726 
THE TROPICAL 
AGTOtn3LTUmST\ 
[May i, 1889 
val of the fittest' or the hardiest. The same thing 
I caD show you in the turnip field, where the un- 
manured plot is almost barren ; the plants having 
scarcely in any case formed a bulb. It is the starch 
we want as food. Cultivation and fertilization give 
that starch." This truth cannot be too forcibly im- 
pressed on the minds of our Indian peasantry who are 
apt in too many cases to leave nature to its unaided 
resources, when their ignorance or their want of means 
prompts them to take things as they come. It may be 
said that it is a perfect truism that cultivation is an in- 
dispensable condition to the production, propagation 
and maintenance of the more delicate and frail forms 
of vegetable life. But the Indian peasantry are unfor- 
tunately apt almost as a rule to trust to the chance that 
are a minimum of cultivation in a soil, originally fertile, 
but now generally exhausted, may secure for them a 
maximum of results. Doubtless, they do not neglect 
carrying through in their due time the several processes 
which are considered essential to the successful pro- 
secution of agriculture. But, then, there are two ways 
of doing a thing; that is a thorough way and a partial 
way, and the latter is, we fear, very generally followed 
in most parts of India. Again it is not that the more 
valuable food grains are wanting in vitality. It is 
matter of notoriety that some grains of peas or corn 
disinterred with a mummy from an Egyptian pyramid 
and put into the ground after more than two thousand 
years' seclusion from the outer air, freely germinated 
and fruited abundantly, showing thereby that under 
favorable conditions vegetable life in its humblest 
forms possess an amount of vitality inconceivable as 
to any part of the animal world. Putting these two 
facts together we arrive at the natural conclusion that 
careful culture under the most favorable conditions 
is calculated to secure an outturn of food-grains, 
such as is beyond the conception of our Indian agri- 
culturists with their primitive implements and pro- 
cesses struggling with a soil of failing fertility and a 
climate liable to startling changes , such as we are 
constantly observing. If Sir John Lawes' experiments 
teach any lesson of the least value it is this, that, 
while neglect of cropping gradually leads from the 
deterioration to the absolute failure of food-grains, 
their careful cultivation must by party of reasoning^ 
contribute to their progressive development into the 
most improved forms. — Sir John Lawes has declared 
it as his opinion, founded on his experience of fifty 
years, that weeds are hardier than wheat and that 
when both are left to themselves, the weeds kill out 
the corn. This truth was revealed nineteen centuries 
ago in that beautiful parable of the wheat and. the 
tares familiar to all; but it was left to our time to be 
demonstrated by practical experiments, conducted with 
special care and ability by men whose whole hearts 
and minds have been and are in their work. The neces- 
sities of the country leave no choice to the peasantry if 
they really wish to escape from the present condition 
of abject poverty, but that they should use their utmost 
efforts to secure for their crops not only a much larger 
outturn than is now obtained, but produce of a quality 
that will enable them to compete on equal terms 
with other agricultural countries. The rapid and 
progressive increase of population is in most 
parts of India treading closely on or even out- 
stripping the normal pace of its production ; and the 
demands of a largely expanding export trade which 
is the only source whence wo can reasonably hope to 
derive the means of promoting the material prosperity 
nf the country cannot possibly be neglected or ignored. 
In ordor to adapt it to the altered requirements of 
the times, agriculture must obviously be carried on 
under improved conditions. Better ploughs, thatwill 
go lower down thau the surface of the soil, should be 
brought into use ; stronger breeds of cattle, or the 
present breeds fed up, should be employed in the 
fli Id; sei d of the best quality only should be selected for 
Bowing; and every process of cultivation should be 
carried on' carefully with a view to the complete and 
Ute elimination of w<-eds from amidst the growing 
crops In ft previous issue we have pointed out how 
natural manures can be set free for uso in the fields, 
if thi- cultivation of fuel beariug trees is systemati- | 
cally introduced and maintained. These things, the 
ryot cannot, almost as a ru'e, do, and the zemindar 
will not ordinarily do; but as the State can largely 
reinforce its present revenue from laijd through a fuller 
development of its agricultural produce, it is for the 
Government with its larger interests and larger re- 
sources to engage in and carry out measure* which the 
poverty of the ryot and the insouciance of the zemindar 
have hitherto prevented them from undertaking. 
o 
DRUG TBADE EE PORT. 
