July 1, 1901.J THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
31 
THE RUBBER PLANTING COMPANIES' 
[Plantation ; 'Buena Vista,' canton of Acayu- 
can, state of Vera Cruz, Mexico.] " While 
we now have upwards of 500,000 rubber trees, 
ranging from young trees to 4^ years of age, 
the best showing on the isthmus [of Tehuan- 
tepec] is undoubtedly made by one of our 
neighbors, B Griffin, who has fully 30,000 
rubber trees with his coffee, of 3^ and 4^ 
years of age, closely followed by J C Harvey, 
another neighbouring planter, who has 
occasionally written you articles on the sub- 
ject." Rubber is planted 800 to the acre, 
with the idea of thinning out, by excessive 
tapping of some trees, when old enough to 
become overcrowded. Harvesting of sugar, 
tobacco, coffee, gitjger, and corn has begun, 
and the first shipment of coffee was expected 
soon at Chicago. The Company favor rubber 
shade for coffee- Cultivated trees are repor- 
ted to be shorter but of larger diameter than 
wild trees of the same age, and to yield more 
rubber. [Plantation " San Luis," near Palen- 
que, department of Palenque, state of Chiapas, 
Mexico.] The Company own a tract of 
24,700 acres, watered by the river Michol 
which empties into the Tujila, and that in 
turn mto the Usumacinte, which enters the 
gulf near Prontera. The estate is divided 
into three •' fincas" — named "San Luis," 
'•San Francisco," and "Los Angeles" — the 
development of each of which has been begun. 
Up to January between 900 and 1000 acres had 
been cleared, except that trees of eight or 
10 inches diameter are allowed to stand. 
Planting was begun last year, resulting in 
about 60,000 trees now standing. In January 
there were 50,000 or more nursery trees, to be 
transplanted this spring, when they would 
be a year old. Preparations are under way 
for creating more nursery stock, in order to 
provide for planting each season as ad- 
ditional land is cleared. Trees , are plan- 
ted sixteen feet apart, each way, 
the ground being cleaned for a space 5 feet 
square for each tree. It is estimated that 
one clearing of these spaces per year will be 
sufficient until the rubber trees have become 
large enough to dominate all other growths. 
~Th6 hidia Rubber World, April 1. 
" BASIC SUPERPHOSPHATE ": 
MR. JOHN HUGHES' PATENT ; 
AND THE MANURING OP TEA. 
A planter, who has paid a good deal of at- 
tention to toe subject of the proper manure 
for tea, thus deals with Mr. Hughes' pam- 
phlet : — 
" I have looked into Hughes' pamphlet on 
Basic Superphosphate. Unless it is relatively 
cheaper than Basic Slag, I doubt if there 
will be much sale for it in Ceylon. Phos- 
phoric acid in my experience is an essential 
ingredient that tea draws upon only to a 
small extent. Many Ceylon soils have ample 
for all requirements, for apparently an in- 
definite period. Basic Slag, however, is 
largely used along with buried prunings and 
generally speaking is most effective applied 
in this way, more so than burnt] and slaked 
coral lime applied in the same way. The 
acids formedT during decomposition appear 
•to supply the necessary solvent, which in 
certain soils, if applied in the ordinary way, 
might be a- wanting. The cost per ton is not 
stated, which is rather an important omis- 
sion, as there is no means of comparing the 
value. For instance concentrated superphos- 
phate, and finely slaked coral lime, where 
lime was deficient, might be found a cheaper 
form of restoring the balance. Quick acting 
manures for annuals are economical and 
sound, but for tea the problem is more com- 
plicated. It is one. rather, of adjustment of 
the essential ingredients in available forms 
and in due proportions, over much longer 
periods. We have rough and ready ways of 
arriving at this, but are yet a long wav, I 
fear, from having accurate and scientifically 
recorded facts that can aid us much. The 
complexity of the conditions which even 
vary from time to time, are great." 
CINCHONA AND CARDAMOMS. 
A planter on the Aunamalai Hills, Coimbatore dis- 
trict, India, says that a large amount of Ledgeriana 
cinchona will be planted this year, the very free, deep 
soil, with its splendid drainage, appearing to suit to 
perfection. Some neighbours of his are giving Suc- 
cirubra and Hybrid a trial, thinking that cinohoni- 
dine will pay. The planter in question, Ixjjwever, 
believes in good-class Ledgeriana, and, if it grows as 
well as it promises, he thinks there will be no diffi- 
culty on the part of the Indian planter holding his 
own against the Java average of 5^ per cent, quinine 
sulphate, or even the Java Government average of 
7'16 per cent. As regards cardamoms, about 1,000 
acres have been opened up te date in the Coimba- 
tore district, Mysore seed has been tried, but noD 
always with success. 
EAST INDIAN DRUGS. 
At a recent drug-auction five bales of jambul-seeda 
from India were offered, but no bid was made for them. 
This drug is apparently produced by Emienia Jambo- 
lana, a myrtaceous tree, usually of considerable size, 
fouud in India and Ceylon, and dis*^ributed through- 
out the Malay Archipelago to Australia. The cotyle- 
dons are thick and more or less united or distinct. 
The fruit is subacid and edible, and is improved un- 
der cultivation. Of late years the seeds have been 
recommended as a remedy in diabetes, and the dried 
seeds, in combination with those of Mangifcra indica, 
are administered with good effect as a powder in cases 
of diarrhoea and dysentery ; they are also stated to 
be employed as an antidote to nux-vomica poisoning, 
the dose being 160 gr. in the form of a powder. 
Dymock, in " Pharmacographia Indica," gives the in- 
formation that a vinegar is prepared from the juice of 
the ripe fruit, which forms an agreeable stomachic and 
carminative, and is also used as a diuretic. The bark 
is astringent, and is employed either alone or in com- 
bination with other drugs in gargles and washes. 
_ Another East Indian drug offered at the same auc- 
tion was three bales of hydrocotyle herb [Hiidrocotyle. 
asiatica), which we briefly noted at the time. \ The plant 
is a prostrate herb found in tropical and sub-tropical 
regions, occurring in India to an altitude of 2,000 
feet in the Himalayas, and distributed throughout the 
Peninsula to Ceylon. It was known to Sanskrit writers 
of very remote times, being regarded as alterative, tonic, 
and useful in diseases of the skin. Boileau made its 
uses known in 1852 in the treatment of leprosy, and 
later, in 1885, Hunter experimented with it in Madras 
for the same disease, with suiSciently satisfactory re- 
sults to bring about its admission to the Indian 
Pharmacopoeia. In preparing the plant for use the 
leaves are stripped from the petioles, and are air-dried 
in the shade and ground to a powder, as it appears that 
if dried ia the snn or by artificial methods they lose 
