THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Oct. 2, 1893. 
Professor Taft of the American Pomologioal So- 
ciety bay6:-Agoo(i pruner beglog bis work with the 
figure he wishes the plaut to assume, in his miud'a 
eye. lie is able lo give a reason f .r tvery thing he 
takes off and everything he leaves on. His object is 
three told, viz :— the removal of dead or dying 
wood, the curtailment of redundant brunches, and the 
xemoval of one jiortion of a tree to elfect the develop- 
ment of another, either in branch or fruit. The first 
of these objects presents no diftuulty and demands 
no skill, decay is easily perceived and nmputatioD 
carried out. Moreover ihirf c»u be done at any 
time. The secoud r«quir6i a knowledge of phnt 
physiology and » practical aoquaiitanca with tbe 
peculiarity of growth in the different varieties, while 
the third will lax tlie jucl;;meijt of the pruner moat of 
all. Plact development is produced by tbe formation of 
new culls ineido the slructure, by means of msterials 
obtained from without by the origans of respiration 
(leaves) and of absorption (roola) and pruuing should 
be carried out in a manner to direct these materials, 
where th^'y vvill produce a maximum of ben*fioial 
effect, with a m'nimu n cf injury. The injui-y arises 
from the dzc of Ihe icound mflkted and the extent of the 
leaf !!ui face sacrificed.. It is lor this rtasoa that the 
Bjstera of pruning recommended consists in pinching 
off shoots or rubbing off budc, b( fore they put on a 
fihroas or wocdy habit wlifu their removal will re- 
quire the help of tbe kn teorihn saw. When sur- 
plus or rampant growth is thus removed, an iucreBse 
of food materials is directed to tbe branches and 
leaves retained, and these accordingly Bsaume a 
hardier and more robust growth. The removal of 
larye hranches, however carefully pfrformed, is a blow 
against ihe health and life of the tree, and directly or 
indirectly injures it. Curtadm' nt of the lesf surface, 
causea a proportionate diminu'ion of growth and 
development, as well aa injury from moisture 
escapinjy and interfering with the free oiroula- 
tion of the sap at the extremities. A vast 
divergence of opinion exists »e to the proper 
time to prune. It is conceded as a gtneral rule 
that for growth you should prune in the autumn 
and for fruit in the summer, is^ever prune when grou-lh 
has started; it chechs holh the rise oj the sap and it.-; 
proper direction. 
Pruning is somtimes done to give figure and gym- 
Bietrical proportion to a tree. Thinning out some 
Btraggliog brunches will thicken up those left, as thefe 
latter will receive a larger supply of sap, atd as 
elongation cf branch is the resnlt of development of 
the internodes of the h\i'\ some little distauce from 
the extremity, the removal oi tbe bud checks elonga- 
tion and the internodes set about producing later»l 
shoots as an alternative. When certain proportions 
of a tree are not making proper growth, they may 
be out back severely, and tben the remaining buds 
in that place grow with grt ater vigor, because the 
sap flows more freely through new and tender growth 
than through a hard, compact old, structure. This 
is the reason why a tree cut down and allowed to 
spring up from the root will bo Itrger and straighter 
and smoother, than similar trees not so treated. 
THE PINE HILL ESTATES COMPANY, 
LIMITED. 
The Gazette contains the memorandum of Associa- 
tion of this Oompny formed t acquire the Pine Hill 
estate, situate in the District of Kotmale, and contain- 
ing in 'extent one hundred and forty-seven acres more 
or less, and the Wavahena estate, situate in the district 
of Puridaliioya, and containing in extent one hundred 
and forty-two acres more or less ; to improve, plant, 
clear, cultivate, and develop the said estates and any 
other lands that may be purchased, leased, or other 
wise acquired, as coffee, tea, cocoa, or coconut 
estates; and to manufacture tea leaf, copperah, oil 
poonac, coir, fibre, yarn, rope, spirit from toddy 
drawn from the coconut trees or from the water of 
the nut, dessicated coconut, compost manure, and 
(or) other raw products. The nominal capital of the 
Company is one hundred a,nd sixty-five tbonsuid 
rupees, divided into one thousand aix hundred and 
fifty shares of one handred rupees each, with power 
to increase or decrease the capital. Tbe memoran- 
dum is signed by Mesare. Jiiouel P. Fiaher, Kandy ; 
J. Koydon Hughes, Dimbula estate. Kotagala ; 
Stanley H. Dyer, Dimbula estate ; Harold A. Johnson, 
Queensberry, Kotmale; Roland J. Trinien, Loona- 
galla'estate, Rangalla ; Robert E. Prance. M&dakelle 
estate, Madulkele ; F. M. Mackwood, Colombo. The 
articles of Association are also eiifued by these 
gentlemen. 
SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRY IN INDIA. 
A deal of wise couneel, both on broad lines and 
in detail, is offered to tbe Government of India 
in Dr. Voeloker's report, but it teaches two l.t^ons 
in particular, which are none the lees important 
because they lie beneath the signifioanoe of hia 
advice as a whole, and are given prominence only 
here and ihevK on occaeionB when it would appear 
tbe learned Doctor found it impoBsible to restrain 
his opinion. One is tbe necessity of getting the 
right men for scientific work ; the other is tbe 
necessity of making kII scientific inquiry in India 
subserve Bome practical purpose. At first sight 
these principles of administration would seem 
almost axiomatic, but observation of the pol'cy 
hiiherto adopted toward scientitio inquiry by Govern- 
ment will convince most people, as it has con- 
vinced Dr. Voelcker, that they have been very 
largely lost sight of. England is a little country, 
end her agricultural interest is not tbe controlling 
one in the disposal of the taxes. Yet it is found 
worth while to have all scientific inquiry connected 
With agriculture in Ergland made on lines most 
likely to lead to comprehensive results, by men 
best qualified to make them. Dr. Voelcker, coming 
from a country where this goes without laying. is 
naturally surprised to find a different system 
prevailing in India, where the interests concerned 
are far vaster and the problem of the ryot's future 
looms more threateningly every day. Dr. Voelcker 
is a chemist, and therefore naturally has the 
indignities done to chemistry particularly before 
his eyes when he writes : " Another instance of tbe 
way in which no enoouragementis given to scien- 
tific study is seen in the system by which ap- 
pointments are made to the position of Chemical 
Examiner. Instead of selecting for these posts men, 
who have been carefully trained in chemistry, and 
more especially in analytical chemistry, the 
appointments are generally given to men who 
have bad nothing more than tbe class instruction 
in chemistry, and tbe test-tube experience of the 
ordinary medical student," Dr. Voelcker in thus 
writing may not have had before bis mind that 
tbe greater part of tbe Chemical Examiner's 
work is to act as specialist for the Criminal Law : 
to conduct post mortem examinations of men 
and animals, to detect and pronounce as to poisons 
and generally to desl with the ghastly exhibits sent 
up by the po'ice are duties which make it obvious 
why the post should have bpen almost invariably 
entrusted to medical men. From the view of the 
agricu'tural chemist the errpcgem nt is no doubt 
inadequBto : though Dr. Voelcker i^ careful to add 
that the Indian Chemical Examiner ''oes hi« duty 
conscientiously and a? well as could be *xpected of 
him ; on the other hand if these appointmems were 
to be filled with f xperts of Dr. Voe'cker's school, a 
far louder cry would socn arise as to the u^elesf ness 
of men of science who could not le'l the difference 
between atryehnine poifouing and tetanus. The fact 
is that one iiian cannot rill two places. Hcw tver, 
this is not the only branch of soieuco which the Go- 
