748 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
handsome  swamp  mahogany.  Then  among  many 
other  introductions,  especially  on  Lower  Ab- 
botsford— there  is  a dill'erence  of  about  1,500 
feet  altitude  between  tlie  toj)  and  lowest  part  of 
the  estate— there  are  notable,  magniticent  speci- 
mens of  Albizzia  molnccana,  umbrageous,  lofty, 
massive,  like  so  many  grand  beech  or  elm  trees, 
and  although  not  more  tlian  15  years  old,  yet 
measuring  up  to  9 or  10  feet  in  circumference.  The 
contrast  between  the  cockscomb-like  yellow 
grevillea  flowers  and  the  feathery  white 
flower  of  the  albizzia  is  very  delightful.  Of 
other  trees  we  may  mention  several  varieties  of 
casuarina,  pinus,  cryptomeiia,  loons  and  allies, 
and  acacia,  the  Melanoxylon  especially,  of  which 
there  are  also  fine  belts  on  Dessford  estate. 
Of  individual  ornamental  trees  there  is 
enough  for  a botanic  garden.  Then, 
again,  in  garden  cultivation,  we  believe 
tlie  esteemed  Superintendent  of  Hakgala  Gardens 
sometime  ago  would  not  credit  what  he  was 
told  was  to  be  seen  on  Abbotsford  in  the  shape 
of  Palm  trees.  And  it  is  certainly  very  interest- 
ing to  see,  at  5,000  feet  altitude,  palm 
trees  (albeit  Australian  in  habitat)  wdiich 
might  be  taken  at  first  sight  for  pal- 
myras, 50  to  60  or  70  feet  high,  flourishing  so 
freely  that  their  reproductiveness  in  young  palms 
from  the  dropping  seed  is  likely  to  become  a 
nuisance  to  the  gardener  or  planter  ! 
Nor  have  we  nientioneil  all  the  advantages 
which  have  been  secured  in  Dimbula  and  aiija- 
cent  districts  from  the  planting  of  timber,  fuel 
or  ornamental  trees  amidst  the  tea,  in  the 
gardens  or  in  separate  groves.  “The  songsters 
of  the  grove'”  have,  as  might  be  expected,  very 
freely  availed  themselves  of  the  cover  and  homes 
provided  for  them.  “ The  singing  of  birds  is 
again  heard  in  the  land  ” — heard  over  the  50,000 
acres  of  primeval  forest  originally  cleared  to 
the  last  tree  foi  coflee,  cinchona  or  tea  in  this 
ipimense  district.  Not  only  so  ; but  more  bird 
visitors  are  finding  their  way  up  from  the  low 
country — attracted,  no  doubt,  by  the  genial 
climate,  garden-like  culture,  comfortable  groves, 
and  abundance  of  food.  Aiiu  here  conies  in 
the  economic  use  of  birds  in  destroying  insect 
among  other  enemies  ot  the  jilanter  and  his 
staples.  It  has  been  an  unusual  and  delightful 
treat  to  us  at  5,000  feet  to  be  wakened  at 
sunrise  by  the  multitudinous  singing  ot  birds 
outside  our  windows  and  away  on  the  tree-tops, 
recalling  the  home  ciy  in  “ Cymbeline”: — 
“ Hark,  hark  ! the  lark  at  Heaven’s  gate  sings. 
And  Pheebus  ’gins  arise." 
For  lark,  read  blackbird,  as  the  chief  favourite 
in  Upiier  Dimbula  and  indeed  in  all  our  higher 
regions  up  to  and  within  Nuwara  Eliya  itself.  In- 
deed, the  tree  and  garden  cultivation  in  tlie  higher 
districts  have  brought  the  birds — for  who  ever 
saw  or  heard  them  in  the  Dimbula  jungle  ? — or  even 
in  the  higher  jungles  now.  The  lowcountry 
sparrow  is  even  now  found  in  Dimbula.  We 
trust  the  process  of  establishing  groves  of  tim- 
ber or  fuel  trees,  or  of  dotting  these  over  the 
landscape  and  of  introducing  ornamental  tree.s 
into  the  gardens  and  around  the  bungalow's,  in 
onr  planting  districts — both  high  and  medium 
and  in  its  own  way  even  in  low  districts, — may 
continue  and  extend  more  and  more ; and  then 
we  may  be  sure  that  the  risk  of  any  serious 
enemy  to  our  tea  or  other  products,  spring- 
ing iiji,  will  be  greatly  lessened. 
