Jan. 2, 1899.1 
THE TEOPICAL 
AGRICULTUEIST. 
507 
the treatment by shaving was not recommeoded as 
the best, but as a second method when trees were 
BO badly diseased that the more drastic method of 
entirely cutting out the deceased tissue was likely to 
kill the tree. The conditions necessary for the suc- 
cess of the shaving are a dry atmosphere or still 
better direct sunlight. In estates where, because of 
shade, the atmosphere is seldom dry, except duiing 
a long drought, the shaving treatment does not suc- 
ceed so well. By ''shade" is not m ant ms^rely the 
shade produced by other trees put in for that pur- 
pose, but the shade produced by the cacao trees 
themselves. If the trees are so close that the branches 
ov«rIap each other, then the grouni is shaded just 
as if heavy shade trees were present. Where the 
canker is prevalent, the danger of such proximity 
in spreading and favouring the disease is very 
marked, and in more than one case where the air has 
been let in by judicious pruning as well as by cut- 
ting down shade trees, the goods effects have been 
most marked. 
But in all cases where the effect of 
THE SHAVING 
have not been marred and even nullified by exces- 
sive shade, the trees as a rule, were cured. I have 
examined more than 300 trees, the diseased parts of 
which had been carefully shaved as recommended, 
and in only 36 of these was there any sign of the 
disease. In the case of some estates which had 
been visited by a most unusally prolonged dry period, 
the trees had, in nearly every case, been cured, 
but in these places a proportion of the trees which 
were badly diseased, and required to be shaved 
over a lai-ge surface, had succumbed to the effects 
of the drought and the sh-.ving combined : but, in 
these cases it cannot be said how long the trees, 
■would have survived had they been left ; and it is 
probable that the disease would have itself killed 
them in a not very much longer time, while, by 
shaving off the diseased bark and destroying it, . a 
vast amount of danger to the remaining trees was 
removed. 
However, the rule laid down in the last report 
still holds good ; in my opinion, where possible, the 
whole of the diseased tissue and a wide margin 
should be entirely, excised and destroyed, but in the 
cases of badly diseased trees the shaving may be 
tried, and it must always be remembered that having 
shaved them they are not yet safe ; and must be, 
after a short period, examined to see if the treat- 
ment has been satisf actory, and if any active canker 
still remains, it must be out out. 
The experience which we have gained during the 
wet season shows us that it is possible, even in cases 
of estates seriously diseased, to combat the disease; 
but, it also shows very clearly how much more easily 
the disease is kept in hand when it is looked after 
in its initial stages; and it is therefore of great im- 
portance that all growers of cacao who have no canker, 
should be the victims of a wholesome dread of the 
disease, and by constant watchfulness discover the first 
signs of any canker and destroy all affected parts, 
whether occurring in stem, branch or pod. 
The statement in the second report that 
FORASTEKO 
was much less attacked by the canker than the 
CrioUo, there is reason to think should be to a cer- 
tain extent modified — though all the data still point 
to the Forastero being le-m attacked ; yet the existence 
of fairly large areas of Forastero badly affected 
show that given the conditions necessary, the disease 
can in both, bark and pod produce great, and if not 
checked, fatal damage to an estate which is entirely 
Forastero. 
The cutting out or shaving of trees is an operation 
that calls for great care, but a very little instrnctioa 
enables the cooly to understand and practice it. I 
have seen it carried out perfectly by large bands of 
coolies on several estates. However, planters will find 
that a great deal of supervision ia necessary to avoid 
scamped work, which is in m'vny ways more dangerous 
than not doing the work at all, as ic induces a false 
feeling of security. The application of lime and other 
Wfshesj ^bile bene&cia,! as a preveotive, makes the 
detection of the cankered parts more difficult, in fact, 
the disease goes on growing under the applications 
until it is noticed by the bleeding, an i this means 
that it must have been active ia the tree for some 
time. 
The necessity for a con'innal 
INSPECTIO-N- or CAJAO 
trees is rendered more i'uperative by the fact that 
in a considerable proportion of tht cases of canker 
examined, the mycelium of the f angus has penetrated 
to the' wood and runs along tne wood and breaks onfc 
at another place in the bark ; but if the parts of affected 
bark are all removed in most cases this mycelium 
in the wood is starved out. Still, this habit of run- 
ning under the bark in the wood is insidious and 
calls for special observation even when a tree appears 
to have been properly treated. Special coolies who 
show themselves clever at their work constantly 
examining the trees of an estate, will be certain to 
repay a hundred-fold their daily wage. 
In conclusion, it appears from a further period of 
observation, that if the methods before laid down for 
battling with the disease are carefully carried out, 
this enemy to cacao cultivation may be gradually 
exterminated, and it behoves all cultivators, however 
small the area of their plantation to do their best 
to fight the disease and to see that they are not 
the means of spreading the spores of the fungus to 
the detriment of their neighbours and the destruction 
of their own trees. 
17ch Dec. 1898. .J. B. CARRUTHERS. 
" COMPOSITION OF CINCHONA SOILS." 
London, E.C., Nov. 30. 
Sir, — In the last Oveiicmcl Observer bearin" the 
date of November 4tli, there is on paf^e l,5i0 a 
.'ihort editorial note under the headinsr of 
" Cinchona Bark and Quinine to tlie Front in 
•which a renewed attempt at cinchona cultivation 
is seriously advised es)jecially in the Uva dis- 
tricts. 
Bearing A" mind tlie disappointment caused in 
the past, through the failure of cinchona planta- 
t.ons to produce prolitable results, it would be 
desirable and certaiiily wise to ascertain lirst, 
whether the land selected is likely to be suitable 
for the purpose intended. Also whether the 
average rainfall is sufficient in quantity aud fairly 
equally distrilmted throughout tlie year. 
in 1886, for his own information, the writer 
specially obtained through Mr. K. Thomson, a 
specimen of soil, from the Central Cordillera of 
the Columbian Andes, upon which Cinchona 
Lancifolia were growing and it may bs useful to 
planters if the analysis, particulars of rainfall 
and situation were made public at the present 
titr.e. 
Mr. Thomson's notes are as follows : — 
" The best varieties of cinchona lancifolia grow 
upon this soil, the elevation is 8,000 feet and the 
average rainfall is about 100 inches. One variety 
of lancifolia gave 6'20 per cent of quinine, while 
several other indigenous species ot cinchona in 
the same locality contained from 1 to 2i per cent 
of quinine. The subsoil to a great depth is the 
same as sample sent, for the immediate surface soil 
specially rich in vegetable matter was excluded 
when taking the sample. This subsoil is sandy 
and porous so much so that after heavy rains the 
soil quickly becomes perfectly dry. The sample 
was taken from virgin forest and represents 
the quality of the soil throughout the entire 
Cordillera." 
The most noticeable points in the analysis are 
the high figures for natural moisture 4 S-2S re- 
tained in the air-dried sample, aud IS-GS7 com- 
bined water and organic matter ; showing con- 
siderable retentive properties, which are probably 
due tg the decayed vegetable matter presQat^ 
