November i, 1884.] TUT TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



367 



of 60 per cent (by volume) alcohol, strain and press, drive 

 away the alcohol by evaporation over a water-bath until 

 the product is sufficiently thick, that when a few drops 

 are thrown into cold water they have enough consistence 

 to work up between the fingers without adhering to them. 

 — Pkarmact utical Journal. 



The sugar-planters of New South Wales and Queens- 

 land (says the Melbourne Aryan) should make a note of 

 the following paragraph from a New York paper: — "A new 

 industry promises to be highly productive in the south. 

 It has been discovered that steam-blown cane can l»e 

 manufactured into paper-pulp by merely beating up the 

 blown fibre in water, in an ordinary hearing or rag-engine, 

 without boiling or chemicals. This is quite important, as 

 the South is extremely rich in cane. There are hundreds 

 of square miles there covered with AruncHnaria macro- 

 sperma. This, after being cut, matures again in three years, 

 affording a new crop. This pulp and the cane-fibre may 

 be used in many manufactures. The pulp can be employed 

 in the production of almost every article for which papit r 

 m(Ub\ is employed at present. Works are already in pro- 

 gress at Wilmington ami Norfolk." — Queenslander. 



On another page (363) will be seen an expression of opi- 

 nion from our agricultural reporter as to the suitability of the 

 Johnstone River country for the growth of coffee. Some 

 time ago we recorded the success attained in this industry 

 by Mr. Costello, of the Millicent Plantation, at Mackay. 

 In one respect, at least, that success continues to be marked 

 — namely, in the quality of the manufactured article. 

 Travellers on visitiug in aud about Mackay frequently 

 remark upon the excellence of the coffee procurable there, 

 both at the hotel tables and in private houses, and, upon 

 inquiry, are informed that most of the coffee used is the 

 product of the district, and from Mr. Oostello's plant- 

 ation*. So well and favourably known is the article, that 

 it commands a higher figure in the open market than 

 imported coffee, which clearly proves not only that the 

 district is well adapted for its production, but also that 

 Mr. Costello understands its manipulation. It is difficult 

 to iuduce Queenslanders to experiment with anything new, 

 but coffee is pretty sure, in time, to become one of our 

 staple products. Frost is decidedly injurious to the plant, 

 and drought is also very hard upon it; but in localities 

 where the temperature 16 moderate when at its lowest, 

 and an average amount of moisture can be relied on to 

 sustain the vigour of the plants a1 ons, there is 



a very fair assurance of success. Queenslander. 



Mr. Morris's Report. — In the recently issued annual 

 report on the public gardens and plantations of Jamaica, 

 Mr. Morris mentions an interesting experimenl made upon 

 a plantation of Cinchona Succirubra trees. It had been in- 

 tended to harvest a full crop of bark from these trees, but 

 it was decided instead only to " shave " them, in order to 

 determine which method of collecting the bark would be 

 the must profitable. The total number of trees " shaved " 

 was 2,144, which yielded 5,2 1 8 lb. of wet bark, or an aver- 

 age of 2 '34 lb. 'f bark per tree, the average weight of bark 

 brought in each day per man being 50] lb. Twelve d 

 sni^.. quently it was found that not a. single tree bad suffered 

 from the treatment to which the plantation had been sub- 

 jected ; on the contrary, the renewal of the. bark had gone 

 on in a most uniform manner, and the trees were then 

 in a condition to yield another cop equal, if not superior, 

 to the previous one. Mr. Morris also reports that tin 1 de- 

 mand for " Jamaica quassia," the wood of Picrana i 

 has greatly increased lately, " owing, il is said, to its utiliz- 

 ation as a substitute for hops." The exports of this wood 

 from Jamaica last year amounted to 1,815 tons, of the value 

 of £ij,6;jl. Another plant which has also come into promin- 

 ence as a hop substitute is the Jamaica "latter bush" 

 {Eupatorium oUlosum), which is common in many waste 

 places in the island. It is said to have an agreeable aroma 

 and contain a bitter principle which has long been recognized 

 by the natives. — Pliarmaceutical Journal. 



Chinese Plant Acclimatisation in the United States. 

