October I, I I.] Supplement to the Tropical AgncuUunsi." 
A writer in the North British Af/riculturist 
speaks of it in enthusiastic terms as " the plant 
which in course of years will cover throughout 
the world the vast areas of arid, uncultivated, 
and at present mostly uncultivable land, sup- 
plying abundance of the most nutritious, sweet 
fodder to countless millions of horses, cattle and 
sheep ; the plant which will promote the per- 
manent prosperity and progress of stock-farm- 
ing and agriculture to a certain degree unknown 
before ; the plant which in due course will form 
the greatest source of national wealth iu every 
land." 
According to a report made on Lathijrus Sylves- 
tris by Mr. Charles Hope, the plant is said to 
resemble the everlasting pea in habits of growth 
and in genei-al appearance, and the blossoms are 
of a reddish purple colour. The seed takes 
rather a long time to germinate, and the plant 
takes three years to come to maturity, multi- 
plying freely by means of creeping underground 
stems. It is said to yield remunerative crops 
for fifteen years, when its natural vigour declines, 
and it is necessary to plough up and re-sow. 
The expense of seed and labour per annum is 
consequently very small. The quality as shown 
by analysis is twice as good as any otlier fodder 
plant at present in cultivation, weight for weight, 
in the natural green state. The small quantity 
of water naturally present in the green plant 
is a very conspicuous item, helping not a little 
toAvards the foregoing statement. The rest of 
the extract does not show very much chlorophyll, 
and is more like oil than wax. The great ad- 
vantage is in the very high percentage of 
albuminoids which is the more fortunate, seeing 
that the natural order is not benefited to a 
remunerative extent by direct applications of 
nitrogenous manures. The percentage of indi- 
gestible fibre is naturally lower in the young plant, 
and the tissues of the plant should not be allowed 
to grow old. The ash is very high, and will no 
doubt afford plenty of bone-forming material for 
young animals, and be very suitable to cows 
Yielding a fluid which is intended to nourish 
the young. The albuminoid ratio is wonderfully 
high, being as 1 : 4'.5, and most nearly resembles 
the concentration of bran, which shows a ratio 
of 1 : 4-2, than any other simple food. Hence 
it must be considered a very concentrated food, 
ticice as concentrated as any green fodder in 
cultivation. It will probably be found eccono- 
mical to dilute the food, feeding along with it 
some straw or roots, until tlie desired ratio be 
obtained. The most approved ratio for cattle 
is 17 at the commencement of feeding for fatten- 
ing, and this is gradually raised to I'oo to 
finish. The albuminoid ratio of oats being 
1 : 6-(j, and the ratio for a horse according to Wolff 
being 1 : 9, it follows that Lathyrm Si/lve.stris 
is more than sntlicient to maintain a horse at 
work. It is customary to purchase concentrated 
foods, and by mixing to make the ratio for 
horses and cattle more nitrogenous, but here is 
a plant in which the reverse process appears 
to be the proper course to pursue, the hay of 
which reminds one of the composition of cotton- 
cake. Cattle are reported to eat the fodder 
freely and at once, so tluit there is no ([ues- 
tion of its pahitability. The German reports put 
the produce at 17 tons per acre. If any manures 
are to be added with a view to benefiting the 
crop they should be phosphates and potash, as 
nitrogenous manures are not likely to yield a 
profitable return. It is stated, liowever, that the 
plant will never require any manure of any 
kind. As soon as the crop attains a suflicieut 
length for the scythe, it should be cut ; the 
same plot may be cut from 3 to 5 times in a 
season. It should not be allowed to bloom, and 
sliould not be pastured. The plant is being 
tried at various places, and is surely worth a 
trial. Especially in this Island where there is 
almost a total absence of cultivation of fodder 
crops for cattle, will the introduction of Lnthy- 
ru.1 Si/lvestris pi'ove of incalculable benefit. 
THE GEAPE VINE. 
{Vitis Vinifera.) 
7. Planting out,S,-c. — After the soil has been 
broken up and exposed to the mellowing action 
of the air for at least a month, the clods should 
be pulverized and the land levelled before it is 
ready for planting. If it is flat and free from 
rocks the iron plough may be used for ploughing 
it, and the harrow or the native plough for 
breaking down the clods. If, however, the land 
is rocky and uneven, the mamoty will have to 
be used for both purposes. 
When the cuttings strike and have grown to 
a sufficient height, say two feet, they are fit for 
transplanting. The spots where they are to be 
planted may be previously marked out by means 
of pegs, >S:c. The vines should not be planted 
too close to each other. No false economy with 
a view to saving land should be allowed to spoil a 
vineyard, which is to last for more than a life- 
time. The Kev. Father Assauw, of AVahakotte, 
in reply to enquiry made on this head, has 
kindly favoured me with the following piece of 
information : — " The vines I have are 12 feet 
apart ; and those planted last year 8 or 9 feet 
apart seem to thrive well." 
An extract from the Annual Report for 1889 
of the Agricultural Department of Queensland 
is also well worth quoting in this connection ' 
Speaking of Mr. Bassett's vineyard it says : — " Mr. 
Bassett states that, like many others when first 
entering upon this industry, he was possessed 
of very little knowledge of grape vines, or the 
proper method of laying out a vineyard ; conse- 
quently after planting the first portion, he found 
tliat he had jilaced the vines too close together, 
and the rows also too near to each other, viz., 
') feet between and 4 feet in the rows. In the 
second portion of the vineyard planted he im- 
proved his system of planting by placing the 
vines wider apart, vi/., 6 feet in and o feet 
between the rows. More experience was gained 
by his second planting, the result being that iu 
the last portion planted he adopted what he con- 
siders to be the proper space in the Roma dis- 
trict, viz., 10 feet between and 6 feet in the rows." 
In a country like Ceylon where plants grow 
so vigorously and luxuriantly, the distance, I 
daresay, ought not to be any less. 
Manure may be used rather sparingly at 
first. No raw or hot dung should be used at 
all. Ilalf-rotten cowdung of the appearance of 
bluok mould should be mixed up with the soil 
