Aug.  I,  1896.] 
THE  TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST, 
131 
Dooars  ]2g  per  cent.,  Jhanzie  10  per  cent.,  Jokai 
(Assam)  10  per  cent.,  Moabuud  15  per  cent.,  Noa- 
kacharee  5 per  cent.,  all  of  which  are  the  same  as 
in  1694 ; while  the  Doom  Dooma  dividend  of  10  per 
cent,  is  IJ  per  cent,  less,  and  the  Lehong  and  Majuli 
distributions  of  13  per  cent,  and  5 per  cent,  are 
2 per  cent,  smaller  in  each  case.  The  t^>'0 
Sylhet  companies  have  paid  an  average  divi- 
dend of  10  per  cent.  for  the  last  seven 
years,  and  for  the  same  period  the  average 
dividend  on  Doom  Dooma  shares  has  been  over 
11§  per  cent.,  oil  Dooars  ll  per  cent.,  Jhanzie  9i)  per 
cent.,  and  on  Jokai  10  per  cent.  The  shares  of  the 
last-named  company  are  quoted  at  T18  for  the  .HIO 
share;  so  that  they  yield  i'5  11s  per  cent.,  which  is 
not  a bad  return  for  a sound  undertaking  which  has 
paid  10  per  cent,  every  year  since  1685,  and  has  a 
reserve  of  £43,808,  The  yield  on  Dooars  shares  at  the 
current  price  of  20  is  just  per  cent.,  and  this  com- 
pany also  has  a satisfactory  reserve  of  £40,000.  At  18J 
Doom  Doonra  returns  £5  8s  per  cent.,  and,  on  the  basis 
of  last  year,  Jorehaut  and  Assam  shares  can  be 
bought  to  pay  64  per  cent.,  both  the  two  latter  having 
■ also  substantial  reserve  funds,  while  the  Lungla  aird 
Single  Companies,  which  have  only  recently  been 
established,  can  be  purchased  on  still  more  advanta- 
geous terms.  There  are  many  other  companies  with 
equally  good  prospects— we  have  merely  taken  at 
haphazard  a few  of  those  which  are  best  knowir  over 
here — but  we  have  said  enough  to  show  readers  who 
have  time  to  study  the  position  of  Indian  tea  com- 
panies that  they  may  be  able  to  find  not  a few  desirable 
investments  among  them. — Financial  News,  June  20. 
THE  PRINCIPAL  DISEASES  OF  CITROUS 
FRUITS. 
We  have  been  favoured  with  a copy  of  Bulletin 
No  8 from  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture, 
which  contains  a very  interesting  treatise  on  the 
principal  diseases  of  citrous  fruits  in  Plorida,  beauti- 
fully illustrated  with  coloured  plates  showing  the 
various  blights  and  their  effects,  such  as  “ Die-back” 
or  Evantliema,  “Scale,”  I’errueosis,  “ Foot-rot,”  “ Sooty 
mould”  cfec-  the  last  following  the  mealy  wing  or 
white  dy,  A'eyrodes  citri,  from  all  of  which  it  appears 
that  frost  is  by  no  means  the  only  enemy  I'lorida 
has  to  fight. 
The  writers  would  seem  to  make  a mistake  in 
supposing  that  the  “ die-back”  is  peculiar  to  Florida 
or  that  it  is  “ not  known  in  any  other  part  of  the 
world.”  In  Ceylon  we  are  not  strangers  to  the 
“ die-back”-  disease  on  orange  trees  with  all  its 
accompanying  characteristics,— first  the  unusually  large 
foliage,  followed  by  the  dead  tips,  the  scaly  erup- 
tions which  seems  invariably  present,  the  sickly 
yellow  colour  of  fruit  and  reddish-brown  stains 
thereon.  The  results  are  disastrous  enough  to  the 
fruit-bearing  capabilities  of  the  trees  ; but  inasmuch  as 
we,  in  Ceylon,  place  very  little  commercial  value  upon 
our  orange  its  enemies  have  received  less  of  our 
attention.  There  are  however  a few  grains  of  com- 
fort in  these  admirably  w'ritten  pages  w'hich  will 
commend  themselves  to  all  interested  in  the  culture 
of  this  most  refreshingly  wholesome  and  delicious 
of  fruits.  Not  content — like  too  many  scientific 
men — with  elaborately  and  minutely  describing  the 
life-histoi'y  of  the  enemies  of  the  citrous  family,  they 
carefully  trace  the  causes,  suggest  preventive  mea- 
sures, and  in  plain  terms  prescribe  effectual  treatment. 
It  is,  we  believe,  generally  felt  that  scientists  are 
rather  too  apt— like  Dr.  VVatt  on  white-ants— to  treat 
us  to  learned  and  laboured  dissertations  on  the  life 
of  such  enemies  of  the  husbandman  as  if  there  was 
any  doubt  about  their  existence  ! omitting  altogether 
what  we  stand  most  in  need  of,  viz.,  some  suggestions 
as  to  their  effectual  and  speedy  destruction.  A man 
half  poisoned  with  strychnine  cares  little  to  be  told 
to  what  ancient  family  nux  vomica  belongs.  It’s  an 
antidote  he  wants.  Life  is  short,  and  few  farmers  or 
planters  in  this  work-a-day  w'orld  have  time  to  fol- 
low the  philosopher  in  all  his  leisurely  researches. 
