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THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURiST. 



[July 2, 1883. 



Profiu^Ktioii and Plaiitinij.—ln Ceylon this valuable 

 species has been as yet propagated from cuttings only. 

 At Henaratgoda the largest trees, three years old, are 

 3u feet in height with a slender stem scarcely branched, 

 and about Vi inches in circumference near the base. The 

 tree when fully grown does not exceed (30 feet in height 

 and 6 feet 10 inches in circumference at 3 feet from the 

 ground ; from its upright habits, it will not be necessary 

 to plant at any great distance a))art, and the Superitend- 

 ent of the Heuaratgoda Gardens informed me 15' x 15' 

 would be sufficient. Cuttings may be taken from the green 

 lateral twigs as soon as they begin to harden ; they strike 

 readily in rich firm land. For planting on inundated lands 

 tlie period of high floods shoidd be preferred. Cuttings 

 of greater lengtli would be required in this case, the lower 

 ends of which should be sliced off in the form of a wedge. 

 The workmen could take a bundle of these, and wading 

 into the water, would plant at proper distances but per- 

 fectly upright, taking care to push each cutting down deep 

 enough in the soft muddy bottom, so that no more than 

 three or fom' inches is above the sm-face of the water; 

 the same rule would be applicable when planting in sludge 

 or soft marsh mud. The crowns of the cuttings must not, 

 if possible, be put under water, as the young growths 

 .sprmging therefrom might rot. 



Collection of the Rtihher.—The trees are tapped if they 

 liave a circurnference of 18 or 24 inches, and the process is 

 carried on for many years until the constant and extensive 

 injury to the young wood cause their death. At about 

 daylight a collector arriving at a tree strikes it with a 

 small axe in an upward direction as high as he can reach, 

 making a deep upward sloping cut across the trunk which 

 goes through the bark an inch or more into the wood. 

 The cut is an inch in breadth; with a small 'ball of well- 

 wrought clay he attaches to the tree a small cup of 

 burnt clay holding about the 15th part of a pint, in such 

 a manner that the milk, which is of a dazzling whiteness, 

 trickles into the cup. At a distance of four or five inches, 

 but the same height, another cup is luted on, and so the 

 process is continued until a row of cups encircle the tree 

 at a height of about six feet from the ground. This work 

 shoiUd be concluded by 9 or 10 o'clock in the mornmg. 

 If the tree is large, the majority of the cups wdl be 

 more than half full, and a few may be filled to the brun ; 

 but if the tree is- much gnarled from tapping, many of 

 the cups will contain only abovit a table-spoonful of nulk. 

 On the following morning the operation is repeated in 

 the same way, only that the cuts or gashes beneath which 

 the cups are placed are made from 6 to S inches lower 

 down the trunk than those of the prerious day. Thus 

 each day brings the cup gradually lower untd the ground 

 is reached. The dry season is most suitable for caoutchouc- 

 collecting, but tapping can always be carried on when the 

 weather is fine. At about 10 o'clock daily the collector 

 empties the contents of the cups into a large calabash 

 which he carries in his hand. As he pom-s the milk out 

 of each cup, he draws his thumb or forefinger over the bot- 

 tom to clean out .some which otherwise would adhere. The 

 cups on being emptied are laid m a little heap at the 

 base of each tree to be ready for use the following morning. 

 For the preparation of this rubber for the market it is 

 ilesu-able to reduce it to solid mass as quickly as possible. 

 For this pm-pose the cautions application of dry heat is 

 the best. The best Para rubber is prepared by being 

 pom-ed over a flat paddle-shaped mould which is held 

 in the thick hot smoke from burning wooil and palm 

 nuts till it solidifies, then slit down one si<le, the mould 

 ta,keu out, and the "biscuit" himg up to dry. Probably 

 carefully conducted evaporation in shallow pans by arti- 

 ficially 'regidated heat would be found an eflfective method. 

 The pmity of the prepared rubber is a matter of first 

 importance, and aU pieces of bark and earth should be 

 removed by passmg the milk through sieves. In the 

 market small pieces of thin sheets of caoutchouc are pre- 

 ferred to lai-ge masses, from the faciUty of estimating 

 the purity of the article. Absolute dryness of the rubber 

 is also a point requiring the greatest attention, and may 

 requu-e, for its thorough attainment, hydraulic pressure. 

 In 1874 as much as 129,103 cwt. of caoutchouc were 

 imported to England, of which 70.866 cwt. were American. 

