doT. 1, 1902.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
■becomes very perceptible. It is due to the ex- 
haustion of the soil as regards its available 
mineral and organic matter by the very much 
increased network of root growth formed to 
support the bush stimulated by large soluble 
supplies of Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid and Potash 
manures. 
There are other technical reasons, dependent 
on the character of the measures used, that add 
to this tendency. As such, however, come under 
certain discoveries as regards manuring for 
quality, that will shortly be brought before the 
industry as soon as protection for the invention 
is secured, they may for the present be passed 
over. 
If, however, India generally is as fortunately 
gituated as Assam, there is no need for the 
adoption of Ceylon systems of " forcing" or 
" thorough" cultivation as they are called by 
those who oppose or who practise these methods 
of tea culture. 
Mr Mann in his report to the Indian Tea 
Association has treated the question in a most 
thorough manner. His recommendations, if 
followed, will insure that the fields are preserved 
in a first-class state of vigour by the use of 
TUitural manures, which, though according to the 
new discoveries they may not directly improve 
equality, will yet certainly not cause any deteriora- 
tion therein. The cost of such treatment is also 
aloaost negligible and, if similar methods were 
possible on the steep estates of Ceylon, they 
would be far and away preferable to any systems 
of cultivation at present in vogue. 
Unfortunately such is not the case. The 
character of the land and soil in Ceylon is 
entirely different from the flat alluvial of Assam, 
while natural manures, except in small quantities 
on a very few favoured estates, are comspicuous by 
their absence. That the last word has been said 
as regards Ceylon methods of manuring is not 
the case. No industry iu these days of competi- 
tion can afford to remain stationary, and it is 
almost a matter of certainty that the next few 
years will see the adoption by Ceylon, and it is 
hoped by India, of the improved methods of 
manuring for quality, in contradistinction to 
quantity, that will shortly be brought within the 
reach of those desirous of increasing their yearly 
prohts at other than their neighbours' expense. 
That it is also still possible for the tea industry 
to reduce cost of production is clearly shown by 
the success of the new system of plucking that I 
am responsible for and by the attention it is 
attracting throughout Ceylon, where the experi- 
ence of plucking goes back for over twenty- five 
years but is yet found capable of improvement. 
Henky M. Alleyn. 
Ceylon, 18th Aug., 1902. 
—Indian Gardeninq and Plantvng, Aug. 23. 
QUININE MONOPOLY IN JAVA. 
It is stated that an agitation has arisen among 
the cinchona growers of Java to induce the Dutch 
Government to take over the quinine manufacture, 
and to convert it into a State monopoly. The 
planters are under the impression that, as Java is 
the principal source of production of cinchona 
bark, the Dutch Government by monopolising the 
industry would have it in their power to adjust the 
price of quinine in the world's market* to almost 
»uy beiglf they thought fit, The attitudQ of tbQ 
Dutch Ministry towards this scheme is not known, 
but it is significant that the Governor-General of 
the Dutch East Indies has empowered the olBcially- 
appointed Director of the Government Experimen- 
tal Institute for cinchona cultivation to take over 
the management of the Bandong quinine Factory, 
retaining meanwhile his directorship of the Insti- 
tute. Should the monopoly be carried out, the 
first effect would be the prohibition of all export 
of cinchona barks from Java. It is believed, 
however, the 8ud. d. Ap. Ztg. says, that the 
Dutch are too cute business men to enter upon a 
course of action which might lead to a profitable 
industry slipping out of their hands through the 
stimulus to cinchona growing that would naturally 
be excited elsewhere — in Ceylon, for instance. 
— British and Colonial Druggist, Aug. 15. 
♦ 
PLANT TREES 
What do we do when we plant the tree ? 
We plant the ship which will cross the sea : 
We plant the masts to carry the sails, 
We plant the plank to stem the gales, 
The keel and keelson, beam and knee : 
We plant the ship when we plant the tree. ■ 
What do we plant when we plant the tree ? 
We plant the houses for you and me, 
We plant the rafters, the shingles, the floors, 
We plant the studding, the laths, the doora, 
The beams, the siding, all parts that be. 
We plant the house when we plant the tree. 
What do we plant when we plant the tree ? 
A thousand things that we daily see, 
We plant the spire that out-towers the crag, 
We plant the staff for our country's flag, 
We plant the shade, from the hot snn free, 
We.plant all these things when we plant the tree 
HBNEY ABBEY. 
— Agricultural Journal, Natal. 
YIELD OP RUBBER. 
To the Editor of India-Bubber and GxUta* 
Percha Trades' Journal. 
Dear Sir,— Some time ago you asked for some 
further particulars about two cultivated rubber 
trees, nineteen years old, having yielded twenty 
five pounds of rubber each, as per the following 
paragraph : — " From the Fenang Gazette we leara 
that upon reliable information two cultivated 
rubber trees of nineteen years old have recently 
been tapped, and gave 25 lb of rubber each. At least 
ten of such trees could be grown to the acre* and the 
result would be 250 lb of rubber per acre in nineteea 
years, as against 9^ lb in Assam in twenty-six 
years. Our contemporary does not state what 
species the trees belong to, and we rather question 
whether any trees have been cultivated for so 
long as nineteen years. Perhaps some of onr 
readers in this locality can give us some further 
information." The two trees referred to are 
situated in Kwala Kangsar, Perak, and Ficus 
Elastica. Mr R Derry, Superintendent of Govern- 
ment Plantations, Perak, in his report for the year 
1900, says : "The largest tree at Kwala Kangsar 
is about ninety feet high, and eighty-eight feet 
at three feet from the ground. Measuring all 
round the aerial roots the branches extend to 36 
paces, and the largest leaves obtained 13 in. x 7 in.; 
its age is nineteen years." Again he says : " From 
the latter (referring to the two nineteen-year-old 
trees) 25 lb of rubber has been got from each tree 
9,«d the tappiEg was far from being exhaustive,''^ 
