May 1, 1901.] THE TEOPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
741 
has become of the mynah birds, which formerly 
were so numerous here? Can it be true that the 
rats and mongooses sttack thsm while asleep on 
the trees, where they are accustomed to roost ? The 
mynahs are harmless, living mostly on ground 
■worms and other insects which infest flower bashes 
and vegetation. Birds have their uses, but through- 
out the islands they are becoming more and more 
rare, excepting doves and pigeons and migratory 
birds, which seem to hold their own. — The Havmiian 
Planters' 2Ionthhj. 
THE TREATMENT OF GRASS LAND. 
Experiments have been carried out in Berar by 
the Forest Department to determine the relative 
yield of dry fodder per acre from (1) areas annually 
barnt over, (2) areas burnt over and subsequently 
grazed over, and (3) areas neither grazed nor burnt. 
The results obtained are reported on as follows, by 
the Conservator of Forests, Hyderabad Assigned 
Districts : — 
" The experiments regarding the treatment of fod- 
per grass areas in Amraoti were continued with the 
following results ; — 
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— 1—1 • 
" The experiments have been carried on over live 
years of varying rainfall and growth, and will now 
be discontinued. They tend to prove that burning 
gives the highest yield, but that grazing down the 
stubbles (without, of course, injuring the roots by 
excessive trampling) gives a fair average yield. In 
Berar sufficient grazing is accordingly being tried in 
" raainas " that lend themselves to this treatment. 
These experiments merely relate to quantities of 
fodder produced. No account is taken of the quality 
of the grass, and it is a pity this question was not 
dealt with in carrying out the above experiments. 
There is a widespread notion in India that burning 
of grass lands is necessary, in order to improve the 
grazing This, however, it does not do, as has been 
conclusively proved in Madras. In reality, by firing 
the grass, most of the delicate annuals, such as 
PanicuM Oplismenus, IsacJine, Poa, Eragrostis, etc., 
which are especially good for cattle, are destroyed, 
while the coarser kinds, such as Andi-opoc/on, nardus 
and Schcciianthus. Apluda aristata,_ Chrysopagon sp., sp., 
Pitiperata arundinacea and Anthi^tiria ciliata, which 
are not so good for fodder, and of which only the 
young shoots are eaten, are encouraged. We should 
be glad to see some experiments carried out on 
these lines in l^eva^v.— Indian Forester, 
THE DETERIORATION OF PASSION 
VINES AND FKUIT. 
W. J. ALLEN 
Last season K'owei.s of passion-fruit in the 
L>ural, Galston, Arcadia, Glenorie, Kcnthur.st, 
and other districts suffered ninch Joss from a 
trouble which alfected their vir.es and broujrht 
about the production of malfonned, unsaleable 
fruit. 
The disease is characlerised by a thickening 
and hanleiiing of the rind to t-uch an extent 
that it more resembles a smcotli bark than any- 
thing else, and in fact lias been named by some 
of the growers as " ironbark " fruit. Only a 
small proportion of the fruit develops properly, 
most of it being undersized, ill sliapen, contorted, 
and with little or no palp. The disease makes 
its appearance soin after the fruit has set, 
and can be easily distinguished then, the vines 
also showing its effects by an improperly devel- 
oped appearance, the leaves being .small. In 
many of the vineyards, an occassional vine is 
found dying from the etfect.s of a disease resem- 
bling very much the disease known as Mai di Goina 
(collar rot), which attacks the citrus trees just 
above the surface of ihe ground. 
I regret to say tlwt harvesting of the spring 
crop had just been completed when I visited the 
districts named, so that I did not see to what 
extent the crop had been damaged ; nor have I 
been able to trace this " ironbark" disease to any 
one cause, but am of opinion that a multiplicity 
of causes are accountable for the falling-off of 
some of the vineyards, chief among which are 
the following : — 
I. — Planting in exposed positions, where the 
vines are subject lo high winds. 
II. — Frosts and cold w^eather during winter and 
at time of blooming. 
III. — Heavy, cold, and poor soils and subsoils. 
IV. — Improper fertilizers or neglect to supply 
sntiieient, if any. 
v.— Insufficient moisture owing to hot, dry 
summer?, 
VI.— Not selecting soils and positions most 
suitable for the passion-vine. 
VII. — Age of vines. 
VIII. — A fungus disease. 
Treating of these causes separately, I find as 
regards — 
No. I Exposed pssitions.~ln a few instances I 
saw vineyards situated in very exposed positions, 
and where they were snbjectel to very heavy 
winds, which are tletrimental to vineyards, and 
particularly to those planted on indifferent soils, 
where thegrovi'th is less vigorous and less able 
to withstand the strong winds. The consequence 
is that vines planted in such positions, and in 
such soils have, after the first year or two, borne 
more or less valueless fruit. 
No. II. Frosts.— In some districts during the 
fall and winter frosts are of frequent occurrence 
and these are very severe on the vines, often 
causing the vine to lose nearly if not the entire 
crop, and also causing the vine itself to split 
open and crack in different places, and the 
death of all undergrowth and small lateral 
branches. 
When cold winds and cool nights prevail at the 
time of setting — particularly at the time of 
setting of the crops which have just been liar- 
vested— it) is noticed that the fruit produced has a 
