56 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [July 2, 1888. 
The Indian and Arab traders send it to Mozambique 
and Nossm Be, and, if Urge and sound wood, it fetches 
from 40 to 55 dollars a ton. 
I heard also when I was in Majunba Bay that ebony 
grows on the banks of Nemside Bay and is tent to 
Nossi Be, that there were large trees there, but I 
was uuable to go as small-pox was raging in all the 
principal towns. 
I myself found ebony close to Ampasimerima, about 
20 miles N. E. of Mojanga, marked in Oliver's map 
incorrectly Pajong; it was here both small in size and 
quantity ; from there to Ambolivozy, a village on the 
southern entrance of Mojamba Bay, I did not dis- 
cover any, but it seemed to recommence there in small 
quantities, and extended along the southern bank of 
the bay. At Ampasamalavatra, on the hay there were 
large quantities of small wood and a few large trees ; 
and at ^Androhibe, about 10 miles inland, I saw 
several frfie old trees of ebony. At Atnboeliana, not 
far from there, I cut some samples sandal-wood, 
and sent the fame to Loudon, and informed that its 
value there is from 251. to 601. a ton. 
• * * * # 
From Soulala to south of Manitirauo (Manitirano 
excepted) it is said to be unsafe for a white man 
to go, and impossible for a Hova. And, again, south 
of Morandava the same thing occurs; but in a few 
Sakalava villages there are Creole traders' agents for 
McGubbin, of Liverpool. 
In my opinion the only way the ebony trade can 
be worked on this coast is by opening stations on 
the riveis where the ebony grows, and employing 
Sakalavas and Blakoas at a monthly wage with an 
English overseer at each station; he, of course, would 
have to take cotton goods, &c, as the wages are 
mostly paid in goods, coin being of no value to the 
Sakalavas. This way would, I think, ensure a regular 
supply of good wood being obtained, aud avoid the 
cutting of small and useless wood. — I have, &c. 
(Signed) S'ibatton 0. Knott, 
British Vice-Consul. 
J. G. Haggard. Esq.. 
H. B. M. Consul for Madagascar. 
Shantunc+ Cabbage. 
(Brassica chinensis, L.) 
In a letter dated 21st April, 1887, Mr. George 
Hughes, late Commissioner of Customs at Chefoo. 
China, offered the Royal Gardens seeds of a cab- 
bage which has long been in high repute in China, 
but which appears to be little, if at all known, in 
this country. Mr. Hughes stated : " I have just 
received from Chefoo, North China, a small packet 
of Shantung Cabbage seed, and I should like if 
possible, to introduce this delicious cabbage into 
England. It grows in the north of China, is lettuce 
shaped, and weighs from 5 to 8 lbs. When boiled it 
is nearly as good, if not quite, as sea kale; eaten 
raw, in a salad. It is of so delicate a flavour that 
I know of no vegetable in England to approach it. 
It is an autumn cabbage, should he planted about 
18 inches apart, thrive3 best with moisture, and in 
Shantung is well watered evry day; there the seed 
is sown in June. When nearly full grown it should 
be tied round so as to give it a good white heart. 
If it cau be acclimatized in this country it will be 
a great addition to our vegetables. 
The seeds received at Kew being few in number 
were carefully cultivated. They were sown in a 
heated pit on the 3rd May, and in about a fort- 
night all had germinated. They were pricked off 
into boxes, and when large enough transferred to 
pots. They were kept iu a cold frame until the 
begiuning of June, when they were planted out in 
beds of rich soil about 18 inches apart iu the rows, 
an 1 the same distance from row to row. About the 
middle of July the plants were tied up in the same 
way as Cos lettuce, and when well filled and blanched 
were cut for uso. They were pronounced to be 
excellent. The seed liponed only sparingly, probably 
owing to the dry weather of last summer. 
