September i, 1884.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



237 



sery beds in the open air. The trees is particularly hardy, 

 grows iu the poorest soil and forms au excellent shelter belt 

 against strong winds. 



Cardamom seeds were received from Oeylon and there are 

 uow in tin! nurseries several thousands of these plants ready 

 for distribution. The length of time (four months) these 

 seeds take to germinate at this elevation is a noticeable 

 feature. Cardamoms evidently do better at a lower elevation 

 and it would be well to cultivate them iu moist hollows at 

 elevations below 3,000 feet. In connection with the nurs- 

 eries it might be mentioned that having some Cinchona 

 officinalis seed which had been in hand some time and there- 

 fore not considered fit for distribution, it was determined 

 to try the experiment of broadcast sowing at 5,500 feet. 

 Accordingly a spot was selected in a field of three-year- 

 old O. officinalis. The ground was covered with decayed 

 fallen timber, upturned roots, and in some places the soil 

 was partially composed of peat, and generally contained a 

 large amount of humus. Seed was freely distributed by 

 hand on this ground, and particularly under and near the 

 fallen trees and roots, and also along the margin of the 

 forest, with the result that we have uow many thousand 

 seedlings 3 to 8 inches high, the trees of 0. officinalis -1 feet 

 to 8 feet high and about 3 years old forming the only 

 shade. The seed was sown in October and November, being 

 the most humid season. Self-shed seed from the young 

 trees have not germinated in equal proportion, consequent, 

 probably, on its ripening during the drier months. 



Lower Bttz-a Plantation is thus reported on: — This plant- 

 ation contains only trees of C. succirubra from which it 

 was intended to harvest a full crop of bark ; it was, how- 

 ever, determined, with the consent of Government, not to 

 do so, but to harvest a crop by the shaving process instead. 

 This was done iu order to determine whether, iu this country, 

 a more profitable return might be yielded by this process. 



The total number of trees barked was 2,144, yielding 

 5,218 lb. wet bark — giving an average of 2 - 4o lb. per tree. 



The average weight of bark brought in each day per man 

 was 50| lb. which, calculating labour by skilled hands at Is 

 6d. per day, gives the cost of wet bark per lb. at "3G pence 

 for harvesting. 



As to the effect of the process on the trees it is found 

 that at the end of twelve months not a single tree appears 

 to have suffered. Moreover, the renewal of the bark has 

 taken place all over the plantation in almost a uniform 

 manner, and another crop might at once be harvested 

 equal if not superior to the last. 



It is to be remarked that had not the experimental 

 shaving process been decided upon, a much larger quantity 

 would have been harvested. As it is, the original trees are 

 still standing with bark much increased in value by the 

 process. It is now definitely ascertained that renewed bark 

 produces a larger percentage of alkaloids thau the original. 

 Experience in Java with Ledgerianas, however, seems 

 to prove that good time iuust be given to the re- 

 newed bark to form. 



What Mr. Morris called "Ceylon willows" in a 

 previous report he now describes as Ficus Benjamina, 

 stating : — ■ 



The plants of Ficus Benjamina which were planted on 

 the opposite side of the avenue iu 1882, have grown re- 

 markably well ; this is evidently a tree well adapted for 

 growing in the plains; it has a graceful drooping habit and 

 makes an excellent shade-tree. The palms (Orcodoxia 

 regia) which arc planted alternate! with the Ficus have so 

 far not done so well ; they rue however, iu a healthy state 

 and are growing, but slowly. 



We hope soon to see the exquisitely graceful Ficus 

 referred tj adorning the sides of streets and roads in 

 Colombo aud our other towns. The specimen we 

 brought from Java has flourished at Mr. Win. 

 Ferguson's residence, and cuttings from it will speedily 

 be available. 



The part of the report referring to the cultivation 

 and distribution of economic plants we quote as 

 follows : — 



C cao: — The cultivation of this article iu connection 

 with bananas is making good progress and I estimati 

 nearly 1,000 acres are now established with cacao. 



Increased attention appears to be devoted to the curing 

 Of. tUv crop and under the influence of interest lately 



taken both by Government and the Institute of Jamaica 

 the quality of Jamaica cacao in the London market is in- 

 creasing. 0m samples of Jamaica cacao lately submitted 

 to London brokers the following reports have been received. 

