September i, 1884.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



191 



average crop is 700,000 nuts, at which Mr. Mustard ex- 

 pressed some surprise, as he considered it high. Here and 

 there we saw signs 'it' the inexplicable coconut disease, 

 :i-ii to be confounded with the attack of the beetle, and 

 on talking over the matter, both Mr. Smith and Mr. 

 Mustard were of opinion that it results from the planting 

 of green nuts, which grow much more rapidly than ripe 

 ones, and that after bearing one or two crops they seem 

 to get exhausted and die away. This opinion is to some 

 extent borne oat by the fact that in the older walks, 

 surly as that behind Mr. Barlow's house, the trees have 

 never suffered. 1 mention this, as anything that can throw 

 lighi on this strange disease or lead to a clue to the 

 mystery must be useful to those interested in this cultiv- 

 ation. 



In this paper I have not touched on the number of 

 persons employed on the works or the rate of wages paid, 

 as it must be remembered the works are only in their 

 infancy, the full power of the factory undeveloped, and 

 the hands unskilled in tho use of the machines. Under 

 these circumstances any minute detail of this description 

 would be unfair to Mr. Smith and misleading to tho 

 members of the Society ; but I hope I have shewn what 

 anyone with energy ami push, coupled with brains such 

 as Mr. Smith possesses, can accomplish in establishing 

 what are now termed " small industries," and I am sure 

 all members of the Society will wish Mr. Smith all suc- 

 ce8S in his venture, and that it may be the forerunner of 

 similar establishments in tho colony. 



There is one thing which struck me on my visit to 

 Mahaicony which 1 do not think it is out of place to men- 

 tion here, this is the answer received to my question 

 " Who are your labourers?" — "Oh, coolies; nothing but 

 coolies"; — a warning to those who advocate small indus- 

 tries, that if their theories are to be successful they must 

 look to immigration for assistance ; a rebuke, to those who 

 are constantly grudging the revenue supplying one third the 

 present cost ; and a strong pointin favour of those who know 

 that without immigration the colony would not be what 

 it is, and that as its success at present and in the past 

 must be attributed to immigration so in the future will 

 tin, have to In- continued, if we wish to see that pro- 

 sperity maintained and small industries progress and 

 nourish. — Towrnal of the Uoyal Agricultural and Commercial 

 So 'iety of British Guiana. 



AGRICULTURE AND ITS PROSPECTS IX 

 NORTHERN QUEENSLAND. 



[BY OUK .WIIH UI.TCUAT. KEPORTER.] 



The rugged bills and mountain peaks towering so loftily 

 in all directions around Oooktown give at once so varied 

 an appearance to the landscape, and are so suggestive of 

 fertile valleys and permanent streams of water, that one 



call hardly fail to be impressed with the adaptability of 



itry to agricultural purposes. Such were my im- 

 pressions even before I sei feet ashore; and now, after a 

 ■ hard travelling, 1 are convinced that no better land 

 for agricultural or horticultural purposes could be desired 

 than can be found in this locality almost everywhere, 

 for 1 have seen scarcely any that can be regarded as 

 indifferent soil, even tbe poorest of it being equal to much 

 thai is new being profitably tilled near flourishing centres 

 of population, When the now "resurrected Oooktown," as 

 the worthy mayor terms it, owing to the opening pro- 

 spect afforded by the raih is growing into a thriving 

 city with a teeming population, it will be realised that 

 there is plenty of land on all sides capable of growing 

 everything that a tropical climate can produce; and the 

 many permanent streams will furnish abundance of water 

 for irrigation purposes — a matter of no small importance 

 in a climate like that of Queensland. 



Around the port, in the immediate vicinity of Cooktown, 

 lie country is of granitic formation, the hill, bein§ al se 

 ef granite boulders, and the soil a coarse sand oftni 



i J decomposed. As granite is known te abound in 

 h, this will better suit vegetation than would at first 

 sight appear. The country around Stanthorpe, al tie 

 em ext emi ol the colony, is the same, and there grapes 

 andpotatoes potash plants— thrive exceedingly well. But 

 tl" climat I Cool town is net favourable to the growth 

 of eithe, ol lu. is. In my opinion the grape wiTJ 



prove a complete failure; aotatoes may prove a success 

 during the winter months if properly treated; but these 

 are matters of detail into which I cannot enter particularly 

 in the present article. A couple of miles on the road the 

 country alters, and changes in the formation are very fre- 

 quent as you journey away from the coast in any direc- 

 tion. 



