February 2 , 1891 .] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
5SS 
THE MADRAS AGRICULTURAL 
OUTLOOK. 
A few districts in the Presidency are peshiug through 
a grave crisis at the present moment, and much neces- 
siu'ily depends on the state of the weather during 
the next fortnight, or three weeks. In paitscfNorth 
Arcot, Chingleput, South Arcot snd Tinuevelly crops 
over considerable areas will ho lost unless there is an 
early fall of rain, and Government is already c-o far- 
anxious as to think it necessary to call for special 
reports. As we remarked on the 26ih ultimo, the 
distress is partial and local, and the rainfall average 
for the whole of a district is no indication of the 
true state of affairs in different portions of it. For 
instance, from the rainfall statement for October, just 
issued by the Board of Revenue, we observe that so 
far as regards the Districts mentioned above, in North 
Arcot the rainfall up to the end of that month was 
equal to the average of five years ending 1883 t9; in 
South Arcot it was only three inches below the 
average; in Chingleput nine inches; and in Tiunevelly 
five inches. The greatest deficiency for a whole dis- 
trict was in Malabar, where it amounted to nineteen 
inches, while in Madras it amounted to twelve inches. 
The season has also been unfavourable in the Oumbuu 
taluk of Kurnool, where paddy, ragi, and arika are 
suffering from want of rain. In Ouddapab \he paddy is 
withering in the Badvel taluk, and the ragi in Madana- 
palle taluk. In Coimbatore the wet crops cf Palladam, 
and the dry crops in parts of Coimbatore, Erode, Uda- 
malpet, Palladam, Pollaohi, Srtymangalam and Kolle- 
gal,are being spoilt by the drought, and thesame^ is 
the caseiu the Uttaukurai taluk cf the Salem district. 
Altogether there appears to be cause for disq-uitudo 
over couriderable areas of the Presidency. If within 
the next few weeks the rainfall is not more general ia 
considerable amount of distress will , we fear, ensue. — 
M. Mail, Dec. Ilth. 
❖ 
ANALYSES OP TEA SOILS, MANURES, &C. 
In quoting the following details from the pro- 
ceedings of the A. and H. Society of India we 
would suggest that our Ceylon planters might avail 
themselves of the opportunity to have tea soils, 
&c., analysed : — 
Mr. Francis Y’, Ede, of Silcbar, Oachar, wrote as 
follows ; — I notice in the Journal of tha above Society. 
Vol. VIII, Part IV, N.S., a memorandum on ihe 
analyses of Tea plants. Soils, &c. During the last 
ten years I have had occasion to draw some hun- 
dreds of samples of toil, analyse and report on tbe 
same with reference to their suitability’ for Tea 
gardens, their probable yield, etc. I have taken n 
merous samples from all the different kinds of Isnd 
in Assam, Cachar and Sylhet and have kepti where 
available, a record of the amount of tea yielded 
these soils and the condition under which the yield 
was obtained. If you think it would inte rst tPe 
scribers to your journal, I could send you a few notes 
and memoranda on soils, their treatment , &o., in the 
tea district,". 
Mr. Bde’s offer was accepted with the Society’s 
best thanks, and it is hoped that bis good example 
will be followed by tbe many experienced Planters 
who are in a position to throw much light on many 
of the pi-oblems both in the cnlture and manufactur' 
of tea which still remain unsolved. lu a subsequent 
communication Mr. Ede wrote:— “I have to thank 
yon fur your letter of October 11th, and I quite agree 
with you as to tbe noces-ity ot colleoling and print- 
iug sll information available with regard to the culture 
of the tea plant. It has been my (pinion, for many 
years', that tlie npplicatisn of a 1 tTe science or 
teobnicnl knowledge would greatly benefit the tea 
industry. I have baeu working in a small way on 
those lines myself, and have been often astonished 
to find the good results produced ; in some in-tanc(.s 
I Imve succeeded in doubling Uio yield of tiro plant. 
