May i, 1888.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
731 
bo correofc in stating that "at least for a distance 
of twelve miles from the sea coast tea will give 
a maximum yield," there would seem to be nothing 
to prevent our Natal tea industry from equalling, or 
oven surpassing in its dimensions, that of Coylon as 
at present established. The coffee and sugar indus- 
tries of Natal cannot be said to be in a flourishing 
condition. The farcer will very probably be able 
to produce onough for our own wants ; and we have 
no doubt that Sir Donald Currio was correct in 
s iy ng that it was bottor than that ho had tasted in 
tho Red So.*, though whether this remark involved 
any groat compliment to Natal coffee is doubtful, for 
we imagine that most of the coffee drunk in the Red 
Sea has been bought in London and served better or 
worse, as the worse may be, on board the various 
steamers traversing that dangerous and disagreeable 
portion of Neptune's domains. But a blight seems to 
have fallen upon the industry here, as in other countries. 
Sugar growing also is in a bad way all over the world, 
and in Natal no better than elsewhere. The produce of 
sugar is assuredly more than a sample. Coming to 
gold, the reproach is justified iu a manner, however 
entirely unmeant by the jester, and it thus affords 
another instance of the manner in which jesters do oft 
prove prophets. We have as yet produced only suffi- 
cient gold to give great hopts for the future finds of 
that precious metal iu more abundance; and if the 
Capetown people could lind as much gold in the " Lion's 
Head " as has been already unearthed at Uinzinto, 
they would assuredly be not ashamed of their -ample. 
With regard to wool, tobacco, &c., the first-named we 
have recently discussed in these columns. Tobacco is 
not much more than a name. On the whole, we think 
we may fairly state in conclusion that Natal no longer 
deserves the reproach of being a country of samples. — 
Natal Mercury. 
♦ 
AGRICULTURE ON THE CONTINENT OF 
EUROPE. 
(Special Letter). 
Pabis, February 25th. 
M. Mounier suggests the following plan for the 
eradication of ferns, and which has succeeded iu his 
oase. Lucern has a very voracious appetite for potash, 
and so has the. fern. He sowed lucern on the infested 
soil, and found it so disputed the potash with the fern, 
that the latter dwindled and died out. New .Zealand 
could well try the experiment. 
Among not a few of the upheaving causes that have 
deranged Continental farming, is neglect of irrigation, 
and the danger in wooded districts of felling 1 trees, 
and thus diminishing the annual rainfall. Professor 
Studuicka, of the University of Pragul, has just 
published an important volume on the hydrography 
of Bohemia, in which he demonstrates that to aug- 
ment the rainfall of a region the best means is to 
plant its hills with trees. The influence of forests 
on tho rainfall is notably illustrated iu tho meteorology 
of Palestine. At Jerusalem, the height of the rainfall 
is 570 millimetres, while at Nazareth, it is i>12. But 
Jerusalem is 650 yards higher than Nazareth, aud 
following a series of observations made at Juffa, for 
every 100 yards of elevation, there ought to bo a 
corresponding augmentation in tho rainfall of II 
millimetres. The dilferenco is simply due to ono dis- 
trict betog planted, and the other baro. As far as 
1M or 50 miles round tho Holy City, the territory is 
btre of trees while N.iz ireth is in proximity to wooded 
mounts Kpbraim ami I'armcl. The annual rainfall at 
Nazareth also, nftor series of observations, is uniform 
more than at Jerusalem. 
The co-operution of farmer' 1 into Syndicates or 
Soeiotos, f.ir the purchase, wholesale, ami direct from 
the producer, of machines, see Is, manures, ko. is 
making vast stride* in prance: so is the Italian system of 
banking and of Insurance whore the Syndicate becomes 
security for all its members. Tho agriculturists aro 
still further extending the system of united action ; thoy 
are establishing a central depot or warehouse for tho 
telle of their grain, wmo, hops, ic. It is thus that their 
syndicate has been able to contract for supplying 
military centres with their provisions, and many other 
public establishments. 
