Jan.  I,  1897.1 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST 
463 
dream  of  trying  to  cure  it,  yet  the  supposed  discovery 
of  the  cause  of  the  sickness  relieves  his  mind  of 
a certain  responsibility. 
Roots. — Another  fact  that  bears  dwelling  upon.  The 
feeding  rootlets  convey  the  nutriment  they  have 
absorbed  into  the  bxrk  cells  of  the  large  miin  rojts. 
If  these  food-chinnels  (i.e  , bark  cells)  are  e.'cposed  to 
the  air  and  bruised,  the  flow  of  food  stuffs  is  hindered 
and  the  growth  of  the  tree  is  retarded.  Yet  how  often 
does  one  see  exposed,  bruised  and  torn  ro  ots  starting 
from  the  ground,  as  if  mutely  pro'esting  agiiint 
the  brutal  treatment  they  have  received.  Dumb 
yet  eloquent  victims  of  gross  neglect  ; one  would  think 
your  story  was  plain  enough  without  these  words  of  e.x- 
planation!  A clean  out,  on  the  other  h ind,  is  only  a 
temporary  check,  as  new  rootlets  soon  form,  and  the  ab- 
sorption of  food  proceeds  as  fast  as  before.  Thus  in 
young  plants,  as  every  planter  knows,  or  it  is  high 
time  he  did  know,  the  main  thing  to  be  observed 
in  transplanting  is  to  preserve  the  delicate  feeding 
rootlets  uninjured.  At  the  same  tims  the  food-chan- 
nels of  the  tap-root  should  be  kept  in  working  order, 
by  keeping  it  from  being  bent.  The  freest  use  of 
a (sharp)  knife  in  trimming  tap-roots  is  to  be  pre- 
ferred to  running  any  dangers  from  the  coslies 
twisting  or  bending  them. 
TB.VNsPL.iNTiNO. — If  plants  are  transplanted  in  the 
growing  season,  a warm  soil  and  moist  atmosphere 
are  indispensable  for  success,  as  though  miny  of  the 
young  rootlets  will  be  destroyed,  yet  a fresh 
lot  will  soon  start.  But  it  is  best  to  transplant 
when  the  growing  season  is  almost  or  quits  over, 
when  the  needs  of  the  youug  plant  are  fewest. 
This  most  important  point  needs  to  be  made  very 
clear.  If  a young  plant  is  in  active  growth,  there 
is  a constant  flow  of  food  up  from  the  roots.  Now 
this  food  can  only  be  taken  up  by  the  tips  of  the 
young  and  freshly  formed  rootlets.  If  the  plant  is 
removed  at  this  stage  in  the  usual  way,  the  majo- 
rity of  these  tips  are  broksn.  The  plant  thus  has 
its  food  supply  suddenly  stopped,  and  until  fresh 
rootlets  are  formed,  has  to  starve.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  the  plant  is  dormant,  the  sap  stagnates  so 
to  apeak,  and  removed  at  this  stage  can  only  af- 
fect the  plant  in  a very  slight  degree,  and  the 
fresh  rootlets  have  ample  time  to  form  by  the 
time  their  services  are  again  required. 
Roots. — As  a snake  swallows  its  prey  by  in  reality 
crawling  over  it,  so  does  a root  travel  through  the 
soil  solely  by  the  absorption  of  the  plant  food  it 
(the  soil)  contains.  Roots  grow  in  length  by  the 
formation  of  cells  at  the  r extremities,  and  as  they 
almost  wholly  feed  with  these  extremities,  they  are 
always  in  the  most  favourable  position  for  a good 
supply  of  food,  as  they  are  continually  getting  into 
new  soil.  Roots  have  a marked  power  of  selecting 
certain  foods  they  require,  hence  the  great  differ- 
ence in  the  constituents  of  different  species  of 
plants.  • But  his  power  is  strictly  limited  and  does 
not  prevent  their  absorbing  poisonous  juices  should 
such  be  present,  often  in  this  way  causing  the  ill- 
ness or  even  death  of  the  plant.  Another  peculiar 
property,  and  one  very  little  known,  lies  in  their 
power  of  excreting  substances  injurious  or  un- 
necessary to  the  plant.  This  is  distinct  from 
their  solvent  root  action,  t.e.,  power  of  exud- 
ing acids  that  decompose  and  render  soluble  ooher- 
wise  useless,  because  inert,  minerals.  As  may  bo 
imagined,  one  of  the  chief  reasons  of  the  failure  of 
great  numbers  of  any  particular  species  of  plant  to 
grow  continuously  in  the  same  soil  is  due  to  the 
accumulation  of  these  excreta.  This,  as  Mr.  Bamber 
says,  would  p.artially  account  for  the  gradual  decay 
and  dying  out  of  old  tei  plants. 
As  I mentioned  before,  anything  that  tends  to 
obstruct  the  free  passage  of  sap  along  the  sap-chan- 
nels, i.e..  the  bark,  must  result  in  weakening  the 
growth.  Knots  are  one  of  the  commonest  forms  of 
obstruction,  and  should  be  sedulously  removed. 
