340 
THE  TROPIC \l 
AGRICULTURIST. 
[Nov.  2,  1896. 
the  fact  that  the  trees  had  been  painted,  and  tbit 
it  was  for  the  mojt  part  red  ochre.  The  usefnl  in- 
gredients were  said  to  be  as  follows  : — 
1 part  dekaraali  gnni  (the  resin  of  Gardenia 
f/ummifera), 
2 parts  asafoetida, 
2' parts  bazar  aloes. 
2 parts  castro-oil  cake. 
“ These  are  well  ponnded,  mixed  and  kept  in  water 
for  about  a fortnight.  When  thoroughly  united,  and 
what  may  bo  called  decoinpoeeJ  into  a thickenod 
compound,  water  is  added  in  order  to  bring  it  to 
the  consistency  of  paint  and  the  colouring  matter 
then  added.  The  mixture  is  now  ready  for  use,  and 
if  thoroughly  applied  for  about  two  feet  will  check 
not  only  the  attacks  of  white  ants,  but  of  red  ants 
and  other  insect  pests,  dts  effect  will  last  for  two 
yea  s or  more.  The  cost  of  the  prepai-alion  comes 
to  about  4 to  5 rupees  per  100  tress.  But  acmr  .iug 
to  the  information  furnished  from  Gondal,  al  refuse 
possesses  no  special  properties ; from  other  parts  of 
India  the  reputation  is  very  general  that  it  is  of 
great  value.  The  red  ochre,  added  to  the  above 
preparation,  may  not  only  be  useful  as  indicating 
the  trees  that  have  been  painted,  but  give  a useful 
con3i^t3ucy,  if  it  does  not  serve  to  mechanically  hold 
the  other  ingredients.” 
The  paint  w.is  prepared  according  to  the  directions 
given  by  the  Economic  Itsporter  to  Government  and 
applied  to  a number  of  mango,  shisham  and  siris 
trees  on  the  Sirsawa  road  that;  were  badly  attacked 
by  white  ants.  Before  applying  the  paint  the  coating 
of  earthy  matter  deposited  upon  the  trunks  of  the 
trees  by  the  ants  was  removed,  and  in  all  instances 
whore  the  earthy  deposit  was  entirely  removed  the 
paint  lias,  so  far,  had  the  effect  of  preventing  further 
attacks  by  the  ants  upon  the  trees.  In  a few  cases  the 
men  employed  on  the  work  of  painting  overlooked 
strips  of  earthy  deposit  lying  in  hollow  channels  on 
sever.al  of  the  trunks  of  trees  operated  upon.  The 
strips  of  earthy  deposit  overlooked  were  painted  over 
together  with  "the  cleaned  portion  of  the  trunk  but 
the  ants  took  no  notice  of  the  paint  when  applied  to 
the  outside  of  their  earthy  runs,  and  therefore  made  use 
of  the  strips  that  were  left  as  passages  to  communicate 
with  the  upper  portion  of  the  trunk,  where  they  conti-  , 
nued  their  attacks  as  before  the  apidication  of  the  paint. 
The  experiment  has  thei-efoiv  proved  that  the  paint 
is  an  effective  against  the  attacks  of  white  ants  if 
applied  directly  to  the  bark  of  attacked  trees,  but 
that  it  is  of  little  use  if  applied  without  first  en- 
tirely removing  all  earthly  ant  deposit  from  the  trees. 
The  trees  experimented  upon  were  29  full  grown 
specimens  averaging  from  2i  to  3-i  feet  in  diameter. 
Ingredients  for  paint  to  the  value  of  Its.  13-3-0  were 
purchased,  but  as  the  full  quantity  was  not  used,  the 
actual  cost  of  painting  the  29  trees  operate  d on  was  Us.  7 
or  at  the  rate  of  3 annas  10  pies  per  tree  nearly.  I there- 
fore consider  the  paint  too  expensive  for  extended  use 
on  large  sized  trees,  but  its  cost  would  not  be  pro- 
hibitive for  use  on  young  trees  or  saplings.  In  dis- 
tricts where  it  is  fou  id  exceedingly  difficult  to  estab- 
lish the  commonest  and  hardiest  of  roadside  trees 
owing  to  the  presence  of  whits  ants,  the  paint  would, 
I feel  sure,  prove  most  useful. 
Exotic  Pl\.\tati)N. 
There  is  little  to  place  on  record  under  this  head  thi.s 
season.  Owing  to  the  prolonged  drought  some  of  the  spe- 
cies of  trees  under  trial  in  c nnmou  with  many  other 
timber  trees  throughout  the  g irden  have  shown  consi- 
derable diffijulty  in  throwing  out  new  foliage  this 
year,  but  with  this  e.xception  the  tree.s  are  imaking 
as  good  progress  as  cm  be  desired. 
The  Eucalyptus  trees  coutinuo  to  yield  a steady 
income  by  the  sale  of  leaves  for  making  up  tho  de- 
coction used  for  cleansing  tho  boilers  of  lo  :om  etivee. 
The  quantity  of  leaves  thus  disposed  of  d iring  the 
year  was  59  mmnds,  or  ex  ictly  tlu  sums  weight  as 
sold  last  year.  As  tin  loaf  is  sold  at  tho  rate  of 
U2  per  raaund,  UlOO  was  realized  from  this  source. 
Mussoouin  Gvisokn. 
