Oct.  i,  1892.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
293 
rendering  its  properties  available,  and  of  makiDg  its 
temperature  more  uniform.  ...  If  weeds  and 
debris  are  abundant , such  should  on  no  account  be 
buried  deeply,  but  should  be  allowed  to  decay  in 
heaps  on  the  surface  or  in  renovation  pits  and 
be  utilised  subsequently  as  manure.  ‘Scraping  and 
burying  in  is  a most  objectionable  process  and 
should  be  discontinued.  The  ‘turning  in’  of  weeds 
is  a very  different  operation  and  one  much  to  be 
recommended  being  adopted  by  gardeners  in  Eng- 
land and  elsewhere.  It  consists  of  digging  the 
surface  to  the  extent  of  a few  inches,  each  spadeful 
being  completely  upset ; thus  the  weeds  are  super- 
ficially buried  and  the  soil  improved.  The  _ old 
system  consisted  in  scraping  all  weeds  and  debris 
into  a deep  trench  which  was  then  covered  up  and 
the  surplus  soil  from  the  pit  scattered  over  the 
surface.  No  good  can  possibly  result  from  such  an 
operation.  The  weeds  thus  deeply  buried  pass 
through  a tedious  process  of  fermentation,  but 
ultimate  decomposition  is  seriously  retarded.  The 
continual  burial  of  surface  debris  in  this  way  rob 
the  upper  layer  of  soil  of  all  the  valuable  organic  ele- 
ments of  plant-food  and  the  feeder  roots  are  unable 
to  support  the  plant  in  vigour.  The  operation,  more- 
ever,  seriously  affects  the  physical  condition  of  the 
Boil,  which  gradually  becomes  compact,  retentive  and 
unmanageable.  The  land  rapid'y  loses  its  bygrometno 
properties  and  during  the  monsoon  becomes  qnickly 
sodden  or  saturated.” 
In  conclusion,  allow  me  to  point  out  that  the 
ravages  of  the  borer  were  far  greater  in  the  days  when 
the  operation  of  “ scraping  and  burying  iu  ” was  in 
fashion.  The  great  object  which  must  never  be  lost 
sight  of  intbematter  of  making  arrangements  to  lessen 
the  effects  of  this  pest,  is  to  reduce  the  temperature 
of  the  plantation  during  the  hot  weather.  Properly 
selected  and  well-arranged  shade  is  of  course  a first 
essential,  but  the  maintenance  of  the  surface  of 
the  soil  in  a finely  pulverised  condition  is 
equally  important,  and  this  is  best  effected  by 
summer  stirring,  which,  be  it  marked,  is  0 very 
different  operation  from  hot.  weather  digging,  being 
in  fact  a secondary  operation  performed  afier  the 
ordinary  digging  of  the  estate,  and  one  that  does  not 
interfere  with  the  roots.  A field  turned  up  into  large 
clods  loses  more  moisture  and  becomes  far  more 
heated  during  sunny  weather  than  one  that  has  the 
first  few  inches  of  the  surface  well  pulverised.  The 
great  object,  is  to  maintain  a fine,  open  surface  and  a 
free,  deep  and  rich  feeding  ground  for  the  fibrous 
roots.  Captain  Thomason,  in  an  Essay  written  in 
1871,  pointed  out  several  most  important  facts  which 
are  well  deserving  of  the  closest  study  by  all  planters  in 
arranging  their  shade  and  when  endeavouring  to  check- 
mate the  borer.  Whatever,  the  heat  may  be  that  is 
necessary  for  thq  successful  hatching  of  the  insect’s 
eggs,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  cooler  the  plan- 
tation he  kept,  the  fewer  eggs  will  come  to  maturity. 
Of  course  rain  or  thunder  occurring  before  the  eggs 
are  hatched  are  of  the  greatest  benefit  to  the  planter  ; 
but  as  the  insect  probably  lays  several  different  batches 
of  eggs,  artificial  arrangements  must  not  be  neglected, 
and  in  this  respect  Captain  Thomason’s  remarks  are 
extremely  valuable.  In  general,  the  most  dense 
bodies  are  the  best,  conductors  of  heat  ; probably 
because  the  denser  the  body  the  more  the  number 
of  points  that  come  into  contact  with  caloric.  The 
faculty  of  absorption  seems  to  be  a great  deal  in- 
fluenced by  colour.  The  amount  of  refraction  for 
the  same  medium  varies  with  the  obliquity  with  which 
the  rays  strike  the  surface.  When  perpendicular 
to  the  latter,  it  passes  without  change  of  direction  at 
all;  and  in  other  positions  the  refraction  increases 
with  the  obliquity.  The  plane  of  refraction  coincides 
with  that  of  incidence.  Generally  speaking,  the 
densest  substances  refract  the  most.  Bodies  that 
absorb  the  most  light,  and  of  course  radiate  heat,  are 
heated  the  most  when  exposed  to  solar  rays.  Of 
all  known  constituents  of  soils,  dry  quartz  sand 
absorbs  heat  most  rapidly.  I venture  to  think 
that  the  above  clearly  proves  why  the  borer  is 
worse  in  some  soils  and  situations  than  in 
ythers:  but  a few  thermometers  placed  in  different 
fields  will  readily  show  what  I mean.  It  is 
well  to  remember  that  in  shallow  soils  mulching  must 
be  associated  with  surface  stirring.  No  amount  of 
surface  stirring,  however,  can  ever  compensate  for 
deficient  depth  of  working,  which  should  have  at- 
tention bestowed  upon  it  at  a season  which  must  be 
chosen  most  carefully  with  due  regard  to  the  con- 
dition of  the  coffee  plants,  as  it  is  self-evident  that 
the  cutting  of  roots  while  the  trees  are  bearing  a 
heavy  crop,  or  just  before  the  blossoming  time,  is 
certain  to  have  anything  but  a desirable  effect.  Too 
frequent  digging  may  be  safely  said  to  decrease 
fibrous  roots  near  the  surface,  which  all  gardeners 
preserve  as  essential  in  crop  time  and  for  the 
development  of  fertile  blossom. 