 — We take the following from the Times, but decline to 

 be responsible for the accuracy of the statements made:— 

 Considerable interest is being taken in America in the 

 acclimatisation of plants, and among them it is proposed 

 to experiment upon the aquatic vegetables of China, which 



are valuable for food and economic purposes, and are 

 easily cultivated in rice regions and marsh lands generally 

 where water does not freeze or freezes but slightly. The 

 most noteworthy are tne Water Caltraps (Trapa bicornuta) 

 (Ling-chiaco), called the Water Chestnut on account of 

 its flavour, a pleasant fruit that requires no cultivation 

 and can bear a very -evere climate. The Water Lily (Ne- 

 lumbium speciosum) appears to be identical with the 

 Egyptian bean of Pythagoras, and is much used for food, 

 being rich in starch, while both root-stock and seeds are 

 aliki edible, lis leaves make capital wrapping paper, and 

 its Rowers are strikingly gorgeous. The Chiaopai and the 

 Chin-tsai are both varieties of the water Celery, which 

 are planted on Bamboo rafts covered with mud, forming 

 floating gardens similar to those of ancient Mexico or 

 modern Kashgar. A most useful and valuable plant also 

 is the T'ieh-shu or Iron tree, which has the curious pro- 

 perty ot absorbing and assimilating iron, and this is cleverly 

 taken advantage of when it shows signs of decadence, 

 nails being driven into its trunk, and thus giving a new 

 lease ol life, (?) The Tiao-lan <s another singular plant, 

 which flowers only when taken from the ground ami sus- 

 pended from a ceiling. (?) The Chin-ch'i is the valuable 

 product known as "golden varnish,' 1 used to adorn the 

 glossy signboards of Chinese streets, and is furnished by 

 a tree called the Ch'i-shu or Varnish tree, but it possesses 

 an element of danger in a poison which causes acute in- 

 flammation of the skin. Even the native dealers in varnish 

 cannot escape, though they suffer less than foreigners, and 

 particularly Americans. The remedy of the country is 

 rather peculiar, being the application of crab's liver and 

 a decoction of Pir.e shavings. — Gardeners'' Chronicle. 



The Value of Sandy Soil for purposes of cultivation is 

 not generally recognised. There are a few here and there 

 who have had opportunities of observing the results ob- 

 tained from such soil, and who are favourably impressed 

 as to its value, having had proof of its excellence. Some 

 of the best a ■>} most productive fruit-gardens in Queens- 

 land at the present time are almost purely free sand. 

 Tin Botanic Gardens at Rockhampton, and several of the 

 most noted gardens in that locality, are either altogether 

 or largely composed of sand. Two of the most profitable 

 fruit-gardens in the colony at Mackay, one owned by Mr. 

 Barnes and the other by Mr. Armitage, are likewise sand; 

 and. in every instance where intelligence and skill have 

 brought to bear upon such land, very satisfactory 

 results have been obtained. As may be expected there 

 are well-defined limits as to the capabilities of such soils, 

 more particularly as recards fruit culture. As a rule pine- 

 apples are exceedingly thrifty in sandy soils, especially 

 if allowed sufficient space, and the soil is worked deeply, 

 with an occasional dressing of some good fertiliser. The 

 grape vine is also succeeding far beyond expectations in 

 deep sandy loams, as for instance Mr. liassett's vineyard, 

 near Roma. •' The coconut aud the date palms are proving 

 thoroughly at home and vigorous under similar circum- 

 5, With the orange and the citrus family generally 

 it is different. As a rule these do not remain in vigour 

 and productiveness long in such soil. There are, however, 

 exceptional cases, whic i make it extremely difficult to lay 

 down any hard and fast rules with reference to these 

 valuable trees; for notably in many cases orange trees 

 grow and bear well in sandy loams, but only in situations 

 whei (hoy can rool deeply without coming in contact 

 with injurious or wet subsoils. The mango is very vigorous 

 and productive in sandy soils; not so the jakfruit. nor 

 yet the apple, the pear, or the plum. Bui sand is found 

 to be eminently adapted for the growth of vegetables. 

 Owners of sandy land in the suburbs of Melbourne can 

 outdo in nearly every particular the attempts made in 

 market gardening on strong black loamy soils. With a 

 constant, supply of good manure sand may be made im- 

 mensely productive, and allowing for the cost of the fertil- 

 isers is even then more cheaply and ■ muneratively worked 

 than stronger soils. Any of our readers who will try 

 experiments with sand lying well for drainage will quickly 

 realise the correctness of tl e above remarks. The qui stion 

 IS sometimes ~ What benefit can trenching loose 



sand be?" Experience proves it to be very beneficial, and, 

 as tuts are very stubborn things, we like always to give 

 way to hem, even when the reason does not appear. — 

 Queenslander, 



