper Darvas and in 
Shugnan, the Mulberry juice is thickened into a tough 
syrup of peculiar flavour. The Shugnanites enjoy 
distilling Mulberry brandy. The wood of the Mul- 
berry tree furnishes to the Tadsbik of the upper 
Amu-Daiia his winter shoes and snndals, his whips 
and guitars, and to the boy of lloshan his hobby- 
horse. The ripening of the Mulberry announces the 
beginning of cummer. The last Shah of Shuguan 
had set up opposite bis residence, on a high hill, 
an indicator, set in tho direction of the point in 
which the sun -rose over the hills at tho time of 
the ripening of the Mulberry — A . UEQKr., cited in 
the " Hrpml of the Montreal Horticultural Society, 
1886-87." " 
♦ 
COTTOMSKKD BULL ASHKS AS A FICRTILIXKH. 
The following experiment is reported by the Ucorgia 
I >i partment of Apiculture: 
Considerable quantities of ashes are obtained nt cut- 
tousei d oil mills, from burning the hulls of the seed 
lor fuel. Although rich in potash, it has been held by 
some that these ashes should not bo mixed with ncid 
phosphates, because ol their reducing effect upon the 
Milublo phosphate present. Chemically it is true that 
carbomle of potash (the form present in ushes) added 
to a soluble phosphate does precipitate a double phos- 
phate insoluble in water. Analysis, however, shows 
this to be soluble iu a solution of amnionic c trate, 
(the reagont used to extract "reverted" phosphate 
I com manure,) and this experiment was instituted to 
determine if tho precipitation destroyed tlio availability 
ol tb" phosphate in the soil. 
Light colored cot'onsced bull ashes were used. An- 
nljsis showed ibuni to contain, potash, 20.16 percent: 
phosphoric ncid ll) per c, nt. 
The following mixtuio wsn made 
Pounds. 
Acid phosphite jjtH) 
N iti o .en mixture 1 1 
Ashes 4,-, 
m 
1 > pounds nidi us contamcd as much potarh as 75 
pounds kainit.) 
GO 
The acid phosphate contained — 
Per cent. 
Soluble phosphoric acid 11.60 
Reverted phosphoric acid 2.50 
Insoluble phosphoric acid L50 
The nitrogen mixture contained in the 41 pounds 
5.8 pounds of ammonia (actual and potential.) 
If no chemical change took place, the mixture 
should have analyzed — 
Per cent. 
Soluble phosphoric acid 8.0-1 
Keverted phosphoric acid 2.70 
Insoluble phosphoric acid 1.07 
Potash 8.18 
Ammonia 2.03 
As a matter of fact, after standing one week, the mix- 
ture was found to weigh "J75 poundH (hnviog lost 11 
pounds of carbonic acid gas, water etc.,) and a sample 
analyzed yielded — 
Soluble phosphoric acid 7.65 
Bcverted phosphoric acid 3.55 
Insoluble phosphoric scid _ 1.10 
Potash 3.30 
Ammonia 2.uy 
27.5 pounds of the mixture were applied to a section 
(1-20 acre) of the plot oil which Experiment 3 was con- 
ducted. It yielded as follows: 
Seed Cotton, per acre. 
Basal mixture and cottonseed 
hull ashes 98 G lbs. 
This combination of potash, therefore, made a 
better yield than either the kainit or muriate. 
I have no hesitation iu recommending the 
mixing of cottonseed hull ashes with acid phos- 
phate.— 0ii, Paint ami. Drwjf Reporter. 
EXPERIMENTING WITH FERTILIZERS. 
We have received the following results of an 
experiment mado by the Oeorgia Department of Agri- 
culture, to test the. results of fertilizing with cluap 
composts compared with equal quantities of high-priced 
commercial fertilizers, and to test the relative values 
of cottonseed and rottonseed meal in composts. 
The sections of the plot contained one-half acre 
each, separated from each other by blank rows nn- 
manured and implanted. Two mixtures were made, 
a6 follows : 
1. Lbs. 
Acid phosphate OH 75 
Cottonseed meal 37 60 
Kainit 18 75 
150 00 
2. Lbs. 
Acid phosphate 03 75 
Cottonseed (.-cabled) 3 bush 00 CO 
Kainit 18 75 
205 50 
This is equivalent to the application of :'>nn pounds 
per acre of a mixture made as follows, per ton, and 
in No. 2 substituting cottonseed for cottonseed meal 
at the rate of 2} of seed for one of meal: 
Lbs. 
Acid phosphate 1,250 
•Cottonseed nun! ."Oil 
Kainit 250 
•2,1 K.0 
•Or cottonseed 10 bushel*, 
No. of section, (i J No. of rows to each section. 11; 
length of rows, 680 feet ; distaOM apart, 31 feet ■ 
area of each section, one-half acre; area of plot, 
8| acres. 
maxnfr oi rmrii i/.\tion. 
No. of Per 
Sue- Section, 
ton. .Manure. l,bs. 
1 Commercial fertiliser A 160 
% .Commercial fertilizer B 150 
8 Mixture No. 1 150 
