June 1, 1900.J THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
841 
My humble opinion is that the drier the ohmate 
the deeper into the soil should the mauuve be apphed 
and the farther from the tree to encourage the growth 
of roots deeper from the surface where more „:o>s- 
ture will be available; and farther from the tiees 
they are drawn, the larger JviU be the area over 
which the moisture is absorbed. Oi course, I would 
not manure where there are no signs oi roots bixt 
U BhZld be the effort of the cultivator to bring 
them gradually where they have not been before and 
encourage them to go farther if possible. 
In conformity with my views and the little ex- 
nerience I have gained, the following is the system 
f vJould adopt and on 'which I should ^;ery much 
like to hear the opinions of Veteran Planters. 
In the first year I would spread the manure, one foot 
clear of the trunk in a radius of 4 ft. and the soil 
turned if possible in lumps to a depth of about 10 
this operation in a field planted say 22 apart wi 1 
leave between lines— both ways-a strip of 12 uncul- 
tivated soil. The third year one of these strips is 
manured uninterruptedly between each line, ana tne 
cross strip is taken in hand and dealt with similarly 
in the fifth year-having thus in three applications 
manured and tilled all the soil over the whole field and 
encouraged thegrowtb of rootseverywhere-ana avoided 
disturbing them too frequently-as it would if regu- 
larly manured every third year at the foot of the tree. 
Further manuring when due would take place 
between lines, each application made between trees 
every other year crossing one another. 
Considering that a good tillage of the soil cannot be 
given without severing a large number of roots of .he 
coconut it must follow that the farther from the tree 
this iniury is inflicted the less it will be felt. 
As with every other products, so with the coconut, 
cultivation must be carefully and thoroughly done 
and the old saying " that what is worth doinfe at all, 
is work doing well," is as true of this as any other 
cultivation. ^' ^' 
TOMATOES AND THEIR CULTURE. 
April 22. 
Dkar Sm,— With reference to your re- 
marks regarding tomatoes from Dehiwala, 
it is no surprise to have tomatoes pro- 
duced during dry weather ; in fact, I find 
they cannotjwell be grown under any other con- 
ditions, as unless sheltered from rain m wet 
weather they become affected by a disease. I 
should like to know the experience of some of 
your readers in growing this very useful esculent. 
Yeuis truly, 
PINEAPPLE CANNING. 
Kandy, April 23rd. 
Dear Sir,— In one of your issues. I 
note that you wondered why Ceylon did 
not can and export pineapple like Singa- 
pore. For the best of all reasons, I fear, 
because the trade is ovei'done. The pine- 
apple canners in Singapore have been los- 
ing money on the business and a good deal 
of the land formerly in pineapples, has been 
let slide ; so I was told when at Singapore 
last year. - Yours truly, PLANTER. 
manures, in order that there may be no waste 
and that the best economic results may be 
obtained. We have, therefore, deemed it 
advisable, as well in our own intei-ests as 
estate agents and proprietors, as in the 
interests of our constituents, to engage a 
trained Agincultural Analyst. We have 
pleasure in informing 7/ou that we laave 
secvired the services of Mr. Robert Eadie, who 
has worked under Professor Aikman, of 
Glasgow, for twelve years, and for the last 
seven has acted as his Chief .Assistant. Mr. 
Eadie, who is well acquainted with the 
methods adopted in modern manuring, will 
analyse any sample of soil submitted ; and, 
if desired, make a manurial recommendation. 
Having regard, however, to Mr. Bamber's 
investigations and his continued residence in 
the planting districts, we do not anticipate 
that Mr. Eadie's assistance will be required 
so much in this direction as in preparing and 
analysing manures. In future we shall be 
able to verify all analyses furnished to us, 
and thus from our own knowledge guarantee 
the purity of each manure we sell. — I am, 
Dear Sir, yours faithfully, 
JOHN G. WARDROP, Manager. 
IMPERIAL TEA COMPANY (CEYLON). 
COERESPONDENC RESPECTING AGENCY 
CHARGES, &C. 
Sir, — Now that the Imperial Tea Company of 
Ceylon has issued its report for 1899, and now 
that the lucky shareholders are aware that the 
perennialand princely dividend (perennial it would 
seem) of four per cent is to accrue to them, 
it may interest some of them, it I give an ex- 
tract from some correspondence I had with the 
local agents during 1898, As there has been no 
difference made, to my knowledge, in the 
charges, shareholders can draw their own infer- 
ences as to how much profit is ab.'^orbed. (Vide 
local Agent's letter.)— Yours,- i-c, 
ARTHUR R. WIGGIN. 
Oddington, Liudula, May 1. 
Extract from a letter to Blessrs. Vv inttall & Co., 
Agen s for thi Impe-ial Tea Est iies Company of Ceylon 
dated August 5tli, 1898:- 
I not ce tha' Agency Charges in Colombo are 1 per 
cent on disbursement-. I presuti.e ih s applies to all 
monies paid into estate account?, Is there no com- 
miasion on drafts? I also note 1 ceut per lb. is paid 
on all tea shipp- d or sold locilly; is charge for ship- 
ping included in th s < ne ce t, or is this a separate 
charge? (Answer gives it as included.) I no' ice in 
balance-sheet for 1897, 2 per cent, is paid to the London 
Agents for all produce s ild in Colombo. Assuming 
that all produce of the Conipiuv's estates was sold in, 
Co ombo. am I right iu sup, 03 ng the AgeLcy Charges 
w^,uld be as follows : — 
Allowing the crop to be th s year the same a.s last 
565,170 lbs. and aujiposing it all tn be sold in Colombo 
at, say, 40 I ents ; and taking all Estates expenditure to 
ARTIFICIAL MANURING. 
A NEW AGRICULTURAL ANALYST. 
Colombo Commercial Company, Limited, 
Colombo, April 26. 
Dear Sir,— The greatly extended use of 
valuable conr^entrated fertilizers calls for 
exact scientific information on all points con- 
nected with the selection and preparation of 
c -- I'on 
agent's comm ssion at 2 per cei t. — oommi sion 
R4 531,'36, or 18 per cent, of the O05 Ion pr- fit. Please 
correct me if 1 imr wio"": Add lo th s tlio 
Directors, a':d 27 percent, -.s acoimted 'or. (£350 at 
1/4=E5,250) (Si!.;ned) AhTHUK R. Wiggin- 
P. 8. — The answer to tliis 1 cannot be at the 
trouble of copying out, but it was to eff set tliatmy 
figures were in the main c rreet b it misleading. 
Shareholders appear to have no redres?, as the 
Directorj apparently enteied into tkese harmless 