 The value of the latter was £1,007,413, or upwards of 

 jl4 per cwt. The demand for 'the best sorts is con- 



stantly increasing. It would seem pretty nearly certain 

 that this tree would succeed at the Andamans, and I 

 would recommend that the Oeylon Government be addressed 

 through the Government of India and asked to fm-nish 

 us with 100 cuttings of this tree. 



CARDAMOMS. 



This is another crop which is being successfully cultivated 

 in Ceylon, and which, Dr. Trimeu thinks, would succeed 

 well at the Andamans. They can be raised either from 

 seed or from the bulbs, the latter being preferable, as 

 the stools raised from bulbs give a crop the second year, 

 wliile from seed a crop can only be obtained the third year. 

 They require to be grown in very shady places, the best 

 situation being under large forest trees from which the 

 undergrowth has been removed. The cultivation and curing 

 are very simple: the bulbs or seedlings are planted out 

 at 6' X 6', and the soil should be of a light sandy de- 

 scription and rather moist. The scapes, or flower and fruit- 

 bearing stalks, three to four in number and from one to 

 two feet long and resting on the ground, make their 

 appearance from the base of the stems. WTien the fruit 

 is ripe they are drieil in the sim, the ends clipped by 

 women ; they are then sorted in sizes by means of sieves, 

 and are then fit for commerce. The Malabar cardamom 

 is the best, and commands the highest price in the Lon- 

 don market. The present price is from 4s. to 9s. per pound. 

 The average crop is from 170 to 200 lb. per acre, but 

 in very favourable localities, I am informed, that it has 

 frequently yielded 1,000 lb. to the acre. This at the low 

 rate of is. a lb. would make tile crop worth £250 an 

 acre. Dr. Trimen fm-uished me with a dozen plants for 

 experimental cultivation, but I regret to .say that on 

 opening the AVardian case contauing them I found them 

 all dead. I would recommend thae the Government of 

 India be asked to obtain for us from the Malabar Coast 

 300 or 400 bulbs for experimental cidtivation. During 

 the first year the ground requires to be clear of weeds, 

 after which little weeding will be requu-ed. The plants 

 contunie productive for six or seven years. 



NUTMEOS. 



Nutmegs is .another crop which would appear to be suited 



to the Andamans, the only disadvantage being that they 



take seven years to come into bearing, but, on the other 



hand, they are .said to improve up to 100 years. The tree 



1 will grow on almost any soil. They are raised in nurseries, 



I and .should be planted out at 20' « 20'. The trees are 



I estimated to yield from 1,000 to 2,000 nuts per annum, 



which, at Rl per huuilred, gives a gross return, of RIO 



to 20 per tree. The average yield in the Straits is, I 



! am informed, R400 per acre. I obtained from Dr. Trimen 



I 200 seeds which appear to have reached this in good order. 



CINNAMON. 



Dr. Trimen thinks that cinnamon would succeed at the 

 Andamans. This, however, is not a crop which gives any- 

 thing like the handsome returns of those previously 

 mentioned. The seed is raised in the usual way in a 

 nursery and planted at 0' x 6'. Half a dozen plants are put 

 in each hole, and, beyond keeping clean for the first two 

 years, it requires no other cultivation. The third year a 

 crop is obtained, and, with occasional manuring, it will 

 continue to crop for many years. The yieldise,stimated at 

 l.">0 lb. per acre, and the jjreseut price ranges from ihl. to 

 }s. llil. per pound. AVhen the sticks turn brown they 

 are cut, the bark pulled oft and the outer skin is scr aped 

 off. The bark is then cut into suitable lengths, roli.ed, 

 dried, and is ready for market. Dr. Trimen has supplied 

 me with a few plants which have reached this apparently 

 in a liealthy condition; but if the Chief Commissioner 

 thinks it advisable to try this crop, it would be necessary 

 to obtain a large quantity of seed from Ceylon. 



CmtOXEI.LA. 



This is another crop which I looke<l at in Ceylon, ami 

 i which I have no doubt would thrive remarkably well at 

 Port Blair. It is raised from seed and planted like guinea 

 grass, and will give two or three crops a year., 'WTien fit 

 to cut the grass is carried to a large boiler and the oil is 

 distilled. It is estimated to give about three dozen bottles 

 of oil to the acre, but the demand is limited, and price 

 therefore fluctuates from 2s. ej. to 4s. 6el. a bottle; at the 

 latter price it pays handsomely, while at the former it 



