Dec,  i,  1892.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
437 
large  export  startled  us  oardamom  planter?,  and 
a neighbour  largely  interested  in  this  product 
wrote  to  Colombo  about  it.  The  reply  that  came 
back  wa> : “The  Observer  is  wrong;  the  ‘ Assaye  ’ 
took  away  3,795  lb.  only."  If  a mistake  has  been 
made,  it  would  be  as  well  to  deduct  the  overplus 
from  the  total  export,  or  perhaps  it  will  have  a 
tendency  to  bear  the  market. — Yours  faithfully, 
RICHARD  BURKE. 
[The  figures  we  published  were  so  given  in  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce  Price  Current  ; but  on 
inquiry  we  learn  that  by  a clerical  error  187,336  lb. 
of  tea  were  added  to  3,795  of  cardamoms.  This 
will  be  corrected  in  the  n<x  circular.— Ed.  T.A.} 
VARIOUS  NOTES. 
Indian  Patents. — No.  82  of  1892 — Samuel  Cleland 
Davidson  of  Sirrocco,  Works  Belfast,  Ireland, 
Merchant,  for  “ improvements  in  the  means  or 
apparatus  for  transmitting  rotary  motion  from  one 
shaft  to  another  Fhaft  revolving  at  right-angles 
thereto.”  (Filed  11th  October  1892.)  No.  134  of 
1892— Hamor  Lockwood,  themioal  Manufacturer, 
Chapel  Walks,  Cross  Street,  Manchester,  England, 
for  “ improvements  in  or  connected  with  the 
purification  of  sewege  and  other  foul  waters." 
(Filed  11th  October  1892). — Indian  Engineer. 
American  Textile  Industries, — A recent  bulletin 
issued  by  the  United  States  Census  Office  deals 
with  the  textile  industries  of  the  country.  The 
statistics  show  that  while  during  the  last  ten  years 
the  number  of  factories  remained  stationary,  the 
amount  of  capital  invested  was  nearly  doubled. 
The  growth  is  greatest  in  the  silk  industry,  the 
product  of  which  more  than  doubled  in  the  decade 
cotton  coming  next  with  an  increase  of  more  than 
a third,  and  woolen  with  less  than  a third.  But 
in  actual  value  of  the  product  the  woolen  industry 
stands  first  with  a production,  in  1890,  valued  at 
about  338  million  dollars,  cotton  coming  next 
with  268,  and  silk  third  with  87  million  dollars. 
The  total  product  of  the  three  in  1880  was  500 
million  dollars,  and  in  1890  693  millions,  an 
inorease  which  is  said  to  be  without  parallel  in 
any  other  country  in  ten  years.  It  is  curious  that 
the  sum  paid  for  dyeing  and  finishing  all  these 
textiles  in  1890  was  less  than  for  the  much  smaller 
production  in  JS80,  but  this  is  ascribed  to  the 
great  improvement  in  methods  and  reduction  in 
cost,  un  the  other  hand,  the  average  annual  wages 
increased  in  all  the  industries  by  about  a fourth, — 
London  Times  Weekly  Edition , Nov.  4. 
The  Finances  of  Jamaica. — The  report  of  the 
Collector-Gem-rsl  of  Jamaica  for  the  year  ended 
Maroh  31st,  1892,  can  hardy  bo  considered  highly 
satisfactory  by  those  interested  in  the  Colony.  The 
imports  amounted  to  1,759,8901.,  which  shows  a 
decrease  of  400,0001.  in  round  figures,  while  the 
exports,  which  totalled  1,628,7771.,  showed  a falling 
off  of  over  180,0001.  The  revenue  from  import  duties 
for  the  year  aggregated  to  319.7327,  or  13  per  oent. 
less  than  the  amount  yield  from  this  source  in  the 
previous  year,  while  the  internal  revenue  of  the 
Colony — 316,9407 — showed  a diminution  of  nearly 
20.000Z.  The  shipping  returns  also  fell  away 
considerably ; but  the  bright  tide  of  the 
pioture  is  to  be  found  in  the  agricultural 
industry.  During  the  year  1,100  aores  were 
added  to  the  area  under  coffee  in  the  Colony, 
while,  although  the  aoreage  of  sugar  cane,  corn,  to- 
bacco, and  ginger  remained  praotioally  stationary,  the 
cultivation  of  ground  products  and  of  guinea  grass 
showed  a good  increase.  But,  taken  on  the  whole, 
the  position  in  Jamaica  at  the  moment  is  such 
that  friends  of  the  Colony  might  well  wish  to  see 
an  early  and  substantial  improvement.— Colonies 
and  India, 
PRACTICAL  AGRICULTURE, 
Mr.  T.  W.  Armstrong,  Manager  of  the  Markham 
Graut  in  the  Eastern  Dun,  has  published  a small 
pamphlet,  bearing  on  practical  agriculture,  for  the 
use  of  cultivators  in  preparing  their  lands  for  sow- 
ing. The  little  treatise  can  be  had  both  in  Hindi 
and  Urdu-  and  being  cast  in  simple  language,  is 
made  intelligible  to  the  meanest  intellect.  The 
suggestions  given  will  be  acceptable  to  both  Hindu 
and  Mussulman  cultivators,  as  to  suit  followers  of 
either  faith  are  mentioned;  while  the  parallels  drawn 
from  the  common  events  of  every-day  life  will 
make  the  descriptions  easily  understood  by  the 
Indian  Hodge.  The  work  is  eminently  practical, 
but  is  based  on  scientific  principles;  and  is  evidently 
the  production  of  a farmer  who  knows  what  he  is 
writing  about. 
