Sept,  2,  1.S95.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
191 
from  the  I’esidence  of  the  late  Perera  Mudaliyar  at 
Unawattuua,  in  the  Galle  district  till  about  Pelena  in 
the  Matara  district,  and  has  been  largely  used  on  the 
public  works  and  private  dwellings.  You  attribute 
the  fertility  of  the  soil  of  the  Jaffna  peninsula  to  the 
presence  of  an  extensive  formation  of  limestone,  but 
I can  assure  you  that  the  fertility  of  the  soil  between 
Unawattuna  and  Pelena  is  not  in  any  way  behind. 
Anyone  who  has  visited  this  part  of  the  country  can 
well  speak  of  the  luxuriant  growth  of  coconut  trees 
and  the  well-bearing  of  nnts.  Another  thing  unknown 
to  many  is  that  a good  deal  of  the  limestone,  is  not 
collected  in  outlying  islets  in  the  sea,  but  dug  out 
from  the  ground  where  coconut  trees  over  fifty  years 
old  are  found  growing.  The  veteran  Government 
Agent  at  Galle  should  obtain  fuller  particulars  on 
this  point  and  make  them  public. 
Mention  has  also  been  made  by  you  that  no  good  clay 
can  be  found  in  the  island  for  the  purpose  of  making 
cement.  I should  wish  to  know  whether  the  clay  in  and 
around  Dikwella,  a village  mid-way  between  Matara 
and  Tangalla  has  been  tested  by  anyone  ; it  is  the  best 
clay  T have  yet  seen  and  bids  fair  to  be  of  great  nse 
hereafter.  The  pottery  turned  out  at  Dickwella  is 
harder  than  that  you  see  in  the  Colombo  market ; 
and  on  this  point  the  energetic  Assistant  Government 
Agent  of  Matara,  Mr.  Gushington,  should  be  able  to 
furnish  interesting  data  as  well  as  send  specimens  of 
pottery  to  be  tested. — Yours  truly, 
EX-MATARA  RESIDENT. 
THE  FUEL  QUESTION:  WOOD-FUEL  COST- 
ING 3 CENTS  (Against  Coal  12'5  cent) 
PER  LB.  MADE  TEA? 
Madulkellie,  July  17. 
Dear  Sir, — I have  read  with  intere.st  in  the 
columns  of  your  valuable  journal  the  report  of 
tlie  Dimbula  P.  A.  by  wliich  I was  surprised 
to  see  that  wmod  fuel  is  costing  some  estates 
over  R‘2’50  per  yard  delivered  .at  their  factories. 
This  seems  quite  prohibitive.  Would  not  coal  be 
cheaper  ? I should  be  very  much  obliged  if  any 
of  your  readers  can  give  me  the  results  of  ex- 
periments with  coal. 
I have  been  told  that  coal  in  one  engine  in 
this  district  costs  1‘25  cts  per  lb.  made  tea. 
From  carefully  kept  figures  I calcul.ate  that  wood 
fuel  at  R2'.50  per  yard  in  my  engine  w'ould  cost 
quite  Sets  per  Ib.  made  tea.  The  fuel  question 
is  daily  getting  a more  serious  one  and  w’ood 
fuel  is  by  no  means  plentiful. — I am,  sir,  yours 
etc.  ECONOMY. 
THE  TEA-BUSH,  TAP-ROOT,  AND 
MANURING. 
South  India,  July  20,  1895. 
Sir, — With  reference  to  your  corresi)ondent’s 
remarks  reg.arding  Mr.  Huglies’  statement  re  the 
t.ap-root  of"  the  te.a-bush,  in  connection  with 
immuring,  the  latter-mentioned  gentleman  is 
made  to  .appe.ar  ignor.ant  of  the  principles  of 
agriculture  ! How  often  will  it  be  necessary  to 
repeat  the  f.act  that  deeply  penetrating  ta])-roots 
arc  almost  entirely  destitute  of  the  fibrous 
spongioles  whicli  alone  are  able  to  appropriate 
nourishment  from  the  soil  ? 
An  examination  of  any  deep-lying  tap-root  wall 
convince  tlie  most  sceptie.al  on  that  jioint.  It  is 
true  that  even  the  dense,  w'oody,  cellular  con- 
struction of  a tap-root  permits  of  the  .ascent  of 
water,  and  it  is  equally  true  that  salts  in  solu- 
tion may  bo  found  in  that  water,  hut,  (and  this 
is  an  all-important  “ but  ”)  no  nitrogen  is  pre- 
sent, and  that  owing  to  the  following  f.act.  The 
food  of  jdants  must  first  be  nitrified  before  )ie- 
eoming  fit  for  absorption  and  assimilation. 
