JtTNE 1, 1901.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
817 
kuowQ in the Azores, the giovea being allowed a 
free circulation of air, light and sun, very little 
cultivation wis done and no manuring, but ths 
drainage being nef;lected about 1346, the trees began 
to show signs of foot rot which affected old trees 
and younger seedlings alike. It was arrested by 
cutting down affected parts to sound wood and then 
treating them as previously mentioned. When 
they began to recover, manuring, alteration and 
planting larse shelter trees was resorted to, with 
ttie result that they increased the quantity at the 
expanse of the quality, and while they previously 
Were able to soni their oranges to Norway and 
Bussia they would afterwavdri barely keep sound 
landed in England. Iliis decided them to resort to 
old methods again. They cut down the hi2;h dense 
shelter trees and planted thin ones and not too 
high, pruued the trees to let in air and practised 
less m inuring, with the result that the groves are 
improving. 
The fact is, only broad principles can be given 
the individual to guide him, and these are somewhat 
approximita. The only true guide is to learn from 
the tree itself by intelligent observation, Watch 
it as you would your child. The strongest and 
healthiest are those which are coddled least and 
astoniih you with the amount of iieeh and boue- 
forming food they can eat, but it must be wholesome. 
Our orange groves are not in quite such a natural 
condition, but they are equally under our control, 
only requiring of us an intelligent knowledge of their 
artificial condition. 
For instancp, wy can stimulate and determine 
the character of our fruit by the kind of fertilizer 
we use, and as this is what we are mainly concerned 
in I offer you a few suggestions on the authority of 
Mr. H. J. Webber of the U.S.A. Agricultural 
Bureau. 
Eeaiizing, then, that fhe character of fruit we 
aim at is size, with thinness of rind, and minimum 
of rag, he says, to promote this, ,use nitrogenous 
manure from inorganic sources, viz., chemical 
manure containing nitrogen in moderate quantity 
with considerable potash and lime. 
Sulphate of ammonia, a compound of nitrogen 
used in considerable abundance, and diminishing 
the potash will produce sweetness. 
To render the fruit more acid use plenty of potash 
and juices mixed with farm manure rich in nitrogen. 
A heavy dressing of nitrogen from organic sources 
will increase size and miy be of service where the 
tangerine is concerned, but remember the caution 
previously given as to " indigestion." 
One word of caution as to chemical fertilizers. 
Personally, I would refuse to use any one unless 
a, complete analysis was supplied (and guaranteed 
with each consignment. It stands to reason that 
any particular fertilizer will not be equally good 
or desirable for every varying class of fruit or 
vegetable, much leas may it be suitable for every 
variety of soil, and it may be that a particular 
soil would be betieflced more by a particular manure 
a,t £5 psr ton thaa one at £10 per ton. 
Moisture conditions will probably differ in every 
case, and in face of protracted droughts it is well 
to know that chemical manures havj the q nlity of 
preserving surface moisture and drawing luois.iu-e 
from below. 
A finely pulverized yet compact condition of the 
soil when dry under and around the trees is a strong 
preseri' .live of moisture, and on this condition 
solely depends the growth and productiveness of 
our orange trees and the ability of the roots to 
draw the necessary sustenance. 
A concludiug word as to irrigation of orange trees. 
It has beea s.iid that watering round the trunk of 
the tree is a fruitful source of the disease known 
as foot rot. My observation and study lead me 
to conclude it is more the result of improper manuring 
a,nd cnltivation and bad drainage. £ know of grovea 
in healthy full bearing where it Vfould bs a waste 
of time to try and teach the owners any new ideas 
or methods. The only mode of watering they under- 
stand is to make a miniature dam round the trunk, 
catting all the surface rootlets in the operation, and 
then tilling the dam with water. They have been 
practising this for years and yet the trees are healthy 
and profitable. I have often thought if 1 could 
apply my irrigation from overhead it would be more 
natural. What then should I witness ! I have stood 
under one of my large trees during a heavy rain 
and observed how every twig and branch formed a 
channel to conduct the rain to the trunk, and while 
the root of the soil was watered by the drop from the 
leaves, a full stream was running down the trunk 
directly into the soil, and even in a light rain you 
will observe that all trees, however smuU or large, 
are wet round the trunks while all the rest is 
comparatively dry. I also observed that the millions 
of rootlets all over the surface covered by a large 
tree are near the surfaca quite healthy, and ara 
ready to contribute their share to the maintenance 
of the tree if only they get their share of moisture 
and food, and I say again if I could devise a 
scheme for overhead irrigation I v/ould prefer it in 
the absence of rain. I do not recommend making 
a dam round the trunk, but prefer running a furrow 
round the outside circnmferenoe, trusting the 
moisture will rise to the rootlets under the tree, 
and to ensure this I would discaA-d orgimio manures 
altogether, and use chemical fertilizers : and though 
these latter days demand science with practice, yet 
one c&nnot help longing for the good old times 
when there was very little practice and much less 
science, and the groves were handed . down from 
generation to generation. There is a great future 
in front of citrus growers not alone for the fruit, 
but for the production of flowers for perfume and 
essentials oils, and an abundant field before the 
intelligent energetic cultivator, and I see no reason 
why we should not prove powerful rivals to France 
and Italy in the perfume industry, and Spain, 
Portugal, Azores with our fruit. If we cannot do 
it, we can least begin on sound principles, and 
our orange groves, the noblest and most generous 
responder to our intelligence, will still remain for 
our children's children '> carry on to our own 
credit and a blessing t ^ir country. — " Cape Agri- 
cultural Journal. " 
REPORT ON A VISIT TO THE AFRICAN 
LAKES CORPORATION'S GARDENS 
AT BLANTYRE, 
AND SOME COFFEE ESTATES AT MLANJE 
WITH BRIEF REMARKS ON A COCOA 
TREE GROWING AT MR. MOIR'S 
LAUDERDAl.E ESTATE MLANJE. 
At the request of Lieut-Colonel Manning, H.M. 
Acting Commissioner & Consul-General, I visited 
Blantyre and Mlanje recently to ascertain whether 
cocoa or any other economic products, not represented 
in the Botanic Garden at Zomba, was growing at 
Mandala, and to observe the condition of the theobro- 
ma cacao tree growing at Mlanje, and also to repor- 
on some of the coffee estates on the south and south 
western slopes of Mlanje mountain. 
From the lists of plants sent out from Kew to the 
African Lakes Corporation, in 1886, 1892, and 1894, 
it is seen that cocoa was sent out, as also to the Liviug- 
stonia Mission. 
Although there are a considerable number of intro 
ductions growing at Mandala, their identity, unless 
specially known to the observer, is a matter of con- 
jecture, as all trace of their labels is gone. The major- 
ity of the fruit trees now in British Central Africa 
are represented in these gardens, such as apples, 
