35 ^ 
THF TROPICAL AGRiCULTURIST. 
[November i, 1890. 
GIRDLING TRUIT-BEARING TREES. 
According to the American journal Science, some 
highly interesting results have been obtained at the 
Agricultural College iu Massachusetts from the girdliii j 
of fruit trees. A row of crab-apple trees was selected. 
Three were girdled by cutting out a ring of bark 
one-eigth, a quarter, and a half-inch wide at the 
groun I ; three more were girdled to the same widths 
just below the main branches, and others on one or 
more of the main branches. All the girdles made near 
the ground healed readily and completely’’; those on 
the main trunk healed less completely, but sufficiently 
to ensure a g rod growth of tri-e ; those on the branches 
healed less completely still, and in two instances the 
new growth failed to meet and the branch died iu the 
spring. All showed a markef increase in fruitfulness 
over those not gndled,and little difference was observed 
in the effect of the va ious widths But no definite 
conclusion can be drawn yet as to the consequence ot 
this treatment on the permanent health of the tree ; 
observations for many years can alone determine this 
point. A series of experiments made at the same place 
ten years ago showed that by removing a ring- of bark 
early iu July from fruit trei-s the ripening was hastened 
one or two weeks, and th^t the increased size and early 
maturity were not obtained at the expense of the 
quality. — Oeylon Advei'tiser. 
4 
Bovcotted Bananas. — Considerable amusement, not 
unmixed with alarm, has been created in Queens- 
land by reported political pressure brought to 
bear upon the Victorian Government with a view 
to the virtual exclusion of bananas from the 
Melbuorne market. Southern fruit-growers com- 
plain that the apples and pears grown in tueir 
orcha/rds cannot c- mpete against the toothsome 
banana under present conditions, Eirst rate ba- 
nanas are sold from hand-carta in the streets of 
Melbourne at 3d and 4d a dozen, or relatively cheaper 
than Victorian fruits, and the tropical luxury has 
been established as a prims dessert favourite This 
state of things led to an agitation for the imposi- 
tion of a prohibitive duty on bananas, and at a re- 
oent conference of Vietoiian fruit-growers it was 
decided to ask for a du'y of Is a bunch. Mr. 
Cowley promptly communicated with the Melbourne 
authorities, with the satisfactory result that it if 
now understood there is no intention of acceding 
to the demands of the jealous pomologists. The 
importance of the matter to Queensland may be 
guessed from the fact that our exports of green 
fruit — prinoipally bananas— last year amounted to a 
money value of £36,778, ot which sura the 
shipments from Cairns represented £16,666, while 
Brisbane was credited with £12,074. The incipient 
trade indicated by these figures would have been 
well nigh crushed if the Viotorian fruit-growers 
had succeeded in their object, but the danger is now 
past. It was, to say the least of it, a curious 
conspiracy to prevent people eating that of which 
they had become fond, and forcing them to return 
to the more insipid products of a tempeckte cli- 
mate. In some respects the project reminds us of 
the plan advocateil recently in an American State 
for the purchase by the Government of all the whisky 
made in the country and the issue of legal 
tender certificates to the va’ue of the purchase 
money. The whisky would improve with age, it 
was urged, and the Government would thus be the 
gainer. But the distilling industry failed to gain 
the desired protection, and so have the apple and 
pear men. Where people prefer beer or tea, or 
develop a taste for bananas, it is certainly better 
to leave them free to gratify their inclinations. — 
(^uetiislander, Aug. 23rd. 
Dooaks, Dam Dim, Sept. 19th. — During the psst 
week the weather has been about the finest we have 
liad for tea, since the season conimeuced. Outturns 
are in consequence looking brighter, but it is now too 
late in the day for estimated yields ti be expected. 
A heavy thunderstorm last night, with a perfect deluge 
of rain looks a.s if we were at the last “kick” of the 
rain.s Ver}' heavy thunderstorm on Thursday night 
twelve inches of rain fell in as many hours ; green fly, 
mosquito red spider all flourishing ; weather cool except 
two or three days. — Indian rio.nters' Crazette. 
Tea Notes — Debra Dun, Sept. 9th. — Ram is badly 
wanted. We have not Uad half an inch of rain since the 
20th August. We shall only make about a halt tea crop 
this year. 'The rice and other crops are suffering from 
want of rain. Mangaldai, Sept. 9th. — At last there is a 
fair flush, but it has come too late for many to make up 
their decrease. Road to steamer ghat quite impassable ; 
this generally seems to be the case with roads directly 
under the P. W. D. S leng, Sept. 7th. — Only ’84 rain 
in week, making to date 54 in. against 96 in. last year. 
So tfai.s promises to ho the shortest cn record as last 
year was highest. Leaf plentiful. Good outturn for 
mouth expected. Rumours that a short crop is expec- 
ted. Something of the kind wanted to rsise the prices. 
Bnrregong, Sept. 7tb. — We have just enjoyed a 
week’s weather that has given no cause for complaint, 
and leaf is making a decided effort to again sirugg'e 
through mosquito blight and green fly. Although 
many of the concerns will never bo able to make up 
the tremendous decreases, prospects are less hopeless 
than they were ten days ago. — Indian Planters' Gazette, 
Sept. 16th. 
School of Foresthy. — -A deinitation from the 
Associated Oharabei-s of Oomm.-rce waite i upon Mr. 
Onaplin (with whom was Sir James Caird) at the 
offices of the Board of Agriculture, in St. James’s 
Square, for the purpose of nrgln'i upon him the 
d- -^irabihiy ef eet mlishing a National School of 
Forestry. Colonel Hill, addressing Mr. Chaplin, said 
those who were with him desired to point out that 
the growing of timber as an industry might be most 
usefully extended in this country, especially in view 
of the timber supply from abroad becomiog more 
and more diminished. They recomended, therefor^, 
that Her Majesty’s Government should estabish a 
National Sc tool of Forestry which would be an 
encouragement not only to the planting of Crown 
lands with trees, but would also induce private land- 
owners to utilise ground which was at present of 
little or no service in the same direction. — Mr. G. 
Harper next spoke, and said he had received 1-tters 
approving of the objects of the deputa'i n from 
Lord "Basing, official verderer of the N-w Forest, Sir 
E iward Leohmere, and other gentlemen. He further 
pointed out that, with the exception of Spain, this 
was the only coiiuTy of any position that did not 
have National Schools oi Forestry. England was the 
greatest timber-buying nation in ihe world, and at 
present imported annually something like £13,000,000 
worth of that commodity. There wss a vast acreage 
of land now lying vaste in this country which might 
were the proper instruction forthcoming, be used for 
timber growing, and partical y enable it to produce 
all the timber ic required. — Mr. Chaplin said there 
could be no doubt of the growing interest and im- 
portance of the question under discussion. The 
purport of the remaiks ho had heaid seemed fobs 
that his department should establish a National School 
of Forestry. He desired, howevfi-, to point out that 
the Act under which that department was instituted 
provided only for its inspecting and reportiog upon 
schools which provided education either up'u agri- 
cuUnre or upon forestry. So far as he could see, 
his clepartmeiit had no power to institute a school, 
but he would consider the matter very carefully, with 
a view to seeing if he could recommend such a course 
to the Government. Before he did this, however, 
he should like to obtain some further information 
upon the climate and soil of the waste laud which 
Mr. Harper had said it would be possible to turn 
into profitable forest land, — GtmUners’ Chronichi 
