THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
April  i,  1893. 
652 
Both  worde  “gainest”  and  “mashing”  are  in  general 
use  not  only  in  Sheffield  itself  but  also  in  the  sur- 
rounding district  of  South  Yorkshire  and  Norlh 
Derbyshire. — Yours  very  sincerely, 
HALLAMSHIREMAN. 
March  3. 
Sir, — I have  read  with  interest  the  letter  by 
“ Hallamshireman  ” on  this  topic.  When  I came 
aoross  the  word  “marhing”  I thought  your  P.  D. 
had  been  up  to  some  of  his  pranks  again  and 
by  substituting  an  “h”  for  a “ k”  bad  converted 
the  expression  “ masking  ” whioh  is  very  common 
in  some  parts  of  Scotland  as  a term  applicable  to 
the  brewing  of  tea,  into  a word  which  is  descriptive 
of  the  doings  of  the  la-di-da  sort  of  young  man  who 
is  popularly  termed  “ a masher.”  1 bavo  looked  up 
the  article  to  whioh  “ Hallamshireman  ” referred 
and  I find  the  “ h ” is  used  there  also,  and  I 
conclude  that  I am  wrong  in  the  supposition  I 
first  formed  of  a typographical  error  having  been 
committed.  The  similarity  between  the  two  words 
is  striking,  and  1 thought  I might  just  draw  your 
attention  to  it.  “ Mash  ” is  given  in  the  latest 
edition  of  Webster’s  International  Dictionary  as 
meaning  brewing  I think,  and  one  oan  therefore 
quite  understand  the  applicability  of  the  word  to 
tea  making.  How  “masking”  comes  to  hi  used 
in  the  same  connection  I cannot  explain,  but  I 
assure  you  the  word  is  in  oommon  use. — Youre, 
MACSPORRAN. 
COCONUT  PLANTING: 
PRACTICAL  QUESTIONS. 
Maroh  6. 
Rear  Sir,— Coconut  planters  owe  you  thanks  for 
your  trouble  in  collecting  so  much  information 
about  the  industry  of  late. 
I want  to  ask  some  of  your  experienced  corre- 
spondents  one  or  two  questions  : — 
(1.)  It  has  been  asserted  that  Kuvunegala  nuts 
are  smaller  than  the  nuts  from  Mahaoya  and 
Chilaw  districts.  Is  this  so  ? 
(2.)  What  nuts  would  “ W.  J.”  recommend  for 
planting  in  Kurunegala?  Are  Golapokuna  nuts  in 
the  first  flight  ? 
(3)  Does  it  harm  coconuts  to  plant  coffee  and 
cacao  among  them  ? I have  seen  tea  flourishing 
among  coconuts  closely  planted  BDd  both  in  full 
bearing;  but  would  cacao  or  coffee  do  is  what  I want 
to  know,  COCONUT. 
Planters  and  Railway  Lines.— The  Government 
has  just  given  voice  to  a ruling  of  some  con- 
siderable importance  to  Planters  on  the  Ooonoor 
ghaut  whose  land  has  been  taken  up  for  the  Nilgiri 
Railway.  In  certain  cases  paths  to  the  Planters 
estates  oross  the  line  of  rail  and  the  spoil  thrown 
out  of  deep  cuttings  often  blocks  up  these  Pkthe. 
The  Government  has  ruled  that  if  any  path  which 
is  bloobed  by  spoil  is  so  blocked  within  the  limits 
of  the  land  acquired  and  paid  for  by  the  Railway 
Company,  the  principle  of  compensation  for  sever- 
ance has  come  into  play,  and  the  estate  owner 
having  been  duly  paid  for  this  must  himself  keep 
his  path  open.  It  is  only  in  cases  where  the  blook 
happens  to  be  at  a spot  or  spots  on  a path  which 
are  outside  the  acquired  land  belonging  to  the 
Railway  that  the  Government  will  hold  itself 
responsible  for  removal  of  the  obstruction.  The 
above  facts  will,  it  is  believed,  be  new  to  most  of 
the  Planters  oonoerned, — Madras  1 imes,  March  7. 
LIME  IN  THE  GARDEN. 
The  present  time  of  the  year,  together  with  early 
spring,  being  suitable  for  the  application  of  lime, 
it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  consider  briefly 
what  are  its  manurial  properties,  what  classes  of 
soils  are  most  likely  to  be  benefited  by  its  addition, 
and  in  what  form  it  can  be  most  advantageously  used. 
