June i, 1 S 91 .] 
THP TROPICAL AQRICULTUmST. 
861 
- ■ ■ — - 
To the Editor. 
■■THE “MOMI” TREE OF JAPAN. 
Technological Mu?eum, Syciney, A 10th. 
[The Editor, Tropical Agriculturist, Colombo.] 
Deab SiK, — Your Nanuoya correspondent, (whose 
letters I always read with both pleasure and profit,) 
says, at page 467 (Jan. 1st, 1891) that he cannot 
find the botanical origin of the Japanese word 
“ Momi,” 
I have had the enclosed copied from “Rein’s 
Japan” which answers his query and also gives seme 
information in regard to the tree. — Yours truly, 
J, H. MAIDEN. 
^‘Allies firnia S. and Z,, Jap. “ Blomi,” is spread 
over the whole of Japan, more general however in 
Middle and Northern Hi ndo, and on the Southern 
Islands. It is found chiefly, and in the highest deve- 
lopment, in mixed forests, among the beautiful deci- 
duous woods, at an elevation of between 1,000 and 
1,500 metres seldom isolated. 
If developes the most maenificent trunk, of all 1 be 
Japanese fir,s, and grows iu Parks and temple groves 
to a height of 30 to 40 metres with a eiroumftrence 
of 4 to 5 metres. In its entire bearing as well as 
in the character of its wood, this tree resembles the 
European Abies pectinata, but has a much slower 
growth. 
Its wood is lighter, rougher, and less tough, than 
that of the pine, hence cheaper and l6^s valued. 
It is seldom used iu bouse building.” 
[We and our readers are indebted to Mr. Maiden 
for this information regarding a tree from which 
so large a proportion of the timber ueed for tea 
boxes in Ceylon is obtained, being prepared by 
American machinery and exported from Japan in 
shook-— Ed. V. A.] 
SALT IN AGEICULIUEE. 
Veyangoda, April 21st, 
Dear Sir, — I must thank Mr. Hoole of the Happy 
Valley for his very valuabla contribution of Salt and Us 
necessity for cattle, as greatly aiding us incur agita- 
tion for its issue at exceptional rates for aBi'icultural 
purposes. It is a pity that his notes did not receive 
greater publicity than they did in the columns ol only 
one newspaper. The affection of all animals for salt 
is notorious, and it is no new thing for a block of 
rock-salt to be placed in a stable for a horse to lick. 
For animals upcounlry, a free use of salt is mere ne- 
cessary than in the lowoouutry, and for rea.'ons that 
are obvious. The desire for salt in cattle upcounlry 
amounts almost to a mania, and my earliest r-xperi- 
ence of this was in the way tavalam cattle got at any 
clothing left in the fences of the gardens surrounding 
hues. One makes a snatch at it and runs away as if 
poBsesseil, all the others follow him, and each manages 
to get a bite of the cloth iu spite of (he frantic cries 
of its owner and the endeavours of the tavalam meu 
to save it. All this for the sake of the little salt iu it 
owing to its having come in contact with the human 
body. 
The information contained in Mr. Hoolo’s letter of 
the ingenious use made of salt in beeping down tlie 
grass on a cricket field, will be of general use to those 
who find it au expensive job to keep trim a cricket field 
or lawns and esplanades. In the last Ilonsehold Register 
I find, on the authority of an English dairyman who 
experimented with salt, that the quantity of milk in 
cows from whom salt was withhehl for a week shrank 
from llj to 17^ per cent, ar\d that the milk was in- 
ferior in quality, and soured sooner than when the same 
cows receivoil salt with their food. Farmers and dairy- 
men, it is said, salt their cows once a week, and lest they 
should forget the day ohooao Sunday. As has been re- 
1C8 
marked, salt in agriculture is more of a necessity on the 
hills iu the centre of the island, than in districts 
nearer the sea-horde. As the European ijlanter as a 
rula knows what he wants and how to get it, it was not 
necessary for me to dwell ou its use and value up- 
country. 
