130 
THE TROPfCAL AQRI0ULTUR197. 
[August i, 1891. 
This is evidently, we fear, a true picture of lazincsp, 
improyidenoe and utter want of shame in being 
pauperized. One feels that something more than 
a mild form of coercion is required ; and certainly 
if the only influence now brought to hear to secure 
oultivation, is prematurely removed, the consequences 
will lie at the door of a Government that has 
been fully and fairly warned. 
NOTES ON POPULAR SCIENCE. 
By Db. J. E. Taylor, f. l, s., f. a- s., &c., 
Editor of " Science Gossip." 
One of our young agricultural experimenters has 
just published the results of hia application of 
sulphate of iron to fruit trees and plants generally. 
Mo(t soils contain iron, but lack sulphur ; nevertheles?, 
sulphur is one of the neceseary six iogredients in the 
composition of protoplasm. Grape vines shank and 
fruit trees canker for lack of it. There can now he 
no question that sulphate of iron is beat of all 
manures tor fruit trees of all kicda. This has been 
proved to be especuvUy the case when the soils had 
an excess of lime. Even old apple tind pear trees 
frisked up iii'M rejuvcuoscent life ■ when tbir roois 
we-e ' *-r^ ' ill! of this mineral. The 
mis-ur':' f'je proportion of h^lf a 
pound !i ' ■ J ; irsisolvc I 10 four or fivo 
gall'ius c ie ' 'o the roots in a 
small r- L I- ; e roup^ th-j tro?. 
Dr. 0. V:< 'oi, i -'^riown fungologist, evi- 
dently di'es noi; afrce Witli the euggestion that the 
attractive colours of fuag:i are for the purpose of 
attracting insects, &c., to them, so bs to iuduoo them 
to carry away Hud. distritiute the spores. But Dr. 
Cooke draws the attention of botanis's to anothi-r 
elafls of pheoomtna, the rninietio resemblances of fungi. 
Ho shov/s that some poisonous species resemble the 
edible aud harnilesa kinds so cL'Sely that only a skilful 
and careful botanist conld distinguish the difference. 
Two American chemists, Messrs. W. O. A<water 
and O. D. Woods, have published in the American 
Chemical Jourmd the results of a h-rge number <f 
experiments they have been making on the im- 
portant subject of the acquisition of stmnspherio 
nitrogen by plantp. They experimeuted with peas, 
oats, and corn, end they conclude that nitrogen is 
. readily absorbed from the atmosphere by these plants, 
where treated with " soil-infusion," and that the 
'gain of nitrogen is dependent on the number of 
root-tubercles whioh the application of " soil-infusion" 
[induces. It should be remembered, however, that these 
'root-tubercles have been found to be literally nests 
-of bacteria, su that the latter may probjibly produce the 
nitrogen by assistii.g iu the nitrification of the soil. 
More interesting experiments on this subject still 
have been conducted by two French chemists, 
Messrs. Scbloesling aud Laurent. It has long been 
suspected that the natural order of plants leguminosse 
had the power somehow of absorbing atmospheric 
nitrogen. The leguminoae plants experimented upon 
were grown ia closed vessels, which were so arranged 
that the gases introduced and withdrawn could be 
acurately measured and analysed. They found that 
when the leguminose plants were watered with an 
infusion of nodosities from other plants of the same 
order, there wao an absorption of nitrogen much 
greater than could be put downtoeirors of experi- 
ment. On the other hand, v.fhea the logiminose 
plants had not been inculatedi i his way, and were 
therefore free from nodosites, a c such absorption of 
nitrogen was observable. It is belived, therefore, 
these experiments demonstrate that under the infltience 
of microbes leguminose plants can fix and untilise the 
gaseous nitrogen of the atmosphere. — Australasian. 
, Obvlon Tea is taking first rank, says the 
L. anil C. Express, both for large supplies and 
moderate prices. The yield for 189 1 put at 60,000,000 
lb., ifl somewhat ol a staggerer to China traders. 
