October i, 1881.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
375 
In 1879, Colonel 
iiitendent of Coorg, 
son, the lute Super- 
jntion to the many 
> hiU-slopes that cn- 
miics to all points ot the compass, excepting to the 
south-east, where the abrupt descent of the ghat 
commences. These hill-slopes in former days were 
covered with dense forests— and still possessing a fert- 
ile soil, were abandoned to neglect, and had become 
wholly a prey to the lantana shrub, which had 
spread and overrun acres upon acres of these tracts 
of land. Orders were given and executed to have the 
lantanas rooted out and burnt — a nio.st difficult task — 
and to have the ground plauted with cinchona, which 
has in part been done. 
An expensive experiment is now being mado 
with C. Ledgeriana, and seedlings, three iuches high, 
were procured in June from the Neilgherries at 
the very high rate of R500 per thousand, the 
great risks incurred by an eight day's journey in 
'bullock carts of such delicate plants, and the cost of 
transport hire excluded. The Indian Agriculturist of 
the 1st August quotes the price of C. Ledgeriana seed 
grown in Java at £3G per ounce, which is still more 
extravagant. C Ledgeriana promises to be a rapi 1 
grower, aud to quickly repay the money expended 
on it if the bark proves of such superior quality, 
for many of the purchased plauts have grown to above 
six inches in height in less than three months, and 
have also given many cuttings, which have struck : 
placed in sand, in a glass house, and a temperature 
at 75°. The elevation where it is proposed planting 
them out is at 3,050 ft., on a gentle slope with a 
northerly aspect, and witli a moderate annual rainfall 
of 120 inches. An attempt will also be made on an 
■•state, some mile3 west of Mercara, that has a slightly 
higher elevation, greater declivity of ground, richer 
soil, but with the tremendous rainfall of 275 inches. 
If these C. Ledgeriana should live out the lirst year 
of planting, that is 1882, there can be little danger 
apprehended afterwards. The roots will then have 
established themselves aud have struck to drier ground 
than the surface. As 0. Succirnbra succeeds well in 
this situation, the C. Ledgeriana being a hardier 
plant should thrive equally well. Few nurseries have 
been successful in rearing any largo quantities of 
aeedlings, and those that have been so reared unless 
guarded with extreme care during the transplanting 
months of November aud December, perish in 
thousands.— Madras Standard, 
GOLD AND PLANTING IN SOUTH INDIA. 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SOUTH OF INDIA OBSERVER." 
Sik,— In a recent issue of your valued paper, re- 
ferring t3 the gold enterprise in the South-East 
Wyuaad, you drew attention to tho great number of 
estates that were being abandoned, und which had 
formerly been good paying properties. To show that 
tho cultivation of coffee, cinchona and tea is not being 
•ntiivly neglected, I send you a detailed statement 
of the extensions which have been undertaken in i he 
Qaohterlony Valley proper this season, — extensions, 
I baliove, on a larger scale than in any one former 
eaason since tho opening up of the cultivation. Up- 
wards of six hundred acres of new land have been 
Opened, besides which a large nunibor of cinchonas 
Ufa been planted out in tho old cultivation, and the 
MOsssnry annual supplying has not been neglected. 
Tho following are the details of tho plants put out: — 
CofToe— now extension 200,000 
DO .Mil •pile i 105,1X10 
Cinchona — new extension 
Do planted in old coffee 
Tea— new extension 
Do supplies 
050,000 
450,000 
220, (J00 
00,000 
Making a grand total of...l,685,( 
These figures, at any rate, shew that in spite of 
the gold mania, there are still those who believe 
that the cultivation of coffee, cinchona and tea is a 
sound investment for the future. O. V. 
| Our remarks applied to S. E. Wynaad, and there 
we have since been informed the neglect of coffee 
cultivation is very extensive. We are obliged to our 
correspondent for pointing out that the Ouchterlony 
Valley is an exception.— Ed. S. I. O.] 
THE GIANT BAMBOO IN CEYLON 
forms the subject of a full-page engraving in the 
Oardeners' Chronicle for 27th August, accompanied by 
the following remarks : — 
There is no group of plants, nor even that of the 
palms, which is more striking to the botanist who first 
sees tropical vegetation than the bamboos ; the singu- 
larity of their habit, the remarkable rapidity of tbeir 
growth, the persistence of many species for long periods 
of lime without flowering, aud the extreme beauty of 
form presented by the larger kinds, all contribute to 
interest the mind and strike the imagination. The 
effect is enhanced by the knowledge that these tower- 
ing and umbrageous masses of foliage, rivalling or 
overtopping the slow-growing aud solid trees of the 
forest around, are iu all respects as truly grasses as 
the humble poas and fescues of our downs and mead- 
ows. 
Perhaps the very largest known bamboo is that of 
which mention was made in an article on Ceylon by 
"H. J. E." in a recent number of the Gardeners' 
Clue-nick. An illustration of one of the magnificent 
specimens in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeuiya, 
there alluded to, is now given (fig. 54), and being 
taken from an admirable photograph, it conveys an 
accurate idea of the vast dimensions and perfect sym- 
metry of a well grown plant of this fine species. 
The species is Dendrocalamus giganteus, Munro, 
(Bambusa, Wallich), and is described in the late 
General's well known monograph. Though thriving 
with such vigour in Ceylon it is not a native here, 
but of the Malay peninsula. There appears to be 
some doubt as to its precise home. Brandis gives 
Moulmein, but Kurz does not include it in his Forest 
Flora oj Burmah, and states that it is confined to 
Malacca and the adjacent islands. It appears to be a 
local species, and the majority of visitors from the 
Straits who come to Peradeuiya are unfamiliar with it. 
It appears to have been introduced into the Cal- 
cutta Botauic Garden iu 1S31, whence specimens were 
received at Peradeuiya in 1856. It seems to have 
flowered at Calcutta iu 1SG1 or 1SG4, and to have 
survived the process. Colonel Munro was ablo to ex- 
amino the fruit aud thus to fix its generic position 
as a Dendrocalamus. In 1804 the great cyelono de- 
stroyed four out of tho five plants then in the Calcutta 
garden. The original plant at Peradoniya is still a 
thriving and handsome specimen ; it whs soon largely 
propagated from, and the numerous gpecimcus in the 
gardens and in many parts of Ceylon are iU descend- 
ants : tho subject of the portrait was ono of tho 
earliest propagated. No specimen has as yet llowored 
in i he island. 
Any detailed scientific description would not be in 
place here, but a few particulars will be interesting, 
and attention may bo called to some facts of mor- 
phology. Wo have here essentially a perennial tufted 
