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It is argued on the other hand, that by buying artificial indigo 
one knows exactly that strength one is getting but the reply to this 
argument is that by purchasing the natural product a bonus is ob- 
tained. 
ft is about eight years ago that alizarine blue (or chemical indigo) 
was first presented to the dyeing world as a superior substitute for 
natural indigo, and although it possesses good qualities of its own, 
it has not yet succeeded in rivalling it. Each of the two qualities 
holds its place in the textile industry, an industry which from year 
to year demands ever increasing qualities of dye-stuffs, and time 
will show for what peculiar use each is best adopted. Up to to the 
present cloths dyed with natural indigo have withstood the effects 
of sea journeys and of the sun’s rays better than all others. It 
would not be in accordance with facts to assume that in the com- 
petition betwem chemical and natural indigo a decision has as yet 
heen reached in favour of or against one or other of the products. 
In Indian planting circles the opinion is held that, the question 
will only be solved when, under normal conditions, or at least more 
favourable weather, larger harvests with improved qualities are 
placed upon the market, but this time is yet to come and in the 
meantime it can safely be taken for granted that the natural as 
well as the chemical indigo will each find its field of usefulness in 
the world’s markets. 
NITROGENOUS PLANTS. 
It is now well kn awn that many plants belonging to the natural 
order Leguminosae have the power of taking in varying amounts 
of atmospheric nitrogen and building this up into complex com- 
pounds within the plant. 
The cultivation of these nitrogen collectors is carried on in many 
parts of Ceylon and different leguminous species have been tried 
for different products. Crotalaria striata and others have been 
tried for tea, Erythrina species (Dadap) and Alhizsia moluccana 
for cacoa and tea, Mimosa pudica , L., the sensitive plant, for coco- 
nut land, together with several species obtained from Europe. 
Nitrogen and Nematode Nodules. 
The formation of conspicuous nodules on the roots and rootlets 
is the only indication to the practical man that the plant belongs 
to the Nitrogen collecting family, and as this is usually the only 
criterion it is necessary to clearly state the characters of those 
nodules which are nitrogenous and to distinguish them from those 
produced by nematodes or eel-worms. Both classes of nodules, 
nitrogenous and nematodes, are especially characteristic of the 
same group of plants, and it is quite possible that the same species 
may under different conditions exhibit both kinds of root growth. 
Certain it is that some varieties of the common cultivated bean, 
Pkaseolus vulgaris , produce in Ceylon nitrogen nodules, and others 
though growing in the same soil, produce nematode swellings. 
