Aug. 2, 1897.] THE TROPICAL 
CACAO AND OTHER CULTIYxlTION 
AND THE “TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST.” 
Mr. E. E, Green, in the letter we publish 
on page 125, makes a valuable suggestion. It is 
that one general index sb.ould be compiled for 
the first ten volumes of our monthly periodical. 
But why confine it to ten? We are in- 
clined, while about it, to make a com- 
plete index for tiie whole sixteen volumes 
which have now been i)ublished, the June number 
just issued finishing the last. In doina’ so, 
of coui’se, care must be taken to omit re- 
ference to ephemeral matter of only passing 
interest, so as to reduce the bulk of the index 
and make it the handier for everyday use- 
In reference to the Cacao disease described 
in Porter’s “ Agriculturist ” in 183.3, we 
have turned up the original book and 
find the author is referring chiefly to 
Mexico, though also to the Spanish States 
in South America ; but no more is said on the 
disease referred to than we quoted in the T. A. 
In Mr. Hart’s little Manual on “ Cacao,” besides 
the two greatest enemies o’ I' lnidad planters — 
the Parasol or Umbrella Am and the Cacao 
beetle, both fully described— and a fungus which 
sometimes attacks the pods, the chapter on 
“diseases” opens as follows: — 
Fortunately for the cultivator the serious diseases 
which attack the Cacao tree are few, except the 
plant is placed in a totally unsuitable position. 
Perhaps the most common disease is one which is 
known under the name of Canker. This causes the 
stem and branches to dry in certain spots and along 
certain lines and generally results in the death of 
the tree. The cause and the remedy are not 
far to seek, for when trees are planted in good well 
drained ground, little or no Canker is to be found 
among them, but in poor surface soil, badly drained, 
with a hard subsoil in addition. Canker is sure to 
appear and to kill out the trees, for it is really 
the enervated condition of the trees which allows the 
attack to establish itself. 
It is very probable that there are fields afflicted 
with canker — as seen by Mr. Green — and akso 
others as described by several cacao plantens, 
affected by a “ poochie ” — in .some cases the 
Tomicus perforans as described by Mr. Van Der 
Poorten ; in others perha])s by the cacao beetle 
or Steirastoma histrionica. White, thus referred 
to by Hart : — 
The attack is ma'de by the beetle laying its eggs 
either in the crevices of the bark, or under the 
bark in holes made by the insect itself. Thelarvse 
then work great damage to the tr-ee by cutting long 
channels through the soft wood of the stem to such an 
extent that the slightest breeze breaks away the bi-.-iich 
and destroys it, and sometimes the depredation of 
the grub is so great as to kill the tree outiigbt. 
The only remedy which it appears can be sug- 
gested, is the collection of the beetles when out on 
their hymeneal tour, or when quietly resting in the 
crevices of the bark in the early morning hours. 
The larvse may sometimes be destroyed by probing 
a stout wire into the hole where they have entered, 
thus impaling the creature at its work. This is not 
always possible, but where the life of a valuable 
tree is at stake, every endeavour should be made 
to arrest the destructive progress of the larv® or 
grub, which can generally be found and destroyed 
without much injury to the tree, if a close and 
careful examination is made. In cutting out a grub, 
care should be taken to make the wound as small and as 
little jagged as possible, and to cover it at once with 
the mixture recommended in a former part of 
this work for covering the wounds made when 
pruning. 
AGRICULTURIST. 119 
THE PROSPECT OF A RISE IN TEA. 
The troubles of our planting friends in Assam 
as leported in successive telegrams -if confirmed 
when details come to hand by post, cannot fail 
to influence the tea market both in India and 
Ceylon as well as in Europe. Here is what an 
observant colonist says : — 
“ These telegrams from India about the damage 
done in Assam by earthquakes to factories and roads 
anl the comparatively small exports of tea from 
Caylon to date ought to make tea rise.. The most 
important telegram in respect of tea is that which 
states that it will take 2 months before tea can come 
from Assam to Calcutta in any quantity.” 
There m.ay possibly he a call on Ceylon planters 
to aid tlieir brethren in Assam. 
RICE IN KANDY (CEYLON). 
We had .an enquiry the other day as to the 
price of rice in Kandy this year as compared with 
the rate in 1896. Gere is wliat we believe to 
be a reliable comparison : — 
Soolai gives o,n 
average for 1897 
R. c. 
3 62 
1896 . . 
3 12 
Difference . 
50 
Kallunda 
. . . . 1897 . , 
4 25 
1896 , , 
3 49 
Difference . . 
76 
Muttu Samba 
. . 1897 . . 
4 36 
1896 . . 
3 61 
Difference . . 
75 
Kaivaru . . 
. . 1897 . . 
4 38 
1896 . . 
3 75 
Difference . . 
63 
Kuruwe 
. . 1897 . . 
4 12 
1896 . . 
— 
This last rice Kuruwe is rather an inferior rice lately 
brought into country since the Indian Famine took 
effect. Soolai rice was not seen on the market since 
April last. 
INDIAN PA TENTS. 
Applications in respect of the undermentioned in- 
ventions have been filed, under the provisions of 
the Inventions and Designs Act of 1888, in the office 
of the Secretary appointed under that Act during 
the week ending 29th May 1897 : — ^ 
Improvements in tea rolling machine tables, to 
be called “ Flockhart's solid reversible well casting 
and plates for tea leaf rolling machine lower tables ” 
—No. 211 of 1897.— William Burt Flockhart en- 
gineer, Sonajnli tea estate, Tezpore, Assam, for im- 
provements in tea rolling machine tables, to be called 
*■ Flockhart’s solid reversible well casting and plates 
for tea leaf rolling machine lower tables.”— Aidfmi 
and Eastern Engineer. 
Rubber Cultiv.\tion i.v the Straits.— It is 
evident that the coming product “ rubber” is not 
to be neglected by planters in countries 
around ^ us : we have on an enquiry from 
an ox-Geylon planter in the S raits for our 
Manual and for seed, the latter of which we can 
only answer by referring the applicant to the 
Manager of Culloden estate. 
