Nov. I, i8g6.] 



THE TROPICAL AGkiCULTURlST, 



5'-^j 



THE COLONIAL AND INDIAN EXHIBITION : 



TKINIDAD. 



The cocoa or cacao of Tricidad has a greater name 

 than its sugar. The value of the (juantity exported 

 was 4J1,974/. in 1885, as against (381,67.">' for sugar. 

 In 1829 the export was scarcely 3,000,000 lb. ; in 

 1885 it was nearly 14,000,000 ; an increase of lo3 per 

 cent in less than fifty years. Coconuts ;ire the 

 only other native export of importance. The cocoa 

 palm grows luxuriantly along the sandy shores of 

 the southern and eastern coasts of the island, and, 

 although the simplest, it is far from being the least 

 profitable of the agricultural industries of the colony. 

 Tlie number of coconuts exported, which has risen 

 from 4,450,840 in 1870 to 11,270',339 in 1881 proves 

 that it is a paj'ing and a progressive one, and it is 

 stated to be well suited to capitalists who can afford 

 to wait for a return. Beyond the purchase money 

 of the land and the expense of putting in the plan 

 but little expenditure is necessary, and when fully 

 established, say at the end of eight years, it will 

 give regularly a net income of from 80 cents to $1 

 (3s. id. to 4s. L'd.) per tree. In Trinidad the cocoa 

 palm has been known to flower when only three 

 years old, and generally bears at between five and 

 six years ; but it does not bear fully until eight years, 

 old. To a limited extent there is a manufacture of coco- 

 nut oil, and that industry has recently shown signs of 

 revival. Hitherto about 45,000 gallons have been 

 manufactured annually. Amongst the products which 

 thrive well in the colony, though they have not been 

 extensively cultivated so far, are coffee (for which 

 a ready sale can always be found in the local market), 

 tea, nutmegs, ground nuts, tobacco and lime tree. 



Grenadv. — The chief product of Grenada is cocoa 

 (or cacao) for the production of which the soil and 

 climate of the island appear to be peculiarly adap- 

 ted. The consumption of chocolate has increased so 

 largely in late years that considerable lands have 

 been cleared and planted with cocoa trees with great 

 advantage to the island. Last year about 5,500,000 

 lb, of the product was exported (this figure being 

 below that of recent years), but the falling off was 

 due to unfavourable weather during the bearing season, 

 and the consequent lateness of the crop. Besides 

 cocoa many other economic plants have been cultivated 

 with success, such as nutmegs, cloves, vanilla, carda- 

 moms, coconuts, &c. Attention is also being shown 

 to Kola-nut — an African fruit said to contain a large 

 proportion of caffeine, and some enterprising agricul- 

 turists are attempting to cultivate the tea plant in 

 the island. Tropical fruits of the finest (juality are 

 always abundant, and the principal vegetable food 

 resources include ground provisions (yams, sweet pota- 

 toes, tanias, Kushkusb), pigeon peas, plantains, Indian 

 corn, cassava, bread fruit, &c. — Chamber of Commerce 

 Journal, 



INDIA— (<7oH/(>iHed). 



Next to the native shops referred to in our last 

 Dotice the seed and grain trophy is perliaps the 

 most popular; standing, as it does, in the centre 

 of the court, it cannot fail, to be seen, if not 

 actually admired by all. The syedn used in the 

 decoration of the trophy are very varied, and they 

 are here arranged more for effect than actual use, 

 patterns being worked out according to colour. As 

 this aspec't of the trophy, however, is not within our 

 province to criticise we will brieHy notice some of ihe 

 Seeds used in carfyiug out the <lesign, and this may 

 be the more interesting, as the seeds arc not named, 

 find, indeed, from the nature of the design, it would 

 he impossible to do 83. The following are amongst 

 the seels used: — The I'hysic Nut (Jatropha curcas), 

 the oil of which is a powerful purgative. The plant 

 js a bush or shrub, native of tropical Amerin, but 

 ihtroduced and now provvn in most tropical countries. 