About two miles from Cooktown by the one nutlet, the 

 road to the rainier and other places, granitic formation 

 ceases. The country then becomes rough and broken, and 

 the soil varied, some of the hills being clothed with scrub, 

 dense and beautiful, the soil beiug chocolate in colour, and 

 evidently of a volcanic origin, and the open count ry very well 

 grassed, all of it beiug well watered. There can be no 

 question that the country on the Endeavour and Palmer, 

 and also on the- MTvor and Bizante, is a perfect paradise for 

 the botanist, and that many plants unknown to science 

 remain to be discovered by the intelligent and observant col- 

 lector. It came to my knowledge that a tuberous-routed 

 rine, apparently allied to a plant of the vitis family recently 

 discovered in the I fuinea coast of Africa and Cochin China, 

 is very abundant everywhere here. I had the satisfaction of 

 seeing the plant wherever I went, and of tasting the fruit, 

 some of which is of a pleasant vinous flavour with rather 

 large seeds. The fruit is purple when ripe, and varies in 

 size from that of a black current to that of a medium- 

 sized grape; and the bunches vary from two or three berries 

 to an occasional one weighing from J lb. to 21b. or 31b. I 

 was told. I saw bunches with about two dozen fruit on 

 which were of different sizes; and I could see that the flavour 

 and size of the fruit varied according to the depth ami 

 character of the soil in which the vine grew. In some in- 

 stances there were distinct traces of pungency in theflavour, 

 which left a peculiar biting sensation upon the tongue and 

 palate after eating them. In others there was a trace of 

 bitterness and no pungency; and sometimes the seeds were 

 small and juice plentiful, while in others the seeds prepon- 

 derated, and there was less to enjoy. The fruit is liked by 

 most people, and is evidently susceptible of improvement by 

 cultivation. Having never heard of this plant before, I have 

 thought it advisable to bring it under notice thus, as it may 

 suggest a good substitute for the grape of more temperate 

 climes which cannot be grown to advantage in Northern 

 land unless in the high table-lands of the interior 

 * # . 



t treat stretches of flat land we crossed which could easily 

 be converted into rice fields, and without much cost be 

 abundantly irrigated. Rice thrives admirably in all this 

 region, growing in many instances 5 ft. high and yielding an 

 abundance of excellent grain. Mountain or upland rice is 

 the variety grown, but even this is found to answer best when 

 irrigated. Cooktown ought before- long to become the granary 

 for rice in Australia, and it is extremely probable that rice 

 culture will eventually be the staple of the agriculture in the 

 Cooktown district. This probability appears all the stronger 

 on account of the facilities for irrigation which exist in 

 almost every direction. The future of the district is quite 

 assured because ef the quantity of rich land awaiting the 

 advent of capital and enterprise to develop it. and in com- 

 bination therewith the wealth of water available for irrig- 

 ation purpoes. As a practical agriculturist of much colonial 

 experience, it would take but little to induce me to try my 

 fortune in this favoured locality. 



# • * * 



The Endeavour is a grand river — not for its size, for it is 

 not a navigable stream for any distance, but forthe steady 

 flow of good water always in it. Its value consists in the 



large am t of water always available therein for irrigation 



purposes; and if this is not turned to good account before 

 many|years, I shall be very much mistaken. 



* * * 



Mr. "Webb has had a varied experience in cultivation mi 



bis selection, and lias followed it with great persistency and 



itelligence for many years and with a fair amount ef cci 



Rice and maize have apparently satisfied him best, fur he 



has had meagre encouragement in connection with sugar 



planting. I do not make these remarks with any v 

 intention of disparaging tie- sugar industry in the North; 

 Far from it; but simply to bring out in bold relief tin 

 ulties with which it has to contend in these remote centres. 

 Labour has been too highly rated for agricultural pui 

 te allnn anything like a fair margin for remuneration, except 



