July i, 1893.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
35 
nent ohemist found the crop of bean plants grown 
upon an screof groand, for green manuring, contained 
280 lb. of nitrogen. While this is probably a some- 
what exceptional quantity, the fsot remains that any 
of the bean family used as a crop for plowing under- 
puts into the soil a very appreoifcble amount of this 
valuable element, and that not pre-existing in the 
soil, but entirely derived from the atmosphere and 
fixed in a fit condition for the use of subsequent or 
contemporary crops. 
The moisture-holding properties of hamua in the 
soil are too well known and too self evident to need 
comment. 
From the chemical standpoint, besides the direct 
addition to the loil of nitrogen.'the practice of green 
manuring is highly important, inasmuch as it produces 
such • large amount of carbonic acid in the soil. While 
bQt little likely to prodnoe an excess of this valuable 
chemical agent, when the practice is followed on 
land bearing a permanent crop, the result on new 
land is far more direct. The large quantity of car- 
bonic acid given off during the decay of a single crop 
of green stuff plowed under the surface, works won- 
ders in dissolving the crude materiala which exist in 
virgin soil, and, no less important.in causing beneficial 
reactions which fit the fertilizing elements for absorption 
as plant food. 
By all means then let us combinetheee two important 
means of enriching our soil, the commercial fertilizer 
to give us quick results, and to intenaify our forming 
and the green crop to hold the surplus of the com- 
mercial manure, to gather etill more from the atmos- 
phere, and to fit the soil mechanically for those all- 
important chemical reactions which invariably precede 
and accompany the assimilation of food by plant or 
tree, — Florida Agriculturist. 
♦ 
« PICKINGS " WITH A LOCAL APPLICATION. 
The idea of oattle-bbeeding for a local beef supply 
ia scouted by the Agricultural Eecord of Port of 
Spain, where we are told cattle will stand up to 
their kaees in bright green and apparently nourish- 
ing grass without touching it ! This curious 
conduct is traceable to tbe fact of the grass being 
rank and sour. In Trinidad it is said that only by 
hand feeding, at great cost, and with many minor 
dif&calties can cattle be kept in any condition 
whatever. The cost and excessive care demanded has 
therefore restricted this enterprise solely to milob 
cows and draft oxen, which, when wellbred and 
tame, are valuable and pay for the extra expense and 
trouble, in spite of the fact that milch cows there 
give less milk by far than they do in other tropical 
countries. 
There would seem to be some prejudice against 
the use of guinea grass as fodder for milch cows, 
among tbe natives of Oeylon. They have an idea 
that it (as they put it) "dries up the milk." It ia 
quite possible that the more sncculeut '' water " or 
Mauritius grass, owing to the large percentage of 
water it contains, tends to the secretion of a larger 
quantity of milk, which however, cannot be expected 
to be of the same quality as that produced from a diet 
of guinea grass. The latter is admitted by all who 
have tried to be an excellent fodder for milking 
cows. In Venezuela it is said that the herds run 
wild on the boundless prairies cotisieting of 
nourishing guinea grass, which at most requires only 
occasional care and attention for its satisfactory growth. 
It is noticeable that along the higher parts of 
the railwav line to Sandy guinea grass grjws apparently 
wild and with striking luxuriance. 
Observations have lately been made regarding the 
habits of the " pababol ants" (Oecodoma), which 
■re tbe cause of so much damage and destruction 
in the farm and garden. The food of these ants is 
said to be the fruits of a fucgns which is Epecially 
tmei by tbeee greatuiea on Uaf euUings wbiob tb@y 
carry to their " nests." The particular fuogas has 
not yet been fatisfactoriiy identified, but the des- 
cription of the manner in which the ants manipulate 
the leaf for the growth of the fungus is rather 
amusing. The ants are said to lick the leaf 
with their tongues" in order to sterilize it, by 
cleaning it in such a manner that no fungus spores 
should grow other than those of the tpeoies re- 
quired for food. This material after being carried 
in is cut up, chewed into balls, and then formed 
into flocculent cellular masses on which the fungus 
grows in a few hours. The " parasol ant" ia 
happily easily killed, the best method when nests 
are in tbe ground being by the application of coal 
tar or gas .water. 
It has been atated by a Grerman ohemist who 
has taken up the subject of tbe analysis of 
Cocao, that " in a natural fresh condition the 
cocao bean does not contain either Theobromine 
caffeine 01 cacao red, but a glucoaide which is soluble 
in alcohol." Tbe glucosidesof the bean wereaplit up 
or decomposed by the process of curing, and Mr. 
J. H. Hart of Trinidad considers ^it possible that 
by an extended knowledge of the chemistry of the 
bean to obtain precise information as to how fer- 
mentation aSeots the order of change in the 
materials composing the bean dnring that process. 
In New Guinea, where land is bought from the 
Government on condition that the purchaser shall in- 
troduce some new industry in cultivating the land, end 
shall carry out some specified extent of improvement 
within a given time; the price of the land alienated 
may be as low as two sbvUings and six pence per 
acre : if no conditions as to improvements are im- 
posed, the price to be paid for land cannot be 
less an acre, than : — 
1— For agricultural land lOs 
3 — For pastoral land 2s 
3— For land for trading or fishing 
purposes £5 
4— For land for the planting of coconuts 5s 
Lsnd in parcels not exceeding 50 acres can be 
purchased at £1 an acre, the payment being made 
in instalments extending over 5 years. Land suitable 
for coconuts may be leased for 60 years. No rent 
may be payable for the first five years but for the next 
five it cannot be less than 6d per acre, and. for tbe re- 
mainder of the lease not less than la an acre each year. 
The Mexican Manguey tree it is said, furnishes 
not only a thread and needle, but many other oon- 
veniences. It is foand generally near the door of 
Mexican houses loaded with clusters of beautiful 
flowers, and at the tip of each dark green leaf is a 
slender thorn needle that must be drawn carefully 
from its sheath, at the same time slowly unwinding the 
thread, a strong smooth fibre of great length, attached to 
tbe needle. Among its other uses the roots go to form a 
savoury dish, while the leaves make a pretty. thatch and 
are so used by the Mexicans. Tbe leaves also afford 
material for paper, and from tbe juices is distilled a 
favoarite beverage. From the heavier fibres tbe 
natives make strong cords and heavy string cloth. 
Look to your laurels, good old oooonnt-trae I 
HORTICULTUEE. 
ants on plants. 
Every now and then ants appear to combine forces 
and will take entire possession of a tree or shrub. 
The re are three methods by which to circumvent tbe 
busy little pests. The first is the surest, but great 
care has to be taken in its application, for it ia a 
fatal poison. Take laid and mix into it a small quan- 
tity cf corrosive sublimate. Then dip a rag or a tow 
siring into the mixture until it is thoroughly 8Btaiat«d 
therewith. Next lay the rag or string around the 
root of the tree at a little distance from the trunk, 
making sure to have both ends to meet, so that there 
will be no gate or entrance left. In a short time 
the ants will all disappear. They seem to recognise 
tbe poiBO^ (tnd dread i(s egecte. A colpo; of ants 
