148 Supplement to the " Tropical Agriculturist.' 
main roots, however, are in the ground, while the 
climbing roots — which are quite distinct and differ- 
ent inappearance are specially adapted for clinging 
onto other trees. Bat there are plants which haveao 
need to have their roots in tlie ground at all. C^r- 
taiii plants are known as parasites because they live 
on other plant*. An instance of this is Loraiithus 
(Pilila) so common on old mango and other 
trees. Plants such as this allow tlieir roots to pene- 
trate into the stems and branches of other trees on 
which they depend to a great extent for thtir nour- 
ishmetit. These useless parasites which rob u.se- 
ful plants of their food, and so weaken them, should 
be always carefully removed as soon as they are 
found. 
Plants like orchids {e.g., wesakmal) are spoken 
of as "air plants," because though they grow on 
other trees they get their food from the air and the 
solid particles brought to tliem by the wind. 
Some underground roots become thickened and 
• swoUeti, e.g., the radish (rabu) and manioc 
(manyokka). 
There is a very large class of trees which when 
young have one main root from which all other 
roots spring. Pull up a young jak (kos) plant and 
you will see that this is the case. The main root 
will appear as a continuation of the stem. There 
is another large class of plants which start with a 
number of distinct roots at the bottom of the stem. 
Pull up a paddy plant and compare the roots vv^ith 
those of the young jak. Plants like the paddy 
have no main root. 
[Native names of plants not given above : 
Coconut, pol ; mango, amba ; ironwocd, na; red- 
flowered cotton-tree, katu-imbul ; cashew-nut, 
caju; arecanut, puwak ; spinach, niviti; lettuce, 
salada ; aloe (American) goni-gas ; loug-bean, m6- 
[Atjg. 1, 1902 
karal ; grape, mudarnpala ; allamanda, wel-rukat- 
tuna ; orange, dodau ; wildbread-fruit, del ; 
sweet potato, batala.] 
GENERAL ITEMS, 
The following is a hint worth the attention of 
growers of the Cauliflower : —tying up is 
the main thing, for no matter how large they are 
they will not sell well unless snow white ; but it is 
not only tying up that does it, but vigorous growth 
and plenty of leaves shading the head. There 
is quite a knack about tying up. If done too 
soon or close they become stunted ; if not tied 
close enough they become discoloured and look 
bad. The best way is this. Take a ball of 
string and wi'id it round from hand to elbow, then 
cut open the skeins, when the cut portions will be 
found of the required length. Gather just enough 
leaves to shade the head perfectly and no more 
(.han necessary, and tie them as low down as 
possible, just so low that the string is a trifle 
above the head, thus allowing the tops of the 
leaves to spread out somewhat in the air and 
not retard the growth of the plant. Tying should 
not ba done till the Cauliflowers are about the 
size of an egg, or larger if the plant is extra heavy 
and the lieid well covered with leaves. The beds 
should be gone over about thrice a week. 
In Edinburgh city a cattle dealer named Robert 
Stewart wis fined ^50 for "being the owner 
or consignee of a live cow and live heifer with 
the intention of disposing of them for food, while 
they were diseased and unfit for food,'" 
How many of our local cattle-dealers desave a 
similar fine ! 
