292 
i^upplemcnt  to  the  Tropical  Agriculturist." 
[Oct.  1,  1896. 
appearances  of  the  organisms  of  the  two  plants, 
yet  the  organisms  miglit  have  umlergonc  some 
alterations  during  the  symbiosis  with  tlio  parti- 
cular plant,  w’hich  rendered  its  action  different 
in  each  case.  He  therefore  pursued  the  investiga- 
tion further  in  this  direction. 
COKRESPOiN  HENCE. 
Sir,— Mr.  W.  Nock’s  remarks  on  this  subject,  are 
very  welcome,  and  at  our  next  opportunity  will  fol- 
low his  advise  and  watch  results.  I believe  the 
number  of  bunches  on  the  vines  in  this  last  crop, 
was  not  such  as  to  fear  it  affecting  the  future  of 
the  plants;  I have  seen  so  many  good  results  from 
thinning  of  fruit  in  general,  to  neglect  the  opera- 
tion or  doubt  of  its  usefulness.  If  it  has  been 
proved  that  doing  so  wdll  improve  tlie  remaining 
fruit,  not  only  in  flavour  (especially  where  sac- 
charine matters  are  concerned)  but  also  in  appear- 
ence  and  still  further  hasten  the  maturing  of  the 
fruit,  this  is  not,  I believe,  exactly  wanted  here, 
where  grapes  takes  uery  little  more  than  half  tlie 
time  to  mature  than  it  takes  in  other  countries  and 
1 must  say  to  great  disadvantage  of  flavour.  I 
have  not  seen  any  thinning  of  the  berries  in  the 
Continent,  nor  in  Australia,  probably  1 have  not 
seen  enough,  as  there  is  plenty  to  see  and  learn  in 
this  cultivation.  In  countries,  wliere  vine  grow'- 
ing  is  done  generally  on  a large  scale  tliis  could 
not  be  attempted.  In  England  whore  hol-bouses 
and  other  artificial  aids  are  applied  for  this  culti- 
vation, it  is  1 am  aware  the  practice,  and  I am 
quite  persuaded  that  if  carefully  done  by  a very 
light  and  steady  hand,  it  w’ould  benefit  the  remain- 
ing berries.  Amateurs  or  prize  fruit  growers,  should 
cerfaiidy  do  it  for  the  sake  of  fine  specimen  on  a 
small  scale,  but  1 dont  think  the  operation  as  des- 
cribed by  Mr.  Nock,  could  be  done  when  vines  are 
growui  for  market  purposes  and  as  a condition 
sine  qua  nun. 
Referring  to  those  perfect  grapes  seen  by  you 
in  the  fruit  shops  of  London,  they  might  not  have 
undergone  this  thinning  process,  but  more  likely 
owed  their  lovely  appearance  to  nature,  the  variety 
they  belonged  to  and  the  soil  that  nursed  them. 
The  Golden  Chasellas,  that  gave  us  that  little 
fruit  this  time,  is  one  of  the  very  few  varieties 
allowed  to  pass  as  table  grapes,  having  .small  ber- 
ries in  compact  bunches  ; almost  all  the  others,  and 
the  best  (every  Muscat,  Ladies-finger,  Gross  Col- 
man,  etc.)  have  large  bunches  with  large  berries 
well  distributed  and  ventilated  ; I could  not  make 
up  my  mind  to  thin  any  of  these  bunches  by  re- 
moving some  of  their  berries,  but  certainly  would 
remove  a whole  bunch  (wdien  too  many  on  the 
vine).  In  removing  the  number  of  bunches  on  a 
vine  I would  take  care  to  remove  the  highest  first, 
the  nourishing  fluid  loosing  a good  deal  in  water 
during  its  run  along  the  wood  and  before  reaching 
them. 
Those  vine  grow'ers  in  Victoria  wdio  own  and 
cultivate  from  10  to  60  acres  of  table  grapes  only, 
and  supply  a ])rndiice  which  is  generally  acce])ted 
as  the  pride  of  Melbourne  fruit  shops,  do  not  thin 
their  berries  but  remove  bunches  here  and  there, 
when  too  heavy  a crop  is  maturing.  Such  produce 
they  attain  by  the  good  varieties  they  deal  with 
and  good  cultivation.  The  words  of  Mr.  E.  iM. 
