April i, 1882.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
857 
INDIGO (indigofeea tinctoeia), Nat. Old., 
Leguminosce. 
It is remarkably strange that this plant, which grows 
wild in H. H. the Nizam's dominions, is not utilized 
for its pigment, which is of great importance commer- 
cially; besides, it would give employment to the many 
" ragamutlins " now loafing about in tho Hyderabad torri- 
tory. If my memory serves me right, I think an acre 
of ground of these plants will produce about ten pounds 
of the dye. Of course, much depends on the soil, care, 
et hoc genus omne. Enpassants a short narrative will, 
I trust, bo not out of place. As many of your readers 
are aware, tins dye was introduced into England about 
the middle of the Kith century, when Oueen K li/.nbct h 
prohibited its salo, and named it the " Devil's Dye," 
and " food for the devil ! " Thank goodness, we are 
now living in an enlightened age, (not in Hyderabad 
though). The Greeks and Romans first utilized the 
Indigo as a paint, after great opposition by " wood 
growers," powerful in that age, who introduced several 
European Governments " to prohibit the use of Indigo 
as a dye." It was only for a time that this commo- 
tion prevailed Li Europe. The American Indigo plant 
is known by botanists as the Tndigofera Anil growing 
about three feet high. The Egyptian Indigo plant is 
named the I. argentea, aud grows about two feet high. 
Iu the Madras Presidency Indigo factories are to be seen 
in almost every place in which the shrub germinates. 
There is no reason why grist to the mill should not be 
obtained from the same plant, which grows freely in 
the Telinga districts in the Nizam's Dominions. 
Deccan, 24th November 1881. Fairy Rose. 
A BIRD-CATCHING SEDGE. 
As another example of the wonderful adaptation of 
seeds for tbe purpose of distribution, I may mention 
those of Uncinia jamaiceiisis, IVrs. (Carex liuiaata, K\v.), 
Grisebach, Flora British West Indian Islands, 1861, p. 
581. This is a plentifully distributed Sedge, growing in 
lamp hollows and shaded woods on the Blue Mountains, 
Jamaica. The plant is about a foot or 18 inches high, 
with narrow pointed grass-like leaves. The flower-head 
is a slender spike about 3 inches long, of a dark brown 
shining colour. Its most remarkable feature, however, 
-consists in the spikelets. These are furnished with a 
smooth long-exserted awn of a peculiar hamate character, 
resembling a shepherd's crook, but with the hook press- 
ing so closely against its base that it will hold tho finest 
lniir. By means of this delicate but wonderfully con- 
structed awn the seeds of the Uncinia attach themselves 
with great touacity to the coats of dogs, the legs of 
pedestrians, or, indeed, to anything that comes within 
their reach, and when once attached thoy are removed 
with the utmost difficulty. In fact, as showing their 
finely adjusted powers, aud their tenacity, it may be 
mentioned that if a spike is drawn along the back of 
the hand the hooks w ill clasp, and easily pull out single 
hairs by the roots. 
On two occasions lately I havo found small birds 
(grass quits), about the size of an English torn-tit, se- 
curely caught by a couple of spikes of this sedge. The 
spikes were attached along the underside of the body 
of the bird, with the booked awns buried among the 
Bathers. Of course, in these instances, the birds were 
released, but from the seciu'o manner in which they 
were caught I have m> doubt that many birds not Large 
enough to drag out the Bpikes, or draw the Bpikelets 
from their receptacles, must die in this manner from 
exhaustion, or fall a prey to rats and other vermin. 
1>. Mohuis, Jamaica, Nov. \\.—Qardener»' Chronicle. 
TROPICAL FRUITS FOR EUROPE. 
Sin, 1 see by the lu-t two issues of your paper that 
readera desire to see fruits of at tender nature 
occurs, and this can 
hard-frozen potatoes 
■ping them underneath 
some 
hard, 
opening 
brought from India and other distant pis 
doubtful if such could lie profitably ace 
cause of the length and heat of the join 
not do to actually freeze the fruit, as ] 
T. S., as this would cause both a chemic 
ical change in its structure, and, even 
eaten, the flavour would be changed. 1 
pear be frozen, and again thawed out, 
will be found altered in flavour, and gene 
soft owing to the bursting of the cells, 
if excluded from air little 
easily In- proved by plaeiir 
in a bucket of cold water, 
till thawed. It would be 
mangosteens in airtight ca 
letting them gradually tha 1 
the cases ; but it would, of course, be only a doubtful 
trial at first, and should not be largely entered on. 
The mostly likely plan to secure success would be to 
pack single layers of fruit in thin boxes, filling all spaces 
with cork dust to prevent bruising, and to bring them 
over in a temperature of about 30 deg. Fahr., if such 
could bo managed. This would check ripening and de- 
composition, and not greatly affect the flavour if the 
temperature was raised gradually to 45 deg. on arrival. 
It would not do to use any liquid to preserve fruit, as 
it would bo absorbed, and possibly change the flavour 
as well as prevent ripening. It may not perhaps be for- 
eign to the subject to mention that some ten or twelve 
years back I opened a " pie " of apples in February, at 
Warlaby, near Northallerton ; and, although the heap 
of fruit had only been protected with about four inches 
of straw and the same amount of earth, they were in 
capital condition, although they must have been frozen 
hard, but they were kept airtight. No doubt a profit- 
able trado could be done in tropical fruits of good qual- 
ity if they could be imported in a fresh state, and a 
few trials (which need not be very costly) would prob- 
ably end in success. Waltek J. May. 
—Field. 
CAPSICUMS. 
Much has recently been written i 
capsicum known as " sweet capsicu: 
seem to be generally known that 
capsicum has long been used in tl: 
Spain, from whence this variety is 
i-ning a kind of 
rat it does not 
capslcl 
ecoguiseil. 
niento pict 
has the usual tapering apex, whilst 
ty is about four inches long, almost as 
the apex being indented or doubled in. 
ht red colour. This sweet variety may 
purchased in Covent Garden Market in 
ud by the doubled-in apex can easily be 
om the hot kind. For curries, the sweet 
ly first roasted before the fire in order to 
er skin, which is the hottest portion of 
fruit also makes an excellent pickle, 
mixed with other substances, and imparts 
le flavour. In tho Malayan Arcliipelago 
> found both sweet aud hot varieties of 
without one or both, no dish, be it fowl, 
■y and rice, or salad, is considered com- 
quantity of capsicums consumed by Euro- 
peans as well as by natives is perfectly astonishing. A very 
large number of species and varieties of capsicums are 
grown and used as condiments in all tropical countries, 
where thero appeal's to be a greuter necessity for pun- 
gent seasonings. Tbe generic botanical name of capsicum 
is derived from " kapto," to bite, on account of the hot, 
pungent qualities of tbe pericarp. There are always a 
few of these shrubby plants grown about the dwelling* 
in tbe tropics to supply the dully wants of tho tabic, 
iw they] are generally gathered and eaten just before 
fully ope. 
there 
capsici 
cold it 
plete, and the 
