October i, 1881.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
327 
GENERAL PLANTING REPORT : DIMBULA. 
Of the 150 estates in Dimbula not more than a dozen or 
fifteeu are giving really good crops; the rest vary from 
indifferent tO bad. Some will pay expenses, and others, 
if cultivated properly, will be worked at a loss. Cin- 
chona, though every where to be seen, is not sufficiently 
advanced to come to the rescue and it is feared that many 
will have difficulty in pulling through. The ravages of 
grub are extending, and leaf disease is perhaps, on 
the whole, more severe than it ever has been before. 
Notwithstanding this, most estates are fairly well 
supplied with wood for next year, and those who have 
had the means of cultivating their estates liberally 
are the ones who may be expected to get the best 
crops. Manure is quite a? necessary in Dimbula as 
in Dikoya, and the trees will not mature the blossoms 
without it. In the Railway Gorge a great improve- 
ment has taken place in the appearance of the grubbed 
estates. Portions of the Walaha valley and the 
Agras are now affected, and the pest appears to be 
moving from east to west. Mr. Schrottky's experi- 
ments on Gleneaglcs have not thus far been attended 
with success. The fall of leaf seems just as great, 
and the disease eo far from having been checked is 
as bad, if not worse, than on a neighbouring estate 
which has had nothing done to it. Three applica- 
tions of carbolic powder and finely sifted coral lime 
have been given, and only one more is, I believe re- 
quired to complete the test. Mr. Ward is more in 
favor of sulphur and lime than carbolic acid, but 
noitber from the one nor the other can we expect 
permanent relief, unless the leaves on the ground are 
destroyed, which, being impracticable, leaves us very 
much where we were three years ago. 
TRAVANCORE PLATERS' ASSOCIATION. 
The Chairman, in introducing the subject of experi- 
mental statious, said that this matter had been 
thoroughly balked over by members of the Association, 
and he was glad to think that ihe members present- 
were unanimous in their opinion as regards the ad- 
vantages to be derived from such experiments. 
The only question remaining to be settled was the 
question of cost. This, however, be trusted would be 
got over. 
After some further' conversation on the subject, it 
was proposed by Mr. D. G. Cameron, seconded 
by Mr. J. S. Valentine and carried :- 
1st,— That two experimental stations be established 
on the basis of Mr. Cameron's letter to the Secretary ; 
the working of the stations to be carried out indirect 
communication with .Mr. Cameron by the Superintend- 
ents of the esiatis experimented on. 
2nd.— To enable the Association to carry out these 
experiments it is necessary that a sum of money be 
guaranteed and unless this be done the experiments 
will not be gone on with. 
8rd.— That Mynall and Sealield estates be selected 
as cxpeiiinei.tal stations. 
4th.— That the Socrotary address absent members of 
the Association with copies of this resolutions, and ask 
for their support and for an expression of their will, 
ingness to contribute towards the expenso of such 
KKporimonts ; said contribution not to exceed 2 aunasan 
acre ou the area brought under cultivation. 
GENERAL PLANTING REPORT : DIKOYA. 
Shavisq and Manuring Cinchona. 
Toil district has als<> gone back a Rood deal in appear- 
ance the lost month or so, Le \l disease has been mnoh 
moro sevoro than usual and wiud also. As re- 
gards orop, estates at the Castlerea end are bearing 
well, and properties in the middle of tho district 
are holding their own. In Bogawautalawa and the 
back valley of Dikoya the yield is disappointing, and 
it is a good estate that will average 3 cwt. an acre. 
The wood for next year is better as regards quantity 
than quality, and however doubtful may be the re- 
sults of manuring operations, proprietors are beginning 
to see that they cannot do without them. The fact-, 
of a larger percentage of March blossom having set 
on manured land and naturally strong coffee °than 
on fields less liberally dealt, with, is strong evi- 
dence in favour of good cultivation, and there is 
hardly a planter in Dikoya who does not believe 
in the efficacy of manures, if properly applied early 
in the season. As a cinchona district, Dikoya enjoys 
a well-deserved reputation, and in a few years' time 
coffee will be of secondary importance on many estates. 
Some superintendents are planting up good as well 
as bad coffee with the different varieties of cinchona : 
which is a mistake and will be duly regretted. The 
shaving process is being largely adopted on an estate 
not far from the Dikoya caddies, and the con- 
dition of the trees operated upon (succirubra) is not 
improved thereby. Planters in the district are watching 
with some anxiety the result of this experiment, 
and will be guided by it a great deal in harvesting 
the bark from their own trees asthey approach maturity. 
The value of the renewed bark' secured from a spoke- 
shaved succirubra has not yet been established. In one 
case the report of a London authority was decid- 
edly unfavourable, but in others the results are 
described as satisfactory. That the shaving process 
will be found to answer better than removing the 
bark in chips and mossing is probable ; but there are 
those who still incline to " coppicing," believing that 
this method will prove the most remunerative in 
the long run. On an estate in Dimbula the different 
ways are being fairly tested, and we may therefore 
expect ere long to have reliable data to guide u* in 
future operations. 
Manuring cinchona has not yet been generally 
adopted. In fact, very few planters have even gone 
so far as experimenting on individual trees. This is 
hardly creditable to those who look to cinchona to 
pull them through their difficulties. 
The respective merits of the various methods of 
harvesting bark, and the possibility, or otherwise, 
of increasing the alkaloids by the use of manures, are 
surely the questions to which.tho atteution of intelli- 
gent superintendents should be specially directed. 
The tendency to canker is more marked in the 
lower and upper portions of the district than in tho 
middle, which seems to indicate that the rainfall is 
somewhat too scanty in Bogawantalawa and too 
heavy in low er Dikoya. 
COFFEE IN BRAZIL^ 
Messrs. Kern, Hayn & Co's Market Report for the 
past season and dealing with old and new crops, is 
as follows :— 
Santos. July 1st, 1861. 
'ping year having closed it may 
nice more through the various 
toffee-market dining the last 
prominent feature in ISSOSI 
hat this market has to a cer- 
itself from the Rio-market, on 
ich dependent, and with the 
growing commercial importance of our port it i a 11 >t at 
all unlikely that its emancipation from Rio will make 
further progress. Banking transactions, for which for- 
merly the interference of Rio was required, are now 
to a large amount done direct in this city, and tho 
number of institutions engaged in this lino of Dimness 
has incrca-ed to lour, it being rumored that a ti t:, 
one would soon follow. As will be scon below the 
quantity el coffee exported from this port during l-vi s; 
remained little behind that of the Bhipping-year of 
Coffee. — Auoti 
be of interest to 
stages of the Ss 
campaign. As th 
wo have to | oiut 
tain cxteut emanc 
which it was bel 