It is pos-ible that this Chinese cabbage may prove 
a useful addition to English gardens. The kinds 
most highly esteemed at Pekin are those from the 
neighbourhood of the little town of Ngau-suu. Tbe-e 
are said to be reserved for the table of the Emperor. 
They are eaten either raw in a salad or cooked and 
seasoned with salt. 
Under suitable circumstances the cultivation of 
this cabbage would doubtless prove as simple and 
as successful as with the ordinary cabbage. Botanical 
specimens of Chinese cabbage were received at Kew 
in 188(5 from Mr. F. S. A. Bourne, H. M. Consular 
Agent at Chungking. Under the native name of 
Pai-tsai he describes it " when young it is eaten as 
a cabbage. It is airo cultivated for its seed, from 
which oil is pressed and used for light aud cooking. " 
DIRECTIONS FOB, PLANTING (CEYLON) TEA 
SEED IN NURSERIES. 
1. The seed having been already immersed in water 
for floating off the light seed, it is necessary to 
keep it wet during transit. 2. It is best to plant the 
wet seed on arrival at its destination in dry earth in 
the nursery beds, each seed from '6 to 4 inches apart 
and from § to 1 inch deep <mt more, and leave it to 
give off to the dr}' earth its surplus moisture, if any, 
and thus start its breathing existence, (See Grigoh's 
Arboriculture. *) 3. After 24 hours in dry weather 
the beds may then be watered to saturation and 
covered over lightly for shade with green fern litter. 
4. If the earth is now kept simply damp, watering 
only sufficient to supply the daily evaporation, is ample. 
Cnder these conditions, good seed is bound to ger- 
minate and (once rain falls), the plauts will shoot up 
vigorously, i. <;., better not to force up by excessive, 
watering, the result of which (and too much shade) 
is spinclley and soft-wood plauts that won't stand a 
drought in the optu. 
These directions, based on my practice during the 
last 10 years, were submitted to the highest scientific 
authority for his opinion, and I have been rtceutly 
favored with the following, his comments thereon: — 
" Your directions seem to be quite to the point, 
and I know they are much neglected. ..You speak 
strictly accurately when you say seeds breathe. During 
germination they do so with great vigor, and that is 
why, oxygeu being of course essential to the process, 
you must not bury them too deep in the ground or 
food them with water." W. G. S. 
Wood Ashes. — Wood ashes besides being usefu] 
on the farm for soap-making and fertilising purposes, 
may be use to advantage as a deodorizer. Hog-peua 
and feeding houses begin to smell bad at this season 
of the year, but this nuisance cau be done away 
with by scattering a liberal quantity of wood ashes 
on the floors. Powdered charcoal is better for this 
purpose than the ashes, but is not usually at hand 
for use. In building hog-houses a layer of burnt 
clay or wood ashes one foot in depth should be 
put in before the floors are laid, and will tend for 
years after to prevent bad smells and like evils. 
Such sanitary measures as these are worthy of 
consideration in improved farming. — Indian Agricul- 
turist. 
* Arboriculture, or a Practical Treatise on liaising 
and Managiug Forest Trees aud on a Profitable Ex- 
tension of the Woods and Forests of Great Britain, 
by John Grigor, the Nurseries, Forres, N. B., Author 
of the Highland aud Agricultural Society's Prize 
Essays 'On Raising Forest Plants,' 1 On Forest Plant- 
ing, and on Trees Adapted to Various Soils and Situ- 
ations,' ' On liaising and Managing Hedges,' ' On 
Forest Pruning,' On the Native Pine Forests of Scot- 
land,' 1 On Planting within the Influence of the Sea,' 
' On the Deodar,' ' On the Varieties of the Larch Cul- 
tivated in Great Britain,' ' On the Larch Plantations of 
Scotlaud,' and on various other subjects connected with 
Arboriculture. — Second Edition. Edinburgh : Oliphant, 
Anderson & Ferrier (late W. Oliphant & Co.), 1881, 
(For sale at the Obsekveu Oitice.) 
