34G 
THE TROPICAL AGIilCULTUIilST. 
[Nov. 1, 1898. 
I'LANTEliS' VEHSES. 
SING A HONG OF TENl'ENCE. 
I. 
Sing a song of lenpeiice 
'J'hc planters all exclaim, 
It's what we want to eet ua up 
And bring good luck ugiiiu. 
Ouroroiis are short, exchange is high, 
Our balances are low, 
Rupees arc up, for this we sigh, 
It is a bitter blow. 
II. 
We've Borer, Scale, and Leaf Disease ; 
As jet there is no euro 
For tlie&e drawbacks to planting life, 
Of that wo feel quite sure. 
But in the happy future 
A specific may be fonnd 
To exterminate these evils 
And renovate tiie ground. 
III. 
So much was heard of Ladybirds, 
We cent across the seas 
A trusty friend to bring Fome back 
To clean our Ooffeo trees. 
Alas I the voyage proved too much 
For the Ladybirds' frail health, 
They one and all gave up their life, 
Nor added to our wealth. 
IV. 
And now we want the Govcrument 
The Mintj to open wide, 
It is ft simple plan, yet all 
Are sternly ki.pt ontsido ; 
We Planters, and the Kyota brown 
Whose giicvauces we share. 
Would like Exchange to go low down 
To lighten all our care. 
— Indian Planters' Gazelle. Mabcus. 
THE AVAILABLEN^ESS OF ATMOS- 
FHEIUC Nli'ltOGKN FOil AGlil- 
CULTUKAL PURPOSES. 
It may be noted, in perusing the coninninic.ated 
articleon this subject in l.'ist iiiVlit's issue, lliat 
critioisia can be anticipated to the eflect that the 
arr,'unient iis to tlie exhaustion of atmospheric 
iiitroi^en by its apiiropriabion for the nutrition of 
plants applies C(|aally well to the e.Khaustion of 
the free oxygen ol the air, .-jince the combination of 
the two elements tlu(uir;h elastic agency, and 
their ultimate exhaustion as free gase.«, would 
lie in a constant ratio. The necessity for .=i)ecu- 
Lition as to the return of elementary' nitrogen 
to the atmosphere would there also stand in 
the case of eleuientai-y ovygen, in order to 
account for the preservation ot a uniform at- 
mosphere for the respiration of animals. This 
would demand a further hypothesis ! And how 
is it to be supplied ? 
Sir Wni. OiooUes refers to the .sea as the 
receptacle for the almost incalculable amount 
of organic nitrogen which reaches it 
under present conditions of civilized life, 
and points to the immense hxss of nitrogen to the 
))lant and soil through the disposal of sewerage by 
this means — a factor which tends to bring about 
that ciisis in Agriculture which lie predicts. 
Agricultural Chemistry further tells us that 
the largest loss of nitrogen from the soil occurs by 
the washing away of nitrates — among the most 
soluble of salts— which ultimately reach the sea, 
Is it to be supposed, then, that the greater 
sea which is being enriched at the expense of 
the lesser land, is holding these reserves of 
nitrofrenoHR compound* for a future generation, — 
to be redeposited through gc<dogicttl atjeDcy iu 
the form ot natural formations of nilraie as in 
Chili? Or sliould we rather give turther licence 
to our speculative powerH and think of the eea 
as the medium by which elementary nitrogen 
and oxygen are returned, thiougli chemical or 
organic .igoncy, to -the atuiot-phtre, just 
as it is the nidlium, though, in n diflereut 
tense, by which the water lost from the earth 
is given up to the atniosphere to be returned 
as rain. The deniirilication theory, w much 
diseu.ssed of late, teaches us that certain orira- 
nisms, tiie denitrifying bacteria, are inntru- 
mental to some extent in supjjlying the atmo8- 
pliere with free nitrogen deiived from the 
organic matter in the soil, and why may nbt 
a similar phenomenon <K'cur as regarde the 
immense amount of nitrogenous compoundn which 
reaches the sea? Such a hypotliesiti may be 
su)>posed to equally balance the profit and lot-s 
accounts of soil and air as regards their nitrogen 
• and oxygen, but iiow dare wc adopt it !— c.l). 
INDIAN TEA INDUSTHY. 
To the Editor of the Financial Times- 
Sir, — Yont interesting article of Friday last on "The 
Indian Tea Industry ' directs attention, quilo pro- 
|jerly, to certain possible dangers which tlircatcu this 
industry, as well as to remedies for thu'se dangers 
wnich appear to bo within reach. As you truly re- 
mark, over-production has for some time " been held out 
as a danger." It might perhaps be more correct to say 
that it has constituted a grave danger. 'J'he proKpect, 
however, of further and increasing danger on tins score 
may now (it is generally adnjittcd) bo regarded as being 
less likely, owing to the decided check which has been 
given to extension by the unprofitablcueBs of the 
past season. It may, indeed, be fairly contended 
that, instead of piodudiou bting likely to largely 
outstrip consumption, a steadily iLcreasing relief 
may be looked for, owing to the strides that are 
being made in introducing both Indian and Ceylon 
teas into new foreign markets, as is shown by Board 
of Trade figures, especially those of the past three 
months. Your remarks regarding the opening out of 
North America as a fresh market of consumption are 
quite correct. May I point out, however, that there are 
other even more important maikets now showing 
signs of opening up, chief among which are, first, the 
great PiOEsian Empire ; Germany and Scandinavia 
coming next, with the various Latin countries all 
likely, in time, to follow. Taking all these together, 
as well as the widespread British colonies — all ex- 
panding in population— it may safely be faid that the 
fresh cutlets which may be looked for are practically 
boundless in extent. But, of coarse, further develop- 
ment of these markets will require time, much energy 
end the spending of a good deal of money, either 
on the part of the "Liptons," '" Mazawattees " 
and other !a;ge distribnting agencies, or by the 
planting communities themselves. As regards the 
further reduction of the duty, from the purely 
selfish point of view of the planter, there does not 
appear to be any very tirgent need of this, as the 
tendency of any such reduction would probably be 
rather to put a premium on the reintroduction of 
cheap China teas. As regards the currency question 
on which you. Sir, appear to have an open mind 
the rise in exchange, while apparently tel'ing against 
pic fits, will, no doubt, before long be accompanied 
by some compensation reduction in rupee cost of 
producti n iu ihe shape of lower costs of food grains 
for the Iribouiers — equivalent, virtnallj", to reduced 
coolie wages, while even European salaries, and all 
European stores, &c., will tend to cost less in rupees- 
just B3 they tended upwards during the dechne in 
the value oi the rupee, — I am, &c., Geo. Seton, 
120, Bishopsgate-street, E.G., 17th Sept., 1898.— fjn- 
ancial Times, Sept, 20, 
