October i, 1881.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
349 
in the former the silica appears to preponderate. 
And of couive the move tenacious soil is more retentive 
of the soluble organic matters shed upon it in the 
ordinary course of nature. It may be mentioned also 
that the foil in the parish of Kerrie is somewhat of 
a red colour, while in the other localities spoken of 
it is of a cold grey tint. The redness is probably 
due to the ferruginous character of the granite from 
which it ie derived ; but as I om not aware that 
oxides of iron enter to any considerable extent into 
the composition of vegetable tissues, I cannot see 
that their presence in the soil is of any importance 
or value lo the agriculturist. Granite soils, however, 
owing to their porous nature, generally carry a good 
sward of enrly spring grass, but it is of poor quality, 
and, although valuable for the early fattening off of 
spring stock, is of very little use for dairying pur- 
poses. Neither does it stand the eummer heat well, 
but is soon scorched up, and by the end of January 
or beginning of February will hardly afford a bite. 
I am not prepared to say that under rational treat- 
ment these sandy granitic soils may not become 
valuable aud be made to yield a fair return of food 
for the use of man. But I feel certain that under 
the existing conditions of agriculture in Victoria their 
cultivation for the growth of ordinary grain or root 
crops is but a tempting of Providence. 
Kyncton, July 2. Surveyor. 
that a 
quantity 
Taraxacum in the Botanical Gardens, North- 
West Provinces.— The subjoined resolution has been 
passed by the local Government upon the annual report 
on the Botanical gardens :- The report deals with the 
gardens at Sabarangur, Mussoorie, and Chajuri ; but 
the two latter gardens are comparatively unimportant, 
and only a small measure of success ha* bien obtained 
in then). Their sites are said 10 be unfavourable, and 
a proposal will shortly be submitted for abandoning 
them as soon as a suitable site can be obtained else- 
where. The sum sanctioned for expenditure was 
B.30,000, of which lf2-l,524-:tt were actually spent; 
the decrease being due chiefly to the fret that fcr a 
considerable portion of the year the Superintendent 
was ab ent on furlough. The receipts amounted 
to R6.658-5, against an estimate of Bo, 000, so that, 
the uet cost of the gardtns was 1117,805-14-3. At- 
tempts continued to be made to acclimatize veget- 
able and llower seeds, but the success attained was 
small in the case of the former. Flower-see I is more 
easily acclimatized. The success obtained in the culti- 
vation of taraxacum and preparation of the extract 
is satisfactory. There is no lield where there is more 
room for doing good service in the gardens than the 
production of indigenous drugs. At present dispens- 
aries and medical practitioners are dependent for the 
supply of these drugs on the dealers in the native 
baz Mrs ; and it is often impossible to be sure that the 
article supplied is genuine and of good quality, or 
that from long keeping it has not lost its peculiar 
virtue. The Surgeon-General was nearly tw o years ago 
ieipusL-d to consult with the Superintendent of the 
gardens as to the drugs which are found to bo of 
value in praotice, and the production and storing of 
which might be attempted. The result has not yet 
been communicated to the Government, bnt the Super- 
intendent niLht himself tuke measures to procure in- 
Kirroatiou on the subject. If valuable indigenous drugs 
can bo produced of good quality, there is certain to 
be a demand for them on the part of dispeu ary 
committees, who w ill gladly use them iustea 1 of thi 
moo expensive European equivalents or substitutes, 
in the same manner as they now use theciuohoua fe ri- 
KtttL On the whole, the working of the Sabaranpur 
garden iceins to have been very satisfactory, and l ho 
SSaull are creditable by Mr. Duthio and Mr. Gollan, 
tho head-gardener, who was in charge for half the 
yo»r. — Pioneer. 
won tiecs ovei n\e or six years Mil on their estates 
should h.ok out carefully to tee if any of this 
richest species may be amongst them. No one was 
more surprised, we believe, that the own r of one 
such tree the other day, to learn that a piece of 
bark he sent to Colombo for analysis, gave over 8 
per cent of quinine, the tree itself being at once pro- 
nounced by competent authority to be a Lcdgeriaua. 
Sugar.-- -The Austrian Orr/an des Central Vereins fur 
Rtiberizucktr Industrie gives an account of a patent 
taken out in the German Empire by Herr G. A. Hagc- 
mann, of Copenhagen, for two processes of coating 
beet sugar with cane sugar, in order to remove the 
disagreeable smell and taste, which render the former 
as a rule unsuitable for direct consumption. (1) While 
the sugar is still in tho centrifugal machine, but after- 
most of the beet molasses has been removed, it is 
covered with cane molasses, or with a concentrated 
solution of cane 6ugar. The cane molasses must, when 
necessary, be diluted or warmed, and is best applied 
by means of a syringe or some similar instrument. 
(2) The beet sugar is placed in a suitable stirring- 
apparatus, and cane molosses or a stirring of cane 
sugar is applied. When all the grains are coated, 
through the stirring with cane sugar, the work is 
completa. By the above methods beet sugar is said 
to acquire the smell, uroma, and colour of cane 
Coffee Leaf Disease. —A Ceylon contemporary 
states that Mr. Ward will shortly forward a further 
report on his recent investigations to Government for 
publication, describing the nature of the fresh evid- 
ence ho has collected as well as its practical utility. 
Mr. Ward, it is said, has discovered the menus of 
ascertaining the exact period at which we may expect 
each successive attack of leaf disease, by which 
means planters will be enabled to prepare for its ap- 
pearance No signs aie, however, made of any 
remedial steps that are likely to be euccessful, Mr. 
Ward still adhering to the opinion that, so far 
as our present knowledge extends, the only kuown 
means for attacking the enemy is the destruction of 
fallen leaves, the cost of doing which planters declare 
to be more than they can undertake. With r.'gard to 
the experiments with carbolic acid and lime it is 
said that the trial was made at a time when the 
fungus was not freely developed on the leaf, and that 
Mr. Ward is confident that no go> d can be expected 
unless its application takes place at the right moment. 
The fall of leaf on an estate in the Agras treated by 
the Schrottky process is said to be due as much to the 
presence of grub as to leaf disease. As to a report 
that leaf disease was bad in Haputale, cur contem- 
porary says that it is true that the disease had made 
its appearance with r'ore than u-ual vigour on some 
of the lower Pass estates, but tho attack hns passed 
away without making very serious impression on cop 
or trees, whilst the estates in the upper pait of ; he I'ass 
have scarcely felt the attack, and at the present time the 
prospects of the district are as good as they ever were. 
A correspondent of a contemporary also calls in 
question tho statement made in our coluu us regard- 
ing the prospects of estates in Dimbnln, and says 
I that though those places which have been entirely 
| neglected or have been over-manured are uot likily to 
pay those which hive been steadily cultivated will give 
good crops. Ho also think-* that it is too soon jet to 
•peak decidedly of the result* of carbolic neid and lime 
J as a cure for leaf disease Tho application of lime to 
the soil has done much good. 
