Deceember I, 1883.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



411 



Have yon ever observed that there are two sorts 

 of Ceara rubber?, one a stunted, bushy useless thing 

 which seeds when only about 12 months old, the 

 other and better sort, is not inclined to produce 

 branches or seed until well-matured. 



In going tlirough a cinchona field of mine the 

 other, day I was g-ieved to see so many of the 

 trees dying out, bnt on going about through them I 

 was surprised to find a tree here and there apparently 

 quite healthy, aIthout;h the others around ihem were 

 dead. On ex.amining them 1 found they were trees I had 

 left for seed and had not lopped them like the others ; 

 they were scattered about because I had left a tree 

 here and there at cliTerent elevations to watch the 

 result in seeding. Observing this made me think 

 that the system of lopping off the lower branches 

 may have something to do with the excessive mort- 

 ality amongst our cinchonas now compired with 

 what used to die before this system became so 

 general : no doubt it is necessary to lop to a certain 

 extent when the trees are growing amongst good 

 coliee, but there is no need to carry it so far as 

 some do and leave only a tuft of leaves on the top of 

 the tree ; the system altogether must surely be 

 against nature and must be very trying to young 

 trees ; of course nothing can be done to save trees 

 that have been planted in unsuitable soil, but something 

 might be done to save them from over-lopping and 

 over-barking. — Yours fahfuliy, G. 



MARA.GOGIPE COFFEE. 



London, 21st Sept. 1883. 

 Dear Sir, — I am sending you out a small sample 

 of the new coffee called " Maragogipe " coffee. I aUo 

 enclose you the particulars, such as I have collected 

 respecting it ; and I may say that I have been live 

 months trying to get a supply of the seed, and have 

 succeeded in getting a small quantity, which has been 

 dispersed amongst planters this week. 



I have sent samples to all the botanical gardens, 

 including Dr. Trinien's, so that it wiU be uunecessary 

 for the Kew authorities to distribute this seed at the 

 expense of the British taxpayer, as I am offering it 

 -to ony planter who chooses to purchase it. This is a 

 bet'er plan than sending out plants at 33 to 4s each. 

 —Yours faithfully, THOS. CHRISTY. 



Maragooipe Ooffee. — A new coffee called " Maragogipe," 

 has lately been discovered in Brazil, and a Commissiou was 

 formed to uivestigate the qualities of the coffee and also 

 of the plant, aud they decided entirely iu its favom\ Not 

 only does it produce a larger crop, but the coffee berry 

 is much larger, and possesses a very silky-looking smooth 

 surface, with high quality flavour. It stands well on tlie 

 high lands, and the first planters that have adopted it iu 

 Brazil are so delighted with the results, that they are cutting 

 down then* splendid coffee trees of the old variety of coffee, 

 and planting this new " Maragogipe " variety. I hear from 

 a gentleman who has just returned from visiting many of 

 the cijft'ee estates in P.razil, that in all directions he found 

 the planters speaking iu the highest terms of this new 

 variety of cotfee, and he has kindly placed at my dis- 

 posal a loaf of the plant, to show the size to which it 

 grows, so on the back I have had traced the outline of 

 an ordinary Catfea Arabica leaf, and the leaf of the new Ma- 

 ragogipe, kindly Unit me by Vou Glehn. of London, and this 

 is what he writes me about it: — "The Maragogipe coffee 

 tree which I have seen growing in Brazil, on the plant- 

 atons of Sir. Francisco Clemente Pinto, has a much kirg(tr 

 leaf than the ordinary coffee tree. It grows wih extra- 

 ordinary vigour, and trees three to four years old were 

 already eight to ten feet high, and fullof fruit. The tree 

 seems to come into full bearing much sooner than the 

 ordinary cotfee, and the bean is very much larger. Altogether 

 the weight of cotfee per acre must be very much more 

 when land is plantel with Maragogipe than with the ordinai'y 

 coffee tree." Having heard of the discovery of this plant 



in the early part of the year, I sent for a supjjly of seed 

 .and have succeeded at last in getting placed at my dis- 

 posal a few quarts of seed for distribution. — Thos. Ohristv. 

