November i, 1883.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



367 



and we fear we cannot do justice to it by attempting to 

 couili-nse it into a few paragraphs. We are, tlierefore, 

 glad to know that the information will be soon given to 

 the public in an authentic and detailed report, but some 

 of tlie principal points touched on were as follows : — 

 He saw much that was promising and encouraging 

 in the soil of St. Helena, but it appeared to him 

 that much of the ground under cultivatiim had been 

 exhausted from the want of proper treatment in the 

 way of manuring and trenching. That the subsoil 

 should be well turned ovrr and exposed to the air, 

 and also treated with lime some time previous to 

 planting it. He then spoke of several plants common 

 in the island which might be made a source of 

 profit. The plant Fowcroya (jirjanlea (commonly called 

 the aloe) was one to which immediate attention 

 should be given. It wa^ growing luxuriantly 

 in rocky ground and in places not generally 

 used for gardening, which was a great advant- 

 age, as its cultivation need not encroach on 

 the more valuable parts of the island, and he 

 exhibited a leaf (apparently 12 feet in length) as a 

 specimen of its growth in the island. Much attention 

 was now being given to it in Mauritius for the pro- 

 duction of fibre, and Jamaica also had commenced its 

 preparation, and machinery had been introduced there 

 for that purpose. The fibre produced about £37 per 

 ton in the London market, and there was no reason 

 why St. Helena should not reap some advantages 

 from it. There was o'ne peculiai-iiy in the plant which 

 Mr. Morris said he had not noticed in any other 

 which was that the llowers of the plant developed 

 themselves on the ]iareut stem into youug plants, which, 

 when they dropped on the ground, were at once ready 

 for planting. A machine for converting the leaves 

 into fibre could be olrtained from Mauritius at a cost 

 of about £50 ; and if the plantations were made on 

 the sides of the hills, and the machinery placed in tlie 

 valley below, there would be little expense required 

 for couveyance of the leaves, which was a great de- 

 sideratum, as by meant of wires the bundles of leaves 

 could be easily got down from the hill to the machine- 

 ry, as he had witnessed was done in Ceylon. He 

 regretted that fiiiluro had attended the preparation of 

 the libre from the New Zealand llax, but he thought 

 somfttliing oould still be done wiih it, and at least 

 that the leaves could be reduced into pulp and prepared 

 for England, to be manufactured into paper ; but on 

 this subject he would make some further inquiries. 



Mr. ^Iorris then exhibited a siiocimen of the Aloe 

 u»i</fir(.«, better known as "Semper vivum." This also 

 grew plentifully ia the waste grounds of the Island. 

 He had found a good specimen of it growing well even 

 on the top of a stone wall in the Rupert's Valley. This 

 was the plant from which the aloe used in pharraaey was 

 obtained. The juice from this aloe was obtained by a 

 simple, easy process, and formed an article of profit to 

 many, poor persons in the Barbados, where it was gath- 

 ered often by lisheinien in the following manner, wbich 

 he had seen : — Tliey provided themselves with a large 

 pot and three or four short troughs made by nailing a 

 couple of pieces of board to each other at right angles ; 

 these troughs are placed so as to run into the pot. In 

 the troughs the leaves were placed after the two ends of 

 the leaf had been cut off. The men then go out to their 

 fishing, and on returning next day would find that the 

 juice from the aloe had been gathered into the pot. If 

 the leaves were not qui'e exh-.tusted they were again cut 

 and allowed to run for another day ruitil the pot was 

 neiirly filled. A fire was then made under the pot, the 

 boiling driving away the watery ■ ubstance from the 

 juice, which at last attained the consistency of glue, 

 when it was taken out and secured in bottles or gourds, 

 or any other vessel, and sold at about Od per lb. to the 

 Barbados mercliauts, who exported it to England and 

 obtained a leiuuuerative return for it. 



In regard to coffee, Mr. Morris stated thit the trees 

 he had seen were neglected for want of i-runing, and 

 that the ground round the trees should be cleared and 

 broken np, but thit the soil and climate were very 

 favourable, as shown by the growth and appearance 

 of the trees. A gentleman in the island had tuld hiiu 

 that from two acroa he had sold .30/. worth of coffee. 

 This was a very fair return. He thought it could not 

 be grown to a sufficient extent for exportation, but that 

 enough could be grown for consumption in the island 

 and for supply to the passing ships, and would have 

 an advantage over imported coffee because that was 

 saddled with many chargis in the shape of freight, &c. 

 He spoke also cf tobacco at some length, giving the 

 fullest details as to its treatment, the nature of the 

 soil required, the situation of plantations, and the pre- 

 ptring and manuring of the soil by enclosing small 

 spaces and keeping cattle shut up in them for a month, 

 and afterwards ploughing the soil so as to pulverise 

 it tlioroughly. He gave his experience of the culture 

 of tobacco in Cuba, and thongiit the island miyht well 

 produce tobacco instead of inporting it from the United 

 States. He also animadverted on the culture of thj 

 oiange, stating that they could never get orange triei 

 to thrive unless they dug holes 3 feet deep and 3 feet 

 wide in ground free from stones and the roots of 

 other trees. (InJ fact, he said no valuable tree should 

 be planted where other trees' roots would come in 

 contact with it.) As a remedy for the parasitical 

 disease called apis, he advised either smoking 

 of the tree by means of a smouldering fire 

 under it, or the use of tobacco water by means 

 of a garden syringe, which he said would be found 

 efficacious. The disease of puin[ikin<, mekms, peus, cab- 

 bages, etc., was also treated on, and the immediate 

 burning of the plants as soon as the leaves begin to 

 turn white was recommended. By careful attention 

 to this the parasites would to a great extent be ex- 

 terminated. He strongly recommended that new ground 

 should always be used for pumpkins instead of the old 

 holes. 



The culture of sorghum was recommended. Mr. Mor- 

 ris thought it would do better than the sugar cane ; it 

 was absorbing attention in the United States, and he 

 believed if applicati'U was made to the tJolonial Otiice 

 in England for seed it would be sent to St. Helena. 

 At Oalibank he had found a treecvUed the carob tree 

 {Ga-utonia Siliqiin), the only one gro« ;iig on the island. 

 He strongly recommended its introduct in and cult- 

 ivatinn t» a large extent on the sides *if the valleys 

 as the fruit wa* nutritious fo'id for cattle. He also re- 

 commended the introduction of the guaujo tree(/Hya 

 Saman) the fruit of which was higlily nutritious for 

 cattle. It would grow in warm and d y situaiiuns, 

 aud was of easy culture. The c ishan {Pn jiosis julijloni) 

 was found to be inv^duble iu the Wist 1 idies in times 

 of drought, and, as St. Helena had so ( ften suffered 

 from droughts, he strongly advised the introduction 

 of this valuable tree at once. He advised the planting 

 of trees on our hillsides, so as to attr ct moisture. 

 He felt sure the Government would help them in every 

 possible way if they did but show thit they wc ro 

 trying to help them.'elv s. After a few r ther remarks 

 Mr. vlorris oonclnled his addre s amid exceedingly 

 warm marks of appreciation by the au lience, who 

 liitened to him with very great attentiiu, — Colonies 

 find India, Sept. 2l3t. 



NEW FIELDS OF ENTERPRISE: A FORMER 

 CEYLON PLANTER IN ONTARIO, CANADA. 

 Stronachallan, Meaford, County Grey, 



Ontario, 17th Au,,ust 1S83, 

 I have for some time intended to write you, but 

 somehow have always put it off, Howevc", better I.-vte 

 than never, I have now been iu this country 



for 



