596 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [March 1, 190L 
under these conditions. These results seem to 
point to the supposition that the fungus is itself 
really only a saprophyte, {i.e.,) living usually upon 
dead material, but at the same time one able, 
under conditions of impoverished growtli, to 
attack and destroy living vegetable c;rowtiis which 
have been weakened by starvation or other causes, 
as is probably the case with the cane fungus 
Trichosphceria Sachari in abnormal seasons, and 
in unsuitable or impoverished lands or wliere the 
constitution of the growing plants have been 
weakened by other causes. — Trinidad Bulletin. 
♦ 
CHfLE PEPPER CULTURE. 
Mr. J. B, Neff, of Anaheim, California, dis- 
courses on chile pepper culture in the Californian 
Cultivator, on the basis of his own experience 
as a successful producer of hot stuff: — 
Hoti} Plants are Groion — A hot bed is made 
by excavating about 16 inches deep; fill in to 
within 4 inches of the top with damp stable 
manure, trampling down vrey solidly. Spread 
about 4 inches of sandy loam over the manure. 
The seed is sown quite thickly over the loam, 
and then about ^ inch of loose sandy soil placed 
evenly over it, and all ke^it damp. When the 
plants have two or three leaves, thin to H inches 
apart each way. The plants must be watered 
■while in the liol'bed by sprinkling. Great care 
should be taken to protect from frost. 
Soil and Preparation.— Rich sandy soil is 
the best for the chile pepper. It should be 
ploughed deeply, and be put in a state of thorough 
cultivation. Kidges should be made 3 feet apart, 
and the plants set 2^ feet apart on the ridges. 
AH plants must be on a water line, and to get 
this the ridges should be made, water run down 
the furrows, and the plants placed about 2 inches 
above the water-mark. This insures every plant 
receiving water when irrigated. Plant as soon 
as danger from frost is past. 
Cultivation — Frequent culti\ ation is necessary 
until the plants get too large to allow of a 
cultivator and horse passing between the rows. 
All weeds must be pulled out. When the plants 
are set as before noted, all the ridges will be ou 
one side. This must be worked down with a 
cultivator, and then a plough used to throw 
earth on either aide of the farrow, so that the planes 
will be midway on the ridge. 
Irrigation. — While the plants are small water 
will be needed about once in twenty day.s, but 
as they get larger it will be needed as often 
as once a week, though only in small quantities. 
The plants seems to have no deep roots, conse- 
quently the surface soil ui.ist be kept damp. 
Picking. — The field should be gone over about 
once a week after the peppers begin to ripen, 
all that are fully ripe being taken off. Great 
care must be exercised to pick all the stem with 
the pepper. They should be allowed to lie in the 
sun one day after being picked in order to 
toughen the .stems and prevent them breaking 
during the process of curing. 
Stringing. — The common method is to cut 
" strings of strong smooth twine 8| feet long. Draw 
this through a needle about 12 inches long, which 
is often made of a bicycle spoke. Peppers having 
any breaks or blemishes must be thrown away, 
as they would decay before drying properly. Of 
course, where an evaporator is used these can 
be saved. After the strings are full and tied 
they are hung on nails driven into a rough pole 
or other framework standing about 6 feet from 
the ground, and left until dry ; or if shelter is 
available ihey may be moved before becoming 
fully dry and hung closely together until such 
shelter, but where there is a free circulation of 
air. 
Evaporating. — Many growers prefer evapora- 
ting instead ot drying. The evaporators used are 
of various designs and sizes, but they should be 
large enough when the peppers are dried on 
strings to hold not less than 500 strings. The 
usual plan is to have a furnace with several 
turns of 8 to 10 inch pipe in the basement, the 
peppers being placed in the second storey over 
a very open floor and with good ventilation. The 
temperature must be kept at 110 degrees Fahr., 
and in this way the house can be relilleJ about 
every four days. 
Yield and price. — Both of these, of course, vary 
with the season, soil, and water supply. Trto 
hundred and fifty strings of 5 1b. each is called 
a paying crop, but with all conditions favour- 
able, including a late, warm season, as high as 
400 strings, or even 2,400 lb. per acre, ot dried 
peppers may be grown. Prices range from 35 to 
75 cents, per string if sun-dried, and 7^ to 12^ 
cents, per lb. if evaporated. — (Queensland Agri- 
cultural Journal. 
A NEW VEGETABLE. 
A new vegetable, and one that promises to be 
a great acquisition, says the Amtralasian, is the 
asparagus pea, introduced into Victoria by Lord 
Hopetoun. It is extremely prolific, and most 
people would pronoun<e it a delicious vegetable 
when properly prepared, combining, as it does, 
the pronounced flavour of asparagus with the 
delicate suggestion of the table pea. The method 
of culture is that of the ordinary pea, and the 
particulars as to price of seed, &c., can be obtained 
fiom Messrs. Adamson andSm. Amongst other 
places where it can be seen in full profusion is 
the Le»ngatha Labour Colony, and the head 
gardener there states that it is suited to all 
classes of climate, thriviug almost equally well 
with or without watering. The plant is of a 
prostrate nature, branching much like a rock 
melon, and spreading nearly two feet. Stem 
prostrate, leaves trifoliates leaflets spatulate 
ovate, an inch in length, two stipules ovate, 
flower axillary, and ot a scarlet red and purple, 
giving the appearance of a field of red clover. 
Pod square, with fringe on each side, 2in. to 4in, 
long, containing six to ten small peas. The pod 
is cooked and eaten with the fingers, after the 
manner of asparagus. With reference to the 
above, Mr. Wicken of the Department of Agri- 
culture, to whom the matter was referred, said : — 
"I have grown this for several yeirs. When I 
came over here last March I brouj'ht a small 
quantity of this seed and sent some to Subiaco 
for trial, and some to Drakesbrook. They both 
came up, but that at Subiaco has not done very 
well, while that at Drakesbrook was not snffi- 
ciently forward to report on at my last visit," 