 These seeds are about three-quarters of an inch long, 

 and of a dirty black colour. Here are also the seed 

 of the Gingelly, Beune, or Teel (Sesamum indicum 

 the oil of wbiclj is very extensively used iu luU 



for culinary and a variety of other purposes. Tho 

 oil is brought to this country iu very large quantities, 

 and used as a lamp oil, in soap making," and for 

 mixing with Olive oil. Cold drawn Sesamum oil is 

 used in France and Italy for salads, and the lamp- 

 black used in China and Japan for making the best 

 Cliinese ink is procured by burning Sesamum oil. The 

 seeds are small, somewhat tlattened, and Pear-shaped, 

 and vary considerably iu colour, from a dingy white 

 through v.»rious shades of brown to black. The com- 

 bined violet and green tints of the Pistachio-nut 

 (Pistacia vera) causes it to be distinct in appearance 

 from its neighbours. In couse(iueuce of its pleasant 

 taste the I'lstachio-nut is eaten iu large quantities, 

 not only in India but on the shores of the Medi- 

 terranean. Sometimes they are cooked and eaten with 

 salt and pepper. The oil has a very agreeable smell, 

 and is occas-ionally u.sed in perfumery, or for scent- 

 ing soaps. Pistachio-nuts can bo obtained in this 

 country, but are not so well known as they deserve 

 to be. 



Another well-known oil-seed, which is iu itself 

 edible, is the (rrouud-nut or Monkey-nut, as it is 

 sometimes called (Arachis hypogna), an annual herb, 

 probably of American origin, but now grown very 

 largely in all warm climates, both as a food and for the 

 sake of the oil contained in the seed, but more es- 

 pecially for the latter purpose. The oil is of a sweet 

 lim|)id character, and is much used as a substitute for 

 or mixing with Olive-oil, and also for making pomades, 

 soaps, burning in lamps, and for various other uses. 

 The Ground-nut' is weU known for its habit of pushing 

 its young fruit under the surface of the soil and 

 there ripening, from which habit its common name 

 is derived. 



In the genus Bassia the best known species are 

 B. latifolia and B. lougifolia ; both of the.se have 

 shiny brown seeds, with a broad rough scar on one 

 side running the entire length of the seed, which 

 averages from 1 to Ij; inch. The former species is a 

 large deciduous tree, common in the forests of Central 

 India, and cultivated and self-sown throughout India 

 generally. Gamble describes the oil obtained from 

 this species as having a greenish-yellow colour, and, 

 says it "is eaten by the Gouds and other Central 

 Indian tribes, and is now used to adulterate glue, and 

 in soap-making. It solidifies at a low temperature 

 but melts at a temperature of 110°, and though it 

 keeps well iu a cold climate, in a hot one it soon 

 becomes rancid, and seperates into two parts — a clear 

 fluid oil above, and a thick brown substance below. 

 One seer of oil is obtained from four seers of kernels." 

 The tree is generally known as the Mahwa, and is 

 celebrated for the fleshy flowers or corollas, which 

 are eaten as food, or distilled for the spirit which is 

 obtained from them. 



Bassia longifolia is a large evergreen tree growing iu 

 South India and Ceylon, and known in each country 

 respectively as Illupi and Mee. Froni the seeds ail 

 oil is expressed which is used for similar purposes 

 to the last named, as are also the flowers. Amongst 

 otiier oil seeds shown in the trophy are the Castor 

 (Hicinus communis), the varieties of which are very 

 numerous, some of the seeds being of a reddish or 

 chocolate-brown colour, while others are nearly black. 

 They also vary much iu si<5e, from a quarter to half 

 an iuch or even five-eighth inch long. The castor oil 

 of commerce i.^ obtained either by simple c."ipressioil 

 or by expression with a certain amount of heat; that, 

 obtained by the first proce.'is, known as cjld-drawi! 

 castor oil, is the best. Ttie Castor-oil plant is originally 

 a native of India, but is now widely dispersed tliroug'' 

 tropical and warm countries, in the former of which 

 it grows to a height of about 40 feet« becoming much 

 smaller in warm climates while in colder climes it; 

 is known as an annual . 



.Sunflower (Heliantlius aiinuus), and Liseed (Liuuin 

 usitatissimum). both of the brown and white varieties, 

 are here shown ; besides many varieties of food seeds 

 and grains, such as Leatils (Lens esculenta), Dolichos' 

 L^blab, green grain (Phaseolus mungo), ordinary grain 

 (Cicer arieiuum, Job's Tears (Coi.x lacbryma), Maiig 

 (^ea Mays) &c,) 



