452 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[January i, 1889. 
authorities speak of gaanos and all manures rich in 
nitrogen as stimulating. How is the phenomenon of 
large crops resulting from the liberal use of stimu- 
lating manures explained ? The reference to the 
theory of excreniental discharges in this connection is 
not very clear. Before Agricultural Chemistry was an 
established Science, farmers of observation found out 
that the same crop will not grow on the same land 
for a number of years successively. In seeking for an 
explanation of this, it was believed that plants during 
their growth excreted certain substances. These were 
supposed to be injurious to the growth of the plants 
that were responsible for them, though beneficial to 
some other species of plants. This was the origin 
of rotation of crops. But what the exploded theory 
of excr-'inrt'tnl discharges has to do with the 
" super-ratiuual discrimination," with which roots are 
supposed to be endowed, is not easily understood. 
It is well in carrying on a discussion to avoid the 
use of sueti high-Bounding expressions as "fallacy 
born of presumption a 'id nursed in the lap of igno- 
rance," " self-satisfied ignorance" &c. However smart 
one may be considered to b~ for using theiw, such 
expressions have an rjncomtortnble tendency of recoiling 
on the head of hira who uses them. 
The assumption is gratuitous that I am unacquainted 
with the wonderful successes of "Old Planter" with 
the coconut plantations once under his charge. Are 
they not chronicled in Ffirguson's Directories, more 
especially iu that, for 1876-78, and also in "All About 
the C' coi ut Palm," rompilpd by the same indefatigable 
gentlemen ? Iu the Directory for 1876-78, it is said that 
a property 19 years old was taken iu hand, and the 
result was an increase of 50 per cent in crops for the 
first eight years. In the notes under notice reference 
is made to a property over 20 years old, the crops of 
which by good treatment were increased by annual 
increments 150 per cent. Perhaps both the references 
are to the same property, and the discrepancy in the 
figures is due to a lapse of memory. Why is !,' Old 
Planter" so kind as to credit me with disbelieving 
my own visual organs? If I were shown a tree of 
unusual development with " a space of ten feet between 
the lowest bunch of nuts and the highest flower " 
and carrying a crop of 120 nuts, and were told that 
the tree was 7 years old, and the extraordinary de- 
velopment was due to " IS cents worth of booe dust 
and 9 cents of labor,'' I should most certainly credit 
my informant and my eyes, and find confirmation for 
my opinion that bone dust was responsible for the 
abnormal appearance, and that by early forcing, the 
constitution of the tree would be permanently damaged. 
Practical, hard-headed coffee planters, who are credited 
with sound commonsenae, and who conducted their 
cultivation on commercial principles, recommended 
the stripping of the virgin crop of coffee, which the 
shock to the constitution of the tree due to topping, 
to a very great extent induced. Are the abusive 
epithets levelled at me applicable to them as well, and 
also to the planters of the present day, who depreoate 
the early topping and cropping of tea as causing per- 
manent injury to the bush ? 
I join issue with " Old Planter " when he says that 
"the sole objective point of all agricultural operations 
is to get as much as possible out of the land in crops." 
This is not generally true, however true it may he as 
regards the cultivation of cereals and root crops. As 
far as the cultivation of perennials is concerned, I 
would add to the above " without permanently dama- 
ging your trees." On second thought it strikes me 
that this reservation is unncessary, as slow and steady 
returns will ensure the attainment of the " objective 
point" of agricultural operations, rather than quick and 
ilaz/.Ung returns. We are not agreed as to the mode 
of attaining our ob jects which are precisely similar. 
To say that I preach against the breaking up of the 
soil and agaiimt manuring, is to state what is not 
the fact. I challenga " Old Planter " to substantiate 
that, if has nny regard for truth, I practise both 
operations, but not iu accordance with the ideas of 
" Old Planter." I recognise the fact that bone duet 
is not a general, but a special manure, aud I use it 
with cattlo manure and ashen or with oil cake and 
potash salts, because I recognise what is a further 
fact, that in manuring a coconut tree the " objective 
point " of the practical and wi6e planter is not only 
to secure a large crop, but to see that the health 
of the tree is not injured by the additional strain 
thrown on it. 