Graham  Anderson. 
Barguai,  Munzerabad,  28th  August. 
— M.  Mail , Sept.  3. 
THE  AUSTRALIAN  TEA  SEASON  1891-1892. 
The  Australasian  tea  season  closed  on  the  30th  June 
and  the  following  is  a review  of  the  various  changes 
in  the  markets  of  production,  and  the  course  of  the 
Australasian  trade  during  the  year. 
CHINA. 
The  principal  supply  still  comes  from  China,  from 
whence  we  received— From  Foochow,  16,038,000  lb,, 
from  Hongkong,  1,500,000  lb. ; the  receipts  from  the 
former  port  including  a small  quantity  of  Northern 
teas  and  from  the  latter  Macao  and  Canton  sorts.  Foo- 
chow has  again  failed  to  supply  the  demand  for  com- 
mon Congou,  and  consequently  the  latter  half  of  the 
season  has  seen  very  high  prices  for  the  small  quan- 
tity that  was  available.  But  so  small  was  this 
quantity  that  towards  the  close  there  have  been  no 
marked  transactions  at  all  for  any  of  the  lower  grade 
China  descriptions,  whilst  for  any  that  previously 
remained  upon  the  market  6|d  was  obtained  for  even 
coarse  descriptions.  Better  kinds  have  had  a gradually 
falling  market  in  sympathy  with  the  markets  of 
production,  and  the  fall  m the  value  of  silver.  Choicest 
kinds,  however,  brought  very  full  prices  at  the  open- 
ing, and  have  remained  firm  throughout,  owing  en- 
tirely to  the  very  limited  supply.  Fine  grades 
down  to  good  medium,  for  which  there  is  a 
large  consumption,  were  gradually  forced  down, 
until  fine  teas  showed  a fall  from  Is  2d  to  lOd 
and  good  mediums  from  Is  down  to  7§d.  Fair 
mediums  and  flavoury  sorts  also  participated  in 
the  fall,  but  recovered  somewhat,  and  in  sympathy 
with  common  kinds  closed  strong.  All  fancy  teas, 
such  as  scented  (which  show  a rapid  falling  off  from 
Foochow,  but  a small  increase  from  Hongkong),  and 
Kaisow  buds  have  had  but  little  interest  taken  in 
them,  which  in  itself  is  a certain  indication  that 
other  growths  are  displacing  them.  Amoy  now  sends 
us  nothing  at  all,  Macao  only  a small  quantity  of  new 
makes,  Tayshan  congous  and  scenteds  (except  kooloo 
kinds)  are  gradually  disappearing.  Hankow  sends 
but  a few  thousand  pounds’  weight,  and  Shanghai 
greens  are  almost  unknown,  so  that  for  all  practical 
purposes  we  received  all  our  congous  from  Foochow, 
and  our  scented  teas  from  Canton. 
1 .e  financial  result  ot  the  China  shipments  has  not, 
however,  been  unfavourable,  supplies  upon  the  whole 
being  well  regulated.  The  existence  of  a good,  steady 
demand  enabled  sales  to  be  effected,  and  so  prevented 
accumulation  of  stocks.  Where,  therefore,  at  times 
small  losses  were  made,  at  others  considerable  profits 
resulted.  Bearing  in  mind  the  volume  of  stock  disposed 
of  at  each  period,  we  incline  to  the  opinion  that  for 
once  importers  of  Foochow  congous  have  made  a small 
profit  upon  their  season’s  trading,  and  also  that  the  dis- 
tributing trade  have  enjoyed  a steady  but  profitable 
business  througnout  the  extraordinary  value  shown  in  all 
the  useful  medium  flavoury  sorts  during  the  latter  half 
of  the  season,  helping  materially  to  swell  the  profits  of 
the  year. 
INDIA 
comes  next  in  importance,  over  5,160,000  lb.  having 
been  shipped  from  Calcutta  to  tbe  colonies.  This 
supply  woeM  have  been  far  below  our  requirements 
had  the  pressure  not  been  relieved  from  anotbej 
