March i, 1888.] THE TROPICAL 
NITRATES AND AGRICULTURE. 
It has generally been supposed that the nitrite 
formed during nitrification, is produced by the reduc- 
tion of nitrate previously formed. Some experiments 
of Dr. Muuro's (Chem. Sews, 56, p. 62) have, how- 
ever, conclusively disproved this, and shew that 
nitrite is not formed by the action of the nitrifying 
organism on solutions of potassium nitrate, and that 
solutions of ammonium chloride when nitrified first 
form nitrite, which afterwards passes into nitrate. 
The question as to whether nitrates are indis- 
pensable for the growth of field crops has been 
investigated by Pitsch (Landw. Versucfa-Statioflt., 34, 
p. 217), whose results seem to show c inclusively that 
barley, oats, beans, and wheat can be grown in a 
soil absolutely free from nitrates and from all nitrify- 
ing organisms, but containing nitrogenous manures, 
suoh as ammonium sulphate. 
The last number (209) oi the Proceedings of the 
Royal Society, contains a most valuable review by 
Sir J. H. Lawes and Dr. Gilbert, of the present 
position of the question of tho sources of the nitrogen 
of vegetation. Especial interest attaches to their 
views on the claims of Berthelot and others to have 
proved that plants assimilate free nitrogen (see Athea. 
No. 3102, p. 484). They consider the experiments 
brought forward to be so conflicting, " that it is im- 
possible to accept the whole as they stand, and for 
the present it seems necessary to hold judgment on 
them in abeyance." — Athenaum. 
+ 
PLANTING IN JOHORE. 
A Oeylon planter, now in Johore, sends us the 
following on planting prospects in that part of the 
world, hooking at the uniform failure which has at- 
tended the efforts made to cultivate Liberiau coffee 
successfully in Ceylon, wo are somewhat sceptical of 
the profitable nature sf this cultivation in Johore, 
where climatic conditions and soil approximate so 
closely to those of Ceylon. If Johore is successful 
with this product, it will form the brilliant exception 
to all other places in the East where it has been 
tried. Tea wdl be the staple product of the country, 
we feel sure, before long, for tho amount of rainfall, 
its oven distribution, and tho character of the soil, all 
proniiso well for the future of that cultivation ; and 
we also seo no reason why peppor should not be 
suocessfully cultivate 1 by Europeans. Our correspond- 
ent, who only left Oeylon a short while ago, writes 
as follows : — 
Johore, 7th January, 1888. 
I feel sure that this country has a groat future be- 
fore it. If the pioneer planters from Ceylon had put 
in Liberian colfee and ten, iustoad of Arabian coffee, 
there would have been now thousands of acres of 
laud cultivated by Europeans. People readily took 
up blocks of land, as they had only to pay the survey 
fees. A few only opened up, the others waiting to sue 
how things would turu out, and, finding that Arabian 
solfoe would not pay, they gave up all idea of epouing. 
0O7FB1 — Now Liberian coffee grows well, and from 
the third to the fourth year, yields about 3 cwti. pur 
nere. After that the yield is from 6 to 6 owts. and 
1 know of one place that is well cultivated and 
manured, giviug as much as 8 owts. por acre. The 
coffee is prepared ou the estate for the market. 
Johore coffee at present fetches 70/ to 80/ per cwt. 
in tho London market. 
Tka. — Thoro is only one tea garden in Johore, and 
that I bnlievo is payiug, although the great ;r p\rt 
of it is opuncd on all abandoned gambler laud. Hid 
il busu opened on virgiu soil, and had the labor 
supply beeu good when it was oponed, I feel sure 
it would have beon a great success. Johore Tun sells 
in I. >n Ion at about the Oeylon average. This garden 
is situated about axa-level, tnd I fiiok that hottur 
results wdnld bo got in higher districts. 
Pkpi'kii. — This is the homo of pepper. It hat been 
cultivated here by Chinese for ovr twouty years. 