Meantime,  we  commend  to  all  visitors  and 
travellers— nob  to  speak  of  rcshlents  who  move 
eibout  from  time  to  time— the  advantage  of  be- 
[May  I,  1897. 
coming  ac(iiiainted  with  the  scenic  and  other 
beauties  of  our  higher  planting  di.stricts— Dimbula, 
Dikoya,  and  Maskeliya,  not  to  speak  of  Udapus. 
sellawa — even  as  seen  from  the  first-class  roads 
which  traverse  so  many  of  them  in  different 
directions. 
ENEMIES  OF  CACAO. 
We  call  attention  to  an  interesting  letter  from 
Mr.  Vander  Poorten,  who  has  had  prolonged  ex- 
perience now  as  a cultivator  of  cacao.  He 
refers  to  the  letter  in  wliich  Mr.  Christie  an- 
nounced that  the  Governor  had  considerately 
agreed  to  call  in  a Specialist  to  report  on  the 
pest  affecting  the  red  species  of  cacao.  No 
intimation  is  given  as  to  where  this  Specialist 
is  to  be  sought,  and  whether  he  is  to  be  an 
Entomologist  or  Fungolomst  ? W" e do  not  know, 
indeed,  whether  there  has  been  a preliminary 
local  enquiry,  and  whether  such  special  talent 
and  training  as  we  may  have  in  our  midst 
has  been  consulted— or  whether  the  Governor 
is  acting,  or  has  acted,  simply  on  the  request 
of  the  Planters’  Association  Committee,  or  of 
Mr.  Christie  as  spokesman  for  a number  of 
cacao  planters  ? We  ask  these  questions,  be- 
cause apart  from  the  letter  we  publish  today — 
the  writer  of  which  shows  practical  and  scientific 
knowledge— we  cannot  find  that  Mr.  E.  E. 
Green  of  Pundaluoya  has  been  consulted  as  to 
the  “ Specialist  ’’  required  for  “ the  cacao 
pest.”  Now,  we  know,  a prophet  is  not  with- 
out honour  save  in  his  own  country  ; but 
seeing  that  Mr.  Green  has  made  for  himself  no 
undistinguished  position  among  scientists  at 
home,  and  remembering  further  that  we  have 
had  in  the  comse  of  the  past  thirty  years, 
“specialists”  come  out  to  this  colony,  who 
))roved  decidedly  bad  bargains, — we  should  cer- 
tainly have  liked  to  see  Mr.  Green,  as  well  as 
the  Director  of  the  Hotanic  Gaidens,  consulted 
as  to  the  wdse  and  proper  course  to  be  taken  in  the 
matter.  Mr.  Green  himself,  being  the  most  modest 
of  scientists,  will  deprecate  w hat  w e have  written  ,- 
for,  in  answer  to  our  empiiry,  as  to  his  know- 
lege  of  cacao  enemies,  he  -writes  as  follows  .- 
“From  Mr.  T.  N.  Christie’s  letter  it  nppcajs  (hat 
the  specialist  is  required  to  investigate  come  one 
particular  pest  aiTectiiig  the  red  vaiiety  of  the  cocoa 
1 am  not  quite  sure  to  what  disease  he  is  refening. 
Hut  if,  as  i suspect,  it  is  of  a fungoid  nature,  the 
services  of  a specialist  (a  cryptoganist)  would  cer- 
tainly be  necessary.  I am  certainly  not  qualified  to 
advise  in  such  a case.  My  particular  studies  have 
been  entirely  in  the  entoinolcgical  line.  ISomo  few 
w'eeks  ago  Mr.  Cluis.  Gibbon  sent  me  some  sections 
of  diseased  cocoa  steens,  together  with  some  small 
boring  beetles  which  he  supposed  to  be  the  cause  of 
the  trouble.  But  an  examination  of  the  material 
showed  me  that  the  beetles  were  not  accountable 
for  tne  disease,  but  had  been  attracted  by  the  dej 
caying  wood.  The  whole  sap  of  the  tree,  was 
diseased.  I was  unable  to  say  whether  the  inquiry 
was  due  to  unsuitable  soil  or  to  some  fungoid 
disease  ; but  it  was  certainly  not  caused  by  any  insect 
enemy. 
“ Many  thanks  for  your  kind  expressions  of  opinion 
upon  my  qualifications  as  an  economic  entomologist. 
It  is  a subject  that  has  always  interested  me,  and 
I have  endeavoured  to  keep  myself  abreast  of  the 
progress  and  work  done  in  this  direction  in  other 
countries.  But  it  is  difficult  for  a private  indi- 
vidual, unsupported  by  either  funds  or  authority, 
to  conduct  the  necessary  experiments.  Many  of 
these— though  expensive— must  bo  unrtmuuorative. 
We  have  very  much  to  learn  about  the  action  of 
various  insecticides  and  there  can  be  no  progress 
without  many  failures,  for  which  a laiga  inarcin 
should  be  allowed.’’  ® ^ ^ 