This  is  the  more  desirable,  as  the  usefulness  of 
compounds  of  calcium  seems  somewhat  liable  to  be 
overlooked  or  under  rated. 
It  is  well  to  remember,  in  the  first  place,  that 
the  function  of  lime  in  the  soil  is  two-fold — it  is 
direct  plant-food,  and  it  also  possesses  a remarkable 
power  of  rendering  other  inert  matter  suitable  for 
the  nourishment  of  plants.  Besides  this,  it  is  capablo 
of  making  considerable  modifications  in  the  physical 
condition  of  soils — a matter  quite  as  important  to 
the  cultivator  as  its  chemical  composition. 
Lime  as  a Plant  Food. 
It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  point  out  here  the  fact 
that  calcium  is  one  of  the  elementary  bodies  that 
are  absolutely  necessary  for  the  complete  growth  of 
plants ; but  it  is  not  always  borne  in  mind  that 
some  garden  crops  remove  comparatively  large  quan- 
tities of  this  substance ; and  that,  moreover,  lime  is 
a body  which,  to  adopt  the  common  phrase,  “ sinks  ” 
in  the  ground,  thus  rendering  its  application  from 
time  to  time  advisable.  That  leguminous  crops, 
such  as  Peas  and  Beans,  need  large  quantities  is 
fully  recognised,  as  is  indicated  by  their  popular 
description  as  “ lime  ” plants.  But  there  are  many 
vegetables,  which  from  their  marked  preference  for 
manures  containing  other  elements,  are  rather  liable 
to  be  starved  in  the  matter  of  lime,  although  the  latter 
may  be  no  less  necessary  for  their  full  development. 
Turnips,  for  instance,  need  much  phosphoric  acid 
and  potash,  but  analysis  of  their  ash  shows  about 
49  per  cent,  of  lime  (13'024  per  cent,  in  the  roots, 
and  35'65  per  cent,  in  the  leaves*).  Potatoes,  again, 
show  only  3 per  cent,  of  lime  in  the  ashes  of  their 
tubers,  but  their  haulms  contains  about  17  per  cent. ; 
and  it  is  upon  the  leaves,  be  it  remembered,  that 
the  tubers  have  to  depend  for  their  supply  of  starch. 
Many  other  instances  might  be  given  of  the  im- 
portance of  lime  as  a minor  constituent. 
It  was  stated  above  that  lime  sinks  in  the  ground. 
The  explanation  of  this  is  very  simple.  Rain-water 
holds  in  solution  carbonic  acid  gas,  which  it  has 
absorbed  from  the  air,  and  thus  charged,  it  has  the 
power  of  dissolving  the  carbonate  of  calcium  in  the 
soil,  and  carrying  it  away  off  the  surface  and  through 
the  drains  or  porous  subsoil.  Moreover,  the  carbonic 
acid  formed  in  the  soil  by  the  decomposition  of 
organic  matter  dissolves  the  carbonate  of  calcium, 
which  is  carried  away  by  drainage  water.  The  nit- 
rates and  chlorides  of  calcium  are  likewise  readily 
diffusible,  and  easily  lost.  It  may  be  noted  in  pass- 
ing that  the  alkaline  base  soda  suffers  from  this 
washing-out  process  in  common  with  lime,  while 
most  fertile  soils  are  strongly  rententive  of  ammo- 
nium and  potash.  Hence  the  reason  why  lime  must 
be  added  in  larger  quantities,  and  more  frequently 
than  a calculation  of  the  actual  amount  removed 
by  any  given  crops  would  seem  to  warrant. 
What  Soils  are  Most  Likely  to  be  Improved 
by  Lime  '? 
Briefly,  all  deficient  in  calcareous  matter,  Btiffs 
clays,  and  sour  peaty  soils  are  particularly  respon- 
sive to  its  application.  Stiff  clays  are  lightened  and 
rendered  warmer  and  more  friable,  and  the  soluble 
plant  foods  are  increased  by  quicklime  ; whilst,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  retentive  power  of  light  sandy 
soils  is  increased  by  the  addition  of  slaked  lime 
(calcium  hydrate),  chalk  {carbonate  of  calcium),  or 
marl.  On  soils  containing  a large  amount  of  peat, 
quick  or  slaked  lime,  is  of  great  value,  counteracting 
the  “sourness”  due  to  excess  of  organic  acids,  and 
assisting  the  decomposition  of  woody  fibre,  &c.  There 
is  another  case  in  which  lime  may  be  applied  with 
* From  Dr.  A.  B.  Griffith’s  Analyses  in  the  Journal 
of  the  Chemical  Society,  1883-87, 
