S6o 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[January i, 1883. 



of the concern of 13 per cent. It is necessary to recollect, 

 however, that this inc;ailes R59,S"M, the sale proceeds of 

 44 6001b of yellow bark sold in London in ISSO-Sl. But 

 this does not represent the whole of the actual giin for the 

 year. The am.iunt of febrifuge used in substitution of 

 quinine in Government hospitals and dispensaries during 

 the past year was 6,19IJlb. On a calculation of the 

 average price of quinino in Calcutta nt 1274 

 per pound, the saving efiectort by this substitution during 

 the year has been very nearly 3h lakhs of rupees. Tbo 

 total savi g, since the factory commenced working, aggre- 

 gates 20 lakbs of rupees, which is about twice the amount 

 of the capital expended on the plantation since its com- 

 mencement. 



10. In May 18S1 a sum of R4,000 was sanctioned for 

 the purpose of procuring an apparatus for conductini:, on 

 a larger scale, the experiments on which Mr. Gammie 

 has been engaged in manufacturing quinine and ordinary 

 and cr staliine febrifuge at .Mungpoo, The apparatus, 

 however, could not be got into working order until Dec. 

 and, owing to ihc pressure for the production of ordinary 

 febrifuge and other difBculties Mr. Gammie was not able 

 to complete his experiments during the year. It has since 

 been reported that the attempt has not been successful. A 

 large proportion ot alkaloid is extracted, but the excess 

 is lost in the course of precipitation. 



11. The whole subject of the ccurse to be adopted in 

 the disposal of the raw produce ol the plantations is now 

 befor-' the Government of India, and the Lieutenant' 

 Governor has delayed his review ot these reports in order 

 to subuiii it sinmltaneously with his view on the general 

 question. It appears to him that the oljeot of providing 

 a cheap febrifuge for the people with the minimum of 

 interference with jirivate enterprize can best be attained 

 by manufacturing the red bark into mixed alkaloids in 

 India, and he has suggested the measures that should be 

 taken to ascertain the most efficient process, and to put 

 it in practice. He is of opinion that measures should be 

 simultaneously taken to introduce the manufacture of sul- 

 phate of quinine from the yellow bark in India, so 

 that the cost of freight and the other expenses incidental 

 to mantifacture m England may be saved, while the in- 

 dustrial resource 1 of this country are developed. The 

 practice of sending the bark to England for sale involves 

 interference with the operations of private growers of the 

 bark. He has therefore proposed that Government should 

 offer to dispose of its yellow bark plantations at a valua- 

 tion to any private person or firm who will u: dertake 

 to establish and maintain ft manufactory for sulphate of 

 quinine in Bengal. 



12. The thanks ; of the Lieutenant-Governor are due to 

 Dr. King for his very efficient management of this de- 

 partment during the year. The factory has been under 

 Mr. Uammie's charge, and his good services have again 

 been brought to the notice of Government and are cor- 

 dially reco'gnized by the Lieutenant-Governor. 



Okder. — Ordered that a copy of this Resolution, and of 

 the reports referred to, be submitted to the Government 

 of India, Revenue and Agricultural Department, and that 

 a copy of the resolution be forwarded to the Superin- 

 tendent of the cinchona plantation for information. 



into, and report upon the present coast charges for 

 the garbling and shipment of coffee, as well as upon 

 all other charges, in India and England, which are 

 levied upon coffee crops from the time the crops leave 

 the estate up to the time at which account sales are 

 closed, with a view to a reduction of the charges 

 wherever it is possible. 



The Sub-Committee also to consider and report upon 

 the terms of the various crop hypothecation deeds, 

 and mortgage deids, now in use. 



Mr. Romilly seconded the resolution. An amend- 

 ment by Mr. Wiuterbothain, seconded by Mr. Walker, 

 ,'That the discussion of Mi. Ditniae's proposition be 

 deferred" was carried. 



It was then proposed by Mr. Archard. That the 

 Honorary Secretary be directed to a.ldress the Agents 

 on the coast regarding the heavy charges on coffee, 

 curing, &c., and to enquire whether, considering the 

 present low value of coffee they c.auuot bo reduced ; 

 and that the letter be dratted and laid on the table 

 at the next meeting. Seconded by Dr. Fetherston- 

 haugh and carried nem. con. 



WYNAAD PLANTING AND MINING ASSO- 

 CIATION. 



Notes of a Committee Meeting held at the Pookote 

 Club, Vythery, on Wednesday the llth instant. 



AduUeration of C'ojfee. — Read circular letter to the 

 various Associations. Read also communication from 

 the Ceylon Planters' Association on the same subject. 

 It was resolved to defer replying to the latter until the 

 Association was in possession of the views of the other 

 Associations who had been addressed on the subject. 



Coast and other Charges on Co/fef.— The Honorary 

 Secretary on behalf of Mr. Ditmas, who was unavoid- 

 ably absent, laid the following resolution on the table. 



That the Association deems it necessary, in view of 

 the present low values of coffee, the staple product 

 of the diatriot, to appoint a Sub-Committee to enquire 



Removing Stumps of Tbees. — Stumps of trees are 

 often a great and costly nuisance to the agriculturist 

 and gardener. An American method of dealing with 

 these troublesome blocks is as follows : — In tlie early 

 winter bore a hole one or two inches in diameter, 

 according to the siz-^ of the stump, and about ^ inches 

 deep ; put one or two ounces of saltpetre iu the 

 hole, and after filling with water plug it tight. Next 

 spring unplug and piur in a gill of kerosene oil and 

 ignite. The stump will smoulder away, without 

 blazing, to the extremity of the roots, leaving nothing 

 but ashes. — Public Opinion. 



Fruit and Food in North Argot, Madr.^s. — 

 This district is famous for the extraordinary qnanitties 

 of custard apples brought to the town for sale dur- 

 ing this part of the year. Such appears to be the 

 demand for it on account of its excessive sweetness 

 and flavour, that the cart-loads brought in every 

 morning are readily cleared off. The fruit is not 

 wholesome, and the free use of it begets fever 

 from which the district just now is not altogether free. 

 The palmyra root is another article of food to be 

 had iu great abundance nt this time. What this is 

 I will describe in a few words. Four months before the 

 setting in of tbe ra'us, the Cadigas collect the needs 

 of the palmyra obtained from the previous year's crop, 

 after selling away the pulp and rind, the former of 

 which is in great request among the lower classes for 

 its agreeable taste and fine flavour, and the latter is 

 manufactured into strong cordage. A large pit is then 

 dug at a spot, the backyard of the house, to which 

 the house drain is directed so that all the water used 

 for domestic purposes flows into the the pit which 

 is filled np alternately with layers of earth and seed. 

 This pit is, after filling in, daily watered for the space 

 of three or four months at the end of which the 

 Cadigas dig up one or two seeds to see if the time 

 h'ls arrived for germinating. When this they discover 

 they at once set work to collect the roots or bulbs wl ich 

 they send to the market either boiled or roasted. At 

 this stage of its growth, the seed itself contains a 

 Boiuewhat spongy milkwhite substance most delicious 

 to the taste; when fresh very much resembling the 

 substance or flower often seen iu ripe cocoanuts. The 

 palmyra roots are eaten with great avidity by the 

 poorer classes. It is in some degree paLatable. but 

 considering the method in which its growth is effected, 

 viz., in a filthy cesspool, its use as human food is 

 injurious. Some years ago the sale of this article and 

 the custard apple were peremptorily, liut wisely, for- 

 bidden, a.H the former produced diarihcea and cholera 

 and the latter bilious iever.— Madras Standard. 