I aiir very glad that such a well known and much 
appreciated Society should take this matter up; there is 
plenty cf scope, and I have no donbt there will be num- 
bers of men who will voluntarily aid in the investi- 
gation. I for one shall be most happy to render any 
assistance in my power. It remains for your Society 
to determine the best method of carrying out these 
investigstioi B and compiling and recording the infor- 
mation it may obtain from the various districts, in 
such a manner that it may remain as a permanent 
record for tbe benefit of all interested. This inves- 
tigation must be carried out with thoroughness and 
exactitude in all the tea districts, only absolute facts 
and reliable observations being recorded. I should be 
happy to let y ou have my views on the way in which 
district investigations should be cari-ied out,” 
Since the receipt of the foregoing letter from Mr. 
Ede, Mr. Bamber has arrived in the country. This 
gentleman has been engaged by the Society, in conjunc- 
tion with tbe Indian Tea Association, to conduct the 
ii quirifes relating to Tea soils. Manures and Tea manu- 
facture as sketched in the Memorandum published in 
the last number of tbe Society’s Journal (Vol. VIII. 
Part IV.); Mr. Bamber bolds the Diploma and Gold 
Modal of the Royal Agrioultural College of which he 
has also betn elected a Life Member. In addition to 
the original research, which it is proposed to conduct, 
it is hoped that much valuable information will be 
obtained from gentlemen like Mr. Ede, and that the 
collating and tabulating of such information will add 
much to tbe present knowledge of many obscure points 
connected with the production of Tea. 
The control of the inquiries is vested in a committee 
nominated by the Indian Association and the Society 
snd which consists of the following genetlemen : — 
Chairman, Mr. 0. B. Garrett. Members, Messrs. J. 
N. Stuart, W. O. Bell Irving D. Cruickshauk, Drs. 
Warden and King. Secretary, Mr. R. Blechynden. 
An inquiry was received from Messrs. BIc Dougall 
Clark & Co., tor books dealing with analyses of tea 
roils. They were informed that some analyses had 
been published in the Tropical Agriculturist and in 
other papers, but as they referred to to individual 
gardens, they were not enough to generalize upon ; 
and the action now being taken was alluded to- 
^ 
PLANTING AND SHOOTING IN 
PEERMAAD. 
The South-West monsoon has been, as I prophesied 
it would bo, one of the lightest on record, and though 
the North-East, with its attem ant cyclone, did its 
level best to make up for any shortcomings on the 
part of its elder brother, the total rainfall up to the 
end of last month only amounts to 104'SO inches ; out 
average being about double this amount. To both 
coffee and tea, the mildness of the monsoon has been 
favourable ; to the former especially so and — if I had 
one — I would bet my bottem dollar, that a few suc- 
cesive years of mild monsoons, would effect a radical 
change for the better in the productiveness of the 
coffee estates in this district. The season’s crop 
which is now being gathered, is, with one or two* 
exceptions, decidedly short, owing chiefly to the high 
winds and storms that prevailed during the blossom- 
ing season, but tbe general appearance cf the estates 
ia satisfactory, and the outlook for next year deci- 
dedly promising. Bn instance of tbe wonderful effect 
produced on shuck coffee by the judicious planting of 
belts is worth recording. One of the oldest proper- 
ties np heio, planted early in the “Sixties,” was some 
years fgo well-nigh played out; crops had become 
beautifully b ss. and the proprietor’s heart was sad 
within him ; a happy thought, however, struck him 
to try belts, and be promptly set to work, and planted 
up rows of Orevillea Robnsta over a large portion of 
the estate. These have now grown into fine trees, 
and the effect on the coffee has keen simply marvel- 
loui. It seems to have taken quite a new lease of 
life, and though, doubtless, tbe shelter and partial 
shade sffordtd by the belts has been highly 
benefioial, there can be no possible doubt that there is 
somelhing \\\ the Orevillea that acts on ocfi'oe as a most 
