Nov. 1, 1900.] THE TEOPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
325 
that of the industry ojeneraily. My purposes in 
making the above suggestions is to induce 
planters to read more, study more, and think a 
little more ; and tlius create a grpater interchange 
of ideas, which would eventually bring about 
some cohesion and community of interest, and 
result in raising tea-planting into what it ought 
to be, viz , a "thoroughly organised and up-to- 
date scientific profession. 
There have been many suggestions of late about 
starting an 
EXPERIMENTAL TEA GARDEN 
somewhere near Calcutta. The idea is sound, 
and ought to be encouraged. It eminently claims 
the support of the Imperial Government, which 
should, ia my opinion, start such a garden as an 
economic branch of the Calcutta Botanical Gar- 
dens. But besides the above, I would strongly 
urge some modified form of experimental garden 
in each planting district, maintained by the plant- 
ers themselves. In large districts where funds 
are available, a whole garden, of, say, a couple of 
huodred acres or so, might be appropriated for 
this special purpose, with a selected man in charge, 
devoted entirely to experimental work alone. In 
smaller districts, Vv'here a wiiole garden could not 
be afforded, there should be no difficulty in setting 
aside a few acres in one or more gardens for such a 
purpose. I am sure enthusiastic managers would 
be found, who would freely give their services, 
provided they were guaranteed against actual 
loss, while working out the prescribed ex- 
periments for tlie community ; and there is no 
reason why Government should not be expected 
t» support such local experimental gardens with 
annual grants of nionev from Imperial or provin- 
cial funds. To get the greatest benefit from the 
3,bove scheme, it would be necessary that the 
official experts in the Calcutta Central garden 
should not only be in constant communication 
with the experimental district gardens, but that 
they should also be at liberty to make personal 
tours through all these districts from time to time, 
for purposes of coiiipari>*on and mutual consulta- 
tions. The advantages that would accrue to the 
tea industry by a series of experiments under such 
varied conditions of soil, climate, and manage- 
ment, would be simply incalculable ; and it is to 
be hoped therefore that planters throughout India 
will heartily support the scheme, which promises 
,ito be so fruitful ot good results. 
Another suggestion, which I trust will receive 
due consideration, is the growing of 
AUXILIARY CROPS IN CONJUNCTION WITH TEA. 
Every plantation has bits of waste land 
which though unsuited to tea, are quite 
capable of producing other profitable com- 
modities. Here again the experimental gardens 
would prove extremely useful in ascertain- 
ing the best products to take up. For instance, fruits 
■ vegetables, medicinal plants, herbs, roots, fibres 
tobacco, nuts, seed crops, and even good timber 
might all be grown with advantasre. There is also 
the well known fact that all leguminous plants such 
as peas, beans, etc., and ah pod-bearing trees, 
are actually of direct benefit to the tea bush and 
should therefore be grown in among the hushes, 
for the green rainura and nitrogen they 
supply the soil. Besides crops, why should 
not mule and pony breeding be carried out in suit- 
able localities. Tliere is a valuable and ready 
market for all such animals in the army and Gov- 
ernment departments ; and the Indian Govern- 
ment, I am informed, would very materially sup- 
port any planter who aided them in this direction. 
Unfortunately planters as a body have not as yet 
educated themselves up to thoroughly realising 
the great agricultural and commercial advantages 
of these extra aids to tea cultivation. Inexperi- 
enced and unbusiness-like proprietors and direc- 
tors are also much to blame in this matter, as 
without their active and sympathetic co-opera- 
tion it cannot be expected that managers will 
break new ground, and risk their ovvn interests. 
This short-sighted policy has gone so far that in 
many instances managers have received explicit 
injunctions not to attempt the cultivation or pro- 
duction of anything else but tea on their estates. 
Under such arbitrary restrictions, of course, it is ♦ 
impossible to expect experimental work or up-to- 
date go-aheadness of any kind. In every tea 
district there are peculiarities of climate and 
soil that lend themselves specially to some parti- 
cular production. As soon as this suitable plant 
or animal is recognised it should be taken ap 
without hesitation by planters as an "auxiliary, 
to supplement the financial "shortcomings of the 
standard tea crop." When tea seasons are bad 
and prices low such "auxiliaries" will often of 
themselves tide a garden over its financial and 
other difficulties. Relief and aid from this direc- 
tion would be far more satisfactory than burden- 
ing the garden with further calls on shareholders 
and local banks. As a matter of sensible precau- 
tion we should not place all our eggs in one basket: 
when one lot comes to grief, we should still have 
others to fall back on ; and he is a wise man who 
foresees this possibility before the crash comes. 
A Fi\.RMER'S EVERY-DAY LIFE. 
no. m. - 
(By Cosmopolite.) 
It does not often happen that old sayings, 
with regard to the weather, are verified, but, 
this year, we have had an instance thereof 
in connection with St. Swithin's day. about 
which the old saw has it that, if it rains on 
that day, it will do so for every day for 
the following six Aveeks, This year it did 
rain on St. Swithin's day, and it continued 
to do so every day until the six weeks had 
run their course, when it suddenly cleared 
up, fine, dry hard weather set in. allowing 
us to complete the hay harvest successfully, 
and niatirring the crops so quickly that now, 
in every direction, oats and barley stooks 
are to be seen, whilst the whirr of the 
reapers and binders can be heard all over the 
land. This is the first time during the past 
twenty years that the prophecy with regard 
to St. Swithin's day has proved correct, so I 
consider it much more of a fluke than a 
moral certainty, and any one putting hia 
trust in the old saying would be apt to 
find that he had backed the wrong horse. 
However, as things are going now, we 
farmers have forgotten already the weary 
troubles in connection with hay-making, and 
are cheered by the prospect of a dry season 
for harvesting the other crops. In this dis- 
trict the crop is 
AN EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD ONE, 
but, owing to the late wet weather and 
heavy down-pours of rain, a great quantity 
has been lodged and twisted, so that it 
will be quite impossible to reap much of it 
