January 2, 1882.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
583 
where the ground is well sheltered and fertile. The 
skilful forester observes at a glance whether the tree 
is possessed of a trunk stout in proportion to its height, 
and, us in thinning, regulates the pruning accordingly. 
Where height is required he subdues the side 
branches; where girth of trunk is necessary; ho pre- 
serves thetn as the speedy means of obtaining girth. 
On grafting the author says : — 
The simplest and most successful method of graft- 
ing such is to saw off the top where it is only an 
inch or two in diameter, make a slit about an inch 
and a half long in the bark of the stock, raise the 
bark with an ivory handle, to make a space lor the 
graft or shoot to be inserted, which may only he six 
or seven inches long ; prepare it by a smooth slanting 
cut on one side, slip in the prepared scion with the 
cut side next to the wood to the lengtli of the cut 
of one inch and a half ; tie round with mat, and cover 
closely with grafting clay all over the wound on the 
stock. After the clay is dry, and all fissures filled up, 
the ball may be covered over with moss or meadow 
hay, and tied over to insure safety and exclude severe 
drought. When the stock at the point of grafting is 
older and of several inches in 'diameter ; another, and 
the easiest mode, is, after sawing oft' the top, to tie the 
stock round tightly for a few inches beneath the point 
of amputation, and force down a peg of hard wood, or 
any hard substance, between the wood and the bark, 
in the shape of the prepared scion, then withdraw the 
peg and insert ihe seion, pressing it tightly into the 
incision ; by this method two or three grafts or scions 
may be inserted around the cdi>e of the same stock, 
then clay as recommended. The month of March is the 
ordinary season for the operation, or just as the buds 
are beginning to swell. When the graft has grown 
a few inches the clay should be removed, and the 
bandage retied, adding a stalk to support the scion 
from being broken off by ivind. 
The remainder of the book treats of the various 
British forest trees in detail, and must be of great 
value and interest to those engaged in forestry. In 
every case there appeurs to be some inspct enemy 
which attacks the tree, and in some cases a disease 
of more obscure origin. 
NETHERLANDS INDIAN NEWS. 
(Straits Times, Nov. 6.) 
The prospects of the coffee crop are favourable, 
generally speaking, at Pasnruan this being especially 
the case. At that port there had been delivered up 
to the 7th instant, 330.000 piculs, of which 175,000 
piculs had been shipped. The tobacco culture, how- 
ever, continually gives a rise to complaint and dis- 
satisfaction all over Java. From Ki dirie, a correspond- 
ent wrote to a Samarang paper recently that all the 
tobacco planters t'.ere were on the road to ruin. 
Even should this prove to be exaggeration, it is certain 
that the condition of this branch of cultivation, for- 
merly so nourishing and so profitable to both planters 
and pe >ple, is far from being satisfactory, and that 
tho subject demands tho serious attention of ihe Go- 
Twnment — Java Bode. 
Bbitisb Columbia.— The Villard party have visited 
ylotoria, and returned to Pnget Sound. Mr. Villard 
has obtained much valuable information concerning 
the coal and mineral lands of Vancouver Island. 
Heavy continuous rains havo cjuito destroyed the 
hopes of the farmers in tho interior, their crops being 
utt rly ruined. Tho crops of the island and low. r 
mainland, however, were safely housed before the rain 
commenced, and all the live stoek were looking well. — 
Cotoui'i ami India. 
WHAT IS THE ANALYTICAL STANDARD 
FOR LEDGERIANA CINCHONAS? 
A Lindula correspondent enquires: — 
"Don't you think it a mistake to call any Calisayn 
'a Ledger,' which has got less than 8 per cent of 
sulphate of quinino in it? Vide Annfield analysis 
in your issue of the 11th instant." 
The writer of the above thinks "the line should 
be drawn somewhere," but it would be impossible to 
decide the iudentity of Ledgerianas, with reference 
simply to analytical results, unless all the circumstances 
were carefully taken into account. For instance the 
age of the trees. Our correspondent would have the 
standard fixed at G per cent of quinine (= to 8 per 
cent sulphate) ; but in Mr. Moens' last quarterly 
report published by us, will be found included a series of 
analyses of the bark of Ledgeriaua trees which ranize 
from 1 1-20 down to 2-94 per cent of quinine. Of course 
the trees yielding the lower amounts will be noted 
as of inferior types and treated accordingly. Mr. Moons, 
some time ago, was inclined to think that true Ledgeri- 
anas rarely flowered before the eighth year (and ho 
selec'ed no seed from trees flowering at an earlier 
age), but it would never uo to condemn the Ledger.? 
which have flowered in Ceylon in their 5th and 
6th years, the bark having giving a most gratifying 
result on analysis. Perhaps the most satisfactory and 
convenient plan will be to confine the term " good 
type" Ledgerianas to trees yielding 5 to 6 per cent 
and over of pure quinine when not more than 0 years 
old. Every year's growth after that period ought to 
make a vtry appreciable addition to the alkaloids 
secreted, chiefly if not entirely quinine. 
IN'DIAN AND CEYLON TEX. 
amounting to about 4,000 half-chests of Darjeeliug's, Assam's, 
Cachar's, &c., &c, when we hope, with your support, to sell the 
The following significant facta from Messrs. W. J. & H. Thomp- 
son's well-known London Tea Circular, Sated 1st September, 1881, 
LONDON DELIVEHIES FOR 7 MONTHS: 
1st January to 30th July. 
1881. 1880. • 1879. 
Indian Tka 23,isf>7,ooo 22,">oi,ooo 30,732,000. 
China Tea, &c. 85,5(55,000 89,0-11,000 8t>,!it>l,ouO. 
The INCREASED deliveries of nearly 8 MILLION' pounds, 
weight of Indian Tea fur the first 7 months of 1881 as against 
the samo period of 1871', and compared with the DECREASED 
deliveries of 11 MILLION" pounds - weight of China Tea for the 
same period, is the eloquence of figures in favour of Indian Teas 
We remain, your obedient servants, 
JAS. HENTY & Co. 
CINCHONA IN OEYLON. 
Colonel Beddomc lias submitted to the Government 
a short report of the visit ho paid to Ceylon t i 
inspect and report on the progress which Cinchona 
cultivation is making there with a view to h Ip forward 
the plantations maintained by the Government on the 
Nilgiris. Soma of the plantations visited by Colonel Bed- 
dome showed that the planters recognized the different 
species and the uniform and rapid growth have iudu-ed 
many to give attention to it. Tho analysis oondo tod 
was most interesting, showing what a largo percentage 
of quinine was to bo found and tho value of the yield 
