May 1, 1902.] THE TROPIGAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
721 
too, as on the bare rocky lands of the keys, limes and 
tomatoes could be extensively cultivated, both for 
England and America. Tens of thousands of bane's 
and crates are exported from the keys, and large sums 
of money are amassed there from, 
In addition to the methods of cultivation applicable 
to Jamaica, to which I have referred, I have the plea- 
sure to recommend the initia'ion of another system, 
which I anticipate will prove most successful. Bear- 
ing in mind the peculiar conditions of soil under whicli 
the plant is cultivated on a great scale, viz.. in the 
sandy soil of Florida, and on the rocks of the keys, I 
have arrived at the conclusion that we have in Jamaica 
another peculiarly favourable condition of soil ou 
which it can be cultivated with the greatest success. 
Between Old Harbour and the foot of the Manchester 
Hills, and in other localities, there are thousands of 
acres of comparatively level limestone rock, on which 
there is a thin layer of earth about 9 inches deep. Only 
small trees grow ou this land. The soil is too shallow 
for other cultures. The rainfall is about the same as 
on the keys. 
Sand or rocks in Florida effect the most perfect 
drainage conceivable. The other type of soil which 1 
recommend, — a thin film of earth resting on a bed 
rook, it is impossible to surpass from the drainage 
point of view. Being fertile it is more valuable than 
saud. The air permeates freely. These conditions as- 
sured, abundant rain, rain that would prove prejudi- 
cial wiLhou trock, will constantly invigorate the plants. 
Large areas are thus susceptible of caltivation based 
on the merits of the soil. — Jamaica Board of Aq''icul- 
ture, 
( To be Concluded.) 
CACAO CULTIVATION IN CEYLON- 
MEMO. OF SUGGESTIONS BY THE P.A., SDB COM- 
MITTEB FOR EXPERIMENTS TO BE UNDERTAKEN 
FOR CIROUIiATION TO THE CACAO COMMITTEE 
FOR REMARK-i AND HETURN TO THE 
SECtlETARY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 
Name of Estate. 
Acreage. 
Elevation. 
Monthly Rainfall (for as many years b ck as can 
conveniently be given). 
No. of trees per acre. 
Are the trees all of one variety, and if so, which ; or 
are they mixed hybrids? 
Approximate age of trees. 
Number of pods harvested each month. 
Weight of dry Cacao harvested each month. 
Weight of black Cacao (dry) harvested each month 
Is there any shade other than wind belts, and if so, 
what trees do you use ? (If certain areas are 
more or less closely planted kindly mention this) 
Which in your opinion is best, and why ? 
Have you any Oacao trees with no or scarcely any 
shade 1 What is your opinion as to its vigour and 
yield ? 
Have yon noticed any difference in the colour of the 
flowers — what coloured flowers in your opinion set 
most? 
Which variety Foresters or Cejlon Red is in your 
opinion the heaviest cropper? Do you use 
manure ? How often and in what quantity ? What 
do you consider the best manure for Cacao, and 
what time do you think best for its applicntion ? 
Have you noticed marked effects from the use of 
manure in gain in vigour or increase of yield in 
already vigorous Cacao ? 
Do you prune your trees, and if so, on what systemi 
and have you noticed any benefit caused by it ? 
Disease. Is there any disease on stem, branches or 
Isat. pods injyour Estate ? 
Have you rdopted cutting diseased parts entirely 
out or shaving them, and if so, with what re- 
sults ^ 
What other treatment if any has been carried out 
in your Estate ? 
How often do you go round the whole Estate with 
curative work and how long does the round take ? 
What is the cost per acie of Ibis curative woikin 
the year ? 
What do you do with the empty pods ? 
Do you destr oy diseased husks — by burning or other- 
wise ? 
What time of ths year do you notice the effects of 
the disease most ? 
Is the disease worse in different parts of the estate — 
what are the environment and conditions in these 
areas as to aspect, dampness, shade and wind ? 
Whether the growing of suckers and gormandizers 
have been tried and whether they have enabled 
the trees to resist canker ? 
Whether artificial heating by steam has been tried 
in fermenting, or whether any artificial ferments 
have been used ? With what effect ? 
The Committee will be greatly helped in their work 
of gaining knowledge of Cacao in relation tj pro- 
fitable oultivalion if you will make e.fperimenta 
and carefully record notes of their results in the 
following matters : — 
The growing of cuttings. 
Suggestions. 
Layering. 
The elevation at which Cacao will grow vigorously 
By planting a few trees on spots at different 
elevations and recording their prosperity. 
By taking off any non-fruit producing branches 
and suckers and noticing if the total produc- 
tion of fruit increased. 
Pruning. 
Grafting. 
Manuring. A. PHILIP, 
Secntary. 
Grafting Experiments. — According to a recent 
number of Le Jadin, M. Lindemuth lately showed be- 
fore the Prussian Horticultural Society some interest- 
ing specimens of grafting, in which the graft had 
exercised a more or less marked influence on the stock. 
The plants were : — 1st, Yellow Wallflower on Red 
Cabbage, in which the plant had developed below 
lateral branches of Wallflower, with a shoot of cabbage 
and a head of Red Cabbage. 2i!dly, Brusiels Sprout 
on Yellow Wallflower. 3rd, Abutilon Thompson! on 
Althsea na.ibonenais. The former is a shrub, the 
second is a herbaceous plant. Owing to the influence 
of the Abutilon the branches of the .^Itheei became 
persistent, and indeed, are two years old. 4Lh, Solanum 
erythrocarpum on Tomato (S. lycopersicum). The 
Tomato being the more rapid grower, communicated 
this property to S. erythrocarpum. 5th, Malvastrum 
capense became variegated by grafting with Abutilon 
Thompsoni. 6th, Hybrid Petunia on Nicotiana glauca. 
If Petunias are grafted on the stems of Niootiana of 
rapid growth, fine shoots of Petunias on the stems can 
certainly be obtained. Mr. Winter, of Bordighera, has 
already made this experiment, and has grafted Petu- 
nia'! on many branches of Nicotiana glauca, which in 
that district grows as a shrub. The effect should have 
been very tine, but a storm bruised the heavy branches 
of the Petunias. 7th, A new plant, with variegated 
foliage, Sida Napssa, obtained by grafting with 
Abutilon Thompsoni, was a success in one instance, 
while another specimen remained green. 8th, Althsaa 
rosea (Hollyhock) became variegated by the influence 
of the graft of Abutilon Thompsoni. Young seedlings 
of Althaea rosea, of Malvastrum capense, and 
variegated Anoda bastifolia have, so far, remained 
green.— Gardeners' Chronicle. 
