Oct. 1, 1902.] 
THE TROPICAL AGillCULTUlilST. 
243 
ARTESIAN SPllINGS AND THE AUS- 
TRALIAN DROUGHT. 
With re{!;ar(l to the phenomenal outbreak of 
spiings in various parts of New South Wales 
during the drought, Professor David, of the 
Sydney University, explains that it is due to the 
fact that after long spells of drought waier-bearing 
rocks become very much desiccated, so that they 
contract, and in the process of contraction cracks 
are formed, which admit of subterranean water, 
which was previously hermetically sealed, finding 
an outlet for itself at the surface. The water 
coming from them, he states, might flow for 
weeks or months, but it was not likely they would 
prove such a lasting source of supply as do artesian 
wells, for, if the water was present in such a large 
volume, it would in all probability force a much 
bigger outlet for itself. Then rain conies, the earth 
is soaked, and the cracks close again ; so the 
springs, he adds, cease to flow. The outbreak of 
such springs after a long drought are by no means 
rare. — Melbourne Leader, June 14. 
^ 
BOTANIC STATION, TOBACCO. 
This station was started in June 1899 at 
Dealfair, a valley situated opposite the landing 
place at Scarborough. The site was selected in 
1898 bv the Imperial Commissioner of Agricul- 
ture and the Superintendent of the Royal Botanic 
Gardens of Trinidad. The soil is fairly giiod 
and there is a regular supply of water from a 
sma,ll spring on the land. The lirst year's work 
consisted of clearing and preparing the knd, 
making roads, paths and drains, and starting a 
nureery. The latter in 1899 contained 1,600 
economic plants. In 1899 and 1900 the laying 
cub of the Station was greatly advanced. In I he 
latter year the nursery was increased to 7,500 
economic plants, of which 2,157 were sold, bring- 
iog in an income of £15 7s 3d. A large number 
of cacao and other plants were distributed free 
to settlers on Crown lands and others. Latterly, 
a house for the Curator, an office and a shelter 
for visitors have been provided. Also a new en- 
trance rendering the Gardens accessible from the 
linding place. 
Attached to the Station is a travelling Agricul- 
tural Instructor whose chief duty it is to visit the 
holdings on Crown lands, and advise and assist 
the settlers. About five hundred acres are estim- 
ated to be now in course of being planted by 
cacao trees. The Agricultural Instructor also 
assists generally in promoting industries in the 
land. 
The Station is mainly supported from the 
funds of the Imperial Department of Agriculture 
but the grant is supplemented, to some ex- 
tent, by tue Government of Trinidad. The 
Curator and the Agricultural Instructor are 
departmentally under the Superintendent of the 
Koyal Botanic Gardens at Trinidad. The Station 
is occasionally visited and inspected by the 
Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture. — Barbados 
Agricultural News. 
PLANTING IN COORG. 
A beginning has been made in growing crops 
other than cotiee, lu two cases sugarcane hag 
been grown, and ginger and saffron also in an- 
other, while elsewhere .some attention has been 
paid to the cultivation of vanilla. The flowers of 
this plant,^ as is well-known, have to be artificially 
fertilised. This has been successfully iicconipiished 
in the case referred to with the aid of the humble 
Kuruniber who has shown himself a very apt 
pupil and works most intelligently at the opera- 
tion.— iS/ac^ras 3Iail, Aug. 18. 
^> 
PRODUCTS OF PARAGUAY. 
The present important industries of Paraguay 
are the growing of Paraguay tea, maize, tobacco, 
oranges, beans and mandioc. The cattle industry 
is very large and exports of beef and hides exten- 
sive. Paraguay has immense forests of hard and 
soft timber, and an abundance of iron, marble, 
pyrites, copper and kaolin. The decree does not 
specify the amount, but authorises the necessary 
expenses for a proper' exhibit of the country's 
resources and industries.— O^cirt^. 
— 
PLANTING AND R. B. GARDENS 
ON THE NILGIRIS. 
Prom the Annual Administration Report (190-12) 
of the Government Botanic Gardens and Parks 
the Nilgiris by R L Proudlock, Curator, we make 
the following extracts ; — 
Strobilanth.es gossv[/inus, T Anders, flowered at the 
end of 1901, and it was a beautiful sight to see this 
shrub when it was iu full flower, covered with bluish 
purple flowers; it is now ripening its seeds. The 
Cui'iitor has never seen this species in fl ;wer before. 
Most of the species of Strobilanthes flowers, as a rule' 
only once and then die. ' 
The oldest tree of Amucaria BidtdUii, Hook, which 
is situated immediately below, and in front of the 
quarters of His Excellency the Qovernor'a Medi3al 
officer, in the gardens, produced matuied seeds daring 
the year for the first time. Eleven seeds vi-ere sown 
on tiie 8th July 1901, and they have all germinated. 
The seedlings are still small, but are healthy and 
promising. This tree was planted in or about 1867 
— vide paragraph 38 of the garden report for 1878-9. 
A good deal of planting was done during the monsoon 
as usual, A number of plants of Widdringtonia Whi/tei 
Bemdle, were planted in a ravine above the overseer' 
quarters, and also on the side of the ravine above Gov- 
ernment House, 
Seedsof atine species of Phoenix {Phccnix Canariensis 
Hort. wery received from Sir George Kiug, k.c.ie.' 
San Remo, Italy, on the 14th May 1901, and a good 
number of seedlings has been raised from them, Sir 
George King states that this is a very ornamencal epeciea 
of Phoenix which is commonly seen iu gardens on the 
Riviera, and he thinks it would be likely to grow in 
Ootacamuud and Coonoor. 
A one-ounce packet of seed of Paspalum clilatatum, 
Poir, a grass which has received much praise in the 
newspapers during the last few years as a drought- 
resisting fodder plant, was received from Mr John 
Cameron, f.l.s., Superintendent, Government Gardens 
and Parks iu Mysore, on the 23rd July 1901, The seed 
was sown on the 25th i lem and germinated well. The 
seedlings were planted in trial plots at Ootacamand, at 
Sims' Park on the 28th October, and at Burliar on the 
17th December lilOl. The plants are dwarf in Ootoca- 
mund, while at Coonoor and Burliar they have growi) 
wU, flowered and seeded. 