I by no means advocate (be general use of salt in 
agriculture at its present price. I have heard the opi- 
nion e.xpressed that as at pireseut prices the cost of a 
ton of salt and bone dust is equal, it will be preferable 
to use the latter. Wi bout protending to give my ('pinion 
on the subject ea: catlieJrff, I would tay, not invariably. 
As iu the tar-tamed alluvial fiats of tho Mahaoya 
Valley, coconut cultivation is very ofien conducted in 
situations abounding in fertility, but with the means 
restricted for the roots availing tli. m-elves of the vast 
stoie.s of plant food. As is well known, roots are able 
to absorb only the food contained iu tlie toil. For this, 
abundance of moisture is necessary, as much to render 
absorption possible as to dissolve the food. Where a 
sufliciency of plant food exists it will be a waste of 
money to add to it, when what trees chiefly require 
to aid in its absorption is water. To such places I 
should say, salt is of tar greater value than bone dust. 
For salt, in addition to po.ssesing the property of 
rendering soluble the chief constituents of all plant 
food — nitrogen, potash and pho-phoric acid — has the 
additional very valuable properly of absorbing the 
moNture of the atmosphere. The Blahaoya Valley 
has au exceptionally rich soil and it would he 
perfect for coconut cultivation, but for the serious 
drawback of the soil caking as bard as a brick with 
the cessation of rain. During such periods, growth 
is luspendtd and hunches and branches droop 
owing to the leaves transpiring more moisture 
ban .ho roois atsorh. I nm inclined to tbinkthata 
iree application of salt to trees in this district will, be 
preventing the s. il caking and helping it to freely 
absorb the moisture of the atmosphere, act like a spell. 
Id this couueci:ou il will not be amiss to discuss what 
will be a fair application per acre. We have nothing 
15o.sitiv0 to guide us. One authority tells us that two 
tons au acre in the cultivation of roots and cereals is 
au excessive application, and another recommends five 
cwt. per acre for wheat. We will have to strike the 
mean between these two amounts, although it by no 
means follows that what will be excessive for the deli- 
cate, fibrous roots of cereals will be excessive for the 
tough and salt-loving roots of coconut trees. Yet we do 
not want to experiment with salt to find out how much 
we cau apply without killing the tree. A correspr udent 
to the Observer mentioned during the discussion on this 
subject a couple years ago, that he applied £ bushels per 
tree to a few trees iu the Kurunegala district 
with wonderiul results. This at 70 lb. to the bushel 
will mean 52 lb. per tree or I ton 14 cwt. 92 ib 
per acre of 75 trees. Well, we can look upon this 
only iu the light of an experiment, and must regard 
it as an appiicaJon no one will attempt over a 
large acreage for monetary reasons. With salt at 
K5 a ton, many will be inclined I fancy to use that 
quantity iu exceptional situations, while in tho 
guierulity of ii siances i a tmi per acre will he a 
very moderate .ipplication. This means, at 70 lb. 
to tho bushel, 16 bushels p'-r acre, or about six 
heaped naeasures jier tree. This I farcy will be a 
popular dose. Now ns to the method of application. 
Sowing the salt broadcast aud working it iu will of 
courso be the most desirable melhod, but its 
cost and slowness will stand iu the way of 
its uuiversal adoption. Under the circumstan- 
ces, I think it will be good to scatter it 
in a circle 10 ft. round the stem and to work it iu, 
not necessarily deep, for the rains will do that, or what 
will be better, first stir up the soil and then apply 
the salt. 
I appeal first to Blr. Dawson, as the Government 
Agent of the Province where cheap salt is most wanted 
in coconut cultivation; 2nd to Blr. Green as the ex- 
Bliuister of Agriculture, and who Irom his present 
position has greater ii llueuco with (he Government, 
3rd to the Government Agent of the N.-'V. Province 
whoso revenues will bo appreciably ineria>ed l>y larger 
sales of salt, 1th to tho Hon. Dr. Anthouisz who from 
