J0««l, 1887.} THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



^5S 



to fish in their canoes, in the vicinity. Operations 

 are conducted only in calm weather, when the shell 

 can be discovered by the eye at a depth varying be- 

 tween seven and fifteen fathoms. Of late years, to 

 assist the eye, empty petroleum tins, with the ends 

 knocked out, and a .sheet of glass inserted in one end, 

 have been used. The tin, with the glasg end below, is 

 submerged a little in the sea, and the discovery of 

 the shell thereby facilitated. During the last ten 

 years the find is said to have diminished ten to twpnty 

 per cent in quantity, owing to dearth of shells. The 

 value of the total harvest is estimated at 120,000 to 

 170,000 dollars annually, the dollar varying in value 

 between 3s. and 3s. 6d. The short season of four 

 months, which used to average between 40,000 and 

 50,000 dollars, only realised in 1886, 25,000 dollars. 

 Formerly, all the produce of the Red Sea was brought 

 to Jeddah for sale and export, but recently, owing to 

 fiscal and custom-house restrictions, only about one- 

 fourth now goes there, the remainder going to Suakirn 

 and Massowah. Shells imported at Jeddah for sale 

 are disposed of by public auction in heaps of about half 

 a hundredweight each. As preliminary inspection is 

 not allowed, the bidding is purely speculative, and 

 bidders have to take account of dirt, corals excrescences, 

 and inferior shells. Prior to exportation the shells 

 are sometimes cleaned to remove the coral and dirt, 

 and are then packed in barrels. Up to ten years ago 

 all shells brought to Jeddah for sale were shipped by 

 natives to Cairo to be sold there. Now, however, 

 the bulk goes to Trieste, a small quantity to London, 

 and a little to Havre ; and a few of the finest and 

 largest shells are purchased for exportation to Beth- 

 lehem, where they are engraved and sold to pilgrims. 

 The Jeddah shell is considered in Europe inferior to 

 that exported from Suakirn and Massowah, owing, it 

 is said in many instances, to the yellowish tint of the 

 former, and the fact that many of the shells have a 

 greenish tint round the edges. Some ascribe this to 

 the excessive dampness of the climate of Jeddah. 

 With regard to the origin of the shells, the following 

 distinctions are made : — Dah al ak-i shells, found on 

 the group of islands of this name, situated aloug she 

 African side of the Red Sea; Ban-adjem-i shells, 

 found along the same coast, north of the Khor or 

 inlet of Suakirn; Farsan or Yeman-i shells, brought 

 from the Farsan group of islands, on the Arabian 

 side of the Red Sea; Shehak-i shells, from the banks 

 between Confidah and Leet; Skam-i shells, from 

 El AVedj down to Hassanoe Island on the Arabian 

 side, and found in the neighbourhood of Kossa'ir on 

 the African side. Consul Jago says, in conclusiou, 

 that the Sham-i is the best, and the i'eman-i the 

 most inferior quality. — Journal of the Societi/ of Arts. 



^ ■ 



BRITISH NORTH BORNEO. 

 Provikce Dent, Bukdu. — Situated about 2(j miles from 

 the British I.sland of Labuan, the flourishing district of 

 Buudu in Province Dent invites attention from its many 

 peculiar and interesting characteristics. In no other part 

 of British North Borneo have we met a community of 

 descendents of Chinese, who whilst still wearing positive 

 pig-tails have gradually abandoned the ancient teach- 

 ings of Confucius and who now declare themselves to 

 belong to native tribes. In some of their houses are 

 still to be found altars, idols and pitcures of the Good 

 and Evil Spirits which are pecular to China. Most of 

 them have discarded their Chinese names, and rejoice in 

 Malay titles and names conferred on them and on former 

 generations by the Sultan and chiefs of Brunei, and 

 very few of them can speak any Chinese dialect. The 

 chiefs were usually ennoHled by the Sultan because 

 they were the most wealthy and powerful cattle-thieves 

 during this and the last centuries. In Great Britain 

 the present bearers of titles in some of our highest 

 aristocratic families are the desceudents of the most 

 notorious cattle-lifters on the Scotc-h Borders, and so 

 history repeats itself in different countries. Whilst 

 these descendents of a Chinese race were carrying on 

 marauding pursuits, they were conscious that they 

 had settled upon a fertile tract of country, and whilst 

 they received empty titles of honor they had to pay 

 heavy and irregular exactions to the Sultan of Brunei 



and to his chiefs, but still they held on with Chinese 

 tenacity to their adopted country of Buudu. Besides, 

 they were intermarried with Besayah, Dusun and Brunei 

 tribes and their crops yielded remunerative returns. 

