6iS 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[March i, 1884. 



carefully done, and suckers allowed to grow previously, | 

 are very small indeed. I am aware how difficult it is for 

 some to abstain from shaving, but if any can I feel sure he 

 will not repent of his forbearance.— G. B.— Local " Times." 



VEGKTABLE PEODUCTS OF JAVA. 



The British Consul, reporting on the trade and com- 

 merce of Java for the year 1882, says that in many parts 

 of this island, especially to the eastwai-d, tobacco, which 

 in former years was a" fruitful source of wealth both to 

 Eui-opeans and natives, has become almost a thing of the 

 past, and even in eastern and southern Java, where se- 

 veral planters have persevered in the cultivation, the re- 

 sults are such as to warrant but little hope of the industry 

 being continued. 



Under the head of tea it is said that planters have 

 paid increasing attention to the- improvement of their 

 gardens, and with few exceptions have quickly adopted 

 all improvements in machinery proved to be successful in 

 British India and elsewhere. The yield of Java gardens 

 (nearly entbely confined to the westward portion of the 

 island") is rapidly increasing, and every care is being taken 

 to introduce the best description of plants, the prefer- 

 ence being still given to the Assam hybrids. Exports to 

 England and HoUand have been nearly equal during the 

 past yeai-, the low price of British Indian tea in the Lou- 

 don market having caused shippers to direct a large por- 

 tion of the late production to Holland. 



Arrack appears to he an important production of Batavia. 

 It is stated that from the coast distilleries at Cheribon, 

 Samarong, and Sourabaya, a fair proportion was exported 

 to Europe, 



Private exports of cinchona, although considerably larger 

 during 1882 than in the preceding year, only amomited 

 to 181.354 Amsterdam pomids, but as numerous cinchona 

 gardens, commenced some five or sLx years ago, must 

 shortly begin to yield, this article may soon be expected 

 to take a prominent position in the hst of exports from 

 Java. Various concessions of land in the high districts 

 of East Java have lately been granted for the cultivation 

 of cinchona, and working capital has heai readily forth- 

 coming, showing general confidence in the future of this 

 culture. 



Under the head of " Government Cinchona Plantation " 

 the following statement is made: — The Government cui- 

 thoua crop is steadily increasing year by year as the plant- 

 ations are enlarged. The year's crop ( 1882) to December 

 31 amounted to 230,000 Amsterdam pounds, as against 

 105,000 Amsterdam pounds in 1881, and 100,000 Amster- 

 dam pounds in 1880 ; but this figmre does not represent 

 the whole crop, the remainder of which will be gathered 

 durmg the commencement of 1883. The 1881 crop netted 

 in HoUand 218,441 fl. 75c., or about 1 fi. 32c. per Amster- 

 dam pound. 



Experiments were made during the year with a view to 

 ascertaining what percentage of alkaloid was contained in 

 the bark of the young Ledgeriana trees grown from the 

 seed of the parent tree, from which it would appear that 

 bark of four years old when in good condition contains 

 from 9 to 11-75 per cent quinine, or fully more than the 

 older parent trees. 



The number of trees in the Government nurseries and 

 plantations at the end of 1881 .and 1882 stood as follows: — 

 I'oung trees in the Kui'series. 



1882. 1881. 



C. Ledgeriana 820.700 515,000 



C. succirubra 198,300 199,300 



C. officinalis 186,890 22,300 



1,205,800 

 Trees in the Plantation. 

 1882. 



C.LedgerLana 694,900 



C . Call saya and Hasskarliana . . . 445,500 

 C. succirubra and caloptera ... 474,500 



C. officinalis 475,-500 



C. lancifoUa P.OOO 



730,(500 



1881. 

 620.680 

 520 000 

 59fi.f00 

 4.38.100 



12,100 



2,099,400 2,207,480 



Total number of trees . 



,..3,305,200 2,944,080 



Black Pepper. — The " Lampong "' crop of 1882, which 

 constitutes the bulk, if not the whole, of the so-called 

 Batavia Pepper, was during the year unusually large, being 

 estimated at about 53,000 piculs, as ugainst an average W 

 23,000 to 25,000 piculs for the last two ye.ars. The crop 

 commences to arrive at Batavia during August, and the 

 fiual sendings would be received until well into March of 

 the pre.sent year. — Plunters' Gazette. 



