July 1, 189T.] 
THE TftOElOAL AGRICULTURIST. 
59 
Your oOrreBpomlont “ W. B. L.” eecureil his tubers 
from “Oomilla” a few years baok, since whioh he lias 
kept up its ■cullivation whioh as he says is rather 
expensive wanting a good prepared anil with plenty 
of mHooTo. I also got another gentleiuan, an official, 
to oultivatH it on his property at Uewagaiu Korale, 
but 1 am afraid this gentleman has given it up and 
has confined his attention only to coconuts and impper, 
the latter of whioh ho firmly believes in as prying 
handsomely. I reniemlier sending a few specimens 
of the yam to your office and tho thru editor was 
pleased to say after trial that it was cqnal to or 
even superior to the best Jaffna. I say ao as well 
unhesitatirgly, and wou'd strongly alvise you to 
procure some epociraena from your worthy correspon- 
dent “W. B. L.” when you will endorse mv opinion. 
HORTIOULTUllIST. 
OVER-PBODUOTION OP TEA. 
Sir,— R eferring to what H. E. the Goyornor 
said at the Dimbuln breakfast, reepaoting overpro- 
duction being the obief danger tea planters need 
fear, would it not bo sell, before the danger 
oomes too near, for all tea planters to combine 
and push their teas in countries whe'ro they are 
now jittlo known, notably on the continent ot Europe 
Rod in Australis ? 
It would greatly strengthen the hands of the 
“ Ceylon Tea Kund ” if all planters would join 
and give jy cents per 1,000 lb, of green leaf, 
whioh I am willing to do for as long as may 
Ue neoeseary if my brother planters will do tho samo. 
Please give my name and address to any en- 
quiring persons. — Yours truly, 
PROPRIETOR. 
OUR COCONUT SOILS. 
Dear Sir, — Not being a learned scientist myself, 
I am obliged to take such aorapa of soienoa as I 
need at second hand, but 1 am somewhat nioe 
about the authorities I consult — applying only to 
Buoh as have made a name and position in their 
own branch of investigation. When 15. sssamod 
that eilioa was dolloient in certain coconut fields 
I appliid to Professor Qeikie, who gave mo the 
following information,: — More than one half of the 
earth’s orust oonsiats of silicate ; it is an essential 
element in all igneous rocks, from whioh all sedi- 
mentary rooks and soils are ultimately derived ; it 
is therefore not only abundant but everywhere 
present. In regard to the agriouUural value of 
silioa, the following sentence from a recently 
published article by Professor Johnstone disposes 
of that question ; 
‘‘ Now silica and silicates are decidedly injuri- 
ous to all vegetables doubtless, but in partioular 
to agricultural plants, I aay injurious ; tho time 
has gone pa-t for considering silica an essential, 
a useful or even an innoxious sooessory." 
OLD PL.ANTER. 
[We suppose it is our oorrespoudent who quotes 
Professor Johnstone’s dictum which certainly sur- 
prises us. One-half the cruet of the earth com- 
posed of a substance which is noxious and only 
noxious to agriouUural plants I “ Cinnamon sand ” 
is about 98 pet cent silica, and yet the finest 
cinnamon in the world grows in suoh sand. — 
Ed. T. a.] 
CACKLING OP JUNGLE HENS. 
Adampan, May 19th. 
Bn, —Re. cackling of jungle hens, 1 am afraid I am 
rather late, but yet, should you deem the following 
of any interest, they ate at your disposal. 
I have had tho opportunity of observing or rather 
I made it a point of sludying the manners and ways 
of wild animals in general, and the question now at 
issue has been one of them, I could say from my 
own knowledge that the junglo bens do not oackls 
after lying. They have four peouliar notes : — one 
when they fly alarmed, one when they feed with the 
cook in reply to call, one when calling the chickens, 
one warning the ohioks: the latter throe similar to 
the domestic hen hat in a softer key. Tho jnnglo 
hens lay more than four eggs ; I have taken as many 
as nine and I have seen a brood of eight ohioks. 
I have never heard a jungle hen cackle and the 
cook replying in a similar key, as among tl Q 
demestio fowls. The cook when singing out bis 
“ George Joyce " flaps his wings nearly like to his 
domestic cousin.— i'ours truly, 
K. De HOEDT. 
THE CHEMISTRY OP SOILS. 
Voyangoria, .'lav Iflth. 
Dhar 3 ..t, — I ceo.iot say with “ Obi Plenis- ’ (hat 
I am a ■■ .eatneti saieutisi, ’ for 1 ay \o preteii. 
