THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Oct. 1, 1900. 
Pruning oftentimes is eateied upon with the 
impartiality of Mrs. Squeers, when that estimable 
being dispensed her brimstone and treacle, " if 
they didn't need it then, they might at some 
other time." No pruning ab all would be better 
in the end than this, but it would be vastly 
better than eicher, were trees properly pruned at 
planting, and yearly cared for to keep them 
in the right way. — Queensland Country Life, 
Aug. 23. 
The Parsley-leaved Bhamble. — Any time from the 
end of October onwards to March is suitable for 
Elantin^ this useful Bramble, provided the weather 
e suitable for the operation. Perhaps early iu 
November is as good a time as ^ny. It is done the same 
aa planting Raspberries. Fertile yet rather porous 
■oil is best, as the plants do not become established 
quickly in cold heavy laud. This Bramble is good for 
covering walls or fences.or it may betrained in the form 
of arch«s over walks, or in any other convenient 
manner desired. When it commences bearing all 
that is necessary is to cut the portions out and re- 
tain the best of the young growths, is in growing 
Raspberries.— P. — Journal of Idotriculture and Cottage 
Gardener, Sept. 6. 
How Water Ascends in Plants.— At one time 
there was considerable difference of opinion as to 
the oonrse pursued by the sap of trees in ascend- 
ing from the roots, and that followed by the food 
materials elaborated in the leaves when being trans- 
ferred to the various portions of the tree in which 
their process of growth was in progress. It has now 
been establishecl that all the moisture required by 
the tree or plant for its existence and growth is 
tnken up by the roots, and thut the water so ab- 
sorbed is conveyed to the higher regions through 
the medium of the woody part of the stem. On 
the other hand the food material elaborated by the 
leaves are conveyed to the various parts of the plant 
■ystem by the bast tissues which immediately un- 
derlie the bark, and are ranged around the outside 
of the wood. — Journal of Jlortic'ilture. 
Trade of British New Guinea. — The annual report 
of British New Guinea for the year endmg June 30tb, 
1899, shows that the exports of indiarubber for that 
year were £1,935, against £3,683 in the previous year. 
Of sandalwood £2,920 worth were exported, a decrease 
of £20 on the previous year. The report goes on to say 
that the decrease in indiarubber is probably partly 
due to the most accessible country near the coast 
having been more or less worked out. At present, 
»1bo, it is next to impossible to prevent the destruction 
of the trees in new country. Apparently the export 
of sandalwood may increase during the coming year, 
n the price has risen- The industry is now carried on 
in a more systematic fashion than it used to be. — Sri- 
ti$h and Colonial Druggist, Aug. 24. 
Sir John Lawes, says the London Times 
— was one of the greatest benefactors of 
agriculture— perhaps the greatest — the world 
has seen. His Originality in experimental 
research and his inflexibility of purpose, 
coupled with a genius of no ordinary kind, 
enabled him to discover grand truths which 
have had a profound influence upon the pro- 
gress of agriculture. Happily, through the 
munificence of their founder, the Rothanisted 
experiments do not cease at his death. By a 
trust deed, executed in 1889, Sir John Lawes 
set apart a sum of £100,000, together with 
the laboratory and certain areas of land, for 
the prosecution of the investigations in per- 
petuity. The unique feature of the work at 
Rothamsted— its long unbroken continuity — 
will thus be characteristic of it in an ever- 
jpcreaeing degree. 
Various Essences and Perfumes can be 
obtained, says the last annual report of the 
Government of Cyprus, from the arom ttic herbs 
growing in the State forests, and experiments 
are being made toasceitain whether they can be 
produced on a commercial scale to yield a fair 
profir. Tiiere is a small Government garden at 
Nicosia from which plants are distributed no far 
as means will allow ; but there are no botanical 
s'ations.— j5. and C. Druggist, Aug 24. 
Planting in Nyas8AL.\nd.— Our corre- 
spondent, Mr. Henry Brown, formerly of 
Matale and Dimbula, fairly takes our breath 
away by his enumeration of all the good 
things to be enjoyed, and produced, in his 
adopted land ; and yet who ever heard of any 
one making money in Nyassaland— and can 
Mr. Brown tell us of half-a dozen men who 
have stood and enjoyed the climate as long 
as he has himself with his exceptionally- 
strong constitution ? Itis, however, extremely 
interesting to read about the growth of so 
many old and new products — chillies and 
fruit among the rest. 
Ceylon Tea in New Zealand.— We di- 
rect attention to a letter on another page 
from Mr, G T K Mackenzie of Dunedin, who 
has taken a leading part in pushing the 
sale of pure Ceylon tea in New Zealand. 
It will be observed that he complains of a 
move on the part of certain local dealers 
to get an import tax placed on packet teas 
imported from Ceylon and yet the same 
agitators ars so inconsistent as to say that 
such Ceylon packets are far inferior to 
their own, inasmuch as our "coolie" labourers 
who pack, cannot be depended on for 
cleanliness. Now Mr B.— or who ever he is 
who urges this argument - shows the crassest 
ignorance of Ceylon conditions, inasmuch as 
every factory and store manager here is 
most particular about all the workers in 
tea, —whether firing, sorting or packing — 
being specially tidy and clean. If the New 
Zealand authorities are so ill-advised as to 
tax our packets of pure tea, it will be to 
the distinct disadvantage of their own 
people, and moreover it may lead to a 
disagi'eeable reprisal one of these days. 
Dearer Quinine. — By the last advance of cin- 
chona bark at the Amsterdam auctions, which 
nowadays are the means through which the world 
obtains almost the whole of its quinine, the price 
of bark has reached the highest point touched in 
recent years, ever since, in fact, Holland and Java 
became what they are. Quinine has advanced in 
consequence though it has not yet reached the price 
to which it attained last year. This is mainly due 
to the fact that speculators are not so weak and 
" heady " a body as they were twelve months ago 
The ''small " men got severely bitten in many cases 
then, and have left the article alone since. The 
result has been beneficial to the quinine market, 
which today occupies a sounder position. It is, as 
we show in an editorial note, a cause for congratnla- 
tion that, after six months of consistent high priceB, 
quinine is cheaper than it was after one sudden leap 
on the part of bark to a less height than it now 
occupies. Another healthy sign is that the London 
stocks of quinine have been reduced during the last 
two months after a long period of increase. Specula, 
tors are still commendably cautions, and makers, 
though eager buyers of barks at the high rates, keep 
their price of quinine in clos e touch with that of 
cinchona. The outlook is thus very promising, espe- 
eially as the autumn demand is near at tiand.-^ 
B, & C. Druggist, Aug, 81, 