T.A.VOY, BRITISH BURMA. 



Sir, — Noticing a short paragraph on planting in Tavoy 

 in one of the home papers, and thinkuig that some de- 

 scription of the resources of the country, its people, customs, 

 &c., may not be unintere.sting to your readers, we take this 

 opportunity of sending a few notes thereon. About the end of 

 last year, we left Rangoon in the mail steamer, and, after 

 a run of forty -four hours, arrived at the mouth of the 

 Tavoy river. As we steamed slowly up, the view obtained 

 of the country was really glorious. • The eye wandered over 

 miles of paddy fields, the hiUs, clothed in all the glory 

 of tropical verdure, forming a pleasing background. The 

 edges of the river were lined with a species i.f palm tree, 

 with a leaf very like that of the coconut, which is used 

 for covermg houses. The leaf, when matuic, is made into 

 a kind of tat by the women, and forms a good water- 

 tight roof, which is indispensable in a country like this. 

 After a thirty miles run, we anchored off the Oustom-house, 

 at a village named Thayets Chotmg, and were transferred, 

 bag and baggage, to a steam launch, and, after steaming 

 some five hoiurs, arrived at oar destination, Tavoy. 

 As the jom-uey was one of business rather than pleasure, 

 we hastened om- departure to the coffee lauds, it being 

 our intention to occupy one of the 320-acre blocks, now 

 being advertised, on very favoiuaule terms, by Government, 

 for the cultivation of tea, coffee, c:udamoms, cinchona, rubber, 

 cocoa — and, in fact, all tropical products. The first two 

 days' journey was mostly through paddy fields and low- 

 Ijnng country, om- traps being carried the first eighteen 

 miles by bullock carts, and the balance of the way by 

 elephants. The latter, like their masters, object to hard 

 work, and to carry more thau an average 400 lb. The 

 third day's journey of twelve miles brought us to the 

 banks of a large river, which we think will eventually 

 be our outlet, as it is only seventeen miles from the 

 planting districts, and navigable for all ordinary river craft. 



The hills are well suited for all troi>ical cultivations, 

 running north and south, rising to an elevation of 4000 

 feet; and intending planters will indeed be hard to please 

 if they cannot select land to satisfy them from amongst 

 the many square miles of virgin forest. The view we obtain- 

 ed from the summit of one of the trigonometrical survey 

 stations Nat-Ta-Doung (pronounced Ny-a-dong, aud mean- 

 ing in the vernacular Fau-y Water Hill), surjja.s.sos all 

 description, and well repays one for toiUiug up.. On the 

 one hand is seen a stretch of park-like country bouuded 

 by the sea, and on the other coimtless miles of virgin 

 forests, interspersed with rivers aud streams. Being obliged 

 to return to Tavoy to complet« our arrangements, we 

 determined to change om- route, and sent a man on ahead 

 to engage a boat at Mm dit, a village on the banks of 

 the river we have mentioned. Next morning we re-emb.ark- 

 ed, and, after narrowly escapmg being run down by a 

 junk, reached Tavoy— durty, tired, and hungry. Here we 

 astonished the natives by" making a frantic rush to the 

 Chinaman's, the emporium of the place, and discussed our 

 late adventures over sundry bottles of beer, tinned meats, 

 bread, &c. 



Another month saw us hard at work on our land, and 

 we are now busily engaged making nurseries, so as to 

 commence planting operations next season. The fine weath- 

 er, with occasional showers, gauging 25 in. to 30 iu., lasts 

 from November to April; and during the remaining or 

 wet season we shall have, we conclude, from what we 

 have aheady registered, about 220 inches of rain. The fine 

 weather is the cold season, the nights and mornings being 

 extremelv chiliv, and the heat during the day excessive. 

 Of the indigenous fruits, the durian is the most highly 

 prized. The natives eat it ravenously, and Europeans who 

 have acquued a taste for it like it immensely. M:Migoes, 

 pines, oranges, &c., arc abundant when in season. Orchids of 

 many beautiful kinds are common. The staple food i.s rice 