PLANTATION PRODUCTS IN THE 
CENTRAL PROVINCE : 
TEA— COTTON — TOBACCO— CACA.0 — ANATTO. 
[Prow the Administration Report for 1890 of 
Hon. R. W. Moir.'] 
The assnred end increasing suceesa of the tea 
enterprise h»8 led to the area cultivated with tea 
being largely extended during the year. Not only 
have European proprietors added lo their properties, 
but the facilities afforded at several factories for the 
disposal of green leaf plucked on native gardens have 
encouraged natives to plant up abandoned coffee 
land aud chenas. And the improvement observable 
in the circumstcnces of the people generally, con- 
sequent upon the largely increased circaUtion of 
money amongst them in many different wajs con- 
nectfcd with the tea enterprise, is very marked, 'fhe 
opportunity also for obtaining employment, promptly 
paid for, which the estates offer, is a great help to 
the residents m villages where the cultiv»tion of 
paddy and dry grain has sufi'dred, a^ it has in many 
parts of the country suffered, from auooeesive un- 
favorable seasons. 
Experiments msde in the cultivation of cotton did 
not prove snccefsful, oiifl thy seRSOUS appear no'j to 
have been ^^■•"nerolly favourable for tobacco, with 
which also pxperimouta were tried. Cscfio thrives 
well iu Tuuip-!r!e, Harispattu, and Dumbara, and 
numerous smali patches are in native hands, but the 
cultivation of this product does not appear to be 
appreciably exiended by the natives. 
[From the Administration Report for 1890 of Mr. 
Gf. S, Saxton, 3Iatale.] 
Mr. Hugh Fraser, of Bandarapola estate, has kindly 
supplied me wilh the following information : — 
Tea is prospering, End is being extended in Matalo 
North, Matale East, Bsndarapols, Ukkuwela, Laggala, 
and iha Matsle Eaiit end of Kelebokka. From 500 
to 600 acres vfera added to the previous area in tea. 
More expensive eiachinery, and more of it, ia required 
tor tea thaia for coffi e ; and it is pleasing, after one 
gets over the idea tho cost, to see the successful 
efforts made by en_,,i:e6r8 to provide tea planters with 
such suitable and good machinery. 
Cotton and snatto have had a check in popular 
esteem, and heve not been much extended. Moisture 
and insects are the bane of the one, and low prices, 
consequent on limited d6ma.nd, of the other. It is 
believed cotton would do better in a drier climate. 
The south-west monsoon was comparatively s failure 
in the maHer of rain; con«equeutly the season was 
an unfavournble one for tobacco, and the large clear, 
ings in Matale aie below expectations. This enter- 
prise deserves better results, ;ind these I hope await 
farther efforts. 
Cacao continues to improve in favor, and there is 
tho encouraging fact that prices have kept up. Small 
patches of native plantations of this product are to bo 
seen here and there at long intervals in the villages, 
but a great del 1 more might bo done in this direction, 
and further effort impressed on the villagers. Moor- 
men traders are at present perambulating the district, 
paying 50 cents a pound, equal to R5C a cwt., for cacao, 
cured iu a very primitive fashion. The European cuUi- 
vation of eacso in various portions of Matale, as for 
instEuce Wariapola, Mr. Barber's Grove estate, Yita- 
watta, Sylvukftuda, and many others, is equal to any- 
thing to be seen elsewhere in the Island. 
Cirdamoms do well in suitable situations at the 
higher elevations, but unfortunately there is not much 
suitable land left unopened, so the extension of this 
product ia scarcely possible. The Mysore variety 
does better than the Malabar. The lowlands do not 
seem to be suitable for the successful cnltivatiou of 
either variety. 
An experiment on a limited scale has been made in 
the district with Coorg coffee, and the result of this 
clearing will doubtless be watched with interest. 
