Sept. 1, 1897.] 
Supplement to the “ Tropical Agriculturist 
215 
them ■^^as that they panted a little diiriug the 
heat of the day, and for this laxatives and saline 
febrifuges were administered. In two or three 
weeks, on closely examining the skin, bluish 
hairs could be detected mixed with the white. 
This gradually advanced until the colour of the 
animal was a distinct bluish gray. In a few 
weeks more the shade gradually changed to brown, 
finally developing into dark brown. At the same 
time the hair grew very long, making the animal 
appear to have developed a thick wdnter coat. 
Theskin itself also tends to become darker in colour, 
in connection with this change in colour the 
animals very gradually became thinner, appearing 
to grow .smaller in size, and gradually ceased 
milking (if a milk cow). In all other ways 
there was nothing to be noticed, so that a 
stranger would not observe anything wrong. 
I did not have an opportunity of a post-mortem 
examination, as there were no deaths. I have 
noticed on one or two occasions odd cases at 
the public sales in Colombo exactly similar to 
those I have described, but as far as 1 have been 
able to learn it w'as not recognized as a disease. 
Professor Wallace, the eminent Agriculturist, sow 
these cases when in Ceylon and suggested liver di- 
sease. I was convinced the change was of a patho- 
logical nature. Consequently,] sent a photograph 
of one animal and specimens of its hair to the 
Eoyal Veterinary College, London, to an eminent 
pathologist, whose reply was as follows : — 
“ The cases to which you refer are certainly 
remarkable, if the change in colour of the skin 
and hair is really pathological. I never heard 
of such a thing, and am quite at a loss to 
account for it.... I shall be glad if you will 
let me know what the further progress of the 
cases was, and whether you have observed any 
other cases of the same sort since you wrote.’’ 
I may mention that all the cases I saw were 
imported animals. I am unable to give a de- 
finite opinion upon the nature of the change, 
but my impression is that it is due to morbid 
change of the blood glands of the liver, due 
to the changed mode of life and feeding upon 
rich food. In one case, a white Coast cow, the 
change in colour developed in patches, which 
gradually became larger and confluent. 
We acknowledge with thanks the receipt of 
five copies of a pamphlet containing Dr. Koch’s 
reports on experiments conducted by him for 
the discovery of a cure and a propylactic for 
rinderpest, sent to us by Vet. Major Mills, 
Principal of the Bombay Veterinary College. 
These reports were published in the pages of the 
Magazine from time to time, but as now presented 
they form a handy little book of reference. 
The pamphlet is published with the sanction of 
the Government of India. 
FRUIT CULTURE. 
The physiological facts referred to in our last 
issue are what all successful tree culture is 
founded on, whether the workman knows and 
intelligently applies them, or whether he follows 
empirical rules that have been taught him without 
explanation of the reason for them. They show 
that compact unserated ground, which has never 
been mixed up with its own bulk of air by 
trenching to something more than the depth 
to which average roots penetrate, is not fit to 
grow trees. They show that the unfitness is 
only locally and partially rectified by digging 
out a two or three foot hole and making its 
earth contents as loose, aerated and open as the 
whole orchard ought to be. They show that 
when the advancing root system of the trees 
has got beyond the poor thirsty dozen cubic 
feet of decent soil in its liole it reaches the 
compact earth walls around it and progress is 
barred. If the feeding tips force their way in, 
there is little or no aL’, and they cease to respire 
freely. If they coil back upon the loose earth 
in the hole, they find it impoverished, for it 
is their leavings of former years. Of course the 
trees’ demands are just as great as ever, but 
the stifled rootlets in the hard untrenched soil 
and the famished ones in the hole space cannot 
supply them. Then follows a lingering period 
of death, more or less drawn out according to 
circumstances. The young wood of the year 
dies back, making the well-known appearance 
that gardeners have likened to stag’s horns. This 
fatal error of insufficiently trenching up land 
meant for orchard purposes and relying on the 
contents of small artificial pits is one of the 
reasons why fruit trees that do not get fair 
play are so shortlived. 
Again, in watering, what do we do.^ We pour 
it on the depression round the tree till the 
hollow is lull and bubbles of air keep coming 
up in the pond that has been formed. Where 
are the air spaces which we saw were 
so e.«sential for the vitality of the roots ? Why, 
every bubble of vital air has been drowned out 
and forced to ascend and escape at the surface. 
What should be full of air is now full of water. 
The roots are completely immersed and their 
respiration is stopped. Fortunately this state 
of things does not last long. Even the most com- 
pact-clays slowly absorb w'ater, and the destructive 
surplus percolates away through their substance, 
relieving the asphyxiated roots and makirg 
way for air to enter from the surface. hl,e 
repetition of this drowning process several times 
a week is a common cause of the dropping of 
fruit, the dying out of the special young shoots 
of the year, and the general short space of life 
allotted to a neglected orchard on any other 
than a sandy open soil. 
Successful culture depends upon the degree 
of completeness with which we can make our. 
soil resemble the mechanical coudiiion present 
in a sponge. We must recognise that trees do 
not grow in earth alone, but in a mixture of 
earth, air and water. Tliat mixture is soil, if 
the word is properly uuder.stood. Our endeavour 
should therefore be to bring earth into the con- 
dition of soil, for between the two there is 
something of the difference that e'ci.'t.-^ between 
the rudest barbarism and a high civilization. 
Little or nothing is possible to the former, but 
everything is possible to the latter, 
