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THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [January 2, 1882. 
ant to profit by any efforts that are not particularly 
directed to them. The necessity for improving Indian hortiy 
culture and agriculture is a point that requires no discussion. 
Now that Mr. Buck has been afforded larger scope for 
his efforts on behalf of Indian agriculture and horti- 
crdture, fie look for many and great improvements. 
CHEMICALS AND LEAF DISEASE. 
Mr. Schrottky writes : — 
"In what I said about the sulphur and lime treatment 
establishing sour and therefore congenial conditions for 
the development of the fungus, I referred only to 
that portion of sulphurous acid gas which would be 
absorbed by the foliage without being neutralized by 
lime or other soil ingredients. I have a very high 
opinion of the mammal value of sulphate of lime 
(gypsum). Having regard only to what degree 
manures can affect leaf disease, my inoculation ex- 
periments led me to believe that chlorides, nitrates, 
bisulphates, superphosphates and all acids and sour 
organic manures are apt to increase the susceptibility 
of the tree to the disease. Sulphates, phosphates, or 
generally speaking nentral salts that can combine 
with another atomic weight of acid, all alkalies and 
antiseptic chemicals (other than chlorides and such 
as do not owe their autiseptic character exclusively 
to their oxidizing or deoxidising power) decrease tiie 
susceptibility of the tree to falL a victim to the dis- 
ease. Oilcake, for instance, ought to be well rotted 
in pits with thrice its volume of soil for about three 
months before it is put in the ground." 
We need scarcely dwell on the importance of this state- 
ment regarding oilcake. If accepted by planters, it means 
a considerable additional expenditure in manuring. There 
is first three months' loss of the use of capital and 
the interest of the money paid for oilcake. Added to 
this will be the cost of forming pits (which ought, we 
suppose, to be protected from sun and rain, or at least 
rain ?) and of placing the oilcake in the pits, treatment 
to induce the rotting process, and finally removing the 
mass from the pits for application to the trees. 
Chinchona. — Mr. Cross who was sent out to Iudia 
some time back to assist the Madras Government in 
the propagation of Cinchona Santa Fe plants on the 
Nilgiris, returns to England early in December next. 
The plants are reported by the Officer in charge of" 
the Nilgiri plantations to have been sufficiently well 
established, and their safety secured, so that the 
further retention of Mr. Cross in this Presidency has 
been found unnecessary, and he has, therefore, been 
provided with a return passage to England at the' 
expense of the State. The Government bave also 
placed on record their recognition of the valuable advice 
and assistance received from Mr. Cross during the com- 
paratively short period of one year, — S. I. Post. 
Coffee Leaf Disease and its Cure. — A scientific 
arthority, who is equally sceptical of the value of 
carbolic acid vapour as he was of sulphur in Mr. Morris's 
mixture, is inclined to believe that farther experiments 
will shew that the benefit derived by the coffee in 
each case will be found to be clue entirely to the 
lime in the mixture applied. It would be a curious 
coincidence if it were found that to tbe action of the 
lime should be attributed the good done in all the 
experiments of Mr.D. Morris, Mr. Ward, Mr. Schrottky, 
and perhaps of Mr. J. P. Storck ! Put that is not 
likely. 
Tea in Yakdessa. — This moist region is regarded 
as capable of producing as abundant crops of tea as 
any district in Ceylon. Quantity there is in abundance ; 
the only doubt has been about quality. But, to judge 
by the sample we have had of Sembawatte tea, we 
should say its leaf, if as well prepared as this, pro- 
mises to yield as good tea as any in the inland. The 
flavour is lull and fine and the leaf well rolled and 
fired, and we congratulate the proprietors and Mr. 
Ross Wright, the manager, on the resnlt. 
India vs. China Tea.— We bave received soma cir- 
culars issued by Mr. Goodricke, grower and -importer 
of Indian tea, who has offices in Mark Lane and 
Cannon Street, London. One of these circulars shows 
the excellence and purity of Indian tea, while the 
other is head d "China Tea — wbat it is! Maloo 
Mixture ! ! !" and gives an extract from the Home and 
Colonial Mail, regarding some abomination imported 
under that name. We are glad to see that India 
tea is gradually winning its way and ousting its 
Chinese rival in Britain. 
Coffee Sacks. — In response to various complaints, 
the Sao Paulo Pi/iilway Company published a circular 
on the 22nd ult., in which were the following instruc- 
tions relative to carrying empty coffee sacks :- The 
sacks should be made into packages and legibly 
mai ked with the name and address of the consignee ; 
the empty sacks will be transported free ; the ship- 
ping bill should specify the number of packages and 
weights ; the packages will receive the same care as 
regular freight. This certainly ought to satisfy all 
the parties concerned. — Rio News. 
A Combination Cotton-picker, with fingers of iron, 
is working a revolution in cotton-growing in the 
United States. It will, it is thought, reduce the 
price of cotton two cents a pound. The rnachiue, by 
means of beaters and fans., takes the fibre from the 
boll, removes the seeds and all impurities, finally 
delivering it straightened, ready for the bale. Efforts 
are making to develop the invention in season for 
exhibition at Atlanta. — Ibid. [This reminds us of 
Nelson's linger and thumb machine, intended to pulp 
coffee beans as they were gathered. It produced only 
am u sement. — Ed. ] 
An American Entomologist advocates the use of 
arsenic for the destruction of cotton worms, and says 
it will cost only a cent and a quarter per acre to ex- 
terminate the worm with that poison. The method 
of employing it, which he recommends, is a solution 
made by adding to five gallons of water five pounds 
of arsenic and one pound of soda, and boiling until 
the a-senic is dissolved. In using, one measure of 
the solution is added to 160 measures of water, and 
sprinkled upon the plants infested by worms.— Ibid. 
[Query ? Application of this solution, for the destruc- 
tion of grub. It might kill them without injuring 
the roots. — Ed.] 
Mercara, 11th Nov. — Regarding coffee, it is im- 
possible to say what immense good has been done by 
the rain that has fallen since the 2nd of November. 
Over six inches have been registered, and the sky is 
still overcast. The young saplings have renewed life in 
them and are now firmly established, whilst the coffee 
berries that were, by the intense haat being premat- 
urely ripened, have obtained a reprieve, and will 
will now increase in stamina and size, and less ex- 
haust the tree — in fact, save it from dying. It is 
reckoned that hundreds of tons will be thus saved, 
that otherwise would bave either dropped from the 
trees, or turned into light beans. As an example, an 
estate that would without these rains have barely 
yielded 35 tons, is now assumed to promise 45 tons. 
A flying picking has commenced on a few estates in 
South Coorg, but it will not be general until the 1st 
of December. Leaf-disease is gaining ground over the 
whole of the country..— Madras Standard. 