Great  assistance  was  as  usual  rendered  by  this 
garden  to  the  parent  institution  at  Saharapur  by 
furnishing  it  with  supplies  of  fruit  trees,  orchids. 
bulbs  and  roots  of  various  kinds,  seeds  of  Himalayan 
trees  and  shrubs,  &c.,  for  exchange  purposes  with 
kinired  instutions  in  all  parts  of  the  globe. 
A considerable  number  of  fruit  trees  cr  mprising 
apples,  apr  cots,  p ars  and  plums  were  permanently 
planted  out  last  cold  seossn. 
Tho  plot  s of  ground  where  planting  has  been  done 
were  formerly  used  for  growing  such  crops  as  Indian 
Gjrn  and  various  k nJs  of  Cucurbit  aceous  vegetables 
for  seed  for  distributions  through  the  larger  institu- 
tion at  Saharanpur;  but  as  the  latter  finds  it  can 
inoJuce  a suifioiency  of  such  seeds  to  meet  all  pos- 
sible demands,  it  was  considered  it  would  in  the  end 
prove  mere  profitabla.to  extend  the  area  permanently 
under  fruit,  and  almost  entirely  do  away  with  the 
cultivation  of  seed  crops. 
Owing  to  the  heavy  rainfall  in  the  year  1894  and 
early  part  of  1895  a considerable  part  of  the  wood- 
v/ork  of  the  green-houses  gave  way  to  the  action 
of  damp.  The  decayed  parts  were,  however,  lately 
replaced  w.th  new  material,  so  the  houses  again 
stand  in  a fair  state  of  repair. 
Applk  {Pyrus  mains). — -The  overseer  of  the  garden 
reports  that  a few  fruits  wore  produced  last  year 
for  the  first  time  by  a variety  of  apple  introduced  a 
few  years  ago  from  Japan.  He  describe-s  the  fiuit  as 
being  of  meuiumsize,  rich  golden  yellow  in  colour,  flesh 
mealy,  juicy,  and  of  a very  pleasant  sub-acid  flavour. 
The  variety  is  remarkable  for  its  dwarf  busby 
habit.  It  has  been  under  cultivation  in  the  garden 
for  about  5 years,  but  the  largest  p'auts  are  not 
above  four  feet  high,  and  as  they  are  bushy  in  pro- 
portion to  their  height  they  have  more  of  the  ap- 
pearance of  dwarf  bushy  shrubs  than  of  apple  trees, 
if  the  variety  proves  to  bo  a prolific  bearer,  it 
should,  owing  to  tlie  small  amount  of  space  it  occupies, 
prove  Useful  for  planting  in  gardens  of  limited  area. 
I am  somewhat  disappointed  with  the  Bismack 
apple,  a variety  specially  noticed  in  former  reports 
owing  to  the  many  special  merits  c aimed  for  it  by 
the  European  Horticultural  Press  when  it  was  in- 
troduced. 
I have  not  had  an  opportunity  of  examining  and 
sampling  the  fruit  in  a ripe  state,  but  Mr.  F.  VV.  Serrs, 
who  officiated  as  garden  Superintendent  during  the 
greater  part  of  the  time  I was  on  furlough  last  year,  de- 
scribes it  as  follows  : — 
“ Tho  Bismack  apple  produces  a large  handsome, 
taking  looking  fruit  with  an  attractive  and  somewhat 
peculiar  scent  all  its  own,  but  to  a certain  extent  the 
apple  is  a fraud  as  it  remains  distinctly  tart  when  quite 
ripe,  and  is  only  suited  for  cooking.” 
One  of  the  special  merits  claimed  for  the  above  ap- 
ple by  its  raiser  w'as  its  adaptability  for  culture  and 
hearing  in  hot  climates.  With  a view  of  testing  this 
special  claim  a specimen  was  planted  at  Saharanpur. 
It  has  made  far  better  growth  than.those  at  Mussoorie, 
but  so  tar  it  has  failed  to  ripen  fruit. 
Chestnut  Giant  op  Japan  {Castanea  vesca). — Thia 
plant  still  continues  to  make  very  slow  progress.  The 
plants  are  in  a healthy  condition,  but  as  they  only 
make  a few  inches  of  growth  in  the  course  of  a season 
the  soil  and  climate  does  not  seem  favourable  for 
promoting  good  average  growth.  I therefore  fear  that 
this  variety  of  sweet  chestnut  must  be  looked  upon  as 
a failure  at  Mussoorie. 
I)EWBEai{Y  {Uuhus  trieialis). — A few  plants  of  this 
small  fruit  were  sent  from  Saharanpur  two  years  ago 
to  tho  Mussoorie  garden  for  trial.  They  have  made 
rapid  growth  for  the  time  they  have  been  planted 
and  are  reported  by  the  OverSwer  to  bo  bearing  an 
abundant  crop  of  fruit  this  season.  This  bush  can 
therefore  be  r.commenJed  with  confidence  for  cul- 
ture both  oil  the  hills  aud  plains. 
Peak  (P^nn  coiamunis). — The  Japanese  varieties  of 
pears  mentioned  in  former  reports  still  continue  to 
make  good  progress  but  ai  they  have  not  yet  at- 
temptod  to  iroit,  no.hiug  worthy  of  note  can  at 
present  be  said  about  them. 
Plants  of  the  two  varieties  of  pears  from  Florida 
which  have  p.ovo.l  such  a success  at  Saharanpur 
have  been  plante.l  aloogddo  of  the  Jap.uioso  kind 
and  tho  progress  of  which,  will  bo  duly  noted  in 
future  reports. 
