Jan, 1, 1900.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURiST. 
449 
with practicxlly no traces of external attack that I 
am compelled to repeat the opinion hitherto ex- 
pressed, namely, that "empty berry" is r!ue to de- 
hility and want of stamina generally in the pLmt. 
But that "spotted bean ' is largely due to the 
cause mentioned above I have no doubt. 
a matter of fact the haustellate group of Tlemi- 
pterous insects are very numerous in the country, as 
they are in countries possessing similar rlimatic con- 
ditions, and it is necessary to wage incessant war 
on all of them. The sub-order Hemiptcra of the class 
insecta contains, perhaps, the greatest pests that man 
and other animals, as well as the vegetable world 
suffer from, and this haustellate (i. e. provided with 
a haustellum or sucker) group ai'e the worst of an 
extremely bad lot. The illustration of the ravages 
members of this group can effect in the case of a 
considerable indigenous forest tree (Bersama, native 
name " Sekese.") is instructive. Anyone who has 
collected seeds of our native plants must have been 
struck with the very small percentage of good mate- 
rial ob'ainable. This is true in almost every instance. 
Naturally, in the case of coffee we spread a plentiful 
table for the "spotted hug" and its relatives, just 
as we harbor and fester horing beetles (and the 
growth of fungi) by neglecting to hurn or remove 
every particle of dead wood in a garden. For it is 
a rule that insects prefer to live in close proximity 
to the feeding material they find most suitable. It 
is also true that soil constitutionally poor, or im- 
poverished by faulty cultivation, and where growth 
is stunted, are natural breeding grounds for insects. 
The fact so frequently observed that young, or 
virgin, coffee crops are practically immune from 
"spotted bean" coincides exactly with what entomo- 
logists point out, namely, that injurious insects select 
sickly stunted, or weakly plants for their attack ; 
while the preference "spotted bug" shows for green 
berries is characteristic of the group which lives on 
green food and whose ravenous propensities are 
notorious . we see this in the well known genus 
Thrips. Planters will recollect how these latter 
quite defoliated coffee gardens in severil districts 
during the last months of 1897. 
Professor Alphens Packard points out that injurious 
insects become suddenly abundant in newly cultivated 
tracts wiiere the former presence of forest, and their 
natural enemies, kept them under. The balance of 
nature appears to be distuihed and insects, multi- 
plying rapidly, become terrible pests. In the course 
of time, however, they seem to decrease in numbers 
and the former balance is restored. 
He also remarks that injects often have a metro- 
polis where they occur in great abundance, and 
judging from the numbers of " spotted bug" collected 
by Mr. Cameron this year, his plantation would 
seem to be in or near a metropolitan area. 
Concerning remedies for the destruction of this 
pest I do not consider any means more satisfactory 
than their collection by children, as, fortunately, 
the creature is extremely easy to catch, and so are 
other members of the group that came under obser- 
vation. It would be interesting to experiment with 
the locust serum or which might prove effective. I 
feel certain, however, hand picking, with the aid of 
their natural enemies, will suppress them, for we 
have many of their inveterate enemies, (the lady 
birds) here. 1 have seen and examined the latter 
myself, while various genera and species are named 
in the lists given in Johnston's "British Central 
Africa." 
That Mr. Cameron should have noticed the "spotted 
bug" so far back as ten years ago at Mandala and 
suspect its evil-doing then is a matter of interest, 
and while it is to be regretted the facts were not 
brought to light earlier, yet this is an instance 
where the adage " better late than never " is happily 
opfopo.i. Personally my attention never was drawn 
to the matter during my visits to coffee estates and 
although I learned recently the late Mr. Buchanan 
wrote about the creature in the " C. A. Planter " of 
his day, yet that was some time prior to my arrival 
iu the Prgtectorate and the question, if ever it ex- 
cited any local interest, had evidently ceased to be 
reuiembsred. To Mi: Cameron, therefore, all tho 
more ere it is due for so effectively resusoiating it. 
Seed Selection'. I am abiiolnte'ly convinced" the 
subject of seed-selection for furnishing nnw coffee 
gardens doss not receive with us anything like the 
attention it deserves. Situated as the coffee iudustry 
is in this country it behoves planters to use every 
endeavor to ensure a high class seed being obtained 
for sowing. In consequence of the danger attending 
the importation of fresh seed and the resultant in- 
breeding that must eusue, it is essentially necessary 
that seeds used for sowing be taken from especially 
selected trees. To gather a coiiee crop, pulp it, 
and afterwards take at hazard a quantity of the 
beans for sowing, is assuredly the worst methods 
that cultivators can adopt, for it does not at all 
follow that the largest beans will eventually fur- 
nish trees capable of yielding good crops of good 
quality. 
_ The planter must select from his trees at bearing 
time those possessing as many desirable qualities 
as he can obtain, then mark the trees and see that 
their fruit is only picked when perfect ripeness is 
attain and that the seeds are expressed with the 
lingers and not fermented, but sun dried. I have 
no doubt whatever that the numerous blanks and 
failu es one meets with in every fruiting garden 
during May, June, and July, (and a large percent- 
age of the "empty" berry) are due to inherent de- 
bility transmitted through a weak parent tree, for 
when the strain of bearing is placed on such plants 
they collapse. Most people are aware of tho trouble 
and expense incurred by agriculturists at home iu 
keeping animal and vegetable stock pure and strong, 
obviously we must employ similar measures in our 
cultures here. Reference h;is just been made to the 
tendency insect enemies have for attacking weakly 
or stunted plants and it follows that a vigorous plant 
will tide successfully over the possible unfavourable 
climatic periods (drought itc.) that may occur hero 
when the weaklings will be found to succumb. In 
this connexion the value of new blood suggests 
itself. — British Central Africa Gazette. 
AGRICULTURE IN MEXICO. 
In Mexico irrigation is necessary in the greater 
portion of the country, and on account of the scarcity 
of water, a large extent of land cannot be utilised, 
When the owner of land has sufficient water for the 
purpose indicated, he retains his property, and rarely 
can be induced to sell, as it is of permanent Talue to 
him. For the last three hundered years large tree ■ 
of land have been owned by individuals or families, 
who have spent heavy sums of money for canals and 
dams in order to make them productive. The United 
States Consul-General at Monterey says that on 
account of this, and the attending expenses of 
irrigaton, there are fewer small farmers in Mexico 
than there are iu the Uited States. Until recently 
farming in Mexico has been of the primitive order, 
but the Mexican is an expert in irrigation, and if he 
can get the water, his land becomes fertile and 
yields generously. During the last two decades 
decided improvements have been accomplished 
through the introduction of modern improvements 
into farming in Mexico. The increase in production 
corresponds to the improvements in farming apparatus. 
The great railroads ofsthe country have been important 
factors iu this advance, enabling farmers with a surplus 
of production to supply those less fortunate. The 
cost of labour is from (id. to Is. per day depending on 
the locality. There are two crops of corn a season 
upon which the former averages about £5 per acre 
gross. Sugar cane, turned into Piloncillo or brown 
sugar, averages from £14 to £19 per acre gross ; 
beans from ±6 to £8 per acre ; rice, from £7 to £9 
per acre ; all other products realising correspondingly 
high prices. Thus it will be seen that the profits of 
the farmer must be large. Hay is not made in any 
gi'eat quantity, hut corn fodder is Eold to advantage. 
Near the cities, a lucrative trade is carried on in 
