Dec. I, 1894.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
397 
TEA FLUSHING AND MOISTURE. 
Dear Sir, — What can be expected of me but 
to respond when I hear my name called, however 
inappropriate the call may be. Your correspont 
dent K. T. B. suggests that tea flushing would 
furnish a more "practicable" subject for dis- 
cussion than "Ether." It would doubtless be 
more practical for him, but hardly practicable for 
one who is "lost away up in remote Jafma." I 
trust that my "modesty will be recognized for 
once when I admit that I have no practical 
knowledge of tea growing. The problem to be 
solved is not stated plainly enough for those not 
on the heights to make out well, but I infer it 
is as to why continued moisture sometimes seems 
to stop flushing and at other times does not. 
My extreme " modesty " will allow me to venture 
only one general remark, which may seem trite. 
Most plants and trees have alternating 
periods of rest and rapid growth ; during the rest 
or period of slow growth, leaf buds and some- 
times flower buds, are prepared with all the 
parts in miniature, and when abundant moisture 
is supplied what was before prepared, develops 
rapidly. The amount of rapid growth depends 
largely upon the amount prepared, which varies 
as the duration of the preparation, the vigor of 
the plant, the richness of supply, etc. Thus in 
some cases, the moisture continuing, the rapid 
growth is stopped because of the small supply 
prepared. If I have missed the mark in this 
remark, it must go to the credit of my " modesty." 
—Yours JAFFNA COLLEGE. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS IN 
LOWER MASKELIYA. 
Watawala, Nov. 12th. 
Dear Sir,— Iu your entry of my letter of the 5th 
inst., my report on cloud reads rather peculiar. My 
entry in 0' cloudless, 5- half cloud, and 10' completely 
overcast, was simply to explain the notation in numbers, 
for clouds. The form is :— 
0- 10th clear sky. 
1- 10th of cloud. 
2- 10ths do or more cloud. 
3- 10ths do do 
4- 10ths do do • 
5- 10ths or half cloud, half clear sky. 
G-lOths of cloud or more cloud. 
7- 10ths do do 
8- 10ths do do .V": : , 
9- 10ths do or only a small patch of clear sky. 
10-lOths sky completely overcast with cloud. 
[The same as given in the Instructions for Meteorological 
Observations in Ceylon issued by Major Clarke, CM. G.] 
Wind also is registered by numbers viz., 0 to 12. So 
very few understand this estimation of clouds. There- 
fore, I gave a rough outline of it. This system of 
notation is the sanle a6 kept at all Observatories. 
—Yours very truly, T. J. GRIGG. 
DALANGODA V. RATNAPURA. 
3rd Nov. 
DEAR SIR,— I £>ce in your rainfall returns of 
30th Get. Ratnapura had only -22, whereas 20 miles 
by road, or 13 miles in a direct line in a S.-W. 
direction, on the hill range, we had 4'41 inches, 
followed by 4"75 on 31st, and 1 So, bio for two 
days of Nov. So that Ratnapura has to be 
thankful that it escapes these showers. And yet 
this may account for its Hoods, a good share of 
which comes from Bambarabotuwa as well as 
Gillcmalc. Our rainfall tin- year for Oct. is just 
double that of last Oct, PLANTER. 
"ARSENATE OF LEAD" AS AN INSECTI- 
CIDE NOT SUITABLE FOR CEYLON. 
[We sent Mr. Green a copy of an American 
Agricultural paper for his opinion of a new In- 
secticide. He is good enough to write as follows : 
—Ed. T.A.I 
Eton, Punduloya, Nov. 8th. 
Dear Sir, — Many thanks for copy of Florida Agri- 
culturist. I note you have marked an article headed 
"A New Insecticide," describing the use of Arsenate 
of Lead. It would be most unsafe to use this in- 
secticide on tea plants, as although it is guaranteed 
not to injure the foliage of the plant, it is iu itself 
as poisonous as all the arsenic compounds, and I do 
not think that the manufacture of the leaf would 
eliminate the poison. It might doubtless be safely 
used against green bug 011 coffee. But I do not 
consider that it would have any advantage over a 
properly compounded kerosine emulsion, except for 
use 011 plants with very delicate foliage. Kerosine 
emulsion is a most effective insecticide. The question 
is chiefly a mechanical one, viz : the distribution of 
the insecticide. The improved modern spraying 
machine, such as the "Strawsonizer" and the Ameri- 
can sprayers, have greatly overcome the difficulty. 
But even with this improved apparatus it is im- 
possible to insure the complete destruction of a 
pest, even after many applications. Actual contact 
is requisite, and in thick bushes a large number of indi- 
viduals must escape. The only theoretically perfect 
treatment for insuring complete extermination of a 
pest on any given plant in the Gas Treatment, origi- 
nated, I believe, byMr. D. W. Coquillet, and practised 
in the orange-growing States of America. This pro- 
cess consists in covering the infested trees with an 
air-tight tent, beneath which is placed a vessel con- 
taining sulphuric acid and cyanide of potassium, 
which generates a highly poisonous and suffocating gas 
(Hydrocyanic acid gas). A period of 15 to 30 minutes 
is sufficient to kill every living insect enclosed in 
the tent. 
But this treatment is a cumbersome one, and quite 
impracticable on hilly, rocky ground. The cost pro- 
hibits its use over any but limited areas. And it can 
be practised without injury to the trees only at night 
or in cloudy weather. Altogether I do not consider 
that the system would be practicable on the large 
tea and coffee estates of Cevlon.- — Tours truly, 
E. ERNEST GREEN. 
LIBERIAN COFFEE CULTIVATION. 
Sianipittia, S. Korle, Nov. 12th. 
Sir, — The progress in the Straits made with this culti- 
vation has evidently now attracted the attention of 
those in Ceylon who bad experience in the growth of 
Arabian coffee. With prices ranging from RIO to R13 
per bushel in the local markets, additional interest 
has been aroused, and at last this product has been 
allowed a small start this year. In a quiet way lands 
have been acquired, and preparations are being made 
to open land with this product alone, but in most 
cases with cocoa or coconuts, &c, as adjuncts. 
Those who have not already taken steps to be- 
gin clearing are not, however, late. The N.-E. mon- 
soon is late, and much land can be cleared iu 
January and February next — the S.-W. season — the 
best for coffee of any kind. The cultivation of tea 
was once much condemned, and those first in the 
field did well. It was the same as regards cinchona, 
and I have no doubt that 7 or 8 years hence Libcrian 
coffee estates will be considered safe investments. 
The fortunes will not be made by thote trying later 
on, but by those who will reap the profits of the 
next five years' extraordinary prices. In the planting 
of any new product there is often much refer- 
ence to different types and as to what is the best 
kind to plant. When Liberian coffee was first in- 
troduced there was scarcely anything noticeable 
in the first fruits or plants. Of late it has been 
discovered that there are varieties — the original 
large round berry, the long-shaped, the small 
round yellowish red, etc., the spindly leaf plants, 
the crisp round leaf, and other shapes, It is. Ijov 