 Extract of a letter from Messrs. J. S. Fry & Son, of 

 Bristol : — " Your sample is good. The cacao hitherto im- 

 ported from Jamaica has not fetched a high price in the 

 market. It seems somewhat imperfectly cured, many of 

 the beans are defective and mouldy, aud the cacao looks 

 as though it had been picked unripe. Iu the best samples 

 the kernel or nib is of a nice pale colour. The consump- 

 tion of cacao in England is increasing steadily though not 

 very rapidly." 



Mr. Thomas Christy reports as follows : — " I am in re- 

 ceipt of your favor of 17th January together with a bag 

 of cacao, and I at once proceeded to exhibit it on our 

 market. It was very much appreciated and one of the 

 questions asked was, if it was 'picked,' that is to say, if all 

 the small berries had been thrown out, as it was such a very 

 fine sample and it was valued as high as from 80/ to 90/ per 

 cwt. by some of the buyers. 



"In some of the numbers ot the 'New Commercial 

 Plants ' I have called attention to the colour of the Ceylon 

 cacao, the earth imparting to it a peculiar red tinge which 

 is much valued. The sample of Jamaica cacao is not very 

 deep in colour. One of the best arguments I had to meet 

 the question of ' picked sample ' was that upon opening 

 some of the beans we found a small proportion had not 

 been cured, the fruit not being entirely ripe. 



"Messrs. Lewis and Peat, who have a very large con- 

 nection aud who 1 always find most willing to assist mo 

 in introducing new products and produce from new places, 

 took a portion of your sample and showed it amongst 

 their friends, aud a copy of their letter and report will 

 save me repeating some of the remarks that I heard from 

 friends to whom I showed your cacao : — 



"'Jamaica Cacao:— We have carefully examined the 

 sample you hand us and find it one of the very best pre- 

 pared specimens of Jamaica-grown cacao we have seen. 

 It is prepared like Trinidad, aud would find a ready sale 

 here both for home trade and export. It is rather want- 

 ing in strength and flavour and we should imagine this 

 could be remedied either by being grown on higher ground 

 or improved soil. Its value here today we estimate at 

 about 75/ per cwt.' Suffice it to say that you could not 

 have a better criterion of the success of your experiment 

 than to be able to publish the market price that is accorded 

 to your cacao. 



"Before I named where the cacao came from it was 

 classified as ' high class Trinidad.' " 



In a letter received from Messrs. Park, Macfadyen & Co., 

 Lime Street, London, they report as under: — 



"We have the pleasure to own receipt of your es- 

 teemed favour of 17th January as well as the sample 

 of cacao therein referred to aud, as requested, 

 have had the same thoroughly tested and now beg to 

 report thereoi. as follows.- — Quality good, red duUishjhigJdy 

 dried, dullish break, little flavour, value about 72/ at 74, per 

 cwt. The curing of this sample is a great improvement 

 upon what we are usually iu the habit of receiving from 

 Jamaica and would, we think, work itself into favour. The 

 price of ordinary Jamaica just uow is GG t to OS per cwt. 

 Placing your sample alongside Trinidad production it would 

 require a practiced eye to tell the difference, and if the 

 flavour could be more fully retained a higher value would 

 without doubt be attainable, M r e will at all times be 

 pleased to prove of service to you on this side " 



Maragoyipe Coffee:— A few beans of this coffee were re- 

 ceived from Messrs. Thomas Christy & Co., from which 

 about a dozen seedlings have been raised. It appears to be 

 a new variety of the commou coffee found iu Brazil, which 

 has a much larger leaf thau the ordinary coffee tree. Mr. 

 Christy mentioned " that it grows with extraordinary vig. 

 our, and trees three or four years old were already eight 

 or ten feet high and full of fruit. The tree se^ms to come 

 into full bearing much sooner thau the ordinary coffee,and 

 the bean is very much larger. Altogether tin- weight of 

 coffee per acre must be very much more when laud is 

 planted with Maragogipe than with the ordinary coffeo tree." 



/' ■■ i -Trees of this coffee at Castletou are in 



good bearing andseedsin quantity have been distributed 

 to plantations iu different parts of the island. A fine sam- 



