Aug. 2, 1897,] 
THE 
TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
123 
€urrcspcnduno5. 
To the Editor. 
“ACACIA DECURKENS”— NOTES BY A 
PRACTICAL PLANTER. 
AN AMBAWELA FUEL AND BARK COMPANY 
ADVOCATED. 
Albion, Nuwara Eliya, June 5tli. 
Dear Sir, — Your correspondent “T.” [see 
page 57 of July T.J.] evidently lost all interest 
in Acacia decurrens after the collapse he refers 
to, but will he be good enough to exjdain 
what he means by “ flecurrent” ? Some local 
would-be authoiities argue that the term has 
reference to the habit of certain of the acacia 
family of running or spreading from the roots 
(notably A. melanoxylon and A. dealbata) ; but 
with me Acacia decurrens does not throw up 
suckers, even when the roots are cut. “ T” as- 
serts there are over 70 varieties of A. decurrens 
bnt in “ Wattles and Wattle barks’' by J. H. 
Maiden, F.L..S., T.C.S. , &c., Curator of the Tech- 
nological Museum, Sydney, 1891, there are only 
five varieties mentioned which you will fincl 
fully described on pp. 69-70 : decurrcnt here 
refers to “ angles from the base of leaf stalks.” 
Your correspondent’s experience with bark was 
certainly not encouraging, but what would he 
say to R140 per ton in Colombo ? I have an 
order now on hand at this rate. The boiling- 
down process you advocate is de.scribed on p. 26 
and you will note that “trash” (i.e. prunings 
and branches) is chiefly dealt with in this 
way. “ T” ’s experience with mixed seed is not 
unique, see what Maiden says on the sub- 
ject on page 7 : locally produced seed is not 
open to this objection, my seed-bearers being 
all of the same variety. The information on 
pp. 66-69 would be interesting to intending 
planter.?, as also the “ Bamboo method of plant- 
ing” described on page 10. The reed Arundo 
Donax referred to, grows here freely, and when 
once established, will give an annual cutting of 
stalks from 12 to 20 feet long ; besides being 
useful for plant raising, they make very neat 
temporary fences, warrachies for lines or split 
up into pegs for lining. 
Who will start the first Fuel and Bark Com- 
pany to buy or lease a few thousand acres of 
the now unproductive patana land along the 
Railway line between Nanuoya and Ambawela, 
in order to supply tea estates with fuel, the world 
with tanning substances, and in six or seven 
years give the shareholders cent per cent on 
their outlay ! -Yours faithfully, 
A. J. KELLOW. 
MR. GREEN APPOINTED HONORARY 
GOVERNMENT ENTOMOLOGIST. 
Planters’ Association of Ceylon, 
Kandy, 9th June 1897. 
Sir,— I n continuation of previous correspondence 
published regarding the appointment of a Govern- 
ment Entomologist, I enclose copy of a further 
letter received from Government. — I am sir, yours 
faithfully, A. PHILIP, Secretary. 
Colonial Secretary’s Office, Colombo, 8th June, 1897. 
Sir, — I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of 
your letter of 28th, May, and to inform you that the 
Government are willing to purchase 12 additional 
16 
copies of Mr. Green’s book on the “ Coccidfe of 
Ceylon, ’ for distribution among the Kachcheiis in 
the planting districts. 
2. I am at the same time to acquaint ■^ou that 
His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to 
appoint Mr. Green, to be Honorary Government 
Entomologist. — I am sir, your obedient servant, 
(Signed) H. L. CnAwronn, 
for (.’olonial Secretary. 
The Secretary, Planters Association of Ceylon. 
THE DISEASE AFFECTING CACAO 
TREES : MR. J. R. MARTIN IN 
EXPLANATION. 
Yattewatte, Matale, June 13. 
Dear Sir, — I was glad to see [vide page 
106] a correspondent tvriting with a view 
to adding to our knowledge of cacao disease. 
Ill my letter of the 6th iiisl. to tlio “ Times of 
Ceylon,” I merely gave my own opinion. I 
have_ no wish to dogmatize on ttiis subject, and 
the fact of your correspondent disagreeing witli 
my views, shows the value of discussion. We 
agree however on two points; — 1st that this 
disease is not a root disease, .ami secondly that 
it is the work of a Poochie,. Your correspondent 
is also certain that if a diseased tree is cut down 
the sucker which grows from the stump grows 
into a healthy ti'ee. This is most valuable in- 
formation. So on these three points something 
has been learnt. 
As it seems to be assumed that I am ojiposed 
to the scientific investigation of this disease, I 
wish to explain that the idea of getting out a 
scientist originated with me. On the 13th February 
last I called on Mr. Dickenson of Warriapolla to 
discu.ss the disease, and we tlien agreed to raise 
at once such a sum as would bring out a com- 
petent man without delay. I have no doubt 
that the necessary funds would have been at 
once forthcoming. Afterwards Mr. Dickenson 
without consuiting me wrote to' Mr. Christie and 
asked for Government helfi, and Mr. Christie 
at once applied to the Governor — against this I 
protested as .soon as I knew of it. Fir.stly, because 
I thought it bigbly probable that if we trusted to 
Government for a man, we would hare to 
wait a long time for him, and secondly, as I 
wrote to Mr. Christie, because as soon as it is 
known, that we have asked for Government help, 
alarmist paragraiihs will appear in the papers, 
and the financial position of cacao will be severely 
injured. Mr. Christie made light of my objec- 
tion ; but here we are with no immediate prosjiect 
of scientific help, and I think both my anticipa- 
tions have been fullilled. 
At the same time I think it is probable that 
if cacao planters bad taken np the matter for 
themselves and made inquiries at home in the 
right places, that we would have had a man on 
his way out now. 
Sir West Ridgeway acted with zeal and promp- 
titude when the matter was brought before him, 
and as matters stand we mu.st wait on Govern- 
ment for help, but I think when the matter was 
put into Government hands, ib was a foregone (in- 
clusion that there w'ould be a great deal of delay. 
The authorities at lionu! arc not likely to keep a re- 
serve of scientists ready for dispatch to distant 
Colonies, and as the responsibility now rests with 
them, they are sure to act with slowness and 
caution. — Faithfully yours, 
JAS. R. MAKTIN. 
