October i, 1884.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



2 75 



marvel of conciseness ami useful information of the kind 

 that tbe student requires in commencing the study of 

 materia medica. 



In the majority of cases the information has been 

 brought up to the latest date, but the notices of substit- 

 utions or falsifications of drugs are less full than might 

 have been expected in a work of this kind. Thus we find 

 no notice of Japanese aconite root, nor the means of de- 

 tecting flic various adulterations of saffron and belladonna 

 root and digitalis, nor of the commercial varieties of 

 jaborandi and jalap, ergot and cautharides. etc. Never- 

 theless, the book contains a large amount of information 

 clearly and conciseh put, and will probably give great 

 satisfaction to the class of readers for whom it is intended. 



In a few points, perhaps, one may venture to differ 

 from the learned author, and if these are indicated here 

 it is only with a view that the reader may recognize that 

 there is a difference of opinion on these points. Lamin- 

 aria Cloustoni is described (on p. 1 ) as a peculiar form 

 of L. digitata, Lamoroux. On reference to the author's 

 larger works, however, it will be seen that a better way 

 of stating the facts of the case would be to say that it 

 is a distinct species, formerly included erroneously under 

 L. digitata, Lam. Dammar resin presents all the charact- 

 ers of a dipterocarpous product, although it is true that 

 it is usually attributed to coniferous trees. The Arabian 

 aloes possesses different chemical characters from that of 

 Socotra, and can scarcely be the product of A. Pernfi, as 

 suggested by the author. — Pharmaceutical Journal. 



THE MAGKAY SUGAR CROP. 



In accordance with our usual practice (says the Mercury), 

 as soon after the close of what may be considered the 

 sugar season — namely, the end of March in each year — 

 we projiose to review the returns of last season, and en- 

 deavour to lay before our readers such figures as will 

 enable them to form some idea of the prospects for the 

 coming season. We will take a glance, in the first instance, 

 at the result of last year's operations, and it will be found 

 that it is not altogether so unsatisfactory as has been 

 generally supposed. Figures, it is said, may be made to 

 represent almost anything, and though the first impression 

 created by a consideration of last season's returns is by 

 no means unfavourable, yet an intimate knowledge of the 

 district, and a recollection of the general appearance of 

 the crop at this time last year, compels us to remark that 

 the returns, in most instances, were of a most disappoint 

 ing character. The average production per acre last season 

 was 1 ton, 5 cwt. qr. 14 lb., but it was confidently anti- 

 cipated that, owing to the large amount of plant cane to 

 be crushed, a return of 30 cwt. to the acre would be ob- 

 tained. An extremely dry crushing season, however, set 

 in, and although this doubtless enabled the sugar to be 

 made much more expeditiously than usual, yet the canes 

 became so dry and hard that it was not possible, in most 

 instances, to express quite so much of the juice as could 

 have been desired, and the great loss in the quantity of 

 juice was not nearly counterbalanced by its superior rich- 

 ness in density. The area of land under cane for last 

 year's crop was 14,575 acres, of which it was estimated 

 that 13,152 acres would be operated upon. From various 

 causes this estimate was not nearly reached, for only 11,295 

 acres were cut and brought to the mills. The great dis- 

 crepancy between the acreage under cane and that actually 

 crushed we are unable to explain satisfactorily ; but we 

 assume that in sending in individual returns some of the 

 growers must have overstated the areas under cane. The 

 difference between the first two sets of figures— namely, 

 1,423 acres — will represent cane which w«s planted in 

 March 1883, but which would not be crushed until the 

 ensuing season ; but how it comes about that the actual 

 area crushed was less by 1,857 acres than was estimated, 

 is difficult of explanation, especially as the area of stand- 

 overs is very insignificant. However, the 11.2°5 acres pro- 

 duced 14,240 tons of sugar, and 456,252 gallons of molasses ; 

