43*5 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[December i, 1891, 
Oertaia tuaQures too have boon found quite unsuited 
for delicate vegetables, throngh imparting to them a 
decidedly dicagreeable flavor. 
On many of the famous vine-farms of Europe, 
manuring has resulted in outircly destroying tho 
special boutjuet of the wiuos tuade upon them. 
On the other hand, many plants grown for 
tho specially delicate aroma of their produce have im- 
proved upon manuring, such as melons, peschea and many 
other luscious fruits, allhough I should think as a general 
rule the delicacy of the aroma and flavor would bo im- 
paired. . , 
Upon the tea I have mostly to deal with, manuring 
has so far not been found nopo.4snry to such a degree 
as to enable me to form any opinion on the subject, 
but I shall now have teas made from manured parts 
separately, to see if I can discover any diatinotivo 
character about them. 
Manure would, I should thinh, have a more 
direct influence upon the immature leaf in this respect, 
such as make tho finest teas than upon matured fruit, 
cofifeo fcr instaucoi for the ingredients of the plant 
food and what accidentally may accompany it in the 
form of sap, would be in a less elaborated condition 
than in the maturer k’aves that have more fully thrown 
off volatile matter with their gases and moisture. 
Another asoertoineu fact is the more general exis- 
tence of delicacy of flavor from plants grown in inferior 
rather than rich soil, an instance of which we have in 
our own oiDoamon that has, I believe, never been beatec; 
and this rule applies to many other plants. 
However my opinion is chiefly by analogy and upon 
general principles, to which tea may be an exception, 
yet I should think there might bo an uufavourable 
effect produced in this respect by the application of 
manure especially upon th<3 finer grades. 
I regret that time will not allow me to^ write mure 
upon so interesting a subject, so fully experiraente i upon 
by Boientifle cultivation which would I think be sgaiust 
the application of moat of the usual fertilizing materials 
by those who desire to produce flue flavored teas. If 
quantity alone wore sought my opinion would be 
different. ^oubes Laurib. 
Another planter writes as follows : — 
Referring to “ Novice’s” letter about quality of tea 
and artificial manuring— I am unable to give >oa 
anything approaching proof for or against hie theory. 
My opinion is at present an undecided one. I have 
manured here with artificial manure a small acreage 
during the last three years, of which however I was ab- 
sent from the island fully 18 months. Sinco my return 
I have been HO busy that the question baa not had as 
much attention as it deaerves. I cannot eay, however, 
that I have noticed any deterioration m (luality of tea 
from luaoured fields hb compared with unmanured 
fields, and on the other hand X cannot say I have no- 
ticed any improvement. I know however that 
Mr. Joseph Fraser need to think his tea 
from manured fields slightly bettor in quality. I leave 
eatirely out of tho question all consideration of r/waw- 
tily. The question is an interesting one, but facts and 
not opinions are what is wanted. 
Our inferior teas are always made during the season 
of rapid growth— whether due to this rapid growth 
or to had climatic conditions for manufacture or to 
want of accommodation, &o.— that ia a fact. Manure 
(artificial) certainly produces a more rapid growth 
also, which is at least eamethin<j in favour of “Novice s 
theory; but I think the theory is contrary to tho re- 
ceived ideas of aliuobt nil manuring. 
The dose of castor cake and bones mmitioued by 
your rorresmntiont kivcs a very large dose iudeed of 
phosphoric acid or solable phospliateof lime per acre- 
far larger than there seoma any necessity for, and la 
vetynmoh after the ptinoiploa laid down *'y 
for co//fr. which ia quite another matter^ I ^ ^ 
very curious to know what tho yiold of tea '»;«>ur. d 
with tbia mixture wae, before application and in tlie 
two succeodiug yeara (with dates of pruning 
Curioualy enougli, *' Novice’' hiiUHell nnswered cur 
oiroular, and in very decided terms, thus 
In answer to your circular letter above ' Novioe 
manuring tea with artilicial manure. My eiperi- 
eii03 is that the yield is increased for 2 years by one- 
third on good ten and on poor tea doubled, but, I 
am now convieced tho quality is not so good. Liquor 
from manured tea is Ipoor thin stuff and wanting in 
flavour ; this ie my opinion after careful experiinenta 
from leaf of tho same field h manured J not manured. 
It is for men in poaitiuD to eetlle tho question, not a 
man with the e.vpctionoo of “ Novice,’' 
Besides the Chittagong experiment to which wo 
have referred, there is tho experience of Mr. 
Joseph Fraeer, entirely in favour of manuring 
both BS regards quantity and quality. It is quite 
possible that in tho case quoted by “ Novice " 
over-manuriog resulted in a rank growth, and that 
improvement in ilavour would take place aub- 
sequently. But tho oxperienoo in China seems 
oonolusive in favour of manuring, The Chinese 
oolloot and apply as manure every possible 
fertilizing matter, even the grossest, and yet the 
distinguishing merit of Chinn ten has always been 
ite delicate flavour I Indeed a Cbiiiu paper quoted 
by ns in our issue of Nov. Ilth distinelly attributes 
the recent falling off in the quality of tens brought 
to Foochow, to nopleot of manuring. The terms 
of this impeachment are : — “ These latter folk [the 
growers,] go on plucking tea from worn out plants, 
growing in exhausted soil whieh is never renovated 
by manure of any kind. IIow ia any batter tea to 
be obtained under these oiroumatancea ? '* In 
Chinn, therefore, the belief seoma to be in the 
absolutely bonefioial effect of manure and the 
absolute necessity of manuring for the production 
of ten of good quality. There may bo questions 
as to the kinds and the quantities of manure 
to be applied to lea. but tho conclusions of 
“ Novice " carried to their extreme oonaiquenoea 
would place tea in a category different to that 
of all other cultivated plans, necessitating its 
oullure after a fashion which would inevitably 
result in tho utter exhaustion of the constantly 
plucked bushes and the soil in which they grow, 
without an attempt being made to restore the 
waste, except at the risk of ruining the quality of 
the product. Who ia prepared to accept suoh a 
reductiu ad ahsurdurn’t In the vest mass of litera- 
ture oonneoted with the tea enterprise in India 
which we have read, wo cannot reaolloot that euob 
a question as the deleterious effect of manuring 
was over raised, nor can we bring ourselves to 
accept tho oonalusion I bat manures judioiously 
soleottd and moderately applied, can be other than 
beneficial as regards quality as well as quantity of 
loaf. Surely there are estates even in eo young 
a tea country as Ceylon where experienoe has 
settled the question of tho influenoe of fertilizers 
on flavour. 
ROADS IN AMERICA, GREAT BRITAIN, 
AND FRANCE, 
T’he common roads and country highways of the 
United States are in a condition at present some- 
what similar to that which prevailed in England 
and other parts of Europe one hundred and fifty 
years ago. Some of tho auoionts were groat road- 
builders, notably the Romans and Carthaginians. 
Remains of tho great Homan roads are still to be 
Been in Italy, and in many instances these old 
highways are either still in use or furnish tho 
foundations for the modern roads. With the deos- 
denoo of ihe Homan power road building and main- 
tenance suffered with everything else, and the great 
highways which radiated from the capital city were 
loft to the care of the various neighbourhoods 
through which they passed. They suffered the 
severest neglect, but suoh was the solidity of their 
oonslruotion that some of them have remained till 
