95° 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
[May i, i88z. 
Me. Jacob Reese, is a paper read before the En- 
gineers' Society of Western Pennsylvania, remarks : 
"The great want of the present age is a process 
by which the static caloric of carbon may be set free 
by non-luminous combustion, or, in other words, a 
process by which coal or oil may be oxidised at a 
low degree within an insulated vessel." This cannot 
be too prominently brought forward. " If it can be 
accomplished," as Mr. Reese says, "we would be 
able to produce from twelve to fifteen million foot 
pounds of electricity from one pound of petroleum, 
or from ten to twelve million foot pounds of energy 
from one pound of good coal." — Athenaeum. 
The Orangery in England. — Perhaps of all fruit 
trees Oranges are the most easily managed, if only they 
can be kept clear of insects. They require pretty much 
the same treatment from week to week, and when the 
fruit is ripening a high temperature, whether it is win- 
ter or summer, and as far as my experience goes the 
fruit is of as good quality in midwinter as it is at mid- 
summer. The main features of success are to obtain 
good varieties and good healthy trees to begin with ; 
and not only so, but they must be grafted on the right 
stock. The Lemon stock is the best, and gives the most 
vigorous trees, which are quite fruitful enough. They 
never lack a sufficient quantity of blossom. The fruit 
will not be good if it is ripened in a low temperature ; 
65° as a minimum is the best, and when it is ripening 
do not allow too much moisture in the atmosphere, else 
the fruits will not be firm and good; and at that time 
the trees require more care in watering. Good turfy 
maiden loam is the best potting material. — F. Douglas. — 
Gardeners' Chronicle. 
Roses on their Own Roots. — I myself for the last 
five years have tried Rose cuttings, and I think I may 
say, on the whole, with a fair amount of success. My 
first year was a failure. I placed the cuttings in pots 
in an old Melon-pit, and the result was they nearly all 
damped off. The following year I tried again, but this 
time placed the cuttings in the open ground. In Novem- 
ber I gave the ground a good coating of burnt earth ; 
forked it in, and when dry on the top made it quite 
firm, like an Onion-bed. I then put in the cuttings by 
thrusting them into the ground as deep as I could get 
them. I find this is a much better plan than using a 
dibble, which is liable to leave a vacuum round the base 
of the cutting, and if this happens, the cutting, of 
course, dies. It is necessary to use a good thick pair 
of leather gloves to plant the cuttings in this way. 
Last winter, in spite of the cold, about 60 per cent of 
the cuttings rooted (they were protected by a little short 
litter), and most of them bloomed last autumn. I am 
trying the Baroness this year for the first time ; at 
present every cutting looks as healthy and fresh as poss- 
ible. Teas I am trying in pots, in a cold frame on 
cinder ashes, and at present I am satisfied with them. 
There is no doubt that the great secret of getting Rose 
cuttings to do well is to select ripe wood. I am quite . 
aware that one does not get a splendid maiden bloom 
from a cutting ; on the other hand I find that Roses on 
their own Roots come in rather later than budded ones, 
and are very useful for a late show.. On my soil (stiff 
clay) I never could get Charles Lefebvre to grow, either 
budded on a standard or on the needling Brier. I tried 
cuttings, and it grows " like a weed," and gives me 
splendid blooms. The following Roses I find do well 
on their own roots : — C. Lefebvre, Marie Baumann, Miss 
Hassard, La France, Thomas Mills, Madame Nachary, 
Countess Serenyi, Marie Rady, Alfred Colomb, Captain 
Christy, Jules Margottin, Edward Morren, Mad. S. Fro- 
pot, Sir Garnet Wolseley, Madame V. Verdier, Auguste 
Rigotard, Dupuy Jamain, Abel Grand, &c. To sum up, 
I consider Roses on their own roots a great help to 
the amateur; but he must bud too, if he wants fine 
maiden blooms for exhibition. — Edward L. Fellowes, 
Wimpolo Rectory, Royston. — Gardeners' Chronicle. j 
Bees as Flower Fertilisers.— Mr. Donbavand is 
mistaken in supposing that bees never visit butter- 
cups. Whether the hive-bee in particular does so, 
I cannot say with certainty ; but I am sure that 
the common bumble-bee is often found among the 
flowers. Of course, other insects also aid in fertilis- 
ing i hem. — Grant Allen. — Knowledge. 
The Government Experimental Farm and Agbi- 
cultural Coll ge.— The section selected for the Go- 
vernment Experimental Farm is about six miles from 
Gawler and three from Roseworthy Station. It con- 
tains 728 acres, 100 of which are still uncleared scrub, 
another portion being light poor soil, and the re- 
mainder fairly representing the ordinary soil of the 
district, which has been cropped for many years, thus 
being well adapted for experiments. The situation near 
the Roseworthy Station is central and easy of access 
from different districts, it being a little over one hour 
by rail from Adelaid". Should an institution be 
established in connection wiih the Experimental Farm 
for the training of young men in practical and scientific 
agriculture, it is important that the College should be 
near Adelaide, especially as it may be necessary to 
obtain assis'ance in the instruction of students from 
'gentlemen residing in Adelaide. We presume that as 
soon as the land can be cleared, a series of experi- 
ments will be commenced with the object of obtaining 
results likely to benefit the farmer, and of procuring 
accurate and positive information on disputed points 
of great moment. — S. Australian paper. 
S. Australia: The Northern Territory.— The 
North-m Territory Times of December 10 states :— 
"Private advices from Adelaide by the "i'ambora" state 
that a Company, called the North Australian Company, 
has been formed in that city by a few gentlemen, acting 
in conjunction with European capitalists, wno believe 
that the Territory offers a legitimate and profitable field 
for the judicious investment of capital in miniug, agri- 
cultural, and pastoral ventures. The shareholders have 
nominated one of their number (Mr. Thomas Harry, 
who arrived here by the "Tambora") to inspect and 
report upon the resources of the country. Mr. Harry 
informs us that he proposes to proceed to Hongkong 
and thence to London, after spending a few weeks 
in the Territory. One very good feature in connection 
with the Company is that some of its most prominent 
shareholders have resided in the country for years, 
and are well acquainted with its great capabilities. 
The present Government appears very anxious to do 
all in its power to further the interests of the Territory, 
and will no dount make such arrangements as will 
facilitate the Company's projects." 
The Para or Brazil Nut.— Mr. Morris, the Director 
of Public Gardens, make the following remarks on the 
Para or Brazil Nut, the seeds of which he has been 
endeavouring to distribute throughout the island, and 
have propagated as an article of commerce. He says : 
To those who have lately received supplies of seeds 
of this valuable tree from the Bjtancial Department, 
it may be well to mention tnat owing to the horny 
character of the shell and the nature of its contents, 
they will probably take several months in germinating. 
Care should therefore be taken that the seeds are 
not neglected till all hopes of germination have passed 
away. The Para Nut — Bertholletia excel sa cornea into 
be-u-iog in some p. rts of Brazil, according to Dr. Hansen 
Erch, in ten or twelve years, and it ma* be mentioned 
that in addition to the value attached to its fruit, 
the tree itself is described as one of the most majestic 
in the South American forests. Should the climate of 
this Island be found suitable for the growth of this 
desirable tree, there is no doubt that together with 
the export of the fruit for purposes of desert, a 
valuable, oil might be obtained by pressure from the 
seeds. The fibrous bark of the tree is also used for 
caulking ships as a substitute for oakum. — Australasian. 