 the number of mills in operation being twenty-five, and of 

 distilleries three. The latter used up 167,959 gall< ns of 

 molasses, producing therefrom 64,088 gallons o.p., or 83,093 

 gallons of proof spirit, thus showing a consumption of, 

 within a small fraction, two gallons of molasses to the gal- 

 lon of proof spirit. The proportion of molasses to the 



ton of sugar was 32 gallons (a slight excess over that of 

 some previous years). We calculate that the 

 weight of cane grown per acre was about 20 torn cerl 

 ainly not more; and this would give a wtight of about 16 

 tons of cane for the ton of sugar produced. "\\ . hi 

 been shown several returns where sugar appears to have 

 been produced at a cost of II and 15 tons of cane to the 

 ton of sugar, and we know of the Colonial Sugar Com- 

 pany^ at Homebush, achieving, with the aid of double 

 crushing, very much better results; it being generally 

 stated that the company only used up 10 tons of cane for 

 each ton of sugar. This may be so; but'we are sat 

 that our average of 20 tons per acre is a fair average one. 

 AVe cannot pass over these figures, referring to the cost 

 in cane per ton of sugar, without pointing nut to all con- 

 nected with the sugar industry the vastly important qui-., 

 tion which is involved. Assuming the average was in tons 

 of cane per ton of sugar, and that one factory was enahh u 

 to produce sugar at a cost of only 10 tons of cane pi t 

 ton of sugar, we, by the simplest calculation, arrive at 

 the fact that, owing to defective manipulation, a loss of 

 no less than 8,500 tons of sugar has taken place in this 

 district during the last crushiug. This is so serious a 

 matter that we think planteis would do well to look into 

 it. Lest, however, the casual reader shoukl at once jump 

 to tbe conclusion that this amount of lost sugar, at £20 

 per tou would represent £170,000, and that planters by 

 saving that sum would be enabled to pay higher wages, 

 we would point out that, in order to effect the desired 

 saving a very large outlay of capital would be necessitated ; 

 and, further, that the cost of manufacturing this last pro- 

 duct must be taken into consideration. Still the fact of 

 three-fifths of the sugar grown in the colony (for these 

 figures will apply more or less closely to every sugar pro- 

 ducing district) being absolutely lost is a very serious 

 matter indeed; and, since this can only be remedied by 

 the introduction of capital, it forms a strong argument in 

 favour of so shaping our legislation as to secure the con- 

 fidence of capitalists. For the coming season we find that 

 there is at present an area of 16,963 acres under cane. 

 Of this it is estimated that 15,638 acres will be ready for 

 crushing. Our experience, however, leads to the conclusion 

 that in estimating the probable output so early in the year 

 it would be advisable to make a considerable allowance 

 for contingencies, and we would, therefore, not calculate 

 upon more than 14,000 acres being operated on. The 

 nature of the season during the next six months will have 

 such influence upon the result of the crushing that any 

 estimate made now of a favourable crushing must necess- 

 arily be a hazardous one. Comparing the present appear- 

 ance of the crops, which, though looking well, are extremely 

 backward, with that presented by them generally at this 

 time of the year, we should not anticipate a total output 

 of more than 15,000 tons. With a mild winter and favour- 

 able spring we might hope for as much as 17,500 tons; 

 while, on the other hand, if the canes experience the 

 check of a frost and a dry hard spring, it is problematical 

 whether a ton to the acre can be calculated upon. It will 

 be noted that the area under cane this year represents 

 an increase of 2,388 acres over that of last year, and this, 

 we find, is the result of a large increase in tbe plantings 

 of small growers rather than of the larger ones. We can 

 only, in conclusion, express the hope that a favourable sea- 

 son may be experienced, and that, from some source (the 

 direction of which we confess our inability to indicate), 

 sufficient reliable labour may he forthcoming to harvest 

 the crop. — Queenslander. 



OLIA'E-OIL MAKING IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 



BY BRUM. 



Among the many new industries so successfully limb r 

 taken by the enterprising colonists of South Australia, then 

 is not one that promises to take a higher place in the 

 future prosperity of the country than the cultivation of 

 the olive. There is probably no country in the world in 

 which the soil and climate are better suited to the growth 

 of the tree, for no matter where it is planted it flourishes 

 most luxuriantly, and without the least attempt at cult- 

 ivation it produces a good crop of fruit. Everywhere 1 

 went in the interior of the colony I found the olive grow 



