January i, 1883.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



583 



knowledgmeufcs are due to Mr. Ferguson for his preferred 

 assistance. The proposed experiments at ilauautoddy with 

 Hevea and Ipecacuanha and at the various elevations 

 named by the Conservator with Chinchona Calisaya are 

 also approved. Tlie results should be carefully noted and 

 reported. Tlie Eubber plant might also be tried at or in 

 the neighbourhood of Courtallam, the exceptional climate 

 of which has proved fovorable in some cases to plants and 

 trees which will not grow elsewhere in the Presidency. 

 The Conservator should, however, try at his discietion any 

 likely localities, reporting the result to Government : — 

 Madras Times. 



ORANGE OULTUKE IN FLORIDA. 



The general progress of Pensacola, United States of 

 America, seems to be attracting attention just now in that 

 part of America. Florida is spoken of as the hwilth resort 

 of America. " For the invalid," it is said, " Florida will 

 become in many respects what Italy is to the rest of Europe. 

 Its climate being particulai'ly suited to those afflicted with 

 pulmonary diseases, thousands resort there every winter. 

 The attractions of Florida are abundant for every one, 

 young or old, well or infirm. There is every inducement 

 for a sportsman, as game and fish abound everywhere. 

 The agriculturists will tind that they can grow everything 

 at all seasons of tho year ; the fruit growers are making 

 fortunes." Orange groves, it seems, are being {prepared 

 in large nmnbers, and buildings erected for new settlers. 

 '* The raising of orange seetllings for the groves, the clearing 

 of large tracts of land, fencing, setting out the trees, 

 planting gardens, building railroads, mills, factories, school- 

 houses, chui'ches, and making hundreds and thousands of 

 boxes for transporting the fruit dm-ing the winter months, 

 and the general prosperity, gives all disposed plenty of 

 work beyond a doubt." Tlie wiuter of 1880-81 gave ample 

 proof of the localities best suited to the cultivation of 

 the orange. For forty-eight years the mercury had not 

 marKed such a low degree of temperatm-e in tho South ; 

 orange trees that were planted a hundred years ago in 

 Louisiana were killed. In Florida the orange trees were 

 damaged from the border of Georgia in lat. 30 ° 31' N. 

 to lat. 29° S., the frost being very little felt in Orange 

 County. At this point and south are situated at present 

 the finest orange groves in Florida, and if, during such 

 an unprecedented cold winter the trees were only slightly 

 hurt, no fear will exist for their damage hereafter. North 

 of Orange County there is a risk in planting the orange, 

 lemon, lime, citron, guava, fig, banana, or pine-apple, but 

 not so in Orange County. Strawberries and grapes also 

 come to perfection, the former ripeaing in January, and 

 continuing till May. The climate is all that could be 

 desired. Sudden climatic changes are rare. The thermo- 

 meter in summer has been seen at 97 ® , but never higher, 

 while in wiuter it is rare to find it as low as 34*^ . "Most 

 excellent laud for an orange grove near transportation 

 facilities can be purchased at 25 dols. per acre, unless 

 fronting on one of the numerous and beautiful lakes : 

 100 dols. per acre is paid for such land. Ten acres is 

 the average quantity of laud bought for orange groves. 

 Having selected land of a dark grey colour, underlaid 

 with yellow clay or yellow sand as a subsoil, the first 

 thing to be done is to clear it, grub it, and break it up 

 thoroughly, then fence it in. The soil must then be 

 prepared with manure according to the necessity of the 

 soil selected. Next purchase (3>-iO 3-year-old budded orange 

 trees, now selling (May, 1882) at 65 to TO cents each. 

 These have to bo hauled, set out by experienced hands, 

 and watered. The best mouths for planting are from 



December to March, after rain During the eighth 



year the trees, when cared for as described, bloom and 

 produce on an average fifty oranges each, or, say, 30,000 

 oranges, which sell for IJ c. apiece. Contractors agree 

 to pick them, and give 1 c. for each orange, sometimes 

 more ; that would give 300 dols. In the ninth year the 

 yield of fruit is generally double, or 600 dols., and in the 

 teutii year, iu all probability, the retm-u would be 1,200 

 dols., or £247. The trees iu some of the groves, eleven 

 and 12 years old, are now yielding 10 dols. per tree, 

 or 6,000 dols. (£1,235), which is certainly a good return 

 for an outlay of £588 and some patience." To those who 

 might require a much more I'apid retm-n for their investment 

 the growth of orange seodhngs is recommended. During 



the past eight years 25,000,000 orange trees have been 

 plaiited in Florida. Attention is drawn to the fact that, 

 while in European orange gardens the trees do not fruit 

 until they are sixteen years old or more, they begin to 

 bear at eight years in Florida, — Gardeners' Ckronicle. 



