April 2, 1888. j *HE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
7iS 
1 11 « . 
communicating by sound to some distance, they 
beint; devoid like the hare of any vocal note for 
the purpose; tho hare thumps her hind foot on the 
ground to give alarm, deer and sheep stamp the 
forefoot sharply on the ground for the same pur- 
pose, the rattlesnake rattles its tail, and so does our 
friend, when angry and also when roaming about 
at night as a signal to other porcupines, and can 
be heard to a considerable distance. Though this is 
a very beautiful arrangement of nature, it probably 
will not suit tho many who pine for the marvellous ; 
and a word on the bow and arrow businoss. It a 
porcupine shootB its quills it must have some 
muscular arrangements for the purpose : that won't 
be denied, but 1 have failed to find such, simply 
because they do not exist ; powerful skin muscles 
it has, a»d which are necessary to move the 
giant hairs, developed into effective weapons of 
offence and defence as they are, but it would require 
quite a different arrangement of them and 
much stronger ones to shoot them out, and which 
power is in no way required by the animal ; they 
are effective enough without it. There is nothing 
more wonderful in some of the quills coming out 
which were ready to be moulted very likely and 
even to be jerked a fow inches, than there is in 
feathers ooming out of a hen when she shakes herself, 
especially when the animal erects them violently in 
anger, but to shoot them with malice aforethought 
at an enemy is out of its power, the bowstringH 
aro wanting, which presents a difficulty to those 
who inquire for themselves in believing such non- 
sense. 
Your correspondent in Oth's issue, who writes 
seemingly because he is entirely ignorant of the 
subject, and who must bo an admirer of bull -baiting 
and badger drawing, would find no difficulty in in- 
ducing the natives for a consideration to catch an 
adult wild porcupine ; he could then shut it in a 
room and attack it himself with only the weapons 
nature has endowed him with, Ho would then be- 
oomo acquainted to a certainty with how the quills 
got in his legs whether shot or not : that would 
be rather more unselfish than suggesting that 
planters might try the barbarous experiment with 
their dogs, and he might arrange to have a few 
friends looking in at the window for fear his account 
of the result of the encounter should not be believed ; 
take oaro that one of the spectators is a doctor. 
ZOO-ZOO. 
" EXHIBITION BOXES" FOB i'LUWEB 
SHOWS; POT PLANTS; BOUQUETS, Ac. 
Hakgula, Nuwara Eliya, 13th Maroh 1888. 
Ut.vn Sin, — 1 have boon frequently asked for 
information as to the make and size of exhibition 
boxes used at English flower shows, and as this 
iHt'orination muy bo useful to intending exhibitors 
at the Nuwara Eliya Show, which is to be held 
on the 3rd and 4th of next month, I give below 
measurements of a rery good form of show box, 
mid also a fow notes on exhibiting plants and cut 
flowers, which, if you think interesting enough, 1 
shall bo glad if you will give them a place in 
your columns. 
Tuo best sizo box for showing 18 blooms of roses 
or chrysanthemums is one 3 feel long by 18 
inches wido and 1 iuches doop, inside rueasuro. 
The wood used may be of i inoh deal, or any 
other light wood. A little block of I inoh wood 
•2 J inches long should be pluced in tho angle of 
each corner, and a pioce ol half inch in the 
cntro ul inch shin, U inch broad and im-h. 
long. These are to strengthen the box and for tho 
inside tray to rest on in travelling. At the back 
of the box, 5} inches from each corner, a strip 
of wood J inch broad, inch thick and 5j inches 
long should be fixed on with a screw, the screw to 
be put in at 2 inches from tho bottom and not 
screwed tight. The object of this being to give the 
tray a slope when being shown. The strip of wood 
to be turned down at other times. 
The lid of the box should be 4j inches deep, 
to allow room for the flowers, and may be 
fitted on with a pair of hinges, or with little pegs 
such as are used for almirahs. 
The tray for the flowers must be 3 feet long, 
18 inches broad, and half inch thick. A strip of wood 
J inch deep and 4 inch broad to be nailed on edge 
on the under side of the tray at each end. It will 
be necessary to cut out a little piece at the ends to 
make it rest evenly on the blocks in the corners. 
The holes for the tins should be 3 inches from 
the edge and 6 inches apart, the diameter of the 
holes to be 1J inch. These distances will give 
ample room for large sized blooms of either roses 
or chrysanthemums. This box will also answer 
for such things as carnations, pansies, verbenas, 
etc., if the holes are made a little closer, 4 inches 
being fabout the right distance for such flowers. 
With regard to the tins that are to fit in the 
holes to receive the flowers, I think there is 
nothing better than the old-fashioned sort, which 
can be easily made by an ordinary tin-smith for 
about 6 to 8 cents each. They are made of tin and 
are 3 inches long, inch in diameter, with a half 
inch rim round the top. Of course, the joints must 
be soldered close so as to hold water. 
Witlh suoh a box as the above the exhibitor 
can arrange all his blooms at homo, and when 
he arrives at the show building, he has nothing 
to do, but to take off the lid, lift out the tray, 
turn up the oh inch strip of wood, replace the tray, 
and the exhibit is well staged and ready for the 
judges. The boxes should be painted green, and 
fresh moss, or other suitable material, should be 
laid over the surface of the tray among the blooms 
and a little healthy foliage of the kind belonging to 
the flowers shown placed here and there round them 
will add much to the beauty of the exhibit. I have 
often known the best prizes lost for want of atten- 
tion to these little details. 
It also adds much to the appearance of pot plants 
if a little green moss is placed over the soil, the pots 
washed and dead leaves removed, and if necessary 
the foliage should be washed before they are brought 
to the show grounds. I mention this, because if a 
plant is worth showing at all it is worth showing 
clean, and I regret to state that I have seen very 
fair plants sent to be shown in such an untidy state 
as to completely spoil them, when, with a little 
forethought and attention, such plants might have 
secured a prize. 
An exhibitor of pot plants will find it a useful 
precaution to take with him to the show a few 
small wedges of wood to tilt this or that pot into 
a more advantageous position, and also a few neat 
stakes and tying rna'.erial, for it often h.ppens that 
the beauty of a plant is lost for the want of a little 
attention in this direction. 
When collections of vegetables aro shown, the 
exhibitor would do well to provido himself with 
a light tray, say '■ foot long and 2 feet wide, 
with a 2 inch rim all round, and divide it 
into as many compartments as he has different 
kinds to show. A couple of light rails pUeod at 
a distanco from the bottom of f and '.) inches 
at the back to support such things ad celery, 
links iVc. would bo an improvement. An arrange- 
mout liko this would Bave much irotiblo .nd would 
keep tho inhibit distinct, the waul of. which ha 
been a difficulty experienced at all the Shows I 
have atteuded in Ceylon, and has, in ouo case at 
