30 



THE AGRICULTUEAL NEWS. 



January 25, 1908-.. 



GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES 

 OF TRINIDAD. 



Dr. U. W. Ells, LL.D., etc., read a paper in May 

 last before the Royal Society of Canada on the Geology 

 and Mineral Resources of Trinidad and Barbidos. The 

 e.xtracts given below relate to the island of Trinidad, 

 and in the next issue of the A<jriciiltarul News it is 

 proposed to reprint parts of Dr. Ells' paper dealing 

 with Barbados : — 



The geology of lioth Triiiidiid and PJarbados is quite sim- 

 ple. In Trinidad, the northern ])ortion from the pas.sage sejia- 

 rating the north-west corner from Venezuela, known as the 

 Boca.s, to the cape at the north-east extremity, is occupied by 

 a range of hills with elevations rising in places to more than 

 3,000 feet, composed of slaty and schistose-\ rocks with 

 occasional areas of limestone. The schist is cut by veins of 

 cpiartz generally of small size in which traces of gold are 

 fciund, while the i)resence of iron has also been recognized at 

 •several points. These schists are the oldest rocks in the 

 island, and resenilile tlir lower C'ambrian of Canada in many 

 respects. 



The mines of niaiijak located near San Feiiiandrp are 

 also exceedingly interesting. The mineral is also an altered 

 petroleum, and now occurs in fissures which traverse the 

 .shales and sandstone of the oil-bearing scries in the same way 

 as the albertite mines in Xew Ih'unswick have been formed. 

 Their position is near the ci'e.-t of an anticline and the 

 fissures have been foiined ii^ the period of disturbance or 

 crushing by which the anticlinal folds were produced. 



The niiiiei-al manjak is a very pure variety of asphalt 

 Carrying from 90 to 'J.5 [ler cent, of bitumen. A certain 

 amount of impuiity is found in the form of clay particles 

 evidently detached from the sides of tlir lissures in the 

 process of vein formation. It is jet filaek, glossy, and 

 brittle, and can be lighted in the flame of a match, dropping 

 like sealing wa.x and taking readily the impression rif 

 a seal. In this respect it differs somewhat from >>'ew 

 ]5runswick albertite, wdiich does not fuse readily but 

 .sidinters on the ap[>lication of heat. Manjak is largely used 

 in the manufacture of high grade black varnishes, insulating 

 paints for electric conductors, waterproof paints, etc. 

 The veins vary greatly in size, the princi[ial one worked 

 having increased from a width of about 7 feet at the 

 surface to over 30 feet at a depth of 200 feet. ^Fuch of 

 the mineral in the upper 100 feet is what is known as 

 colunn\ar, as if the vein matter had been shattered liy 

 pressure, but at lower dejiths the massive form comes in 

 and forms the gi-eater portion of the deposit. In its 

 conchoidal fracture it resend>Ics strongly the albertite of New 

 Jirunswick, as also in general aspect, the difference (apparently 

 due to metamoriihisni on the |)art of the latter) being tliat 

 the albertite occurs in Devonian rocks while the manjak 

 is found, l>oth in Trinidad and liarbados, in tlu> soft Tertiary 

 chiys, and is comiiaratively unaltered from its pitch condition, 

 in this respect presenting nnalogies to anthracite and lignite in 

 the coal series. The limit of the veins in depth has not been 

 ascertained at any one point, with one exception in i'arbado.s, 

 where, in a shaft at a depth of 150 feet, the manjak became 

 .soft and soon passed into a thick, asphaltic oil which could 

 be reniovt'd by bailing. The I'.arbados nuneral is somewhat 

 purer and appaiently softer tlian that of Trinidad ami 

 commands a higher price in the market, some i)ortions of the 

 outjiut realizing as much as 875 to $90 (ler ton in the 

 English market. It will be seen therefore that thi;^ mineral 

 has a high economic value, and with the increa.se in the 

 <lemand should foim a very important article of commerce. 



The albertite of Xew IJrunswick, of v.hich some 250,000 tons 

 were mined before the vein matter was e.xhausted, was used 

 largely for mixing with ordinary bituminous coal in the 

 manufacture of gas, possessing thi property of keeping the 

 production at a high standard. 



It can be readily seen therefore, that the island of 

 Trinidad possesses great resource's in the matter of asphalt, 

 manj;dc, and petroleum, which are now coming into prominence, 

 and will undoubtedly in a few years become a great source- 

 of wealth to the investors, and of revenue to the Government, 

 since the development work already done is most encouraging 



EXPORTS FROM SAMOA. 



The United Stales Consul at Apia gives, in his 

 latest Report, the following p.T.rticulars relating to the 

 agricultural exports of Samoa : — 



The exports of agricultural products from Samoa 

 amounted to .'5720,258, against .f 482,8.'i5 in 1905. 



Copra exports for 1906, .show an increase of $217,011 

 over the previous year. In value, copra constituted 96 per 

 cent, (about !S687,939) of the total exports. Germany taking 

 50 per cent., other European countries 26 per cent., and 

 Australasia 24 per cent. There has been ;; steady increase in 

 the ]iroduction of copr^, as since 1900, no less than 333,000 

 cocoa nut trees have been planted by the natives the govern- 

 ment having made it coaipidsory for every viliigc to plant 

 fifty cocoa-nuts each year. 



The exports of cacao amounted to S1G.913. as against 

 ¥7,200 in 19(15. Germany taking the most of it. 



ARBOR DAY AND TREE PLANTING. 



At a Convention, held in .Tune last, of the Chamber 

 of Agriculture, Victoria, Mr. .1 M. Reed, Siirveyor- 

 Ceneral, read a jjaper entitled, 'The Importance of 

 Tree planting.' Jlr. Reed refe-rred to the danger 

 which exists in agriciltnral countries of too rapid 

 exploitation of the timber resources, and pointed out 

 that the reasonable aim should be to do all that was 

 possible to conserve exi.sting woodlands and to promote 

 tree planting, consistently with the increasing donuind 

 f(u- land for agricultural pur[)oses. 



Speaking of Arbor l>ay, and tho good work done 

 as the result of this movement, Mr. Reed said : — 



A leading institution, now familiarly known as Arbor 

 I )ay, is becoming more and more popular with members of 

 our State, Shire and Borough Councils, acting in conjunction 

 with the Education Department in a most pr.iiseworthy 

 manner to pi-omote the success of the movement. If all the 

 gentlemen present at this Convention would take an active 

 inti.'rest in this work and encourage the young people to 

 beconie i)lanters, the gobd effect throughout the State would 

 lie s]ieedily evidenced. , 



Arbor Day was originated in Amei'ica, in 1872, liy the 

 Nebraska State I'.oanl of Agriculture, at the instance of .Mr. .T. 

 Sterling Morton, and from its inception has been remarkably 

 successful. Throughout the United States, Arbor Day is now 

 systematically observed, and through the active co-operation 

 of the schools, colleges, and iiniversities, a great interest 

 in tree jilanting has been fostered and a wonderful succes.s 

 achieved. hi many States .\rlior Day is a :ecognized public 

 holiday. It has lieen otlicially recorded that :the inaugura 

 tioii of this movement by Mr. Morton has done more for the 

 protection of forests, and the encouragement of tree jilantimr, 

 than all the legislation that has been enacted in connexion 

 with thi^ ouestion. 