London, March 7th. 
Sampling of Cascabilla..— At today's drug Auctions 
some discussion arose with regard to the alleged habi- 
tual unreliability of the samples of cascarilla which 
are shown in the brokers' sale rooms, and which serve 
as guide to buyers of that article in making their 
purchases. At present one sample is made to do duty 
fora whole "pile'' of goods ; tnus, at today's auctions 
one sample was drawn to represent 48 bales, and an- 
other 62 bales. Mr. Ziegeie complained that sometime 
ago he purchased ten packages of cascarilla for ship- 
ment to the continent, and when they arrived there 
it was found that five of them contained dust only 
while the sample represented good quality bark. Mr. 
Charles Christy, the presiding broker, said that the 
fault did not lie with his firm, but with the dock company 
who drew the samples. Mr. Richard Barron asked 
why every bale of cascarilla offered should not be se- 
parately sampled, to which Mr. Christy replied that 
the expense would be too heavy. Mr. Ziegeie, how - 
ever, formally proposed, and Mr. Horner seconded, 
that in future a sample should be shown of every bale of 
cascarilla offered for sale. This was put to the vote, 
and carried by about 25 votes, no one voting on the 
other side. 
Annatto. — None was offered at today's auctions. In 
Liverpool good Cayenne annatto is held at Is to Is 2d 
per lb, good brands of Guadaloupe selling in a small 
way at 2jd per lb. 
Cardamoms are rather freely offered, and at today's 
auctions 118 cases, out of a total shown of 211 were 
sold at very irregular rates, the better grades being 
generally dearer, but medium and ordinary qualities 
experiencing a decline of from 2d to 3d per lb. Ceylon 
Malabar, medium to bold heavy pale, 3s to 3s Id ; 
good pale, slightly warty and specky 2s lid ; good me- 
dium round pale yellow to brownish 2s 7d to 2s 4d ; 
medium sized brown 2s ; small brown mixed and rather 
skinny to very specky Is 9d to Is 6d; very small 
Is 2d. ■ 
Cinchona. — A rather large quantity of flat Calisaya 
bark was offered for sale today, but only a few packages 
sold cheaply, bold but thin Is 4d per lb : damaged 
Is 3d per lb. Guayaquil in good grey | silvery quills 
sold at Is 3d ; damaged rusty brown to stout 7jd to 
10d- Good mossy Loxa Is lid per lb. Pine bold bright 
Maracaibo, via Hamburg 7d to 8|d per lb. From Java 
the exports during the last three years have been : — 
1888 1887 1886 1885 
Amst. lb. Amst. lb. Amst. lb. Amst.lb. 
Private plant. 3,136,086 2,223,466 1,626,115 849,551 
Government plant. 529,942 682,319 546,279 436,977 
Total 3,666,028 2,905,7852,172,3941,286,528 
At the Amsterdam auctions, on March 21st, about 171 
tons Java bark, representing about 205,000 oz. quinine 
sulphate will be offere - !. 
Cubebs. — Nine bales bold spurious berries were bought 
in at 281. per cwt. today. The shipments from Java in 
1888 were 148 piculs. 
Essential Oil. — Of Cinnamon oil 1 case, much 
adulterated with leaf oil, sold at 2f d per oz. ; fair quality 
is held at Is 2d per lb. Oitronella, dull with enormously 
heavy exports from Ceylon. At auction today 20 cases 
were reported sold at Jd per oz. 
Quinine, slowly but steadily easing off in price. At 
the close of last week the Brunswick agents accepted 
Is 2d per oz. for forward delivery iu bulk, and since 
then numerous transactions by second-nand holders of 
the same brand are reported at Is ljd to Is Id per o 
On Wednesday a firm of speculators are reported 