Pauls, March 17th. 
At the beet-root sugar exhibition lately held at Arras, 
the prizes were awarded to roots yielding from 16 j to 
17& per cent of sugar. This is treading closely on 
Germany and Russia. 
In the South of Franco aud in Algeria, where fodder 
as well as litter are very scarce, the prunings of tho 
vines — about 16 cwfcs. of twigs per acre, are crushed, 
and employed to feed aud bed stock, like straw. Th3 
Oomte de Troguiudy has iuvented a machine whiob 
cuts and crushes tho twigs at the rate of one cwt. per 
hour. It will also bruise rushes and furze ; its price is 
150 fr. 
Germany is ever the vanguard for novelties. A new 
kind of ensilage has been adopted, which at least has 
the merit of being inexpensive. A trench 80 inches 
deep is made iu the soil, into which are piled alternate 
layers of marigold leaves, beet-pulp, or whole roots 
aud potatoes. A layer of beet leaves is spread over 
the bottom to the depth of six inches, well trample 1 
down ; next follows a layer, 12 inches thick, of whole 
roots of marigolds &c. or potatoes ; over these is a 
layer of sliced beet, pulp, or leaves well tro lden down : 
next a stratum of whole roots as before till the level 
of the soil be attained, when the same plan of pi'ing 
is continued, only the layers are less thick, till tin 
mass rises three feet over the surface. It is then 
thatched with a coat of beet leaves six inches deep, 
over which is battened a layer of soil, two feet thick. 
The mass at first beats rapidly, attaining a temperature 
of 8G degress F. The tendency ot the potatoes to 
emit puffs is destroyed, and all symptoms of decom- 
position are checked. The heap rapidly cools down, 
and the mass conserves well. It may be said that 
success depends on the exclusion of the air. Many 
millers in Germany now press the bran into cakes, and 
find ready purchasers for tho preparation, at fr. II per 
cwt. 
In parts of France and Italy, and near large towns 
farmers and gardeners purchase bones aftor they have 
been boiled to extract their fat &c. The bones on being 
well dried are placed in layers, after being brjken, 
six inches thick, mixed with earth, ashes, and lime. 
The heap when a yard high is wetted from time to 
time with liquid manure, c;ire beiug taken to cover 
the mass with earth. In the course of five months a 
rich, friable compost will be produced. 
» 
SUGABCANE CULTIVATION IN 
INDIA 
The usual method of cane culture may be called 
broadcast as opposed to planting, as the term is under- 
stood by Europeau and Australian planters, The differ- 
ence iu results may be approximately obtained by 
asking any ryot the difference in produce between 
cheetwa aud roan dltan (broadcast aud plauted). We 
had peculiarly favourable opportunities of noting this, 
having been engaged in sugareano cultivation at ono 
timo in Ooimbatore aud elsewhere. The root of the 
sugarcaue is a small collection of thiu fibres or rootlets; 
there is no tap root. On these depend tho health and 
vigour of tho plant with its long succulent stem aud 
succession of long broad leaves ; it should, therefore, 
bo placed in tho best possible condition to enable it 
effectually to meet tho heavy demand on it. 
liy the uativo method, the root is ou or near the iur- 
face of the ground. The field gets twelve or fourteen 
surface ploughing* giving a seed bod ouly four or five 
inches deep. Tho little manure (if any is given) is 
scattered irregularly over the surface, a plough goes 
round tho field in a continually llwill Mllm circle, and 
the cuttings aro dropped iuto the shallow-track so 
made. There may be a little manure where tin y fall, 
or there may not bo any. The cuttings aro covered 
with about three inches of earth by a piece of wood 
drawn over the surface, a man or two stau.ling OB 
it, each mipportiug himself by holding the tail of the 
bullock in front of him. This surface ooveriug soon 
dries; the surface is then loosened a liltls by Uic 