Text-books on Agricultural Chemistry say no doubt 
precisely what " Old Planter " 6ays, — that the oftener 
soil is stirred the better, for the oxygen and carbonic 
acid of the air have free access to the soil, and help 
to render soluble the dorma it plant food present in 
the soil. But we must not blindly follow the teach- 
ings of Agricultural Chemistry, we must adapt 
the teaching to our varied requirements and circum- 
stances. B -cause frrquent stirrii g pjf tve Suil is good 
in the cultivation of cereals and roots, and is practised 
when nr. crop is growing on the Jand, it by no mett 
follows 'hat the same treatment of the soil must be 
practised in coconut cultivation. What is nearly 
analogous to the cultivation of pereniali: here is 
fruit farming iu Europe. Do farmers practise frequeat 
stirring of the soil of their orchards? Even sup- 
posing they do, the circumstances of climat6 are not 
identical. In a temperate climate heavy branch aud 
root pruning are necessary to cheek the natural ten- 
dency of the trees to grow wood, aud to iuduce fruit 
bearing. Here the tendency is just the other way. To 
show that general rules do not apply even in our little 
island, I may mention that in coffee planting, heavy 
pruning and handling were necessar3' in the higher dis- 
tricts to put crop on the trees, while in the liwer 
districts where no wood was made, very light prun- 
ing was resorted to. So with manuring. Planters 
who followed the fashion of building large central 
cattle establishments in the higher districts, found them 
to be a costly failure, while in the lower districts cattle- 
manure, and in fact all forms of bulky manures, were 
an absolute necessity. 
The sneer at the " choice spirits" among the native 
planters who dig trenches for manure two feet deep 
round the tree is uncalled for. I certainly never once 
came across such trenches, though I move about with 
my eyes open. As for myself, to receive cattle drop- 
pings, I remove soil to the depth of from 3 to 6 inches 
in a wide circle round my trees, and then dig in the 
droppings with ashes and bones and return the soil 
again. 
It is due both to "Old Planter" and to myself that I 
withdraw the term I applied to bones, when I said their 
action was stimulating. Agricultural authorities tell 
us that their " effect is spread over a number of years, 
and that their action is slow;" therefore they cannot 
possibly be stimulating. Where a " gentle but con- 
tinuous supply of phosphoric acid and ammonia is de- 
sirable," bones must be used. To account for the effect 
of bones on crops, it must be understood that soils as a 
rule, are deficient in phosphates more so our soils, and 
that phosphates form a by no means inconsiderable 
constituent of all fruit and grain crops, therefore the 
immediate effect of bones is to increase the crop ; but 
as either a crop of grain or fruit requires for its deve- 
lopment other constituents besides phosphates, aud aR 
an increased crop means an increased demand in the 
vital resources of the tree, therefore bones must be used 
with other manures that help towards that end. 
There is every promise of the N.-E. rains makiug up 
for the deficient fall of the S.-W. monsoon. Already, 
though the month is only half run out, we have had 
more rain than for the whole of November 1887. The 
excessive fall to our human understanding serves no 
good whatever, at least agriculturally. The soil is so 
saturated that all the rain we now have runs off 
the ground, Spriugs of water start in every direction. 
ADULTERATION OF CEYLON TEA. 
Planters' Association of Ceylon, 
Kandy, 12th D c c. 1888. 
To the Editors, " Ceylon Observer." 
Sirs, — I beg to enclose a verbatim report of the pro- 
ceedings at the Mansion House, London, in the case 
" Regina v. Ellen," received from Mr. Wm. Martin 
Leake.— Yours faithfully, A. PHILIP, Secretary. 
