January 2, 1882.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
589 
COFFEE CULTIVATION IN THE PAN \V I LA. 
DISTRICT. 
4th Nov. 1881. 
Dear Sir,— In reply to your Kelebokka correspond- 
ent's letter, in your issue of 28th October, I am glad 
to say that the owner of Maria estate has no Colombo 
or visiting agent to consult as regards the management 
of his estnte, and is both able and willing to keep 
it in good order. I must, however, correct a 
report going about that it is the large amount of 
manure applied to this estate which gives such good 
results. I can prove that, as a rule, the coffVe is 
only manured once in two years. When coffee is at- 
tacked with leaf-disease, it gets a dressing of wood- 
ash and country-lime. If very bad, a small dose of 
manure also. Coffee suffering on account of heavy crop 
or other causes is at once attended to by digging 
in some manure. 
As regards crop, I am glad to say I am able to 
raise my estimate this year to 7 cwt. per acre, and 
the trees, as they get relieved of crop, are making plenty 
of new wood. There will hi sufficient wood "to give 
a good crop next year on parts of the estate, "and 
a fair one on the rest. 
There was one estate, "Longford," last year in the 
market. The late proprietor was so anxious to sell out 
and go home that he sold his estate at half its 
value, and I must congratulate the present propri- 
etor ">u his purchase. Who would not accept a large 
prolit now on his bargain ? Where was Kelebokka 
then ? 
To prove that I was not 
leaving coffee and settling 
Wsrfpor-^rco 
that the former (Hemileia'vou 
from the jungle, as I hava 
truth." Now, if leaf-disea: 
where it was staying and f< 
how long, what is more natural than that it should find 
its way back again from coffee frees which had been dis- 
infected to iu old habitat ? Mix sulphur and lime.or wood- 
ash nnd lime, or carbolizod powder, with i he fallen leaves 
and leave it exposed fur 14 days. Then fork or hury iu 
manure holes. This will check the spread of spores nnd 
be good mauuro to the coffee. 
I am glad lo inform your Kotmale correcj onden', 
Whose letters I value, that I consider our climate next, 
to Uva, and we have a good sub-soil. I woidd under- 
take to guarantee to give crops similar to Maria from 
all (6) estates in our group. Znlubmd, which has 
similar treatment to Matin, and is carefully worked, 
Will show splendid results nut year. I cannot speak 
of Dimbula and Dikoyn, having hud no experience 
there. I invite inspic' ion : one and all are welcome. 
E3Touw, j. hollo way. 
as regards Hemihia 
ik trees or in the 
ad and digest Mr. 
ttle room for doubt 
passed to the coffee 
uspected to be the 
A CARDAMOM Is URSKK V. 
I'i w: Sir,— In reply to your correspondent who 
wishes to kuow how to make a cardamom nursery, 
1 tun glad to bo able to inform him. having success- 
fully rained plauts from soed itself, that ho should not 
buy pods for eecd, unlo-s he know.i they were cured 
under shade by the air passing through and doily 
turned ; the seed is very sensitive and too much sun 
kills the germ. Make your nursery bod with i Mr 
mould; at the top put two parts of soil to one of fond 
HP] mixed, about one iuch th ck ; press the soil down, 
Pttbtly : put your seed whirl, should be steeped in water 
for hall an hour ovor the surface, and cover a little with 
th.' mixed soil ; shade and water same as o uohona 
Youretruly, J, H0] l.'-U ay. 
what I 
oprietors 
l extract 
coffee is 
cry body 
icy have 
I tasted 
and the 
LIBERIAN COFFEE. 
Lindula, November 9th, 1881. 
Dear Sir,— Many people think it the thing now-a 
days to run down Liberian coffee. I " 
now have to say on the subject maj r 
of the same feel easier. I send you 
from a letter: — "I should say that L 
a decided success. Mr. sent us 2 lb., 
who has tasted it declares it to be the 
ever met with ! I do not like coffee 
this and thought it first rate for 
aroma wonderful."— Yours faithfully, 
DE BARDONNEL. 
HEMILEIA VASTATRIX. 
Dear Sir,— I doubt if Mr. Marshall Ward is alto- 
gether correct in stating that the mycelium is perfect/)/ 
safe, when odco it has penetrated the leaf through 
the stomata. I found a drop or two of the juice 
of a lime squeezed on to the affected leaf entirely 
d"stroy the disease without, in an any way iniurinr/ 
the healthy parts of the leaf. E. F. T. 
F. S.— The application of lime juice as a cure would 
not of course be practicable. '!".? above is written 
with a view to thow that the germ may be reached 
after it has i ntered the tis lie of the leaf 
Caiidamoms and "Grains of Paradise." — A cor- 
respondent writes :— " Nawalapitiya, 25th October.— 
In your issue of the 21st, I notice you say that 
'cardamoms are far famed as grains of Paradise,' and, 
as I have not seen it corrected, I write to let you 
know that, although they are of the same order (ying< i) 
the true cardamoms (Malabar) are seeds from El t- 
taria cardamom and grains of Paradise from the 
Amomum grana Paradisi, or Malagnett* pepper some- 
times called Guinea grains (Guinea 3 ), the seeds of which 
are extremely aromatic, hot. and acrid HHettimn 
Upper Lindula, 7th November. — A journey up 
from Colombo, after an absence of two or three weeks, 
has many very encouraging features in it. Coffee, which 
a short time ago looked almost snuffed out with leaf- 
disease, is now, in spite of crop, green with young 
wood. All the way through Kotmale and Dimbula it 
was most cheering to see the signs of vigorous life 
manifested by what, I think, I am justified in still 
calling our staple product. Up at this end of the 
district, a little leaf-disea-c is battling with crop. laden 
trees, but there is not the slightest doubt that the 
lungus will have the worst of it in the end. Cinchonas 
in somo place*, from coutact with a cold subsoil I 
expect, are turning yel!ow, but the majority are 
growing well, having made from 4 feet to 7 feet in a 
year at;au elevation of 5.G0O above S( a lev. 1. Tea, pruned 
a mouth ago is loaded villi flush, and perfectly free 
so far from disease of any kind. There was a tremen- 
dous down- pour of r;>in here on the 26th nit. but un- 
fortunately no record was kept of the amount. I ;.ee 
the amount on Shawlauds for the same day Was 7*29, 
The register for yesterday, tho 6th, show*, 30 inch] 
max: timp: 72, min : temp: 58. Tod:iy is showery 
with long intervals of sun. Having travelled tour 
times up and down by the Dimbula coach, 1 to, 1 it 
only just to mention that it is mo t punctual in its 
times of departure and arrival, very comfortable, end 
ahovo all very cheap, heingat tho rate of 37 o all v , r 
mile, while private traps |J I ,„,■ ,,nle plus UA for 
tolls. Intending travellers will also be glad to h. ar 
that tho Nawalapitiya r s'lionso is .dually clean, com. 
fori able, aud quiet at night. Wonders will uev.r cease L 
