.Oct. 1, 1901.J THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
more than usnal interest is given by Dr. Watt, 
Vol. I., p. 46, where the behaviour of Acacia dealbata, 
Link, indigenous to Hew South Wales, Victoria and 
Tasmania, has been entirely changed by the climate 
in the Nilgiris. The facts are, that in 1845 and up 
to about 1850, the trees in the Niltiris flowered in 
October, which corresponded with the Australian 
time, but about 1860 they were observed to flower 
in September ; in 1870 they flowered in August ; 
in 1878 in July ; and in 1882 they began to flower 
in June, this being the spring month iu the Nilgiris 
corresponding with October in Australia. It there- 
fore takes nearly 40 years to regain its habit of 
flowering in the spring, i.e., to become perfectly 
acclimatised (Ind. For.,VIU. . 2G). 
I am also informed that the English oaks now 
growing at Johannesburg further illustrate this 
point, since they begin to drop their leaves towards 
the end of May, remain here until near the end of 
August, when new leaf appears, to be followed by 
flowers which ripen into fruit by Christmas. 
These are very striking examples, and what we 
are particularly anxious to obtain is a satisfactory 
table of comparison showing the behaviour of the 
deciduous trees under different climates. The im- 
portance cannot be overestimated, as we shall 
obtain one string of facts which, together with some 
knowledge of the rates of growth of the plants in 
question, will materially assist us in our attempt to 
interpret the seasonal peculiarities of tropical woods. 
Having in view the innumerable side'issues to which 
such a problem may lend itself, we confine ourselves 
to the following points : — 
I. — When the plant drops its leaves. 
II. — When the new leaves appear. 
III. — When the flowers appear, 
A list of those plants which are deciduous in 
Ceylon is now appended in the hope that all 
interested will forward as much knowledge as they 
possess respecting the behaviour of any or all of 
these plants ; Albizzia stipulata, Borr ; Albizzia Leb- 
bek, Senth ; Albizzia procera ; Benth. ; Autiaris 
toxicaria, Lesch. ; Anogeisus latifolia ; Acacia snma, 
Kurz.; Aleurites triloba, Forst.; Alstonia scholaris, 
Br,; Adenanthera bicolor, Moon.; Bombax malabaricum, 
D.C. ; Bassia longifolia, L. ; Bauhinia ; Bridelia retusa, 
Spreng ; Cratjera Roxburghii, Br. ; Cochlospermnm 
gossypium, D.C; Cassia multijuga, Rich. ; Cassia 
grandis, Lf. ; Cassia nodosa. Ham. ; Cassia fistula, 
L.; Olerodendron Thomsonae, Balf. ; Cedrela 
serrulata, Mig.; Cedrela odorata, L.; Careya arborea 
Gaertin.; Chickrassia tabularis. A, Juss.; Chloroxylon 
swietenia, D. C;Canthium macrocarpum; Cupania 
edulis ; Citherexylum cinereum, L. ; Couroupeta 
guianensis. Aubl.; Derris robusta, Benth.; Derri- 
dalbergiodes. Baker. ; Digellostyles axillaris ; Diptero, 
carpus zeylanicus, Thw. ; Dipterocarpus hispidus, 
Thw. ; Dalbergio melanoxylen, G. and P. ; Dalbergia 
frondosa, Koxb. ; Dilenia indica, L. ; Eriodeudron 
aufractuosum, D. 0. ; Enterlobium cyclocarpum, Grisib 
Erythrina indica, L ; Ei-ythrina ve i.tina, Willd, ; 
Erythrina umbrosa, H.B.K. ; Eugenia jamb Ima; 
Ficus religiosa, L. ; Ficus Trimeni, King ; Ficus 
Arnottiana, Mig.; Ficus Wightiann, Wall ; Ficus 
infectorea, Eoxb. , Ficus semicordala, Mig. ; L^'icus 
elastica, L. ; Ficus altissima, Bl. ; Flacourtia Ra- 
montobi, L. Herit ; Gmelina arborea, Roxb. ; Hevea 
brasiliensis, Muell Arg. ; Heterophragma adenophylla. 
Seem. ; Litsea sebifera ; Lagerstroemia flos-reginae, 
lletz. ; Lagerslicemia tomentosa ; Manihot Glaziovii. 
