676 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [April i, 1898. 
SCIENTIFIC MANURINC. 
We observe that our old friend, Mr. J ohn Hughes 
has been writing a letter to the Church of England 
Guardiayi, on the subject of the very article on 
which we made some observations in our issue 
of the 28th ultimo. The counsel of the experi- 
enced Analytical Chemist is much on tlie same 
lines we followed, and he does not withhold 
commendation of the article which stiuck us as 
very guarded and judicious. He points out that 
it i's very unusual to apply cattle manure and 
artificials combined ; and he indicates the value 
of the latter for spring crops. While doing so, 
he is verv empliatic in his refusal to discredit 
well-rotted cattle manure, and points to the condi- 
tions which must decide on the value and utility 
fo manures. As truly remarked, agriculture is 
not a Science but an Art ; and the successjuf 
a<^riculturist is the man who is most patient j/C 
observant, and calls in the aid of science at tha 
proper time. Here is what Mr. Hughes writes 
“ The interesting and very practical criticism 
of recent manuring experiments which appeared 
in the Guardian of December 22nd, must have 
been read by many country clergymen with a 
personal interest, because their prosperity is closely 
Lsociated with that of agriculture. In many 
cases the parson is a very good farmer himselt, 
and his previous education and ability of a.ssimi- 
lating special technical knowledge enables bim to 
procuress with the times to a much greater extent 
than the average farmer, wiio has been brought 
up in the immediate locality, and has, perhaps, 
never travelled beyond his own county. 
“ It may be useful, therefore, to state that 
artificial manures are not usually applied 
in coninnction with fanu-yard dung ; indeed, 
the speci.al value of such concentrated manures 
i= that the industrious and enterprising farmer 
is enabled by their use to supplement and extend 
the average of land manured in one year, 
because no farmer, whether upon arable or 
<rrass land, has sufficient onlmary uung to 
dress the whole of the land that requires it. 
Moreover, these special fertilisers, containing the 
necessary elements of plant food in a gene- 
rally soluble form, are therefore, immediately 
available for the use of spring crops, so that, 
under ordinary circumstances, the tarmer who 
cets his artificials from a respectable firm may 
reap an increased crop before I 13 pays for the 
dressing in the following autumn. But these 
fertilisers should be judiciously employed, after 
taking proper advice ; otherwise the results may 
be iust as unsatisfactory as the German pot 
experiments with cow and house dung have been 
shown to have been, thouglCit is rather too late 
to be induced to believ^e that well dung, 
whether made in Germany or elsewhere, is not 
a reliable manure. Agriculture after all is not 
a science, but an Art founded upon long 
conditions which cause it to flourish or 
to failare not. fixed, nor under the control of 
man Soil, season, situation, seed, and the per- 
sonal skill of the farmer in the management 
nf his workmen, ins crops, ins herds are the 
m-eat and d ief factors that affect the success 
of the ordinary farmer. , , , , a 
“ Science, of course, is in capable hands and 
if locally available in the nearest maket town 
can materially assist the farmer in the purchpe 
of his fertilisers and feeling stufls, 111 the selection 
rf (rood seed, in the treatment of his stock, 
and in pointing out with the aid of analyses in 
what respects his soil many be specially deficient. 
“Field experiments, carried out by the 
farmer himself, will give him, after a series of 
years, some useful information in regard to his 
own particular form ; but it will not be safe 
for him to assume that experiments carried out 
in other localities, upon probably, very difler- 
ent soils, are likely, under a totally different 
season, to yield similar results on his form. It 
IS important that these facts should be remem- 
bered ; for in these days the agricultural 
press is constantly reporting the results of field 
experiments carried out in various parts of the 
country. — John Hughks, F.I.C., District Agri- 
cultural Analyst for Herefordshire."’ 
o— 
PLANTING NOTES. 
“The Agiucultural Ledger.’’ — 1897 — No. 19. Aro- 
nitum A. Ferox, var. Crassicaulis, and A. Napellus, 
(the Roots). Dictionary of Economic Products, Vol. 
I., A. 397-413. 
High Prices foe Coffee.— Middling Planta- 
tion Ceylon coffee realized in Febru.ary 1874 in 
London as high as from 1.35s to 139s per cwt. 
Choice “ Peabeny” would certainly secure a good 
deal more. Indeed “ Peaberry” often gets a fancy 
price above the ordinary market. But it is very 
notable that so old an Uva coffee estate as 
Mousagalla — we saw the first clearing we think 
in 1865 when on a visit to old Thomas Wood 
of Spring Valley — should realize for its Peaberry 
in 1898 so high a figure as 150s per cwt. (when 
Middling Plantation Ceylon is down to 103s), 
Would that Uva could show an appreciable area 
still flourishing under the old staple ! 
“The Indian Forester,’’ a monthly Magazine of For- 
estry, Agriculture, Shikar and Travel. Edited by J. S. 
Gamble, m.a., f.l.s. Conservator of Forests, and Di- 
rector of the Forest School ; Dehra.Dfin. Cootents for 
February 1898, are as follows : — Original Articles and 
Translations : Note on the Forest School tour in Ondh. 
No. 1, by F. Glepdow ; The effects of fire on grazing 
and the production of grass, by “ X ; Note on a 
White Ant preventive, by Gokal Das ; Willow for 
Cricket Bats, by B. U. C.” Correspondence : Con- 
centric Rings in the Mangrove, letter from A. W. 
Lushington ; An Imperial Forest Blazer, letter from 
“Nil Desperandum.’’ Official Papers and Intelligence: 
Note on the Fructification of Deodar by B. Ribben- 
trop ; Reproduction of Teak by means of Taungyas, 
by ditto. Reviews : Forest Conservancy in Ceylon 
during 1890. Shikar and Travel ; Extracts, Notes, 
and Queries ; Timber and Produce Trade ; Extracts 
from Official Gazettes ; Appendix Report on the 
Manufacture of Spirits of Turpentine and Colophony 
by J. L. Pigot. 
Bird-Eating Spiders in Ceylon.— “Smooth- 
bore” writes to the Field of Feb. 12th “ Re- 
ferring to Mr. William Hardy’s note as to the 
spider he found eating a bird on his estate in 
Ceylon, it may be useful to note that there are 
two species of Ptecilotheria or “embioidered” 
spiders in Ceylon, and not found, so far, either 
in India or Burma. Ptecilotheria sub-fusca has 
the first .segment next the body of the first and 
second pair of legs (the femur) entirely velvety, 
black or brown in the lower or ventral aspect, 
and has no colouring ; whilst P. fasciata has the 
same segment lemon yellow', with a narrow black 
stripe across it. Mr. Hardy is the first observer 
who has recorded the fact that one of these spiders 
is a bird eater. The natives state -that they do 
eat birds; but to the best ol my remembrance 
Sir Emerson Tenant was unable to confirm the 
statement. I hope that the description I had 
given will enable Mr. Hardy to identify tbe species 
of spider mentioned in his note.” 