The price at present w excellent: hlaclc pepper is 
quoted in Sin<apirn at $21 .">') pur pie.il \X\\ llu.i 
aud it pays you well to cultivate it, if you ouly gut 
AGRICULTURIST. 587 
i>10 per picul ; so there is at present a good margin 
tor profit. It is only lately that the Europeans have 
taken to plauting popper, as an idea was prevalent 
that it could only be successfully grown by Chinese. 
Now a European's pepper sells for a dollar a picul 
higher than a Chinaman's. 
General — The average rainfall for the last t hree 
years is 102*24 inches, and this is very evenly dis- 
tributed. [0 1887, the most rain that fell in one 
month was 12-9G inches, and the least 5-49 inches. 
Tamil labor can be procured in any quantity now. 
A protector of Immigrants and a Djctor see that 
they are properly treated, aud ^get their agreements 
carried out. Now that the oountry is opened up, 
Europeans get no more fever than they get in the 
Oeylon low-country. I have been hare for seven 
months and never had bail fever. What with land 
almost for nothing, and being able to grow at least 
three products that are known to pay, I think this 
country offers a grand field for planters with limited 
capital. — Eastward Ho ! — Local " Times." 
«. 
MANGOES IN INDIA AND CEYLON 
are thus noticed in the Proceedings of the Madras 
Agri-Horticultural Society : — 
Read the following letter, dated 7th November, 
1887, from the Honorary .Secretary to Deputy Sur- 
geon General John Shortt : — ■ 
" I received a few days ago a ripe mango fruit 
from Mr. Holmes, of the Madras Club, with a note, 
asking us to plant the nut, " as it may produce a 
tree with the same habits, and give us fruit at 
X.mas timo." I think it very dosirable and quite 
feasible to cultivate and encourage such exceutrio 
habits ou tho part of the mango. Can you give 
me any information ou the subject for publication 
in our proceedings ? I have myself eaten mangoes 
from Ohittoor, ripe at Christmas, aud have seen 
trees producing unseasonable crops more than once." 
Read also the following letter in reply from Deputy 
Surgeon General John Shortt, dated Yercaud, 11th 
November, 18S7 : — 
"In reply to your letter of the 7th instant, 
allow me to say, that very little care or attention 
has beeu givou to the mango as a fruit producer. 
Somo care is giveu to them during infancy ; after 
that, they are left to nature ; neither pruning, 
manuring, or irrigation is attended to. Notwithstand- 
ing, we do get some splendid fruits from some of 
them, but if they wore a'tended to like other fruits, 
the results would be better. Ou the Bombay side 
and towords Goa, two crops are obtained from 
the mango, but on the Madras side, only one. The 
plants will have to be forced to get them to fruic 
out of seasou. Recent mango grafts will often 
pash out ilowers out of seasou ; advantage should 
bo takeu of those to take grafts off them, aud to 
see that the actual branch in tlower is made tho 
'Scion.' Grafts from tree that produce a second 
crop from the Bombay side should be secured, 
and care should be taken to see that grafts are put 
on when the tree is in tlower with its secuud 
crop, and thus I think we might succeed iu estab- 
lishing & second mango crop. 1 havj myself eaten 
maugoes from second crops which were taken from 
Bombay to Tuticorin, and sent up here from thence 
by my daughter. Second crop fruits are procurable 
along the Western Ooast on these occasions. I 
don't know whether you are aware that an indication 
of the failure of a crop of mangoes becomes at 
ouce evident, when the tree bursts out with a mass 
of young leaves, which is a certain indication that 
no fruits will follow. It is only by resortiug to 
solocted grafts : the scion of whioh has been taken 
from a pUnt that produced fruit out of season, and 
when in flower or fruit. A Moond crop of fruit may 
be obtained by riuging the stein, and at the lama 
tune attending to the tree by manuring, watering, aud 
pruui.'o it froely. This plau might be put into 
practice anywhere, that is, ringing the mango stain 
out of Seasou, and when got to tlower and fruit, 
take grails Irom it at oucv. This is a subject that 