They  may  be  learned,  they  may  bo  interesting,  and 
Still  the  practical  result  be  nil.  In  this  respect  the 
writers — Messrs.  Swingle  and  Webber — on  vegetable 
physiology  in  the  United  States  Department  of  Agri^ 
ulturo  show  an  excellent  example.  The  information, 
is  brief  and  to  the  point,  they  diagnose  the  diseases 
of  trees  as  a doctor  does  that  of  a patient,  and  pres- 
cribe accordingly. 
We  need  only  quote  one  sample.  The  treatment  of 
“ die-back  ” — after  concisely  stating  the  causes  and 
various  symptoms — is  thus  recommended: — “When 
die-back  is  due  to  excessive  use  of  highly  nitrogenous 
organic  fertilizers,  an  effective  remedy  consists  in 
simply  ceasine  to  cultivate.  In  fertilizing  omit  en- 
tirely all  highly  nitrogenou,s  organic  manures  but 
use  about  the  normal  quantity  of  potash  and  phos- 
phoric acid.  As  the  tree  recovers  a small  amount 
of  nitrogen  should  be  given,  preferably  in  the  form 
of  nitrate  of  soda  or  sulphate  of  ammonia,  until  the 
tree  is  brought  up  to  its  normal  condition.  If  the 
disease  is  produced  by  the  close  proximity  of  privies, 
chicken  houses,  &c.  removing  these  will  usually 
result  in  the  recovery  of  the  affected  trees. 
When  the  malady  is  caused  by  planting  on  die- 
back  lands  treatments  vary  according  to  the  charac- 
ter of  the  soil.  Thorough  diainage  will  usually  be 
found  an  effective  remedy  without  any  other  treat- 
ment. If  the  soil  is  underlaid  with  hard  pan,  mulch- 
ing the  trees  with  pine  straw-oak  leaves  or  something 
of  this  nature  will  allow  the  feeding  roots  to  develop 
near  the  surface  and  usually  bring  about  a cure.  The 
latter  has  been  found  effective  in  many  instances. 
Similar  instructions  are  given  with  regard  to  “ foot 
rot,”  “ melauose  ” and  “ sooty  mold."  In  the  case 
of  each  disease  discussed  w'e  have  not  only  preventive 
measures  suggested  but  the  most  practical  means  of 
combating  it  when  it  does  appear^ 
The  orange  industry  ;^in  Florida  and  the  West 
Indian  islands  is  of  prime  importance.  In  Florida 
alone  no  less  than  f.50,000,000  has  been  invested  in 
the  business,  while  fully  20,000  people  are  dependent 
upon  it  for  support.  Here  in  Ceylon  it  has  hitherto 
been  of  little  commercial  value.  Growers  complain 
that  there  is  no  real  mai'ket  for  such  produce,  not- 
withstanding the  number  of  calling  ships  and  the 
eagerness  with  which  passergers  appreciate  good 
fruit.  The  dubashes  somehow  contrive  to  supply 
such  rubbish  that  a very  bad  impression  is  given  of 
the  capabilities  of  our  fruitful  isle. 
VARIOUS  PLANTING  NOTES. 
The  Price  oe  Wvnaad  Tea  continues  to  rule 
high,  say.s  a Madras  contemporary.  The  latest 
sale,  27  half-chests  from  the  Kanambyle  estate 
in  the  Clierambady  District,  realised  an  average 
of  lO.jd,  being  on  an  average  about  2d  above  Ceylon 
marks  sold  that  w'eek.  We  have  still  to  learn 
wdiat  is  the  annual  yield  per  acre  of  these  young 
tea  clearings,  but  if  it  is  anything  like  the  amount 
anticipated,  the  success  of  the  Wynaad  as  a tea 
country  will  be  assured.  Rut  then  w'e  .sli.ill 
probably  be  told  it  is  too  wet  for  tea — a planter 
cannot  wither  properly  rvith  18  inches  of  rain 
a day,  an  argument  tint  tvould  have  all  the 
merits  of  those  adduced  to  prove  the  district  was 
too  malarious  for  the  cultivation. 
The  Preparation  of  China  Tea:  Another 
Commission  to  India  Proposed.— In  the  North- 
China  Herald  oi  June  12  is  printed  the  following 
note  from  the  June  number  of  t\\Q  Messenger  •. — 
Tea  Culture. — The  Board  of  Revenue  has  bieu 
addressed  by  a eunuch  Lieu  and  by  Chen,  a senior 
secretary,  on  the  importance  of  sending  a commission 
to  India  to  examine  the  methods  of  preparing  tea 
for  the  European  market  there  in  use.  They  also 
propose  the  establishment  of  a technical  school  of 
instruction  in  tea  manipulation.  Workmen  would 
here  be  informed  what  to  aim  at  and  what  to  avoid. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  China  will  soon  become  fully 
awake  to  the  need  of  close  attention  to  tea  culture. 
We  do  not  e.xpect  that  the  proposals  will  be 
acted  upon,  seeing  that  tlie  outcome  of  tluj 
former  commission  appears  to  have  been  nd. 