Mull. ; Miohelia champaca, L. ; Oroxylon indicum, 
Vent. ; Odina Woodier, Roxb. ; Pithecolobium 
saman, Benth.; Pericopsis Mooniana, Thw. ; Poin- 
ciana regia, Boj. ; Plumieria acutifolia, Poir. ; 
Pterospernum semisgittatum, Ham.; Phyllanthus 
emblica, L. ; Pahudia Javanica, Mig. ; Peltophorum 
Leunei, Benth. ; Peltophorum ferrugeninm, Benth. ; 
Pterocarpus echiuatus Pers. ; Pterocarpus marsnpium, 
Roxb.; Pterocarpus indicus, Willd.; Parmentiera 
cereifera, Seem. ; Pityran the verrucosa, Thw.; Parkia 
biglaudulosa, W. and A. ; Phopalocarpus lucidus, Boj.; 
Spondias mangifera, Willd.; Sapindus laurifoliaj 
Vahl, ; Sclerooarya caffra. Send. ; Stercnlia Balangaa 
Schizolobium, exoelsum, Vog. ; Sterospermum Xylo- 
carpum, B. and Hkf. ; Sterospermum cheleniodesi 
D. C.; Sterospermum suaveolens, D.C. ; Schleichera 
trijuga, Willd. ; Stephegne tuberosa ; Saccooephalus 
esculemus, Afz. : Sapium biglandulosum ; Swietenia 
Mahogany, L. ; Styrax Benzoin, Dryand ; Terminalia 
catappa. L. ; Terminalia belerica Roxb, ; Terminalia 
melauocarpum, P. M, ; Terminalia parviflora, Thw.; 
Terminalia chebula. ; Tectona grandis, L. ; Tabebuia 
Pallida Lindl. ; Tamarindus indicus, L. ; Vitex Leuco- 
xylon, L. F. ; Vitex altissima, L. F. ; Xanthoxylon 
Rhetse Yizyphns glabrata, Heyne. 
QUESTIONS FOR CACAO PLANTERS. 
(To the Editor, " Tropical Agicultiirist.") 
SiE, — I heard some time ago that Mr} Carruthers 
and Mr. Huxley were compiling a set of questions 
which it might be hoped cacao planters would find it 
in their interest to answer for the purpose of enabling 
Mr. Carruthers in particular, and everyone in 
general, to obtain some reliable information, or at 
least to enable such to be deduced from replies which 
would be elicited. This was some time ago, and J 
personally have received nothing up to date of the 
kind. In view of this I venture to send you a list of 
questions, for publication if you think fit. By the 
medium of your paper, in which — for the discussion 
of planters' interests you have given already, from time 
to time, considerable space — a publicity would be 
obtained for a subject, that needs considerably 
more light on it than we have at present.— Yours, &o., 
P. O. D, 
Moneragalla, August 24th. 
(Questions for circulation among Cacao Planters.) 
District 
Aspect (N,, S., E., W., &c.) 
Date (year) 
Maximum and minimum elevation 
Heavy rainfall per annum 
Wettest monsoon (quote months) 
Principal cropping season (quote months) 
/. — Varieties. — 1. Is f'orastero or Caraccas in your 
opinion the more remunerative ? 
2. (Juote any particular variety or hybrid doing 
especially well with you ? 
3. At about what elevation is your best cacao ? 
4. What coloured flowers in your opinion mature 
best? 
II. Canlcer.—l. How do you treat for canker (a) 
by light shaving, (b) deep cutting, or (c) any other 
methods. 
2. Do you destroy diseased shavings and pods : if bo 
how ? 
3. Do you treat systematically ? if so, state length 
of round ? 
4. In what months is canker most prevalent with 
you ? 
6. What was the original environment of your worst 
cankered fields ? 
///. Suclers. — 1. Do you grow suckers from the base 
or lateral branches, or both ? and what are their 
respective effects on the tree ? 
2, Do you encourage suckers with any idea of im- 
munity to canker ? 
3, Are you satisfied with them on this or on any 
other count ; if so, what ? 
If. 3Ianure.—l. With what do you manure, if any- 
thing ? 
2. How do you apply it ? 
How much per tree ? 
4, Any improvement in appearence, or what in- 
crease of crop ? 
V, Pruning.! — Do you prune either old or youD{» 
cacao ? 
2. Lightly or heavily ?— for crop, ventilation, &o,? 
— for spread or shape ? 
71. Eelopeltis^—l.Sti Sate your method of treatmeati 