 On the cession of Province Dent by the Sultan of 

 Brunei to British North Borneo about eighteen mouths 

 ago, the Bundu people, tried of the oppressions of 

 Brunei rule, gladly welcomed the advent of the white 

 man's administration and are new amongst the most 

 royal of the population in the Province. — British North 

 Borneo Herald. 



Kus Kus Tatties are made from a grass (Andre- 

 pQt/on maricatus) which grows in abundance on sandy 

 banks in Bengal, Upper India, the Coromandel Coast 

 and .Mysore, where it is commonly planted to divide 

 fields. The roots when distdled with water yield a 

 fragrant oil, which is used as a perfume. An in- 

 fusion of the roots is also given as a febrifuge, and 

 a powder in biliious complaints. It is regarded as 

 stimulant, diaphoretic, stomachic and refrigerant. The 

 essence (or otto) is used as a tonic, and, finally, the 

 grass itself when young aflbrdsgood fodder.— Madms 

 3Iail. 



Solvent Powers ok Eucalyptus Oil.— The solvent 

 power of eubalyptus oil on resins, etc., have been 

 given in the following order :— Mastic, sandarac, elemi, 

 xantorrhea, resin, benzoki, copal, amber, anime, shelUc. 

 cautchouc, and gutta-percha. The oil added to methy- 

 lated spirit, in the propotion 10 ounces of the former 

 to 1 gallon of thf- latter, is used to dissolve kauri re.sin, 

 which will dissolve in this mixture without the aid 

 of heat to the extent of 2 lb. out of every 2h lb. 

 used ; the addition of a little colophony or Venice 

 turpentine rendering the kauri re»iu completely soluble. 

 It is also used to dissolve asphaitum for photograph 

 varnish. In veterinary practice it is used in Australia 

 as an embrocation for swelliugs, bruises, or stiff joints. 

 In domestic practice it is emplooud for rehumatism. 

 etc.— Incliar libber and Guttapercha, Jonrtial. 



TuE Orange oh Citeus tribe of trees are some- 

 what delicate trees to transplant during the dry winter 

 season peculiar to this colony. When once planted 

 on well-drained porous soil they stand hardship ni the 

 way of neglect as well as, if not better than, any other 

 tree, but cire should be taken when transplanting. 

 It a drying westerly wind is blowing defer planting out, 

 and keep the trees well protected from it in some shed, 

 but keep the roots moist. The best plan is to puddle 

 them and then throw a b ig over them. If the young 

 tree has only to be hf ted from your own nursery hed 

 to your own orchard, still this precaution of never 

 allowing the just exhumed roots to be acted on by the 

 wind or sun holds good, for nothing is more detriment- 

 al, and many trees and garden plants fail to grow 

 simply owing to the omission of this precaution. All 

 holes for the trees should be dug previously, or by a 

 man in advance of the planter. Puddling is done by 

 immersing the roots in a tub of liquid sludge of inud 

 and water, so that every root gets a coating. This is 

 a good plan to adopt with any trees, .shrubs, or plants 

 that have naked roots when taken up. The water- 

 can should follow the planter immediately, indeed 

 there should be several bucketfuls pjured into the 

 hole before putting in the tree and allowed to pene- 

 trate the soil; then when the tree is plauted and the 

 fine soil carefully pressed against the roots (not care 

 lessly trodden so as to break off half of the small root- 

 lets) one good watering should be given; afterwards 

 rake back the dry soil on the top of the moist centre, 

 drive three stakes in a triangular fashion round the 

 tree, outside of the circle of roots, and from 

 these stakes the strings to the stem of the tree 

 not forgetting to put a piece of soft material 

 to hinder friction of the bark by the strings. In % 

 week's time remove the soil from round the stem so 

 as to lorm a basin a few inches deep, pour iu several 

 buckets of water, and when this has disappeared 

 rake back the soil again, or cover with a gooi mulch 

 01 dry glass or litter, but not of manure. Apply 710 

 manure at the time of transplanting any of the orange 

 tribe, or most assuredly they will be killed.— (^JHefHS- 

 la^nder. 