Sap. — The  uses  of  leaves  are  principally  the  con- 
version of  the  crude  sap  taken  up  by  the  roots  into 
forms  available  for  the  production  of  new  wood  and 
other  growth  ; the  evaporation  of  excess  of  mois- 
ture f(Om  the  sap  ; and  lastly  the  absorption  of  gases. 
Evaporation  proceeds  in  the  case  of  tea  principally 
through  the  openings  on  the  under  side  of  the  leaf. 
The  result  is  concentration  of  sap,  which  by  the  law 
of  endomosis  (the  power  of  fluids  of  different  densi- 
ties to  mix  and  become  of  the  same  density)  results 
in  a farther  supply  of  sap  coming  up  from’ the  roots. 
The  moister  the  atm osphere  the  weaker  or  more  di- 
luted is  the  sap,  especially  in  the  growing  shoots. 
Now,  the  thorough  transformation  of  the  crude  sap 
in  the  leaves  into  those  products  suitable  for  the 
formitiouof  fresh  cells,  requires  certain  conditions 
of  climate,  season  and  time.  The  special  “tea-moral" 
of  this  is,  as  Mr.  Bamber  points  out,  very  obvious. 
What  we  cill  flivour,  body,  pungency  and  strength 
are  entirely  due  to  certain  sap  compounds  formed  in 
leaf  under  favourable  conditions.  Yery  quick  flush- 
ing  means  a loss  of  seme  of  these  compounds,  especi- 
ally wnen  this  quick  growth  is  from  a freshly  pruned 
bush,  which  has  net  sufficient  leaves  to  carry  on  tho 
necessary  chemical  changes.— Tea  Planter. 
— Planting  Opinion^  Dec.  5. 
empire  of  INDIA  AND  CEYLON  TEA 
COMPANY. 
The  first  ordinary  general  (statutory)  meeting  of 
the  Empire  of  India  and  Ceylon  Tea  Company 
Limited,  was  held  on  Friday  at  Winchester  House’ 
Old  Broad  Street  under  the  presidency  of  Mr.  W.  h' 
Verner  the  chairuaan  of  tho  company. 
The  Secretary  (Mr.  H.  P.  Turner)  having  read  the 
notice  convening  the  meeting. 
The  C.iairman  said Oentlemen,  this  beiuc'  the 
statutory  general  meeting  it  will  not  be  necessary 
tor  me  to  Ueal  at  any  length  with  the  position  of 
the  company.  In  tact,  I could  not  do  so,  for  wa 
have  not  got  the  necessary  figures.  There  are 
however,  a few  remarks  that  it  would,  perhaps  be 
"'u-  There  is  one  matter  about 
which  we  have  heard  certain  people  complaining'  viz 
the  delay  in  obtaining  a Stock  Exchange  quotation.' 
1 le  soUoifcors  I think  are  in  some  measure  res- 
ponsible for  this,  for  they  have  required  a great  deal 
to  informatioo,  and  although  we  are  inclined  to 
tomk  there  is  generally  some  useful  excuse  in  all 
uoh  cases,  there  is,  in  the  present  instance,  a 
re  asonaole  explanation  to  be  given,  because  in  the 
matter  of  these  properties  I find  that  the  solisitors 
nave  had  to  satisfy  themselves  as  to  the  good  title  in 
tho  case  of  soms  fifty-seven  tenures,  and  that  means 
a good  deal  of  Jnvestigation  which  cannot  all  be 
done  in  a day.  If  any  shareholder  wishes  for  an 
explanation  of  the  matter  our  solicitor  is  in  the 
room,  and  will  reply  to  any  question  which  may 
bs  put  with  reference  to  the  property  about  which 
there  has  been  some  diffimlty  in  closing  the  transac- 
tion, viz.  the  ILimlai  property.  It  is  comparatively 
srnill  an  i unimportant  property,  but  owing  to  a 
aiffiouity  that  has  arisen  it  is  not  quite  certain  that 
it  will  really  become  the  property  of  this  comnanv 
although  it  is  believed  it  will.  At  all  events  there 
has  bee  i some  delay  about  it.  Some  of  you  gentle- 
men will  perhaps  be  saying,  “ Well,  now,  we  are 
getting  on  in  the  year,  and  perhaps  you  can  tell 
113  something  about  what  the  results  are  going  to  be  " 
Well,  gentlemen,  I am  very  sorry  to  say  i cannot 
tell  you  thati  witu  any  assurance  ; but  what  I 
can  say  is  this,  that  ths  company’s  gardens 
generally  have  bsen  making  good  teas,  some 
of  them  very  high-class-teas,  those  of  the 
principal  garden  having  averaged  up  to  date  close 
upon  13d ; and  tea  experts,  of  whom  I see  several 
in  this  room,  will  tell  you  that  is  a very  good  fio’ure. 
On  the  other  hand,  these  same  tea  experts  miirht 
turn  upon  me  and  say,  “ What  about  the  prices  you 
are  getting  for  your  Haiha  Patha  teas?”  These  are 
low,  1 quite  admit,  but  I would  point  out  that  this 
garden  is  giving  a yield  of  about  eleven  maiinds  to 
the  acre,  so  that  I hope  this  large  and  very  un- 
common  yield  of  tea  will  make  up  for  the  lowness 
of  Its  price.  The  greater  number  of  the  gardens 
of  the  company  are  turning  out  teas  far  above  tbg 