Bailey,  recorded  by  you  on  the  thinning  of  fruit, 
should  certainly  be  studied  by  all  fruit-growers 
and  his  advice  strictly  followed  ; 1 do  not  think, 
though  that  his  remarks  /-e-fruit  in  the  tjueens- 
land  markets,  includes  the  grapes.  It  seems  to 
me,  this  as  w^ell  as  other  fruit  in  bunches,  should 
not  be  dealt  in  bulk  with  others  in  the  thin- 
ning question.  According  to  Mr.  Nock’s  remarks 
it  is  also  evident,  that  it  is  an  operation  which 
requires  training  and  quite  different  from  thinning 
of  other  fruit. 
1 have  wdth  me  a volume  of  950  pages  on  viticul- 
ture, written  by  Dr.  E.  Rollaci,  Professor  of  Botany 
at  Rome's  Viticultural  College,  the  leading 
authority  of  the  day  in  the  Continent.  I do  not 
think  he  'would  have  dealt  with  the  subject,  where 
all  those  details  are  given  regarding  the  attentions 
to  be  paid  to  the  grapes  while  maturing,  and  yet 
not  say  a single  word  in  reference  to  tlie  thinning 
of  berries,  though  he  advises  removing  wliole 
bunches.  1 am.  Yours  truly, 
C.  ZANETTI. 
REPORT  OF  Mr.  C.  DRIEBERG,  b.a.,  f.h.a.s., 
SUPERINTENDENT  OF  THE  COLOMBO 
SCHOOL  OF  AGRICULTURE. 
The  School- 
The  number  of  students  on  the  roll  was  24, 
about  the  same  as  in  jirevious  years,  and  on 
tlie  results  of  the  final  examination  three  of 
the  senior  students  were  awarded  certificates  of 
merit  by  the  Depai'atment.  The  forestry  class, 
which  had  been  instituted  as  a sort  of  nucleus 
of  the  proposed  School  of  Forestry,  had  unfor- 
tunately to  be  given  up  when  ilr.  Broun,  the 
Conservator  of  Forests,  ivent  away  on  leave,  as 
satisfactory  arrangements  could  not  be  made  for 
its  continuance.  1 am  aware  that  there  has  been 
some  correspondance  between  Government,  the 
Director  of  Public  Instruction,  and  tiie  Conser- 
vator of  Forests,  relative  to  the  cost  of  the 
proposed  forestry  course  at  the  School  of  Agri- 
culture, and  I trust  that  something  definite  and 
favourable  to  Mr.  Broun’s  scheme  has  been 
arrived  at  by  this. 
With  regard  to  the  veterinary  lectures,  1 would 
again  emphasize  the  imjiortance  of  establishing 
a small  hospital  or  infirmary  for  animals,  to 
provide  students  with  the  means  of  acquiring 
some  practical  experience  in  veterinary  science. 
The  course  must  always  remain  incomplete 
without  such  means.  The  hospital,  Avliich  need 
not — -and  indeed  had  better  not— be  on  these 
premises,  would  be  almost  self-supporting  if 
economically  worked  on  the  lines  of  the  in- 
firmary attached  to  the  Bombay  Veterinary 
College  and  in  connection  with  the  Society  for 
the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals. 
Agricultural  Instructors 
During  the  year  1 was  given  the  opportunity 
of  visiting  some  of  tiie  st.ations  to  wdiich  agri- 
cultural instructors  had  been  aj)pointed.  Before 
that  I had  oflicially  no  concern  with  the  work 
of  the  instructors.  The  appointments  of  these 
ollicers  are  generally  made  on  the  recommendation 
or  at  the  request  of  Government  Agents  or  Assis- 
tant Government  Agents,  who  have  special  schemes 
of  uu  agricultural  nature  to  be  carried  out  bj' 
