Dec. 1, 1898.1 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
411 
solely responsible for the diminished yield which has 
characterized the last five years in Southern India. 
The diatributioa of rainfall is far and away move im- 
portant to agriculture generally than the actual quan- 
tity, and although it may be said that in regard 
to Coffee, the great thing is to note how much rain 
falls in the locality between January and Iklay, 1 
would go farther and maintain that as the success 
or failure of a crop is entirely dependent on the 
blossoming of the trees, it is absoluiely essential 
that the rainfall be properly distributed so as to 
produce properlv developed bearing shoots and that 
rain must not be either in defect or excess during 
the critical perisd when the flower is maturing. I 
have heaid of a grower of rare flowers in England 
having lost hundreds ot pounds in a single day 
owing to faulty arrangements in the glass houses 
connected with maintenance of the requisite amount 
of heat, light and moisture. I regret to have to 
record the fact that 'I have lost many thousands 
of pounds during my life by the faulty distribution 
of rainfall during the blossoming of Coffee. 
The moat complete immunity from plant-pests or 
all the culture in the world will not prevent loss 
occurring if the rainfall is badly distributed at 
blossoming and other critical periods of the coffee 
plant's existence. 
It is a well-known fact that during the last five 
years agriculture in India generally has suffered 
very serious losses. The question asked is a personal 
one. Mysore is a very large territory, and one of 
its peculiarities is the varieties of climatic condi- 
tions which are met with or experienced in localities 
situated only a few miles apart. I hope, therefore, 
that any general statements I may make may be 
understood mainly to apply to the estates within a 
few miles of those in which I am interested, even 
though I feel sure they also apply to many others 
which are situated in localities where the climatic 
conditions are identical with or nearly the same as 
those under which my experience has been ebtained. 
The great famine in Mysore in 1877 was caused 
simply by the failure of a few showers in September 
when the millet was about to throw up iis fruit- 
stalk. In the same way, I hope the following state- 
ment will clearly prove the principal reason of 
the coffee crops being small, not only on those estates 
but on many others in the years 1896, 1897 and 
1898. 
In 1896, after one of the hottest and driest seasons 
imaginable (nearly 5^ months without a single drop 
of rain), a shower of i2 cents of rain fell on the 11th 
April and was followed two days afterwards by 9 cents. 
This fall was not followed up during the ten days 
which constitute the period in which the blossom is 
either matured or ruined. The effect on well-formed 
spike can readily be imagined. 
in 1897, rain commenced, after a late crop and 
before -'spike" was formed, on the 16th February, 
and 1-55 inches fell between that date and the 19th 
February, but this rain was not followed up until 15th 
^5?ho result was a grand flush of early wood and no 
aabsequent budforming. • . ., 
In 1893, ■1-28 inches of ram fell in 11 days in April, 
of which -41 cents fell on the open blossom, and these 
showers were followed by 128 iuches immediately 
after the blossom had matured. 
The show c f flower was the finest I have ever seen 
in my life, but a large percentage was rained by the 
heavy ram iuterfeiing with fertiliz.itiou. 
A few estates whicli had favourable rains in March 
and ejirly in April in all three years did very well 
and picked cr-.ps above their av rage. During this 
last peason also, nearly all the est .tea in Northern 
Mysore had excellent rain in Ma.ch to bring out 
their blossom, and it is the exception to hear ol any 
of those properties doing badly. 
During all the years between 188S-88we had the mo.st 
perfect blossom showers, and the crops were in the ag- 
gregate magnificent in spit* of plant-pests and 
abnormally irregular aggregate rainfall. 
No accurate deductions can be made except from 
an analysis of the distribution of rainfall during the 
blossoming season and the North-East Monsoon when 
the shoots, for the following year are maturing. 
The aggregate rainfall during 1896 and 1897 was 
2.32 52 inches, and produced two of the worst crops 
on record. 
The aggregate rainfall daring 188.3 and 1887 was 
only 190 O.5 inches, and produced two of the best crops 
ever known. 
The largest crop, which was in 1887, v>-a<3 produced 
by only 71-42 inches, and the worst crop ever known 
was in 1897, with an aggregate of 105-47 inches of 
rainfall. 
In conclusion, permit me to point out that there 
was only a small amount of leaf-disease last year, 
and that this pest during the last five years has not 
been nearly as bad as I have known it to be in many 
previous year.-. 
I would also desire to draw attention to the fact 
that the North-East Monsoon of this year is the best 
that has been experienced for fifteen years. 
The finest North-Enst Monsoon was in 1883, the 
begiuning of the period during which good crops 
occurred. 
The next best was in IS''?, when the record crop was 
produced and was followed by a high average crop, 
which was most remarkable. 
Far from not accepting Professor Marshall Ward's 
report relative to the life-history of Hcmeleia vastatrix 
as final, every planter of any experience is quite satis, 
fied that all that the most eminent cryptogamist could 
eiiect has been done by him. Lasting credit is due 
to him for his painstaking devotion to our interests. 
His last words were to the effect that future in- 
vestigation must be associated with the experimental 
investigation of the nutrition of plant cells, a subject 
which can only be studied in a laboratory equipped 
to the highest possible standard of efficiency. It is 
this investigatien which I venture to hope may claim 
the first attention of expei'ts in the near future. 
Professor Marshall Ward also sounded a most ex- 
cellent word of warning when he impressed upon us 
the vital importance of paying increased attention to 
methods and time of pruning and handling, so as to 
have such shoots on our trees as local experience may 
have indicated as best fitted to withstand or even 
resist the attacks of the pest. Where many practical 
planters differ from his opinions is simply in regard to 
the fact that the experience gained on many thousands 
of acres of coffee clearly demonstrates that attention 
to the selection of seed and variety of coffee and the 
class of shade and its regulation ; the use of suitable 
manures, together with improved methods for main- 
taining proper physical condition of the soil, mors 
especially if associated with judicious pruning and 
handling; have one and all a most decided tendency 
to mitigate the effects of the scourge. Professor Mar- 
shall Ward's most excellent report, while in some 
places clearly supporting these facts, also contains the 
bone of contention that the entire requirements of the 
fungoid parasite are a plentiful supply of healthy cell- 
sap and a little moisture, which rightly or wrongly 
has been interpreted by many ta mean that nothing 
can be done to save us from the pe5t, and that in fact 
the more we '^'ork and the better heart we keep our trees 
in. the more attractions there will be for the pest. 
I have been a planter for 36 years. Our estates have 
produced more crop since we entirely re- planted 
them with Nak Nad Coffee than thev ever did even 
in the glorious seasons of fornipr years. 
At this moment thej' are looking far finer than I 
have ever seen them do before, and consequently I 
humbly venture to say that I have every right to my 
cheerfulness. 
L' t us hope that your kind intention to watch the 
developments in Mysore may be rendered agreeable by 
the beneficial results of the present North-E\sc 
Monsoon aided by a good distribution of rainfuU at 
next blossoming. 
I earnestly hope I may not be blamed for most 
cordially agreeing with you that systematic and persel 
yering work are essential to sncoesa in all agricultnra 
