Oct 1, 1898,] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
To the Ed'dor. 
ANALYSIS OF COUOA TREE. 
Pathregalla, Potuhera, June 2-1:. 
Dear Sir, — Mr. Cochran has asked nie the 
following question: — 
" Have you ever made an estimate of how long 
a loaf lasts? In other words by what number 
would you multiply 29 lb. leaves to get the 
whole leafage for one year?' 
27 lb. was the green weight of leaves from the 
tree I sent him for analysis. 
Would you mind looking up your files to see 
if you can (ind the necessary information, and 
send it to Mr. Cochran. — Vours laitlifuliy. 
H. DE SANCTIS. 
[Very sorry we cannot oblige ; but Mr. Cochran 
i.s such a regular reader of our Tropical Agrl- 
cuUurist that if the information had been already 
published, in our monthly liles since 1881, he 
would be sure to know. The "fact" \\anted is 
just one never yet verified by cacao planters and 
they should now take observations in difl'erent 
districts in regard to this particular enquiry and 
also others of equal importance to the Chemist 
and Fungologist.— Ed. T.A.] 
INSECT PESTS. 
Sir, — At a time when attention is being 
directed to insect pests, we think that the enclosed 
copy letter received from the Chiswick Soap Co. 
together with the article from the Planters' Onzette 
has been more than mere trade interest, and that 
you may care to publish it. 
We may add that we have a small quantity of 
the Chiswick Compound which we would be pre- 
pared to issue to Planters' free of cliarge ex 
our Godowns here on the understanding that they 
would experiment with it on cocoa or tea, &o, 
and report results.— Yours faitlifully, 
A. PHILIP & Co. 
Chiswick, London, July 6, 1898. 
Messrs. Alexander Philip & Co., Kandy, Ceylon. 
Dear Sirs, — No doubt you will have heard of 
and very probably have seen the book recently 
])ublislica by Mr. Watt as to the result of his visit 
to some of the Tea Gardens and he mentioned in 
same that he is of opinion that insecticides are of 
little or no use, an opinion which is entirely at 
variance witli what is done in all other countries 
and opposed to the opinion of many of the 
principle planters who are using Chiswick Com- 
pound with very excellent results. We enclose 
you copy of an article in an old Plantirs" Gazette. 
recommending the use of the Chiswick Compound, 
evidently written by some planter who is row 
using the wash although we do not know in the 
least who the writer is. We make these few 
rema'-ks for your guidance. — Yours truly, 
(Signed) Chiswick Soap Co. 
It is a somewhat extraordinary circumstance that so 
little ie known about this pest. It has baffled the 
skill of all the scientists at home. If would appear to 
be established that any extreme chinate condition 
produces it, and that is about all that is abso- 
lutely ascertained. Indeed, it would seem that 
atmospheric charges have more control over it than 
anything that man can devise to counteract it, We 
do not agree that insecticides are no use, for there 
is little doubt that considei-able advance has been 
made in this, and that the Cliiswick Compound miti- 
f!ate3 its ravages to a great extent ; and although we 
do not imagine that this, or any other compound, will 
thoroughly eradicate it. still the amouut often saved 
is very considerable ; and a perseverance with it is 
to be recommended to those whose gardens suffer from 
the pest. So long as no control can be obtained over 
the elements, so long will red spider reign supreme. 
The extreme drought, now in some of the Tea districts, 
fosters it , and the same will hold good if we have 
continuous downpour after the drought breaks. The 
cases of cholera, which one so often sees, are excellent 
examples of what red spider is to the tea bush ; and 
every doctor one has ever heard on the subject, will 
tell you that unless the patient's blood is in a certain 
state fit to receive the poison, cholera is harmless ; 
that some subjects = weakly ones— are more 
prone to be aitacked, no one will deny, so it is with 
the tea bush. The weakly ones fall victims first, atd 
every annual attack leaves its victim more susceptible 
to attack as the constitution, so to speak, is weakened ; 
and in addition to using Chiswick Compound freelj-, 
attention should also be paid to the bush by manuring 
or top-dressing, which are the equivalents to the 
course of soups, essences, etc., supplied to the human 
subject. We consider that those who follow the 
course will have no cause fo)' regret, and we confidently 
assert will be well rewarded for their trouble. 
The application of dry sulphur has for years been 
recommended as a cure by some of our oldest 
planters, and if our memory serves us rightly, 
by none more strongly than by Mr. Christison, when 
a tea-planter in Darjeeling. Now it stands to 
reason if sulphur applied in a dry state, was to a 
certain extent beneficialin checking the ravages of red 
spider, it must be much more so if applied in a 
soluble state, and although we are not possessed of 
the secret of the preparation of the Chiswick com- 
pound, one s olfactory nerves are not long in dis- 
covering the fict that sulphur is one of the principal 
ingredients. Many may not be aware of it, but it is a 
fact that sulphur is not soluble in ordinary water, 
except by the aid of lime ; and the application of dry 
sulphur must be more expensive and, we should say, 
less likely to give out those gase? which are necessary 
to act as insecticides. We notice Dr. Watt says he 
does not believe in insecticides, but we fail to grasp 
what he would have the planter to do. Is he to sit 
down and fold his hands, and sav, it is " hismut," 
or to try some remedy? If the planter does try some 
remedy, even if it fails, he has the satisfaction of 
knowing he has done his best in his proprietor's 
interests; but we venture to express an opinion that 
the Chiswick Compound has gone beyond the experi- 
mental stage ; and, if it is not a cure, (and we <lon't 
say it is), it certainly mitigates the ravages of the 
red spider, and it remains to be seen whether a 
series of applications of, say, ?> to 4 years will not 
eradicate the disease, or, at any rate, leave so little 
behind it that it would not enter into a planter's 
calculations. The Chiswick Compound Co. should 
keep statistics of tlie factories that have been sup- 
plied with their Compound, and how many years in 
succession the same portion of a garden has been 
treated ; and the information now vvantiui; could be 
obtained for ths benefit of future generations.— /(iiijan 
Planters' Gazette. 
EUCALYPTUS : A CURE EOU TYPHOID 
FEVER. 
Aug. 2nd. 
Dear Sir, — The jilanting correspondent of 
" Indian Gardening, ' whose letter yon quote 
on 'page 2ii2, is (juile right in c;illing at- 
tention to the general neglect of the Encalyjitus 
by the medical profession in India ami iiis re- 
marks apply perhaps with greater force to Ceylon. 
JJeing only an aniatenr medical practitioner, un- 
