93o 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[May i, 1882. 
tells us that the pimento or allspice walks in Jamaica 
are threatened with destruction owing to the ruthless 
way in which the young plants are pulled up in order 
to supply the demand for umbrella and walking sticks, 
for which purpose the beautiful shape and grain of the 
wood render these sticks great favourites. A month ago 
it was estimated that in Kingston alone there were half 
a million sticks awaiting export to England and Ame- 
rica, to be made into walking-sticks and umbrella handles. 
These sticks were almost without exception pimento, 
and it is not surprising to hear the owners and lessees 
of pimento walks are being alarmed at the growth of 
a trade which threatens to uproot in a few years all 
their young trees, and deprive them to a great extent 
of their income. The export returns for the last five 
years show that an average of 2,000 bin idles of sticks 
has been sent out of the island annually in the ordin- 
ary course of trade, without taking account of the 
numbers taken away by hand, by casual travellers, and 
those consumed in Jamaica itself. The present year 
has seen a large increase in this trade, the returns for 
the first three quarters of the financial year showing 
an export of over 4,500 bundles, valued at more than 
£2,000. When it is remembered that each bundle con- 
tains from 500 to 800 sticks, each of which represents 
a young bearing pimento tree, the extent of the destruc- 
tion may be realised. Even then a large addition must 
be made for faulty sticks, pulled up but rejected by 
the exporter. The pimento crop of Jamaica during the 
last ten years is estimated to be worth over half a 
million annually ; and, although the plant is indigenous, 
and grows wild, those who make its cultivation an in- 
dustry complain that walking-stick collectors do not con- 
fine their attention to the wild crops, but prefer the 
better-shaped plants on private "walks." The plants 
destined to provide walking-sticks are pulled up by the 
root, so the destruction is complete ; and the walking- 
stick trade, whether carried on by legitimate collectors 
or not, bids fair to seriously interfere with the produc- 
tion of pimento, unless steps are taken to protect a due 
percentage of the stock. — Colonies and India. 
SULPHURIC ACID— ITS USE AS A PROMOTER 
OF THE RAPID GERMINATION OF SEEDS. 
The following extract from the Statesman on the pro- 
perties of Sulphuric acid for hastening the germination 
of seeds, together with some notes thereon from a corre- 
spondent, J. N., will doubtless prove of interest to our 
readers : — 
Certain experiments recently made by Professor Tyndall, 
upon the use of sulphuric acid in promoting the more 
rapid germination' of seeds, or rather f.iuits, contained in 
shell) capfules, such as nuts, almonds and stones, have 
been atte nded with such marvellous results that attention 
may well be directed to it in India, where the diffi- 
culty of raising fruit trees from imported stones with 
a view of improving stock, has been the frequency of 
mildew setting in before germination takes place. Seeds 
and stones soaked in a solution of the acid receive such 
a germinating impetus from this tonic that they shoot 
in a space of time hitherto unknown to agriculturists. 
This should be good news to those residents of our hill 
[•rations who have failed hitherto in raising plants from 
English or Australian stock : many seeds of aquatics, 
such as water lilies, have been known to remain dormant 
for two years, sorely trying the patience of those en- 
thusiasts who have essayed their growth ; tea seed need 
ro longer be forced in trenches but soaked for a few 
hours only in the solution. 
The properties of vitriol, as an agent for imparting 
vitality to wheat seed and also as a preservative against 
the charcoal-like appearance of the ears of the corn, 
are well known to some of the agriculturists of the 
Pouto of France, The latter say that wheat seed, scalded 
with vitriolated water, produces a healthy crop, and 
some of the seed, which, sometimes, would indubitably 
rot, if it was sown dry, has its powers of germination 
restored by the action of vitriol. I have no doubt thai 
if tea or any other seed were treated similarly, a good 
percentage would be saved every year to the planter or 
to the cultivator. 
I saw the scalding process some 25 years ago, and 
if my remembrance does not deceive me, the- operation 
is as follows : — First of all put in a basket the quantity 
of wheat you wish to sow the next day. Raise to boiling 
point enough water to scald your seed. Remove the 
vessel from the fire and pour in the boiling water the 
vitriol stones ; stir the water with a stick, froth or scum 
will be produced, I believe, and the water will rise in 
the vessel ; do not be afraid ; no explosion will take place. 
When the vitriol stones are dissolved, which ought to 
be done in a few seconis, pour the water 011 the wheat 
in the basket. As the water is poured on the wheat, 
free escape must be allowed. 
I could not prescribe the proportion of vitriol stones, 
but I think half pound of stones to a maund of wheat 
should be sufficient. 
As the process is simple and cheap, native cultivators 
ought to be induced to try it. — Indian Tea Gazette. 
TOMATOS PLANTED OUT. 
The beds we plant in are 2 feet wide and 1 foot 6 
inches deep, and are formed by building up the sides 
with turf, commencing on the floor of the house, which 
is formed of rough gravel, and this acts as drainage 
for the beds. The suil for the Tomato when planted 
out should be open and porous rather than rich. A 
good fibrous loam, with one part of lime rubbish and 
a sprinkling of bone-meal, will be found to answer well, 
and retain its porosity for a considerable time, not readily 
becoming soured with frequent doses of liquid manure 
which will be required when the plants get over their 
first flush of vigour, and commence to fruit the whole 
length of the rafters. The greatest mistake generally 
made in growing the Tomato is in the training of the 
plants, which are allowed to run in all directions till 
they become a confused mass, and this is often aggrav- 
ated by stopping the plants above every show of fruit. 
The method we adopt is to train the 'plants as single, 
double, or triple cordons. For the first method of train- 
ing we plant about 10 inches apart, and for the other 
methods we give room according, that is, about 10 inches 
for each growth. These cordons are allowed to run from 
the bottom to the top of the house without being shopped, 
and we never find them fail to show fruit about every 
six inches ; and if the temperature and atmospheric 
conditions of the house are kept right, every flower 
will set perfectly, and the result is a perfect wreath of 
fruit from bottom to top, and from end to end of the 
house. 
As fast as the first fruits ripen and are gathered from 
the lower part of the cordon, another leader is brought 
away from the base, and is allowed to proceed as fast 
as the fruit is gathered on the first cordon. The second 
shoot soon commences to show fruit, and with a little 
thinning of foliage and the removal of the greater part 
of the foliage from the lower part of the original shoot, 
the young fruit has roqm to develope, and the result is 
that the house is keptl continually furnished with fruit, 
without the growths getting in any way entangled or 
confused. A little care must be exercised in watering 
when there are many fruits ripening on the plants, as 
they are very liable to crack with a sudden dose of water, 
especially if the plants have been allowed to get very 
dry, but the most prolific cause of cracking is closing 
the house, and watering and syringing the plants at the 
same time. 
The varieties of Tornados to select from are now plen- 
tiful enough ; our favourites are Hathaway's Excelsior 
