Sept. 1, 1903.] THE TUOPICAL AGRICULTURIST. I97 
hiiu g'oing for guavas. I have not seen iiim at 
the tortrix, but no doubt he would feed ou this 
if he were hard pressed. The robin buiUa in a 
box or hole, but he has enemies. A pair hatch 
live or six young regularly in an old pigeon cote 
in my garden and they are very pleased when the 
young are xble to fly, but very often 1 find the 
young shortly after hatching lying below the cote: 
whether turned out by sparrows or other birds I 
know not. I do not pose as an authority; I only 
state what I have noticed. If others will do like- 
wise useful information may result. I am in- 
directly interested in tea. 1 take an interest in 
fruit trees and plants which I find are iufei^ted by 
pests. I am interested in birds of all kinds and 
have encouraged them to come to the garden ; 
they come, but I could do with more. The sub- 
ject to me is full of interest, and no doubt it 
is so to many of your readers. — Yours faithfully, 
" INTERESTED." 
THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS. 
A bbotsford, August 7. 
Deab Sir, — A few more last words please on the 
above subject. 
I was surprised when Mr Marks said the 
Ceylon robin kept at a distance from human 
habitations, and I was still more so when " H C 
VV " stated that artificial inducements for bird? 
were quite useless. 
Here is my experience to the contrary. 
When Mr Alex. Whyte, now of Central Africa, 
was a chemist and taxidermist in Kandy he lived in 
a house just over the way from his shop in Ward 
Street. I called at his house (need I say 30 odd 
years ago,) and I was at once struck by the number 
of birds in his garden, which was by no means a 
large one and as you see practically in the centre of 
the town. The secret of it was he had lots of 
little boxes nailed to his trees and verandahs for 
the robins and so forth to build their nests in, and 
there they were to be seen either sitting on their 
eggs or trotting the youngsters around the garden 
as tame as barndoor cliiekens. I adopted the idea 
and I have almost always found it a successful 
draw until quite recently when I found the 
Ceylon robins liad deserted their boxes in the tree?, 
and the *l)lue robins had left off building in the 
boxes attached to the verandah wall-plates, and I 
want to find out why it should be so, as these two 
dear songsters are amongst our markedly decreas- 
ing birds here. 
Kingfishers used to swarm at Radella and 
all round about here, and now we only see a pair 
or two ot them once in a blue moon. 
" Proprietor's" letter is a very interesting 
and sensible one, and very much to the point as 
tar as tea districts in general are concerned, as 
wild cats swarm where cultivation is carried 
on amidst chena or abandoned land or adjacent 
forests ; but it is quite different here although 
we have always had a few wild cats, and very 
troublesome cues they are, we have not suffi- 
cient cover for them to increase much. 
There are lots of shy birds in the jungles abut- 
ting on the low country just as there are lots 
of cuits and snakes in the same regions, but it is 
different as regards those up here. 
The bird is tigared in Legge'a book, but I 
forget the scientific name. 
25 
Our birds decrease liowever, and I see no- 
thing for it but to blame the Jungle Grow, 
a recent addition to our Upcountry birds, though 
the P. inter's D must needs call it a decent addi- 
tion to which, of course, I demur. 
The crow, however, appreciates and hastens to 
take advantage of this testimonial ; for, no sooner 
had I read this news than down one hopped on to 
my dooistep ; spread-eagled bis tail and wings and 
proceeded to plume his feathers as if the whole 
premises belonged to him. I set the collie at him 
and the result was most laughable. Collie danced 
and barked for all he was woith at the crow a few 
feet above him. Crow cocked his head on one 
side and scolded the dog for his officious in- 
terference. The performance has been rehearsed 
several times since and I can easily see 
this crow is going to get the better of me 
through sheer downright impudent cheek ; so wiH 
some kind friend please come and take him 
away alive or dead. 
Since writing the above I have seen a letter 
by "Interested" and thongh he doesn't Hatter 
me overmuch, I am very pleased, indeed, to see 
it, Robins are very fond of deserted pigeon cotes, 
but failing these they do not despise half a cigar 
box nailed to an umbrageous tree. 
The little honey bird he refers to is what 
Tenuent calls Sun Birds or "The Humming bird of 
Ceylon." They are most industrious little beggars, 
but I'll back a Jenny Wren against them. 
Well done Joe Spedding, more power to your 
elbow and may the pariahs (i) increase and 
multiply exceedingly,— Yours truly, 
JOHN FRASER, 
USEFUL HINTS FROxM A PLANTER. 
August 12. 
Sir, — I enclose what may be useful, if you 
have room for the hints. By the way I must 
thank your " T. A." Editor for the para on how 
to make plantain jelly. Our cook had it all ex- 
plained to him and produced a really excellent 
jelly. Be your article from Home paper on 
dAY Fever, if any of your readers who suffer 
from this annoying malady will invest in a nasal- 
douche which costs about R2, and within two 
or three minutes after an attack of sneezing, 
stand over the toilet basin and thoroughly but 
gently syringe the nostrils with cold water for 
about two minutes, after which bathe the eyes, in 
five times out of six he will probably receive 
instant relief, and be free from the attack for the 
whole day. If this does no good let him try 
Mother Seigel's Syrup for a month after meals. 
For Insomnia try a cup of hot soup nightly, 
the last thing before going to bed. 
AN OLD PLANTER. 
CEYLON PRODUCTS AND OUR ANNUAL 
STATISTICS. 
Aug, 13. 
Dear Sir,— Your article on Tea, &c., on the 8th 
is excellent reading and to the point. Tea- 
dealers must make up their mind that we have 
reached finality in tea bearing in Ceylon and 
India for some years to come. Labour, or want 
of labour, ia the chief cause and will continue 
to be 80 if men are rash enough to add to tl\t> 
tea area. Of course, there are large tracts of 
}<vad suitable for the growth of commoo low 