 On the 2.3rd January, the Minister of Agriculture dispatched 

 the following official note to the President of the Province, 

 in relation to the propagation of the new species of coffee 

 lately discovered : — " The species of coffee called ' JMara- 

 gogipe,' which according to information in this Department 

 of State was discovered in your Province by Crisoguo 

 Jose Fernandes, has found great favour among the planters 

 of Rio de Janeiro, and the merchants who have examined 

 it iu this market, and in various countries of Europe, all 

 agreeing that in size of berry, aroma and taste it is one 

 of the species most recommeudable. With a purpose, there- 

 fore, of propagating its cultivation. Your Excellency is 

 hereby authorized to acquire, on account of this Depart- 

 ment, and to remit 500 kilogrammes of this fruit, in a 

 condition suitable for the plantation. Also, I recommend 

 that Your Excellency order the extension of the cultivation 

 existing there to be verified, and tbe results which it has 

 produced, as well as under what conditions can be obtained 

 the greatest quantity of seeds, having in consideration the 

 vigour of the plant, the time of harvest, the price, and 

 the guarantees of origin and quality." 



NEW CEYLON : PROGRESS OF THE PLANT- 

 ING ENTERPRIZE. 



Sandakan, 22nd Sept. 1SS3. 

 Dear Sir, — You will be glad to hear matters are 

 going along all right here, the town of Sandakan 

 itsvlf increasing in size daily, while buildings of a 

 more permanent nature than those formerly con- 

 structed are being erected. 



Planting matters in the Bay are progressing slowly 

 bnt surely the tobacco planted as an experiment be. 

 ing most encom'aging. Sugar, however, will he, I 

 fancy, one of the principal products grown in this 

 Bay, but at present proprietors are confining them- 

 selves to nm-series of it. The rush of Chinamen to 

 this countiy has subsided, the speculators mostly 

 having returned to China. I should, however, like 

 to see more of the planting class of that race ; doubt- 

 less, these will now soon follow theu- brethren iu 

 trade. 



Sandakan is built on the steep side of a 

 hUl, and there is a scheme in hand which pro- 

 mises to be settled in a few weeks or so to re- 

 claim a gi'eat portion of the seashore. 



The Government offices, which wiU be finished in 

 the course of a month or so, will he the finest build- 

 ing in the temtoiy, and then a chm'ch and a club 

 are to commenced. 



Kudat is going slowly but surely ahead, and I 

 think it has a very prosperous future before it. 



Silam, which was an experimental siation, has 

 fully performed its duty ; the natives in tbat loc:»lity 

 were formerly the greatest pirates in North Borneo, 

 bat now they are reformed, clothed, and in their 

 right minds. 



The experimental garden is nearly finished, although 

 I hope to see additions made to it annually. Of 

 all the products planted, cincliona is the only pro- 

 duct thut has not been successful, but then I was 

 never very sanguine of 'ts answering at sea-level. 

 Liberian coffee just a year old has begun to blos.5oin. 

 Cofffa Arahica appears to do best in the open ; ditto 

 cocoa. The remaining products planted aud which 

 are doing well are tea, cinnamon, cloves, nutmegs, 

 sugar (20 varieties), cardamoms (2 v.arieties), citron- 

 ella-grass, sugar palm, A: rioan palm, vanilla, jute, 

 eago, CqiJ'i'.a Arabica (.3 varieties), gambler, pepper and 

 indigo. What is most encouraging is there is no 

 disease of any kind on any of the products beiug grown. 

 I presume you have seen our Government Ouze.Ue. 

 It does not come out very regularly, but is, never- 

 theless, well compiled aud reflects great credit on the 

 editor. 



