562 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [December i, 1881. 
with rich farmyard manure. When the outflow of the 
several drains came to be measured, it was found that 
though the same rain had fallen over the whole field, 
far less water escaped by the pipes which drained the 
thoroughly manured plot than by the others. That is 
to say, the manured land, the live soil, absorbed and 
retained within itself, for the benefit of the plants which 
grew on it, far more water than did the more dead 
soil. This, indeed, is perhaps after all the chief and 
the most valuable characteristic of cultivated live soil ; 
by virtue of the changes of which I have spoken taking 
place in it, it acquires the property of retaining — of 
holding in some sort of combination — a large amount of 
water. Of the exact nature of that combination — of 
the exact manner in which the water is held — we can- 
not at present say anything very definite, but the com- 
bination is of such a kind that while the plants can 
take up the water as they need it, the soil itself can- 
not be said to be wet. When heavy showers fall on 
dead soil, the water which does not roll off the hard 
solid surface rapidly soaks through, carrying, dissolved 
in it, as much precious soluble matter as it can take 
up, and in a short time, under a hot summer sun, the 
earth is once more baked and dry. When the same 
showers fall on cultivated, ferment-holding, spongy live 
soil, at first almost every drop is taken up and stored 
away amid the manifold compounds present ; it is only 
when its sponginess is satiated, when more water would 
become injurious to the plants, that it trickles away 
below. And live soil thus adequately wet remains for 
a long time moist, giving up with great unwillingness 
apparently to evaporating forces that which is easily 
wrung from it by the action of the roots. Naturally 
the thicker such a layer of fertile live soil the greater 
is the reservoir of available water, and the wise gardener 
who desires to grow flowers whose demands for water 
are imperious will plant them in ground in which the 
depth of cultivated live soil is measured, not by a few 
inches, but by 2 or even more feet. In such a bed, 
secure of their water supply, plants will gather benefit 
only from the warm rays of a summer sun, which would 
soon scorch them to death in shallower soil. 
Lastly, it is worthy of note that just as all ferment- 
wrought decompositions tend to generate blackness, all 
the particoloured objects of Nature being reduced by 
decay to a dull dark mass, so all soil darkens as it 
becomes cultivated and live — the red loam, the bluish 
clay or the whitey chalk, all in time become changed 
into blackened mould. And this very change of colour 
is in itself no mean advantage. When we remember 
that a black surface absorbs more heat than a light 
one this becomes evident. In those happy days when 
a bright summer sun shines upon us we ourselves throw 
aside the black hat, or hide its blackness with a white 
puggaree ; but what we fear, the plant delights in, and 
to it the presence of black earth round its roots is a 
wholesome stimulus to more luxuriant growth. A dark 
soil is a warm soil ; it takes up and gives to the plant 
the rays of heat which a lighter surface wastes, reflect- 
ing back into the air. So potent is this influence of 
absorbed warmth that a white barren patch of cold 
chalky ground may be made at once in a measure fert- 
ile by the mere admixture of some black material of 
little or no manorial value. And it is an incidental 
advantage of proper cultivation that while aiming at 
other things it tends to make the land of darker hue, 
and thus to increase its power of absorbing warmth. 
Such, then, arc in outline some of the beneficial phys- 
ical changes which are wrought in the ground, as by 
means of subtle transformations crude dead earth is con- 
verted hito active live soil. 
But over and above, indeed causative of, these phys- 
ical features, are countless changes which we may speak 
of as chemical. The subject is full of intricate prob- 
lems, to solve which we need, as in so many other 
<;;).-<■.-;, not SO much empiric trials — for of these the gaps 
hi our gardens show we have almost enough — but definite 
experimental inquiries. In the presence of so much 
difficulty and doubt I dare not trust myself to do more 
than touch on a few general aspects of the matter. — 
Dietes. 
(To be continued.) 
CINCHONA CULTIVATION ON THE 
GOVERNMENT PLANTATIONS, NILGIRIS. 
The Government have passed the following order on 
Colonel Beddome's Report (which we shall give hereafter) 
and other papers containing valuable information on 
several points relating to cinchona cultivation : — 
" The papers recorded above contain valuable informa- 
tion on the several points discussed relative to cinchona 
cultivation. The series commences with the inspection 
report on the Government Plantations, which Colonel 
Beddome was directed to prepare on assuming charge 
of the Plantations. Next in order come the Conservator's 
remarks upon Mr. Cross's recent interesting account of 
his impressions on visiting the different locations on the 
bills where cinchona is grown under Government super- 
intendence. This is followed by Mr. Cross's remarks on 
the most appropriate elevation for the cultivation of the 
Cinchona Calisaya var. Letlgeriana, and his observations 
upon Mr. Howard's analysis of samples of bark selected 
and sent home by him during the spring. Finally, 
though not latest in point of date, come Colonel Bell- 
dome's remarks upon the results of recent cinchona 
sales. The Governor in Council proceeds to remark 
briefly on some of the more salient points brought to 
notice. He observes that, on the whole, the Conservator's 
report is favourable as regards the progress made since 
Captain Campbell Walker's detailed examination hi 1878. 
The appendices to Colonel Beddome's report furnish 
particulars of the number and variety of trees existing 
in 1878 and at the present date. Taking the plantations 
in the order in which they are dealt with, it is 
observed that, while the bulk of plants at Naduvatam 
are of the succirubra variety, it is the Conservator's 
opinion that aU of this kind, which have been planted on 
grass land, should be uprooted and replaced by Officinalis 
or Pubescens. He states that, though the elevation of 
Naduvatam is too high for succirubras, still it pays well 
to grow it on shola soil there. Mr. Cross, it is noted, 
bears testimony to the quality of the soil in the Nadu- 
vatam ravine which appeared equal "in fertility to the 
lower slopes of Chimborazo, the native habitat of the 
red bark " and he remarks upon the growth and develop- 
ment of the plants which excelled even those he had 
seen growing hi South America. With reference, how- 
ever, to the inferiority of the red bark for the purposes 
of the quinine manufacturer, he appears to deprecate 
any extension of its cultivation. Colonel Beddome points, 
however, to other reasons why this variety may be ex- 
pected to hold its own. On the whole, it seems to 
Government that it is unnecessary to devote much further 
attention to this species and that the proposals advocated 
by the Conservator for replacing it in certain localities 
may be carried out. The information furnished as to 
the mistake made in attempting to propagate the 
calisaya varieties anywhere on the Nilgiri plateau leads 
the Government to consider favom*ably the recommenda- 
tion in which Colonel Beddome and Mr. Cross concur, 
as to the opening up, at an elevation of from 3,000 to 
4,000 feet, of a small plantation where these "yellow 
barks " as well as " grey barks " may be tried with fail 
prospect of success. The proposal is that the Forest 
Department at Nilainbur should, clear part of a shola in 
the " Silent VaUey " for this purpose and for experiments 
with rubber trees ' and the ipecacuanha. The Conservator 
will prepare an esthnate of probable cost and will take the 
necessary preliminary steps to cany out his suggestions. 