The  section  about  ploughing  directs  that  it  be 
done  deeply,  and  that  the  earth  be  not  merely 
scratched;  that  the  ploughed  land  should  be  left  as 
light  and  open  as  possible,  to  admit  of  the  great- 
est atmospheric  influence;  and  special  reference  is 
made  to  the  proper  soils  for  growing  sugar,  rice, 
wheat,  and  potatoes.  Suggestions  aregiven  for  the 
proper  succession  of  crops,  and  the  proper  times  for 
allowing  the  land  to  lie  fallow,  points  so  much 
neglected  by  the  ordinary  kashtkar : and  the  correct 
manner  of  preparing,  manuring,  and  sowing  the 
various  crops.  A good  deal  is  said  about  manures, 
the  proper  way  for  collecting  and  preserving  them, 
and  how  they  are  to  be  introduced  into  the  soils; 
in  a village  with  mixed  inhabitants  nothing  should 
be  lost,  from  old  bricks  to  chaff ; the  good  use  to  which 
bone  ash  can  be  put  is  specially  referred  to,  and  how 
well  it  fertilizes  potatoes,  tobacco,  and  the  better 
classes  of  crops.  Instructions  are  given  for  the  selec- 
tion of  a lime  soil  for  sugar-cane,  and  the  proper 
mode  of  planting  it  in  trenches ; for  the  preparation 
of  land  in  trenches  for  potatoes,  the  best  method  for 
manuring,  and  the  necessary  ridging  and  watering 
after  the  shoots  reach  the  proper  height.  The 
various  requirements  for  sowing  rice,  tobacco,  gram, 
peas,  and  wheat  are  dwelt  on  in  full  detail. 
This  simple  treatise  concludes  with  some  account 
of  the  results  obtained  from  good  ploughing  and 
manuring ; from  the  proper  succession  of  crops,  and 
allowing  the  land  to  lie  fallow  every  few  years.  We 
recommend  thi3  little  work  to  all  those  who  wish  to 
introduce  scientific  agriculture  in  a practical  manner 
to  their  cultivators,  in  a way  to  be  readily  under- 
stood by  the  most  ignorant. — Pioneer. 

TEA  PESTS. 
Read  correspondence  with  Messrs.  Hemingway  & 
Company  of  London  and  New  York  in  reference  to 
the  use  of  London  Purple  against  Tea  pests.  This 
preparation  has  been  very  extensively  tried  with 
excellent  results  in  America,  and  more  recently  in 
England,  for  insect  pests  of  various  kinds  attacking 
fruit  trees,  potatoes,  Ac.  In  an  article  in  the  journal 
of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England  (part 
II.  Vol.  111.  3rd  Series)  for  June  last.  On  the 
methods  of  preventing  and  checking  the  attacks  of 
Insects  and  Fungi,  by  Charles  Whitehead,  f.l.s., 
f.g.s.,  arsenical  insecticides  are  noticed  as  been  re- 
commended by  Professors  Riley  and  Lintner,  “ and 
many  other  United  States  entomologists  of  high 
standing.  They  have  been  tried  in  England  for  two 
seasons,  but  not  largely,  as  the  fruit  growers  are 
rather  afraid  of  their  poisonous  qualities.  Where 
they  have  been  applied  with  care  and  thoroughness, 
the  results  have  been  decidedly  satisfactory,  but  it 
must  be  borne  in  mind  that  if  washes  made  with 
them  are  too  strong,  they  will  burn  up  the 
foliage  and  blossoms ; therefore  great  care  and  accu- 
racy are  necessary  in  preparing  them.”  Of  London 
Purple  Mr.  Whitehead,  quoting  Dr.  Pickard  says, 
that  “ in  America  the  efficacy  of  London  Purple  is 
established,  and  it  is  generally  preferred  because  of 
its  cheapness,  better  dift'usibility,  and  visibility  on 
the  foliage.  London  Purple  seems  also  to  injure  the 
plants  less  than  Paris  Green,”  Mr.  YV'hitenead  dq> 