This  necessary  preparatory  process  of  nitrifica- 
tion does  not  go  on  in  the  .soil  at  a greater 
deptli  tlian  two  feet  below'  tlie  surface — con.se- 
quently  belo\y  tiiat  depth  the  tap-root  finds  no 
oxidized,  nitrified  fooil  fit  for  appropriation.  Your 
Ceylon  soils  being  mucli  more  open  in  texture, 
as  a rule,  th.an  tlie  dense  Indian  .soils,  the  pro- 
ce.ss  of  nitrification  may  go  on  a few  inches 
deeper  below'  the  snrf.ace,  but  virtually  there  is 
no  appreciable  ilegree  of  nitrification  going  on 
that  is  of  any  practical  value  to  tlie  idant,  at  a 
gre,ater  depth  than  two  feet  below'  the  surface.— 
Yours  faithfully,  J.  McKENZIE. 
PEPPER- VINE  GROWING  A SERIES  OF 
QUERIES  BY  A WOULD-BE 
PLANTER. 
Sir,— I have  a sm.all  EsLate  in  Hewagamkorle 
about  12  miles  from  Colombo  in  the  Cotte  Road 
near  t’le  property  once  ow’iied  by  Mr.  Grinlinton. 
The  soil  is  cabook  and  clay.  It  is  partly  planted 
w'ith  coconuts,  and  though  the  trees  are  about 
15  years,  they  do  not  bear  well.  I intend  trying 
pepper  on  it  j with  this  view'  I procured  your 
vq,luable  book  “ AH  about  Spices”  from  which  I 
derived  nuich  information.  But  before  I begiq 
operations,  I wish  to  supplement  the  inforipatiqn 
obtained  from  that  Boob  with  the  follow'jqg 
particulars,  which  I hope  some  one  of  your  readers 
will  oblige  me  by  furnishing  : - 
1.  Is  the  soil  suitable. 
2.  Is  it  advisable  to  allow  tlie  vines  tq  cfeep 
on  tlie  coconut  trees  ; will  the  pepper-vine  injure 
the  coconut  trees  ? 
3.  What  is  the  effect  of  pepper  among  oinna-- 
mon  ? 
4.  What  .are  the  native  (Sinhalese  and  Taniil) 
names  of  the  following  trees : Dadap,  Rappk , 
Erythrina  Indica,  Nava,  H.alamba,  M.adre  de 
Cacao,  Chingkariang,  Inga  Saman,  Bobnglai, 
Jacca  tiee  (these  names  are  taken  from  the  Book 
on  Spices.) 
5.  A practic.al  planter  in  the  same  book  says 
that  vines  which  grow'  on  non -deciduous  trees  bear 
better  ; of  the  trees  mentioned  in  4 and  of  the 
following  trees  which  are  non-deciduous.  Jack, 
Godapora,  Goraka,  Thiapora,  Mille,  Imbul 
Suriya,  Erabaddu,  Coconut,  Arecanut,  Hikgaha, 
Albizzia,  Mollucana. 
6.  AVhich  of  these  trees  enumerated  in  4 and 
5 grow  fast,  or  rather  how  long  will  they  take 
to  grow  so  large  as  to  support  pepper  vines ; and 
which  of  these  trees  will  the  pepper  vine  injure  ? 
Thanking  in  anticipation. — Yours  faithfully, 
S.  W.-N. 
P.  S. — What  product  will  best  suit  this  soil  and 
climate  ’ 
COCONUT  PLANTING  AND  THE  BEETLE 
ENEMIES  OF  THE  PALM. 
Singapore,  July  22nd. 
Dear  Sir, — I have  been  told  th.at  you  are  a 
gre.at  authority  on  the  diseases  of  coconut  trees. 
1 shouUl  deem  it  a great  favour  if  you  would 
tell  me  if  you  know'  of  any  cure  or  means  of 
exterminating  the  Red  Beetle.  Here  none  is 
known,  and  the  pl.ace  is  gradually  being  eaten  up 
by  them.  Do  you  consider  it  possible  to  save 
a tree  w'hen  once  attacked  by  this  beetle  ? Ag.ain, 
I should  much  like  to  know  the  Ceylon  method 
of  catching  the  Black  Beetle, — and  do  you  do 
anything  in  the  W'ay  of  stopping  up  the  holes 
made  by  them.  As  I am  in  chai’ge  of  a plan- 
tation here,  any  details  you  can  give  me  on  the 
subject  would  exceedingly  oblige. — Yours  faith- 
fully, " R.  DUNMAN. 