THE PRODUCTS OF PARAGUAY: SUGAR, TOBACCO, 

 MATE, GROUNDNUT, FIBRES, FRUITS, &c. 



(from MR. CONSUL EGEETON's REPORT.) 



Paraguay is slowly, but very slowly, recovering from 

 total callapse, the result of the depopulation ami financial 

 ruin caused by its great war. Trade is now increasing 

 a little. Two Sugar-mills have just started work. The 

 Paraguayan Sugar-cane is said to contain more sacchariue 

 matter than the Tucuman cane. But though my ophiiou 

 on this subject is not worth anything, the rich alluvial 

 soil of Tucuman seemed to me more suitable for the cane, 

 which certainly grows thicker and more luxuriantly 

 there than iu the Paraguayan red sandy soil, fertile though 

 the latter be. Paraguay will find it hard to find 

 a market for her Sugars, as in Monte Video and the 

 Argentine Republic there are heavy import duties, ho 

 that I cannot believe nuich production of Sugar beyond 

 that for home consumption will take place in Paraguay. 

 There is, however, enormous cousumption of ** caiiia " in, 

 the country (the rum made from the native cane). To- 

 bacco is grown everywhere, but the better class comes 

 from near Villa Rica. Cigars prepared like Havana cigars 

 are made there, and there may be considerable increase 

 in the export of these. The taste of nearly all Para- 

 guayan tobacco is somewhat strong and bitter, which 

 will prevent it fetching high prices. I look upon it as 

 inferior to that of Tucuman. Of undressed tobacco large 

 quantities are sent to Bremen and other ports of Europe 

 from Asuncion, via Buenos Ayres and Monte \'ideo. Of 

 oil from the indigenous '* coco " palm a fair quantity i3 

 made. There might be considerable increase in this branch 

 of production, as there are vast quantities of this tree 

 in the neighbourhood of Asuncion. Of "mani," the ground- 

 nut oil, a certain quantity is produced. This oil is used 

 as a substitute for olive oil. Excellent results, I feel 

 certain, would follow the cultivation of the castor-oil 

 plant for its lubricating oil. This jjlaut grows especially 

 well in Paraguay. Enormous quantities of oranges are 

 sent from Asuncion to Buenos Ayres, Paraguay being 

 much reputed in this continent for the excellence of its 

 oranges, which are much superior to those of Corrientes. 

 Most of the gardens contain banana trees, and there is 

 some export of the fruit. Coffee is grown on the 

 northern sides of the hills on a small scale, and its flavour 

 is very good, though somewhat strong and bitter. There 

 might be some increase in this class of cultivation. No 

 wheat is grown, I believe, but the native bread made from 

 the ** mandioca " root is an excellent and wholesome 

 substitute. At present the most valuable produce of the 

 country is the "yerba mate," of which increasing quan- 

 tities are yearly exported. The Paraguayan " mate," 

 though better than the Brazilian, is not equal to that 

 of the Upper Argentine Misiones. The wealth of timber 

 is immense, all the hills — and the whole country is hilly 

 — being covered with splendid trees, and all the marshy 

 shores of the Paraguay are a vast forest. 



As regards fibres, the cotton tree of Peru and Bolivia 

 grows well in Paraguay, but I have not heard much 

 detail respecting it, though I have seen much stuff made 

 of native cotton. The Vrtica ittilis I have not seen grow- 

 ing either, but I understand it grows much more rapidly 

 and luxuriantly than in China and the East, and will 

 furnish six or seven cuttings a year, which I am told 

 (being ignorant myself of the whole matter) can scarcely 

 be equalled elsewhere. But by far the best fibre of the 

 country is that of the " caraguata ibera," a Bromelacia, 

 which is something like the pine-apple plant, and which 

 is very abundant in Paraguay, the Misiones, and the 

 Chaco. It is very long and silky, and has long been 

 used by the Indians, and much money has already been 

 spent in endeavours to find some practical machine for 

 the economical preparing of this fibre. I am assured 

 that the desired result has now at length, after a long 

 series of experiments, been attained Ity a French machine, 

 invented for the piu-poso, which has just been set up 



