324 
TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[November 2, 1891, 
trouble, but am anxious to know whether the sjstem is 
worth developing. 
Vrom W. Weston, Eaq., to A. 3. Simsoh, Esq., dated 
Bingell, 30th October 1800. 
I now send you my report on the tomato decootiou as 
a oure for certain blights. I will answer all your 
questions first, and thou adds few remarks aflor. 
1. I have only treated “ red spider," but am of 
opinion that all blights which crawl (have no wings) 
could be prevented by this treatment. 
S. 8o far the block of busbes treated last year and 
this for *' red spider " have not been attacked again. 
The 1880 block has now been free for seventeen months. 
I. I oonsider the deooction should bo applied as soon 
U the first signs of the blight appear. The boat and 
quickest method of applying tlio deooction is with 
•yrln^ with rose heads. Syringe the bush thoroughly 
(norning and evening, the quantity depends on the 
site of the bush. 
4. By the destruction of the blight, the bush is 
enabled to flush or throw out new shoots qnickor. 
That is, itoontinuea to flash In its natural manner. 
5. In no way is the health of the bush impaired by 
the use of this deooction. 
6. The leaf it in no way affected in color, taste, or 
otherwise. 
7. Taking 4,840 bushels to the acre, the cost of 
labor would be not more than BIO per diem (an acre) 
this is giving 60 largo bushes to each child to thoroughly 
syringe morning and evening. 
8. Yet, in this district one might say it grows wild, 
for when once planted, the plants come on with very 
little attention. 
9. Take 80 lb. of tomato leaves and stalks (bine), 
throw a portion into a oask, and pulp well with a long 
wooden mortar. Oonlinne adding till the whole of the 
801b. is pniped, then add 40 quarts of water and mix 
well. The decoction is now ready for use. Old leaves 
and bint which are stringy are useless. 
10. The advantage derived in treating “red spider” 
it most important : — 
Firstly, it prevents the shedding of loaves by des- 
troying the spider before it wears them. 
Bsoondly, by preventing the shedding of leaves the 
plant it enabled to gather its necessary quantity of 
dew at night during the dry months, and consequently 
it has the strength to flush. 
11. The disadvaul ages are nil. 
My experiments have not been on a large enough 
scale for me, to form an idea as to what extent the 
outturn ha-s been affected, bnt there is no doubt that 
it wonid bo great ly benefited by the prevention of the 
spreading of tho blight on its first appearance. 
I oonsider the tomato docoction as a preventive is 
better than the tobacco decoction used at home for tho 
destruction of blights in “hop gardens.” With re- 
ference to my answer to yonr question No. 2, of course 
we have had an unusual year of weather in every way, 
which nndonbtedly has affected all blights as well as 
the quality of the leaf ; and taking this into consider- 
ation, as well as the small area at present treated, 1 
would not like to say more without making another 
experiment on a large scale, say 10 acres next year. 
But one thing I am certain of is, that the decoction 
of the strength given in para. 9 kills “red spider.” 
No. 6. The leaf from which tea is made can in 
no way suffer by using the deooction ; for as long as 
the bush is suffering from “rod spider,” it does not 
flush, and as soon as tho post is destroyed the treat- 
ment is discontinued. 
If I have not answered all the (guestions to jour 
satisfaction, let me know, and I shall only be too 
pleased to give you any further particulais you may 
wish for. 
From A. J, SiMSON, Esq , toW. Westson, Esq., dated 
Calcutta, nth November 1890. 
I mnst apologise for not having yet thanked y, u for 
the full report you have cent me on the tomato treat- 
ment of blight. It is very complete, and I am much 
obliged for the trouble you have taken to make it so. 
One point strikes me, however, and that is the oxpenso 
whieh you put at KIO per acre per diem. This, at 
first sight, appsara prohibitive as it seems for a garden 
of 1)00 acres B5 000 per diem or per annum 1118,26,000. 
But I know it has not to be done every day even 
during the season, and should therefore like to know 
how many days' treatment on an average you find 
sulfioient in the first instance, to rid attacked bushes 
and bow often the <leoootion has to bo applied after- 
wards to keep them free. Yon say 1889 block has 
been free for seventeen months, from which I infer 
that the affect carries on beyond one sea-on even. In 
reference to this question it would be Interesting to 
know what yon considered the average oxpeuditure on 
the treatment per sore per annum, and whether you 
think such expenditure compensated for by the in- 
creased yield of leaf, if so, to what extent. 
I am sorry to trouble you further, but think my 
information will be oomploto if you can kindly reply 
to these points. 
From W. Weston, Esq., to A. J. Bimson, Esq., dated 
Smgell,3rd December 1891. 
In answer to your question how many days' treat- 
ment I found Bullicient in the first instance to rid 
attacked bushes ? 
Eighteen to 27 days’ treatment entirely got rid of 
the spider, bnt I betievo if a stronger deooction was 
used. It would act quicker, anil at the same time not 
injure the bushes or loaves. Tho bnsbes when once 
treated have not been attacked again, acd so far the 
treatment shows a perfect cure. 
In answer to your question referring to duration of 
time the effect lasts, and the average expenditaro on 
the treatment, I take the average expenditure oo 
treatment per acre, HI30 per annum, and if this means 
a permanent cure, which it so far shows in the 1889 
block, which has been free for over 17 months. I 
consiiltr the expenditure wonid in every way ho com- 
pensated for by the increasod yield for no red spider 
would mean one’s getting the proper outturn from 
each aero of lea every year after the cure has been 
rffooted, which cure so far seems permanent. 
With refereuce to your figures of expenditure on a 
600 acre garden treated for “red spider,” it wonid be 
impossible for the whole area to suffer at once, as red 
spider starts on a portion of a block or blacks, and 
spreads if left alono ; therefore, if the attacked 
parts are treated with the deooction on its first 
appearance, the spreading is prevented, and tho 
expenditnre in ooustquenee is brought down to a 
minimnm, 
Sliould we suffer from red spider next season, I in- 
tend trying a strong decoction which, I have no donbt 
will cure in a smaller space of time, and of course 
reduce the expenditure per acre. 
If I have not answered all your questions as you 
wish write and let me know, for I am only too pleased 
to answer them. 
THE CULTURE OF COFFEE, &c., IN 
SINOAPOEE. 
Mr. Eidley, the Director of tho Straits Gardens and 
Forests, in noticing Dr. Burok's papers on leaf- 
diseaso in Java, writes : — 
All who have seen a view of the coffee fields in 
Ceylon, must have noticed the entire absence of any 
hedges or jungle breaking up the enormous tracts of 
coffee cutivation. The ground is, it is true, very 
undulating and hilly, but there in no attempt made 
to separate the fields at all by hedges. The whole 
country is open to the sweep of tho prevailing wind 
to carry tho iungus spores from end to end of tho 
island, aod, lodepd, the undulating nature of Ihe 
ground is in favour of the spread of the dineaso. 
rrofetsor Marshall Ward, when ho was iovostigating 
the disease in Oeylon, pointed oat this very thing, 
and urged the formation of hedges. It is not prob- 
able that this simple method would Lave so far 
arrested the disease as to save now ruined cultivation 
in Ceylon, but it would, doubtless, have leseoned the 
violence and rapidity of tho attack, and given some 
chaboe of combating the disease, by breaking up tho 
