592 
Supplement to the ^'Tropical AgricuUurist." 
[Feb. 1. 1899, 
The mineral matter coiisiitud cliidfly of potash 
atu! prosphoric iiciii. Fi'Din thi-i analysis it is 
evident that "pind ir" meal would be eminently 
suitable as a fertilli-er, for which purjio-e it is 
valued at about £4'10.s. per ton. 
Tlie vine itself, when proi)erly dried, is also of 
consideraljle value as fodder for stock. "Titidar" 
hay is verj' little inferior to clover h iy ; more )ver, 
it bears on its roots the nodular s\velliii{».s, 
characteristic of the Leyuminosai, which enuble it 
to assitnulate the nitrogen ofthenir, and so be- 
comes capable of enriching soils wliich'are poor in 
nitrogen. 
There are several varieties of •' pindars/' and of 
these the iSyjawiVt possesses the advantages that the 
see<;ls may be planted more closely togelher, that 
its crop is comparatively e:\i-y to harvest, and that 
it matures in four or five monriis, while other 
varieties require about nine months. 
In the United States, it is usual to remove tlie 
seeds from the pods before planting; but in the 
West Indies it is advantageous to sow the seeds in 
the pods, us tiiey are then protected from the 
ravages of the ants. 
Tiie average yield amounts to aboutlSO to 60 
bushels per acre, the bushel varying from 22 lb. to 
28 lb., according to the kind cultivated. 
(8) Note on Citronella grass cultivation in 
Ceylon : — 
The production of citronella oil has increased so 
enormously during the past fewycars, thatMe-srs. 
Schimniel & Co., of Leipzic, have found it neces-iary 
to undertake a more complete study of the cultiva- 
tion of the grass and the preparation of the oil in 
Ceylon, than has hitherto been made. (Schimmel 
^ Co.'s Semi- Annua I Report, Oct. 1898.) 
The grass is cultivated e.xclnsively in the 
southern province of Ceylon, mainly between the 
rivers Ginganga, in the north-west, and Wallawe- 
ganga in the east. The presiiit extent of the 
plantations is from 40,000 to 50,000 acres of land. 
The grass grows in tufts, to a height of about 
40 inches, and only on the declivities of 
the hills. The plants require but little care ; the 
harvests, however, must begatliered regularly, and 
in due time, as otherwise the spilkes grow too 
luxuriantly, and partly decay. The crops are 
generally gathered twice annually, the fisrt during 
July and August, the second during December and 
January. The former crop is the more remunera- 
tive, as native labour is then more available; it is 
also more productive, a larger yield of oil per acre 
of grass being secured. During Decemlier and 
January the rice fields have to be prepared for the 
south-west monsoon, which occurs during April 
and May, the result being that the hands are not 
always available for the citronella crop, and its 
harvesting has sometimes to be posponed. 
The oil is obtained by steam distillation of the 
grass, without the addition of water, the yield 
varying from about 22 lb. to 28 lb per acre for the 
summer crop, and from 7 lb. to 14 lb. per acre for 
the winter crop. The produce varies, also, with 
the age of the grass, the weather, and the local 
conditions of the various plantations. The yield 
of oil gradually decreases, and after about fifteen 
years thj vitality of the grass seems to become 
exhausted and the raising of new plants becomes 
necessary to maiutuiu the estate in a payinjj con* 
dition. 
The distilleries are located at the bise of the 
ridges and hilNides, where c iol water m»y be 
obtaine! in sullici'^nt quantity. The distillate i* 
kept under lock and key, since the uatives cannot 
be entrusted with its care. When a buflici<-nt 
amount of oil has collected, the proprietor bottU. 
it, and allows the aromatic water to run aways 
Kach distillation occupie-< about six hours. The 
e.vh iusted gr.iss, after dryin;;; in the sun, is usej 
e.vclusively for fuel, as wood is almost entirely 
absent from the southern province of Ceylju. At 
soon as tlie rainy season sets in the working of 
the distilleries cases, owing to tlie luck of dry fuel. 
The working expenses arc small, as the water uud 
tear of the distilling apparatus is inconsiderable. 
The coolies employed receive 87^ cents, the women 
about 18 cents a <lay. 
Exact figures of the percentage yield of oil art 
not available, ns the weight of gra!»s put into the 
stills is never ascertiiined. 
The total numlHir of stilU in Ceylon is about 
GOO, producing annually about ].006,0001b. of oiU 
The evport of oil during lK97 nmounled to 
l,18i>,8<j7 lb., while the shipraentN for the jive-ent 
year, up to August 30, were l,0il,G2G lb., ai 
against 781.832 lb. during the same peri-M of lust 
year. Of this quantity. England has impdried 
about 462,000 lb., and the United States r,:.i',O0'J lb. 
The citronella i)lantations in the Straits .Settle- 
ments, near Singapore, are insignificant when com- 
pared with those of Ceylon. It ttj.pe.irs that about 
1,000 acres are at present under cultivation there. 
The oil obtained from that district, h.iw ever, is o 
very good quality, and yields as much as 90 per 
cent. o{ yeratiiol. the average yield being only from 
tJO to aO pier cent. 
PLANTS WHICH RESIST DROUGHT. 
The subject of drought is always of import.mce 
in the tropics, and indeed the question of re.-isting it 
is often a very serious problem in the dryer p iris of 
the island. It is therefore interesting* to hear of 
any e.Kperiments calculated to minimise the ri^ks to 
which cultivated plants are exposed in this con- 
nection. Even in England where drought, as we 
know it, is unheard of, and where the best scientific 
knowledge has been brought to bear upon all 
branches of agriculture, the matter of discovering 
plants capable of resisting a comparatively long 
period of dry weather is not free from the element 
of doubt. In the Edinburgh " Scotsman " of 26th 
September last, we find an interesting letter from 
Mr. Robert H. Elliot, of Clifton Park, Kelso, on 
this subject. He says: — 
"We are now suffering from such a long con- 
tinued drought that many farmers have begun to 
use food intended for winter consumption. The 
sheep on some farms have been described to me as 
starving. On my Clifton-on-Bowmont farm, on 
which (as shown in letters you have done me the 
honour to publish) the most drought-resisting 
plants and grasses have been used, no difficulty 
has been experienced. I have this year observed 
that the late flowering red clover resisted the 
drought as well as chicory, burnet, and kidney 
