May i, 1895.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
737 
of the others finds itself paralyzed. This is 
called the law of the combined powers. We 
have also to consider the law of dominants. 
Nearly every plant requires to find one of the 
above plant foods in much larger proportions than 
the others and this particular food is called the domi- 
nant. The dominant for the banana is potash and un- 
less potash be present in the soil in sufficient quan- 
tity a poor crop must result. Lime is of the greatest 
importance for the cultivation of the banana and 
must be. applied to the plantation at the rate of one 
ton per acre to be placed in small heaps and slaked 
with water and covered up with earth till ready to 
be raked over the ground. Lime must not be ploughed 
into the soil because it has the peculiar power of 
sinking deep into the earth and during its passage 
performs certain chemical operations most necessary 
tor the healthy development of plant life. Lime de- 
composes the organic matter in the soil, rendering 
it in such a form that it is capable of being absorbed 
by the rootlets of crops. The action of lime on organic 
matter, in the first instance, is the formation oE cer- 
tain organic acids with which the lime combines. In 
soils very rich in organic matter there is a tend- 
ency for the organic acids at certain times to be 
produced in large quantities, producing what is 
known as " sour" lands. Lime is the well-known 
antidote for sour lands. The lime, as stated before, 
combines with the acids, forming organic lime salts. 
These compounds soon undergo a change by the 
action of the nitrifying microbes found in all soils, 
ultimately forming calcium nitrate, a most valuable 
food for the banana. 
Lime has the power of liberating from insoluble 
or dormant ingredients in the soil the alkalies (po- 
tash and soda) and it will at once be seen of what 
value this will be to growers of bananas. Another 
chemical action of lime in a soil is its promoting 
the formation of double silicates 0/ alumina from 
clay, which is chiefly composed of silicate of alu- 
mina. The simple silicate of alumina is insoluble, 
but a portion of the alumina is capable of being 
replaced by ammonia, potash, lime or soda, thus 
forming what are called double silicates. Lime is 
a plant food. 
If ordinary building or agricultural lime is not 
available, crushed coral will answer the purpose al- 
though much slower in its action and requiring at 
least 5 tons per acre. By partially burning the coral 
we obtain a material possessing quicker action. 
In conclusion I would remark that the application 
of lime is absolutely necessary, for the reasons stated 
above. Firstly as a direct plant food, and secondly 
to free the insoluble potash present in the soil, and 
thirdly to act as an artificial drain, it being well- 
known that the passage of lime through heavy soils 
leaves small holes which enable water to escape and 
at the same time gives air to the roots of the plant. 
Lime upon sandy soil fills up the interstices in the 
soil and makes it more adherent, more retentive of 
moisture, and consequently less receptive of heat dur- 
ing the day, and more retentive of warmth at night. 
If quick lime is applied, one ton once in three years 
will be sufficient for one acre. — Fiji Times. 
THE GREAT TEA- ROLLER ( ASK. 
London, March 22. 
You were warned by me the other day that the 
appeal as to this w ould probably be shortly heard 
by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, 
li seems desirable to give yon in Full below The 
Times report of the bearing, mi far as this has 
proceeded Indeed, it is to be presumed that 
nothing remains to he heard further on either 
side. Judgment was reserved at the (dose of the 
hearing, but it is possible that before posting 
time for this letter arrives we may have learned 
that the decision lias been delivered. I shall nol 
attempt to comment upon the report now given you, 
until the judgment has been pronounced and the 
effect of the arguments adduced upon the minds of 
the judges is Known to u>. 
Judicial Committee of the Prim/ ouncU. 
Present : — The Lord Chancellor, Lord Watson, Lord 
Hobhouse, Lord Macnaghten, Lord Morris, and Sir 
Richard Couch.) 
Brown and the Colombo Commercial Company 
(Limited) v. .Jackson. 
The hearing of this appeal from a judgment of the 
Supreme Court of the Island of Cjylon of March 
21st 189.4, affirming a judgment of the Supreme Court 
of August 2.")th 1893, in favour of the respondent, 
was resumed.' 
Mr. Moulton, q.c, Mr. Bousfield, q.c, and Mr. J. 
C. Graham were counsel for the appellants ; Sir Ric- 
hard Webster, q.c, Mr. Finlay, q.c, and Mr. W. 
N. Lawson for the respondent. 
The respondent, Mr. William .Jackson, is a mech- 
anical engineer carrying on business in Aberdeen, 
and is the patentee of numerous improvements in tea 
machinery. In 1S81 letters patent were granted to 
the respondent for au invention of "improvements 
in machinery or apparatus for rolling tea leaf," and 
on July 4th 1881 in conformity with the provisions 
of Ordinance No. 5 of 1851), a grant, under the public 
seal of the Island of Ceylon, was delivered to him 
of the sole and exclusive privilege of making, selling 
and using the invention in Ceylon for a term of 
14 years from July 4th 1881. In May, 1891, the 
respondent brought an action in the District Court 
of Colombo against the appellants, alleging that 
they had infringed his patent right by importing 
into, using, and selling in Ceylon machinery and 
apparatus for rolling tea, possessing the arrangement 
described in the specification of his invention as the 
arrangement of transmitting motion to the top 
rolling surface through the case or jacket surround, 
ing it, and he asked for an injunction to restrain 
the appellants from the alleged infringement for 
an account of profits derived by the appellants 
from the importing into, use, and sale in Ceylon 
of the tea-leaf rolling machines which he contended 
were an infringement of his patent right, and for 
costs. The appellants denied the alleged infringe- 
ment. The District Judge decided that the appel 
lants had not infringed the respondent's patent right 
and dismissed the action with costs. From the 
judgment of the District Judge the respondent ap- 
pealed to the Supreme Court, which reserved that 
judgment and directed that the District Court 
should issue an injunction in the terms prayed bv 
the respondent, and ordered that the case should 
be remitted to the District Court in order that the 
District Judge might deal with the respondent's 
prayer for an account of profits. In pursuance of 
the decree of the Supreme Court the District Jud<*e 
granted an injunction against the appellants in the 
terms prayed by the respondent. The question of 
the profits derived by the appellants was inquired 
into by the District Court, which entered up final 
judgment in favour of the respondent with cost's 
From that judgment the appellants appealed to the 
Supreme Court which on August 25, 181)3, dismissed 
the appeal That judgment of the Supreme Court 
was brought before the Supreme Court by way of 
review, but it was affirmed by the Supreme Court 
on March 81 1894, Chief Justice Boused clissentint 
Iheir Lordships reserved judgment.-London Cor. 
A CAUTION TO THE RUBY BUYER. 
The artificial rubies made in Paris a few years 
ago by _ Messrs. F.en.y ami Foil were regarded as 
scientific curiosities. But it instated in \, ,<„,■„, 
Science that stones are now being largely sold 
m London and elsewhere which, while closely re 
seniblmg in all essential respects the rubies of 
Burma, are undoubtedly .,1" artificial origin Tried 
lor hardness, specific gravity, lustre, "ami s U l, 
jeeted to all the tests which are usually applied 
to precious gtones, they cannot be distinguished 
Iron, the natural ruby ; they are actually B ryg 
