Nov. I, 1893.3 'I'^E tROPicAL AGRICtiLfURiSt. 
29s 
Table of Conmcrcial Fcriilizers for the Preparation 
of Manures for the Cotton Plant. 
c ^ 
Name of Fertilizer. 

+3 S3 
'A ' 

per ct. 
l)er ct. 
per ct. 
Acid pliosiiliate containing .. 
12-0 
Cotton seed meal ,, 
2-75 
l'7.j 
7-0 
Cotton .seed (whole) ,, 
1-00 
1-20 
2.5 
Cotton seed IniU aslies „ 
100 
2.-1O 
Stable manure ,, 
0-2o 
0-40 
0-45 
Is'itrate of soda ,, 
160 
Dried Ijlood ,, 
12 0 
Jvainit ,. 
12-0 
Muriate (»f iiotasli ,, 
.")0 0 
Tiie foregoing percentages are perliajjs slightly 
lower than" the true average in each ease, hut 
are stated as above in order to ensure the 
api)lication of the full amounts of nitrogen, 
phosphoric acid :aid potash. 
The following are the six mixtures j)rescribed 
by Mr. McBryde, and arc based on the [(receding 
table: — 
Acid phosphate 
... 420 lbs. 
Nitrate of soda 
... 12.5 „ 
Kainit 
... 125 
Acid pliosi)liate 
... .S70 ,, 
Dried blood ... 
... 165 ,, 
Cotton seed hull ash ... 
... 60 „ 
Stable manure 
2 ton.s. 
Acid plios[ihatc 
... 330 lbs. 
Nitrate of soda 
... 20 „ 
Acid phosphate 
... 350 ,, 
Cotton seed meal 
... 280 
Muriate of potash 
... 20 „ 
Acid jjhosphaie 
... .350 ,, 
Cotton seed... 
... 800 ,, 
Kainit 
... 40 
Stable niautire 
2 tons. 
Acid phosphate 
... 330 lbs. 
Cotton seed meal 
... 40 „ 
An ammoniated acid 
])hos])h,ate containing 
ten per cent jihos])horic .acid (of which at least 
eight per cent should be available), four and two- 
thirds per cent anmioiiia, and three per cent 
potash apj)lied .at the rate of five hundred pounds 
])er acre would sujiply these constituents in about 
the same proportion and amounts as the above 
mixtures." 
DATURA STRAMONIUM. 
Datura stramonium is a plant which grows 
freely in Ceylon. It belongs to the natural 
order solanaixa:. Roth the seeds and the leaves 
))0ssess sedative and narcotic properties due to 
the presence of an alkaloii' or alkaloids called 
daturine. The poisonous qualities of the plant 
are freiiuently used by the natives for criminal 
purposes. The plant is largely grown by the 
Sinhalese villagers in their gardens, and by the 
Tamil ccKdies on estates for its medicinal pro- 
perties. A decoction of the fiuit is prized as 
MX outw.ard a])iilii ai i((n in cases of rheumatism. 
The )(lant is consiiicuous by its \ cry huge, white, 
t' umpet-shapcd llowers. Daturine has been proved 
not to be a single a' haloid ; but is oonijiosed 
fif hyoscyamine C, .H.,.N ()., the alkaloid of 
h("nliane, and .atropine C, jlL.^N ()., an alkaloid 
tiv.st obtained from belladonna. It is considered 
by Schiuidl tuid otheis lluit the alkaloid us it 
exists in both plants is hyoscyamine, &nd that 
the isomeride atroi)ine is oidy develojied in the 
prtjccss of extracting the alkaloid. The lea\es, 
according to Alfred benier, IMI.J)., I'.c.S., contain 
•02 i)cr cent of alkaloi<l, and leave 17 per cent 
of ash when burned. The seeds contain '1 [ler 
cent of alkaloid, and aljout 25 per cent of a 
bland lixed oil. 
{To he continued.) 
riCKINGS WITH A LOCAL APPLICATION. 
It is not an uncommon experience to find, a,fter a 
belief in a certain principle or practice has been 
tolerably well established, that an attempt is made 
to doubt or up?et that belief. The behuf in the 
superiority of i;uddi.vg and grafting over propaga- 
tion by seed, especially in fruit culture, lias for 
some time past been pretty firm, and text books on 
agriculture and horticulture never fail to impress 
us with tne advauta.;es of the former over the latter 
process. They tell us that trees are rendered much 
hardier by being put on strong stncks, that a larger 
return in fruit is obtained, and that the trees can 
be made to fruit much earlier, while seeds do not 
always preserve the characteristics of the parent plant, 
or " breed true." These advantages it may be taken 
for granted, have been proved to exist by Ions ex- 
perience, and, indeed, wherever fruit-farming is 
carried on, the processes of grafting and budding 
have always the precedence over propagation by 
seed. The superintendent of the GovEnxMENT BoT.\- 
NicAL Gardkms at SAH4RAXPUR aud MussooRiE does 
not seem however, to have much faith in budding 
AND GRAFTING to judge from his notes on oranges 
and mangoes, in hi-; last report. " I have u ) 
hesitation," belays, "in recommending the method 
of raisino; oranges from seed to more general adop- 
tion," and again, '■ the quality of the latter (i e, 
seedlius; mau;^oe.s that took ten years to yield a 
profitable return) was quite equal to that of grafted 
plants;" while in the case of seedling oranges, " the 
fruit was even sweeter and of better flavour than 
that produced by grafted or budded plants." Seed- 
lings, it isadmitted, will take a longer time than worked 
plants in attaining to a fruit-bearing condition ; 
'■ but they are always more symmetrical in shape, 
healthier in appcarnncc, and will probably live to a 
greater age thaa worked plants in the forcing climate 
of India." 
These remarks are undoubtedly valuable to the 
local I'KuiT GROWERS of the North-West Provinces of 
India, and the author no doubt does not intend 
them to have a v\ider application, since liis experi- 
ence, so far as his lleport indicates, is limited to the 
areas of the two ISotauioal GardoLS he writes about ; 
and he makes no reference to the experience of 
other experimenters in other parts of the Empire as 
corroborating^ his own. The only point of any cer- 
tainty in the preference expressed for propagation 
by seed, is that certain seedling oranges were found 
to be sweeter and better flavoured than those pro- 
duced by artificial propagation. In the case of 
the mangoes, we are told, the fruits were equally 
satisfactory under both methods. The further re- 
marks as regards greater symmetry iu shape and appji- 
rent healthiness of the seedling trees will probably 
fail to turn the belief of those who pin their 
faith to '• budding and grafting"; a d tue pro- 
bability of the plants living to a greater a^e is, 
after all, only a probablity. iiut while the opinion of 
an expert practical botanist, such as the Superinten- 
dent of a liotanical G.irdeu must be, is worthy of 
respect, it would still be very desirable to have the 
reports of other experimenters in this line, in the 
variiuis parts of the great Indian Empire, to corro- 
borate or contradict tlic above experience as to tho 
unsuitability of grafting end buJding for a '-forcing 
climate" such as that of India. If corrobonited, 
tin fact that in fruit culture alsj man canuot 
improve on tho methods of nature will have boon 
established! But it may yet bo discovered after 
Bcrutiuiziuy the ilelaila mvglve^ iu thg ciiUm^ w{ 
