Sept. 1, 1902.] • THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
193 
chest? that a reduction in output does nob 
answer the aKeiits' purpose at all. Hence 
garden? are often worked tliat are an absolute 
drag on tiie tea company, the agents apparently 
always hoping against hope that they will come 
round in time. Meantime all the little items of 
nrolit go merrily on. If the tea is shipped to 
London there is a commission on acceptance of 
bills, the various little commissions of the London 
house, the private wharf profit and the like ; the 
shareholders do not see them but they are there. 
And this reminds me of a little story ot a ship 
captain who used to trade to Calcutta in the good 
oldday'^. In his accounts there duly appeared an 
item of "Buggy hire." The owner demurred. He 
objected to the Buggy hire and told the captain 
that he would not pass such a charge in futu 'e. 
On the next voyage the accounts were presented 
as usual, duly scrutinised and passed, the 
owner remarking that he was glad to see that the 
obnoxious charge no longer appeared. "Ah !" 
murmured tlie worthy skipper under his breath, 
'you may not see it but it, is there all the same. ' 
<k 
ACETYLENE TO ENTICE INSECTS. 
The current number of the Acetylene Gas 
Journal points out the advantages of this new 
illuminant for enticing night flying destructive in- 
sects to their doom in orchards and other places. 
The Journal says : — " By means nf acetylene, for 
instance, it is possible to establish bright lights 
everywhere in the orchard or about the grounds in 
a way that is wholly out of the question with th.e 
electric arc. The expense of acetylene for such 
purposes is likewise very moderate. The man- 
ner of employing acetylene, for insect destruc- 
tion, is by placing a low standard, surmounted 
by a burner of the gas, in a pan which holds a 
mixture of vinegar and molasses or of kerosine, 
the light being fed from a generator near by 
through a hose. The smallest k'ad of generator 
or any kind of a portable acetylene lamp, such as 
a bicycle, a miner's or a table lamp, is suited to 
this use, by placing the same in, or just over, a 
basin of the liquids named. It is well to have a 
receptacle of some size, as the idea is to drown the 
insects. In the month of July, 1901, in Beaujolais, 
France, more than 177,000 moths were thus killed 
iu the space of 18 days. Twenty little lamps 
were emplyed for the purpose, the consumption 
of each costing 8 centimes per e. cning," 
« — — — ■ 
FORCED PLANTATIONS. 
(From a Corresponc'.ent.) 
Attention should be called to the practice 
adopted by gardeners and fruit merchants, more 
especially in recent years, to ripen plantains 
artificially for the market with a view to obtain a 
quick sale. The result is that the fruit is rendered 
soft and pulpy and the flavour destroyed. Plan- 
tains forced in this way become rotten and worth- 
leas very quickly, and therefore have not the same 
value to those who purchase them. Forced plan- 
tains may bs known by the softness of the fruit, 
and by the greenness of the short stems by which 
they are attached to the stalk of the bunch. If 
allowed to ri[)en naturally, the stems ripen ■svith 
the fruit into a pale .straw colour and the 
fruit is ready to be eaten as soon as it can be 
removed from the stems without the slightest 
effort. This is not so with artificially ripened 
fruit, as the short stem remains green and tougli, 
so that it is difficult to remove it, while the rind 
appears to be ripe. 
It may be interesting to relate what this arti- 
ficial process is — a process which seems to be 
spreading extensively throughout South India. A 
lart'e earthen i)0t is taken and a bunch of plantain.s 
with some leaves is put into it. Another [lot of 
similiar make but smaller in feiZ3 is filled with 
straw, and its mouth place ! on the mouth of the 
larger pot. The mouths are then sealed with cow- 
dung (that useful article to many people in this 
country) and occasionally with clay instead. 
A hole of about an inch iu diameter is made 
in the bottom of the smaller pot, which is 
upside down, and a piece of glowing ember, or 
charcoal, is put through the hole and placed on the 
top of tlie straw. A current of air is then blown 
by the mouth through the hole for a few minutes. 
This fans the glowing ember inside, and smoke 
from the ignition of the straw is forced down into 
the vessel containing the fruit requiring ripening. 
After this the whole is sealed to prevent air from 
entering. This is done in the morning, and re- 
peated in the evening, and also on the morning of 
the next day. If the plantains be wanted very soon, 
they are smoked a fourth time. 
It is a pity that this forcing process was ever 
resorted to, as it will be abundantly evident that 
nob much flivour can remain after it is over. 
Europeans should set their faces against it, and 
refuse to buy such artificially ripened fruit. If ladies 
would give strict orders to their cooks not to buy 
such plantains, but only those that have beea 
allowed to ripen naturally, and if Hindus would do 
likewise, fruit merchants would soon stop such a 
practice. The plantain is a most wholesome and 
liUtritious fruit, especially the rastali and the 
powvazhai, which are among the best table plan- 
tains. When properly ripe and in good condition, 
and mashed ap with a fork on a plate with a 
liberal supply of milk, plantains make an excellent 
dish and are easily digested. But in these days, 
when fruit merchants hasten to bring about a 
quicic sale by the forcing process, one almost des- 
pairs of ever getting a good plaiitain possessing iis 
natural and delicate flavour, so much prized by 
many people in this country, — Madras Mail, Aug. 
10. 
INFUSED TEA LEAVES AS MANURE. 
(To the Edifbr, Indian Gardening and Planting.) 
Sir, — Re yo rr note on infused tea leaves as ma- 
nure, Iremember many years ago a friend of nine in 
Madras treating a small tea-rose plant with the 
remains of his tea pot. I have never yet seen a rose 
plant blossom as that did. It was for about two or 
three months one perpetual bloom, fresh flowers 
coming up as fast as others were cut oft'. My friend 
was going to France and he gave me the plant, 
which by that time had ceased flowering. It,never 
flowered again. The tea infusion with the infused 
leaves must have been too forcing, and a few 
months after it withered and died. I w.as very 
sorry, because the flowers, though small, were 
every one of them perfect, and somehow I ii !ver 
could get another plant like it again, though I 
looked up a number of neighbours' gardens. This 
experience of mine might be of u«e to those who 
would try infused tea leaves as manure. W. 
—Indian Gai'dening and Planting, Aug. 7. 
