Feb.  t,  i8g6.] 
THE  TROPIC  M 
AGRICULTURIST. 
539 
WEEDS. 
A remarkable  illustration  of  tlie  ill-results 
that  may  and  do  .attend  the  introduction  and 
spre.ad  of  weetls  has  been  recently  athorded. 
Australia  seems  to  he  more  troubled  by  these 
and  animal  i)ests  than  any  other  country  ue 
have  heard  mentionetl  in  sucli  ,a  connection. 
Simultaneously  with  a renewed  outciy  for  tlie 
more  systematic  destruction  of  rabbits,  we  hear 
of  a strong  agitation  proceeding  for  the  adoption 
of  measures  calculated  to  keep  down  cert.ain 
weeds,  the  growth  of  which  is  stated  to  have  so 
extended  as  to  seriously  threaten  the  prosperity 
of  the  most  important  branch  of  Australian  pro- 
duction, namely  wool.  It  appears  that  a great 
falling-olF  in  prices  obtained  for  this  at  home  of 
late  has  been  due  to  the  quantity  of  seeds  of 
certain  weeds  contained  in  the  fleeces.  This  l e- 
duction  has  amounted  to  something  like  two- 
pence j)er  pound,  as  very  considerable  cost  has 
to  be  incurred  to  free  the  wool  from  these 
seeds  before  it  can  be  submitted  to  treatment. 
Although  our  productions  in  this  colony  are  not 
likely  to  sutler  in  the  same  manner  as  this, 
we  think  the  lesson  should  not  be  lost  sight  of 
by  our  planters.  Eor,  once  allow  weeds  to  gain 
head,  and  it  is  impossible  to  foresee  Avliat  the 
result  may  be.  Many  of  us  recollect  the  time 
when  that  imported  plant,  the  lantana,  spread 
in  most  baneful  luxuriance  over  the  wliole  face 
of  our  coflee  estates.  The  experience  gained 
from  the  effect  of  that  scourge  has  not  been 
without  its  benefits,  and  it  is  the  rule  that  our 
present  generation  of  the  pl.anters  are  c.areful  to 
eradicate  all  similarly  useless  .and  possibly  pesti- 
lential growths.  But  immunity  from  direct 
consecpiences,  when  long-continued,  often  tends 
to  engender  earelessness  and  laxity.  It  is  as 
well,  therefore,  that  the  lesson  afforded  by  this 
newest  Australian  experience  should  be  empha- 
sized. The  evil  in  Australia  we  believe  to  be 
compar.atively  one  wholly  unanticipated.  The 
sheep  farmers  there  have  been  mainly  occupied  by 
endeavours  to  combat  the  rabbit  plague— endea- 
vours that  would  seem  by  the  light  of  very 
recent  complaints  to  have  been  far  from  entirely 
successful.  But,  quite  unsuspected,  an  evil, 
almost  if  not  quite  as  great  .as  that  of  the 
animal  pest,  has  been  progressing  upon  their 
)5.asturage  grounds,  until  the  result  has  shown 
itself  in  a very  nmterial  loss  upon  the  staple  pro- 
duction. Wh.at  has  thus  been  insidiously  working 
to  the  detriment  of  the  Australian  sheep  banner 
m.ay  be  as  insidiously  working  among  ourselves 
unless  all  and  everyone  of  our  estates  are  kept 
scrupulously  free  from  weed  growth.  For  the 
presence  of  a single  estate  in  a district  upon 
which  negligence  in  this  respect  is  permitted 
may  infect,  so  to  speak,  the  whole  of  the  area 
of  that  district.  The  forces  of  nature  are  ever 
working  around  us,  and  in  no  c,ase  with  greater 
insidiousness  or  r.apidity  than  in  the  inst.ance  of 
waste  .and  valueless  growths.  If  the  effect  of  that 
carticular  force  is  to  be  met  and  o\ercome,  it 
tan  only  be  by  unanimous  effort  and  irnremit- 
ing  watchfulness  and  care.  Had  these  qualities 
been  ojierating  in  the  case  of  the  Australian 
sheep-runs,  ♦^heir  proprietors  nould  not  now  be 
face  to  face  with  ,a  loss  that  in, ay  mean  ruin  to 
many  of  them. 
THE  HAPUGAHALANDE  TEA  COMPANY. 
DECLARATION  OF  DIVIDEND. 
The  Directors  of  the  Hapugahalande  Tea  Co. 
have  declared  an  interim  dividend  of  10  per  cent 
for  the  current  season  1895-96. 
MOKE  WRINKLES  FROM  AN  OLD 
COCONUT  PLANTER. 
