Jak. I, 18S7.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



44S 



Tobacco in Loaxda. — Keferring to the cultivation 

 of Ttbicco in Loanda, the British Consul reports 

 that the plants are carelessly grown and gathered 

 by the natives. When the leaves are sufficiently 

 manured they are plucked from the stem, tied in 

 bunches, and hung round the native huts to dry. 

 No care is taken, no selection made, nor is any 

 preparation resorted to beyond the bunching and 

 drying. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 



Nothing will purify and keep a stable so clear from 

 odoiurs as the free use of dry earth, and every one 

 keeping horses and cattle will find it pays to keep 

 a heap of it on hand, to be used daily. A few 

 shovelfuls of earth scattered over the floor after 

 cleaning will render the air of the apartment pure 

 and wholesome. The value of a season's manure pile 

 may be largely increased by the free use of such 

 absorbants. The strength of the gases and liquids 

 absorbed is retained, and is the very essence of good 

 manure. — QvAenslander. 



Cinchona Barks in Colombia. — In a recently issued 

 report on the trade of Colombia, the Consul states 

 with a view of illustrating the alarming depression 

 of the export trade of Colombia, that the exportation 

 of Quina bark, which was the staple article of Colombia, 

 has greatly diminished in consequence of the com- 

 petition of the Indian and Ceylonese growers, who 

 produce an article which yields a far larger percentage 

 of quinine than is obtained from the Colombian bark. 

 In 1881 the value of the bark exported was about 

 5,000,000 dollars. It is estimated that since 1881 not 

 half the quantity exported in that year has been 

 shipped yearly. — Gardeners' Chronicle- 



The improved French method of preserving wood 

 by the application of hme is found to work well 

 (says the Indian Foreiter). The plan is to pile the 

 planks in a tank, and to put over all a layer of 

 quicklime, which is gradually slaked with water. 

 Timber for mines requires about a week to be thoroughly 

 impregnated, and other wood more or less time, 

 according to its thickness. The material acquires 

 remarkable consistence and hardness, it is stated, on 

 beink subjected to this simple process, and the assertion 

 is made that it will never rot. Beech wood prepared 

 in this way for hammers and other tools for ironwork 

 is found to acquire the hardness of oak, without parting 

 with any of its well-known elasticity Or toughness, 

 aad it also lasts longer. — Queeiislander. 



Peppebmint Culture in Japan.— As an indication 

 of the increased demand for Menthol in Europe the 

 following extract from Consul Robertson's report on 

 the trade of Kanagawa for the year 1885 will no 

 doubt be read with interest :— " Peppermint oil has 

 been an article that has attracted much attention 

 in the past year because of its increasing importance 

 as an article of export. The production has been 

 steadily increasing for the past three years, and the 

 latest crop has greatly exceeded those of previous 

 year. This is principally due to the demand for 

 crystals, a product of the liquid oil, and which are 

 now largely used in pharmacy as a specific for neuralgia 

 and other complaints. Japanese Peppermint oil is 

 distilled from a species of Mint (Mentha arvensis) 

 cultivated largely in the northern portion of the main 

 island of Japan. Like the English Mint (Mentha 

 piperita) there are several varieties of the Japanese 

 plant, one only of which produces an article of good 

 quality. The sudden and increased demand from 

 abroad for the Peppermiut crystals has led to new 

 plantations being formed, and these have, I am 

 told, been for the most part laid out with inferior 

 plants. The produce of these new plantations has 

 been sold at very low prices, and the oil thus obtained 

 is not likely to be of good quality. If this is sent 

 to a foreign market, it will, perhaps, cause the Japan 

 oil to be regarded with less favour, and thus damage 

 the prospect of an otherwise promising e.xport." 

