138 
8ux>ptemerit to the Trojncat Agriculturist.'" [August 1, 1893. 
another tree wliicli is indigenous to Ceylon. A fruit, 
■with edible seeds, that has a strong resemltlance 
to the Kola pod is produced by Sterculia Foetida, 
the " Telamboo " of tlie Sinhalese. ]\fy readers 
•who have tasted the kernel of the Cajunut need 
only be told that the Talamboo-nut tastes similar 
if not more delicious. I have not tasted n 
Kola-nut, hut from what I have heard from 
those who have, I think the Telamboo-nut 
might reasonably occupy its place in Ceylon. A 
specimen of these seeds might be seen at the 
Museum of the School of Agriculture, sent there 
by the writer. 
" At,t. Products.'" 
SALT IN AGRICULTURE. 
The Salt Union, Cheshire, has issued a circular 
drawing attention to the value of salt in agri- 
culture. The pamphlet is no doubt intended 
as an advertisement, but it is valuable as indi- 
cating, under separate heads, the various way 
in which salt benefits the land and stock of the 
agriculturist. Exception may, however, possibly be 
taken to one or two points raised in favour of salt : 
1. Salt consists of two-thirds chloride and one- 
third soda, and as the solvent poweis of chloride 
are 20 times greater than those of rainwater, 
it is undoiibtedly the most powerful substance 
known for breaking up tlie soil and setting its 
constituents free and available to nourish the 
roots of the plauts. If the soil be stiff and 
dry, it is useless, and the roots cannot spread. 
An ordinary quantity of rain is not sufficient 
on stiff or sloping land. In all cases Salt hastens 
weathering. 
2. Salt absorbs moisture from the atmosphere, 
and retains it in the soil, thus compensating for 
a deficiency of rain. 
3. Salt purifies and decomposes all inert 
matter. 
4. Salt makes stubborn soils easier to work. 
6. Salt quickly destroys all kinds of noxious 
vermin, wire worms, slugs, and turnip fly. 
6. Salt renovates old pasture lands, making 
sour grasses sweet and palatable for cattle and 
sheep. Where Ground Rocksalt is freely used 
for this purpose, the animals are healthy. It also 
neutralizes the injurious effect of rank grasses 
on new pastures. At the rate of 1 ton per acre 
in spring, it has a wonderful effect. 
7. For strengthening the straw of cereals, the 
use of Salt is most important, owing to the fact 
that it seems to be the only substance which 
has the chemical power of setting free the re- 
quisite quantity of silica to nourish the stems. 
8. For root crops Salt is valuable when 
previously incorporated in the soil, on account ^ 
of its powerful moistering properties as before 
mentioned, and there is conclusive evidence that 
it prevents disease in potatoes. 
9. If Salt be mixed with other manures, it 
•will make them far more effective by dissolving 
the various constituents, and keeping them 
moist. 
10. A plentiful application of Salt to the 
dung heap will not only fix the valuable ammonia, ' 
but will destroy millions of vermin, which j 
would otherwise be carried on to the land and i 
^amage the crops. 
As to the application of Salt, it ie difficult 
to lay down hard-and-tast rules, as 60 much 
depends upon the condition of the soil and the 
seasons. From 8 to 10 cwts. per acre for cerealc, 
and 10 to lo cwts. for roots, is generally re- 
commended, upon the breaking up of land or 
the month before seed time (but not with the 
seed). Light shallow soil requires more Salt. 
Repeated top-dressings in small quantities during 
the spring will bo found very beneficiaL It 
should I>e liberally applied to fallows, and on 
the stubble. 
All animals are fondof Salt, and always prefer 
marshes and salted grass. J..umps of Rocksalt 
should l)e placed in all stables, shippous, pig- 
styes, and fields, as it improves the appetite, 
hastens fattening, prevents many diseases and 
e])idemics, especially rot in sheep. A solution 
of salt and water is one of the l>e8t remedies 
for scab. Recent trials prove that for fattening 
pigs and keeping them healthy, it has a sur- 
prising effect. It also improves the coats of 
horses. 
For sweetening and preserving fodder, and to 
prevent hay from fermenting and becoming mouldy 
when stacked, the antiseptic properties of Salt 
make it a most valuable remedy. 
DROUGHTS. 
A drought is generally taken to mean in agri- 
culture a want of rain. This condition is a very 
common one in the Eastern tropics, and is 
attended with special disaster in rice-growing 
districts. The want of rain is frequently given 
as a cause for the failure of the paddy crop, while 
from the fact that grass and other short^rooted 
fodder crops are easily killed out during severe 
droughts, the prolonged absence of rain has a most 
important bearing on the management of stock. 
On a recent visit to India we found that the 
severe drought that prevailed in the Southern 
districts during the first part of the year was the 
means of greatly reducing the numljer of cattle 
in those parts. On enquiry we learnt that 
the owners of stock, driven to their wits' end in 
the fruitless attempt to keep their animals from 
starvation point, were compelled as a dernier 
vesortto part with them forone-fifth and less than a 
fifth of their values either for the butcher or to be 
removed to less drought-stricken districts. We 
have since read of how even English stockowners 
have been compelled to part with their animals 
to the butcher during the late unusual drought 
that prevailed in England : while in France a 
similar condition of affairs drove farmers to look 
for fodder in the trees of the forest, whose nutri- 
tive qualities Necessity has brought to light, 
i Indeed the apparently general drought that 
lately prevailed compelled the natives of some 
parts of India to find sustenance in mango kernels 
and mhowa flowers. 
Professor Warington, the well-known Agricul- 
tural chemist, has seized the opportunity when 
farmers in England were sorely troubled for lack 
of rain to deliver a homily on " drought," in its 
scientific aspects, and it would be worth our 
' while to ponder over what he has said on the 
j subject. 
j In agricultural text-books statements will be 
' found as to the power of certaia soils to inaintaiq 