How  TO  Clear  an  E.statk  of  Porcupine.s 
AND  PiG.S. 
Begin  by  digging  a trench  18  inches  deep,  12 
feet  long  and  2j  feet  wide  at  the  opening,  but 
the  sides  must  gradually  converge  to  a veiy 
narrow  slit.  Feed  the  porcupines  well  a little 
way  off  from  the  trench  and  induce  to  come  .and 
eat  ag,ain  and  .ag.ain.  They  are  fond  of  green 
pineapples  and  cacunut  oil  seeds ; these  grow 
plentifully  in  and  al)out  Kandy  and  indeed  the 
oil,  extracted  from  the  seeds  is  what  n.atives 
nsu.all.y  u.se  for  their  lamps.  Gradually  begin 
scattering  food  close  around  and  then  in  the 
trench,  but  be  c.areful  not  to  tramp  the  soil  or 
the  wary  creatures  will  not  come  near;  bring 
the  food  nearer  and  then  after  the  middle  has 
been  re.ached,  put  the  food  quite  up  at  the  end, 
they  will  eagerly  wedge  themselves  in  forward 
and  others  follow  behind,  but  when  the.y  wish 
to  turn  and  get  aw,ay  they  find  themselves  fixed 
and  fairly  caught,  their  quills  being  their  worts 
enemies. 
Sometimes  porciqiines  live  in  armadillo  holes 
or  caves  and  innst  be  caught  by  another  means. 
In  this  case,  arm  yourself  with  a long  pole  or 
stick  to  the  end  of  which  three  dynamites  are 
tied  with  a long  fuse.  Insert 'it  into  the  cave 
as  far  as  it  will  go  and  set  a light  to  it. 
Another  way  of  getting  rid  of  these  destructive 
creatures  is  to  drill  small  holes  into  50  or  GO 
coconuts  and  put  a little  arsenic  into  each  hole : 
sprinkle  these  about  their  feeding  pl.aces,  and 
there  will  be  dead  porcupines  lying  about  every- 
where. 
Pigs — Get  cwt.  of  poonac  put  in  three  dif- 
ferent tubs  40  or  50  fathoms  apart  forming  a 
triangle.  Refill  these  each  d.ay  and  gradually 
place  them  nearer.  When  the  pigs  are  accus- 
tomed to  feeding  there,  concentrate  all  in  one 
tub  and  mix  a good  dose  of  arsenic  with  the 
food — and  the  pigs  will  be  found  next  morning 
lying  about  never  more  to  rise. 
Fowls. ^ — Are  you  troubled  with  .sickness  among 
the  fowls  ? Try  the  lollowing  : 1 measure  boiled 
rice,  i m.  b.aza,ar  salt,  | m.  ch.alk,  m.  .anthill 
cl.ay ; put  .all  into  a mortar  and  ])ound  and  make 
into  a ball  which  keep  in  your  fowl  house.  Also 
give  the  fowls  iron  water  to  drink,  that  is  put 
some  rusted  iron  into  their  water  chatty. 
A CEYLON  PLANTER  IN  AMERICA. 
Mr.  A.E.  Scovell,  Str.athellie,  Nawalapitiya,  h.as 
just  returned  to  Ceylon  after  an  extended  period  of 
leave.  Mr.  Scovell,  has  travelled  round  the  world 
and  those  who  know  him  will  readily  under- 
stand that  what  he  did’nt  see  .and  ment.ally  digest 
in  the  pl.aces  he  visited  was’nt  worth  seefno'! 
He  left  on  22nd  November  last,  but  before  setting 
out  on  his  journey  to  New  York  lie  was  fortun.ate 
enough  to  meet  Mr.  Win.  M'Kenzie,  our  Commis- 
sioner, who  was  good  enough  to  give  him  introduc- 
tions to  the  principal  tea  men  in  vVmcrica  and  espe- 
cially to  Mr.  Blechynden,  tlie  Indian  Tea  Com- 
missioner, .and  to  Mr  Robertson,  who  is  .acting 
Agent  for  the  Noiih  and  South  Syhlet  Conn 
pauies,  a gentlem.an  who  h.andles  over  one  million 
lb.  of  tea  per  annum.  Mr.  Scovell  is  well  satis- 
fied with  the  tea  )>ropag.anda  in  America. 
With  regard  to  the  food  show  at  Philadelphia, 
Mr  Scovell  thinks  it  a thousand  pities  that 
Ceylon  was  not  officially  represented,  and  he 
corrobrates  Mr  Bierach’s  letters  reganling  the 
success  of  his  show.  It  is  gratifying  to  think 