 Some blundering seems to have been made in printing 

 this report which it would be well for the authorities 

 carefully to look after in future. Though the report 

 }9 issued under tUe authority of the Foreign Office, 



and is "printed under the superintendence of Her 

 Majesty's Stationery Ofiice," and is dated " Kanagawa, 

 May 28, 1686," and further bears the word Japan 

 on its title-ppge, the heading of every alternate page 

 is "China, Kanagawa." Some one, therefore, whote 

 duty it is to look after these things has apparently 

 a hazy notion as to the country to which Kanagava 

 belongs. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 



The Forest species of Japan are thus noticed by 

 a writer in the Indian Forester: — As far as I have 

 been able to ascertain from personal observation and 

 study of various books, the principal forest species of 

 Japan appear to be as follows: — Metz (^Finus Thianhergii 

 and dcnsi flora), both of which species appear to be very 

 common throughout the empire. Hinoki {Chumact/jja- 

 ris ohtusa and pisifcra), both of which species form 

 extensive forest in the Central and Northern islands. 

 Suji {Cryptomeria japonica), found planted through- 

 out the length and breadth of the country, and es- 

 pecially near villages and round all shrines and 

 temples. Keaki {Zelkowa Keaki), kuri (Casfa/cea vulga- 

 ris), much used for railway sleepers. 21 species of oaks, 

 25 kinds of bamboos, 30 species of cherries, many 

 species being grown simply on account of their flowers. 

 Numerous kinds of azalias, camellias, and laurels' 

 besides various species of elms, maples, deutzia* 

 hornbeam, viburnum, holly, olive, &c. As regards charac- 

 teristic plants of Japan, they may probably be enumerated 

 as follows : — Azalias, camellias Cri/ptomeria japonica, 

 Cydonia japonica, chrysanthemums, Hibiscus, the Japan 

 shrub peony, the famous water lily nasu {A^'elnmbiuni 

 siircifera), asters, &c.The principal forest trees common 

 to Earope, which are mainly confined to the northern 

 islands, are elms, beech, larch, aspen, wild cherry 

 ash, yew; whilst amongst shrubs and other plants,' 

 the following are most common .- — ivy, honey-suckle 

 lily of the valley, monkshood, marigold, wood sorrel 

 poppy> chick weed, dock and dandelion. Palms are by 

 no means common, and are confined principally to the 

 southern portion of the empire. 



Tomatoes and Vines. — If science has its marvels 

 which however well attested, often fail -to convince 

 certainly ne-science has sometimes even greater mar- 

 vels, which nevertheless are accepted as gospel by 

 some folk. At one time, year after year, we received 

 from a correspondent leaves of Violets affected with 

 a fungus (Puccinia viola;). The leaves thus had a 

 superficial resemblance to those of a Fern studded 

 with spore-cases, and as the Violets grew beneath 

 the shade of some Ferns was not that proof positive 

 that a cross had been effected between the Fern and 

 the Violet ? It was no use appealing to structural 

 and physiological reasons wliy such a cross could not 

 be. Nothing could shake our correspondent's faith, 

 and year after year, with an expression of surprise 

 and pity at our incredulity, the specimens were sent. 

 As we write a multiple Grape berry is before us 

 such as often occurs at the end of the bunch, when 

 two or three Grapes, from union in a very early 

 stage of development, run together into a mass lobed 

 like a Tomato. Now, as Tomatoes grew in the house 

 what more natural (:') than to infer that here we 

 have a cross between a Tomato and a Vine ? It 

 would not be so unlikely as a cross between a Fern 

 and a Violet, nevertheless we should be as incredulous 

 in the one case as in the other.— Gardeners' Chronicle. 

 Kamik Fibre in Spain,— Mr. Consul WooJdridge 

 reporting from Barcelona, refers to the opening in 

 August last, near Gerona, of a manufactory, tho 

 first of its kind in Spain, for cutting and seperating 

 the fibres of the Eamie, or Cunia-grass plant (Brehme- 

 ria nivea). This establishment is described as the 

 property of a French company, styling itself tho 

 " Compagnie Ramie, Fran^aise." This plant was in- 

 troduced into the country as far back as 1870, and 

 its cultivation proving a success, the above manu- 

 factory has been erected. There are three machines 

 at present, of French manufacture, at work, which 

 decorticate some 450 kilos of fibre per day, and tho 

 thread is said to be much cheaper, finer, and stronger 

 than either hemp or jute, and produces a rich, glossy 

 textile, and the refuse is used iu the manufacture 

 of pafei,^ffarde)i$rs' Chronicle, 



