Jvm t, xSHs,] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
MR. W. 1). HO^ANQ 
THE " HYBK 
Yoxfoi 
Dear Sik,— The < 
rohusta, Cinchona is fs 
stage between the two 
rRIBUTION TO 
OVERSY. 
April 25th, 1882. 
m the subject of 
at the vehement 
. Is it not 
fertilizatii 
win has , 
produotioj 
hyl 
must oil 
•csult. 
subject to the cor- 
s being led astray by 
and that we should 
cing upon the robusta 
mil succirnbra. Cross 
I occurrence and Dar- 
^y in plants is to the 
iug, wliile eelf-fertiliz- 
3S between officinalis 
fact daily proved to 
enough 
be in 
■ called 
officinalis 
ahd iici irubra plants with every variety of intermediate 
type. I have in many cases seen plants which showed 
all the well-known characteristics of auccirubra, change 
between the first and second year into robustas. I 
have also seen a robusta tree of the best type throw- 
ing up a sucker, which was to all appearance a tine 
succirnbra ; and, in this estate, I have » young suc- 
oirubrs with a sucker growing up evidently a robusta. 
In reply to Mr. Gammie as regards the plants around 
us, what is the tea which is being so rapidly extended 
but a so-called hybrid ?* 
I hope that my suggestion may came as a restorative 
to some bewildered brains, and, if not strictly scientific, 
yet the tacts I have quoted are somewhat difficult of 
digestion for those who hold that robusta is a distinct 
species. — Yours faithfully, Wm. D. BOSANQUET. 
[On tho other hand there can be no doubt that forms 
now known as hybrid or robusta appeared amongst 
tho earliest cinchona cuttings from Hakgala. — Ed.] 
Sparrows as Inseoticidks.— We have received a 
letter on this subject, which will bo found elsewhere. 
Wo may state that the sparrow is pie 
in our (ley hm towns, however rare h 
country districts. But, even if sparrows 
estates, would they or could they dig t 
chafer grubs from their beds deep cl 
soil ? For this purpose an inscctivor 
more likely to be valuable is the lar 
shrike, popularly known as the "mngpi 
of which we hope soon to introduce, 
were wanted, the Australian colonists 
fallj make us m Iconic to the hundreds 
for the destruction of which they are offe 
These birds, and even the mina-, prefe 
largely cultivated near Australian towns 
any sort, and are so destructive as to 
like the rabbits, a formidable cur-e. 
spairow so useful in America is a different species. 
Our correspondent is, of course, aware, that « hat 
coffee chiefly suffers from is ft fungoid plague, which 
no bird we fear would middle with. If we could 
get rid of "leaf disease," we could more easily deal 
with grub or bear with its ravages. Tho coffee tree 
is now attacked by grubs at the roots and a fungus 
in t hs leaves. 
•This is an illustration which has weighed strongh 
with us and which we have emphasized in 'ur-uiiig v'ith 
the anti-hybridists. No Indian planter doubts that 
••best Assam hybrid t< a," owes its origin to the indite- 
nous Assam tea and the china teas introduced at the 
instance .if l.nrd Win. Ilciitiuck's ( Im eminent by Mr. 
Fortune. Hybrids resulted, which are less delicate than 
the indigenous and in every way superior to t'hiun. The 
iplidit) the hybrid, tun, seems persistent, although 
exceptional plants occur.— Ed. 
insects of 
reckoned, 
Perhaps the 
Humming Bird Hawk moths (Sphingidaj; 
new species were described by Mr. Ai 
Butler, f.l.s., p.z.s., in the proceedings 
ical Society of London, for 1875. On 
species is from Coimbatore, so that 
should secure specimens in case it l 
that his pests are a new species. Uilut 
will probably destroy the eggs. — H. II. P 
Cakepul and observant gardeners h 
aware that the shade of growing tre 
ingly unfavourable for the developm 
and now scientific research gives there; 
— M. Paul Bert has shown that greou 
the development of plants, which is 1 
grass does not grow well under tri 
often urged the necessity of avoiding 
growing trees as much as possible, i 
with reference to anything put into th 
but it is equally wrong in principle to j 
under such, or, in fact, under any 
Queenslander. 
Paper as Covering for Shaved 
attention seems to have been excited 
tisemeut for old newspapers, we ma 
yet, all we kuow is that, in inter-m 
stout brown paper has been found ai 
tection for shaved cinchonas, on Erroll 
But Mr. Porter, who attracted our at 
so protected, did not hope that th 
stand the force of the south-west 
suggested — and we mean to try the e: 
the brown pqer might answer if tl 
tarred. We are also eoine to trv wha 
Why not then as clothing for cinchonas ? 
Government Plantations in Assam.— Among the 
experimental plantations kept up by the Forest De- 
partment in Assam, the most important appear to be 
those reserved for teak, rubber and cinchona. The 
teak plantation at Tulsi is reported as being in a most 
promising state of progress with regard to the shape 
and growth of the trees. The oldeetof the trees which 
were planted in 1S72 have now reached au averago 
height of 50 feet, with a girth of 1 foot 9 inches, 
and the younger blocks of trees are said to be equally 
promising. There is aho a small plantation at Makam, 
in the Lakhimpur district, consisting of 2,160 trees, 
which are said to be grow ing well. The rubber plant- 
ation in the Durrung district is also favourably re- 
ported on. These young trees have hitherto suffered 
much from the damage done by deer, but. during the 
last year a proper system of protection « s organised, 
and there has consequently been a mark d improve- 
ment in the vigorous growth of tho trees. Tho plant- 
ation contains about io.o'OO trees, besides about 500 
others along the roads and boundary liucs. Tho 
nurseries are ulso in a very Nourishing couditiou, a 
considerable number of the trees beiug over tin feet 
high ; and it is now hoped that ihcre will every year 
bo a sufficient number of plants to commence regular 
annual extensions. The cinchona plant ttou is un- 
Favourably repotted on ; the site ou the Kh»>i bills is 
evidently not at all suited to i he growth of the plants. 
Some alight attempts have also been made to form an 
orchard at ^liillo..^ — an experiment not immediately 
oonneoied with forestry— and the seedling-, as w 11 aa 
grafted trees, of apples, pears, pe.nl. ., m rims, and 
other fiuits are doing well.— J/. Mail, 