Finns In being a scientist at all, wbetner learned 
or nnleprued. LAa hiiii the information 1 get on 
Bcieutifio snbjeota s from bookc ; but I do not enjoy 
the same nriVileges as ho n the clioice of my author l- 
ties. Mv' hutliuriticn. ire :he or.i.uaT) text books 
that c»i, he mircuasr ' - the onoi alo'e at tut Observer 
Office. A ve.v lep otrntioiis hook h ABietl '.ihsou 
aives 0 on aei v ihe aamp info .lat .u 03 eilic as I’ro- 
fusBO-. Go k o line-. ’■ .Allies « (be i,reriv...ilaali ig coa- 
Btitcciiv 0- aost i( .s, .ocks .1111. minc-aisj it is tho 
ti'ost abnndah. iO' •• natoria' 0' lue tartb." My old 
friend has pUs . .ir- to (he cunoccs-a y i onhle of 
consullii'g tunu 'u nc U ha ” ai liave nsdo a uama 
and position ,ni; .11, nraucu of invest. gatiou,” to 
icfulo astateme... o .lilegstiou l uid 1104 make. It .s 
the old game oi fij.. .. .g 1 nau 3 f .lack am, 1 oneV own 
oreatioD. The -U 'e-. on. whion 1 iar ‘'ei,ro ' made 
oncura in tho fi sr o oiy alts s 01; si'., wuo' e 1 say 
that I h-r” deni, e Jess iua. the esrou vi v coco- 
nut Ireia f, oe. or.'u lauiio. .suupo-’t luen' t 
buucbeE “ n'ly ba > V ■ ■( 411 defioie..r- o a ' oa.’’ 
A little Ilo.t' l wu’M h.vt 'iiicCed ‘-O'd Pia.ae.” 
that 1 oo.'le .04 lO- . v -.e .1 ue,io ei'C.v of 
silica ii' tue -oi .o» 1 .ae vomnos'i o'l 5' »uo .'ee, 
for I sia.oo over a.m y i-cia uua. o.ie j. thy 
properties o' siU s .. Mii i / jc reit.e. jo .'o.e i.ie 
silica iu tl'C aod, ..u ■ e. .. s.'j,.../ i. .0 ,ne .oil. f 
hold to the aei'o: .u ' 1 '.' - 4u;'ni .0 .orei'oj "J 
slifTon vogetab.'b (.•s-rta Ow.ng .0 ilie «C;. aw of 
wheat O'utaln ng oop' c ah’' ovt. .'.0 i.e. uf it of 
silioa, it wav for long .(I' k, t eJ ibn. .0' iiiias’'al 
was ab«o*ato!y •I 6 ces<a'y u me >n I to; > “ g- ' Wth 
aud that .t gan kliflneas to the 'i'aw. Peoeij ejt- 
poMujents ai growira wheat oa a so.' levo d A iloa 
have dijprovta ihis i.e'ief. U ■. iimi! Woiif tot eon- 
ducted some e.:pe nmeuts i'j vtie same .ii.ootiou, .uid 
his verdict W’S .bar .lio ..op, waa not iiitlia- 
paiiaab'e foi gla'n *^io vru, yet iho ■ irorprion of dllua 
greal'v iud«tcd u.s ui lat o 1 of otlici plan, food, 
and lhav p'nni^ t" ru.O" .ilior. wrs lauplied owed 
better develop. .itn-. .uaii moan witiih.ii -t. Now I 
contend that I 'live ii(;r aiabo.li.' o' th- oelief I 
hold. All ei':;a;;ee a 'V’liou' era', .u anits .avc 'ady 
expet’eiice ot i-lie ti''f-;eucc oetwnon the pi er b'lU y 
of making a prounc. '.row un.i growing .t . it'' » 
healtbi' aau wi 1 ueve .-miu rpeo.meii. Tlir .i;,r'ef 4 .io e 
ia tha 4 oelweoii ibe pown, ■>" . p-ouuc. a * 
and oe 1 ofit. Beside- 4.1 ► .0 m; 401.^1118 tbe 
experinic'.uh oni' w* -m .0 prove ili.vt ■. uca was not 
essential to lUe growth ot wbe.v ; they went no 
furthe’ . 
Aud non I como to the lecood pa i ■! the letter 
of “ Olu Plame.' wecre be qnotoa i-.rk approval the 
diotnm of d’-offlpsoi Joels, one. t may remark en 
passant ihai 1 take it for gianled that “ Alexamte’ 
J .hnstoiio'' 1 ' a I’rofesaor solely ob ‘ O'd j’lantera ’ 
oatbority, for though it may display my iguoraooe of the 
names of tho shining lights of the soioutifle worldiyet 
