Supplement to the ki Tropical Agriculturist." [Sept. 1, 1894. 
vations of various trustworthy observers. The 
importance of these bacteria in the cultivation of 
leguminous plants caiinot be over-estimated, and 
inoculation of the soil in preparation for Mtcli 
crops will ultimately become a recognised rule ot 
practice, not inferior to that which dictates the 
application of mineral manure. — Scottish Farmer, 
+. 
TOUS-iES MOLS. 
This is a kind of arrowroot which has been 
experimentally grown at the School of Agricult ure. 
The following particulars regarding the planting 
are given by Dr. Nicholls in his work on Tropical 
Agriculture : — ■ 
A kind of arrowroot called Tous-les-mois was 
imported into England from St. Kitts about the 
year 1836; and, as it was found to be a valu- 
able article of food, it has made a pl-ice for 
itself in the home markets. The imports into 
England are still mainly from St. Kitts, but 
the plant producing the starch is now cultivated 
extensively in Australia. The starch granules of 
tous-les-mois are very large, and they can be 
distinguished with the unaided eye: whilst in 
the case of all other starches, with the exception 
of that from the potato, the granules can only be 
detected by means of the microscope. 
Tous-les-mois is obtained from the fleshy 
underground stems, or tubers, or Canna edulis, a 
plant closely allied to the Marantas, and found 
growing wild in Brazil, Peru, and Trinidad. 
Other varieties of Canna producing tous-les-mois, 
are natives of Jamaica, Dominica and St. Kitts, 
but C- edulis is the one usually cultivated for 
the sake of its starch. It is a very hardy plant, 
and in Peru, where it. is called Adeira, it is eaten 
like potatoes. The flowers are highly coloured ; 
in Canna edulis they are bright red, and in other 
species they are various shades of yellow and 
orange. 
The plant is a very ornamental one, and, for 
that reason, is cultivated in English hot-houses. 
The seeds are round, hard and black, and it is 
said that they have been used by the natives of 
India as shot, and hence the name " Indian shot," 
which is sometimes applied to Cannas generally. 
Tous-les-mois is very soluble in boiling water; 
and, on this account, and because of the large 
starch granules composing it, medical-men recom- 
mend it as one of the best starchy foods for 
children and invalids. 
The plant is propagated by division of the 
underground stem, or by seeds which will ger- 
minate after being kept for many years. The 
land is ploughed up and prepared in the usual 
way, and the sets are planted a few inches under 
the ground in rows three feet distance each way. 
Ths cultivation of the plant is similar in every 
respect to that of ordinary arrowroot, and the 
starch is prepared in the same way as the arrow- 
root starch, which lias been fully described in the 
preceding section of this chapter. 
INSECT PESTS. 
The appointment of an entomologist for Ceylon 
would seem likely to be postponed indefinitely, to 
judge from the coldness with which the Govern- 
ment have received the request for help in the 
matter. While sympathizing with our Agricul- 
tuial friends, we trust that the zeal which has 
characterized every movement thut was set ou 
foot by the planting community, will soon effect 
the de.-ired end in this matter also. We have 
seen it stated authoritatively thut no less than 
£80,000 were saved in 1 89 1 in the States of North 
Dakota and Minnesota, on account of operation* 
busc<l on the knowledge of some of the habits of 
the grass-hopper. We are aware that n good deal 
of loss is caused by insect attacks both directly on 
crops, and indirectly by lowering the vitality of 
trees which produce crops in the form of l.uits 
or leavi'- ; but the exact extent of the loss will 
probably remain unknown, till we are rid of the 
insects which cause the ravage. 
It is quite a common experie ice to tiud some 
people expect an individual who is acquainted 
with the principles of entomology or zoology, to 
be able to suggest remedies after merely reading 
a description of the general appearance of an 
insect which is said to a'tack a pirticulur crop. 
These people will not see that certain indispens- 
able data aie necessary (which involves time and 
work, and generally an inspection of the crop and 
its surroundings; before any remedial measures 
can be recommended. 
The Sugar Journal and Tropical Cultivator fur 
July last, gives the following list of questions as 
comprising the most important information which 
should be collected regarding any insect or grub 
which threatens to become a plague: — 
1. What is the terra of life of the insect, which 
means, how long d e ; it exist as egg, or larva, or 
grub, as pupa or chrysalis, and as insect proper f 
2. At what time as to season and day or night 
do the insects swarm and pair, and at what time 
are the eggs laid ; when are they hatched ; when, 
in the case of the grubs, are the larvae changed 
into pupae, and when the latter into beetled P 
3. At what depth are the eggs laid, and at what 
depth, in the case of the grubs, does the transfor- 
mation into pup;e take place ? 
4. Where are the places chosen for laying the 
eggs.'' Are they laid on plants, or in the soil in 
a dry and rather sunny position, near creek- or 
scrubs, on the roods intersecting the cane fields, 
or in some other well-defined localities ? Is land 
with a dense vegetation, as under green manures, 
or land with certain characteristics avoided by 
the females? Is the damage by grubs or insects 
mainly done in close neighborhood to the places 
where the eggs are laid, or do the animals migrate 
to the cane fields from certain breeding place? 
5. Does the plague continue ou the same fields, 
or are different 1 calitles attacked every year, or 
does it spread from a kind of centre ? 
6. Do the grubs at different times of the year 
keep at different depths in the s oil , and can they 
be reached at these depths by the plough, the 
cultivator, the subsoiler, or by special implements, 
especially such that work the soil to gi eater 
depth than the plough ? 
7. Are there certain plants for which the larvae 
or beetles show great predilection, and others 
which do not agree with them, or even act as 
poisons ? 
8. Have the insects or their larvne, etc., certain 
natural enemies, as birds and others? a-id can 
the propagation of the latter be favored by pro- 
tecting them against other animals and firearms 
or by other means ? 
