November i, 1884.] 



THE TROPTCAL AGRICULTURIST. 



359 



up with artistic skill. The above magnificent collection 

 of Indian resources has been set up by Colonel Michael, 

 who has been appointed Director of the' Indian collections, 

 with an amount of taste and skill that is well worthy 

 of imitation. 



Singapore.— From this island, a British settlement, situ- 

 ated at the southernmost extremity of the Malay peninsula, 

 comes a goodly number of specimens of indigenous forest 

 trees, chief among which are the Seriah, the Daroo, and 

 the Ballow, a kind of Teak. The greater part of the island 

 is well forested, the woods being composed of different 

 kinds of trees, several of which are well adapted for house- 

 building. The soil of the interior is composed of sand or 

 clay ironstone, with a large percentage of vegetable matter, 

 which gives it a very black appearance. Near the coast 

 are some low tracts of swampy ground, on which a hard 

 and durable tree, named the Billion, is commonly found. 

 The Pepper tree and Betel Vine (Piper siriboa) are well 

 cultivated, as well as different fruits, vegetables, nutmegs, 

 rice, coffee, and cotton. 



The Island op Mauritius contributes a most interesting 

 collection of fibre-producing plants, no less than 200 spec- 

 imens in a rough state being shown. In addition to flowers 

 and fruits the soil of Mauritius grows "Wheat, Maize and 

 Yams, but the principal product is sugar. None of the 

 timber is of great size, but amongst those exhibited many 

 appear of first-rate quality and well-adapted for general 

 purposes. Hundreds of acres of the lowlying lands on the 

 northern and western districts of the island, where formerly 

 the Sugar-cane grew, are now waste and unemployed, 

 owing partly to the effects of hurricanes, drought, and 

 disease of the cane. To replace this land numbers of acres 

 of the priin.eval forests have been cleared away, which it 

 is believed lias had an injurious effect upon the island by 

 increasing the temperature, and, therefore, correspondingly 

 lessening the humidity of the soil. 



SlAM.— This country, long noted for the variety and 

 abundance of its fruit trees, is also particularly rich in 

 valuable timber trees, including the Teak, Sandal, Ebony 

 and Kosewood. The forests, which cover nearly all the 

 mountain ranges of the country, also yield several articles 

 of trade, such as cardamoms, gamboge, and Aquilawood, 

 the latter much renowned for its perfume. A very ex- 

 tensive and interesting collection of these native woods 

 numbering over 500, and all distinctly labelled, have been 

 sent for exhibition, including, amongst others, those pro- 

 ducing gums and resins. The most important industrial 

 occupations are iron and tin smelting, gold beating the 

 making of cloth, glass arid pottery. 



Transplanting Machines.— Several transplanting mach- 

 ines, both on the old and improved styles, are shown 

 One with two wheels, similar in all respects to the Janker 

 now in general use for transporting heavy timber, seems 

 from its simplicity of construction, and the great lever- 

 power attainable, to be a machine well worthy the atten- 

 tion of those engaged in transplanting. Another, with four 

 wheels, but of rather unwiel* ly construction, must be of 

 great value for town or park work, where, by transplant- 

 ing large trees, immediate effect is at once obtained. Trees 

 up to 10 tons in weight can, it is said, be readily removed 

 by this machine. The same exhibitor, Mr. James Whit ton 

 gardener, Ooltness, Wishaw— who, by-the-bye, seems to have 

 devoted no little time to improving the machines of his 

 fellow-craft— shows a very efficient as well as simple plan 

 of removing shrubs, whereby the ball is preserved intact 

 —a matter of much importance in dry weather, and where 

 plants destitute of fibrous roots are being transferred to 

 f d l stan 5f:. Messrs. John Greig & Son, engineers, Fountain- 

 bndg< . Edinburgh, exhibit what is perhaps the most handy 

 and at the same time efficient transplanter we have yet 

 seen. The Sycamore tree shown within its frame was 

 lifted by the machine out of Turner's nursery, and con- 

 veyed to its present position, where ample opportunity is 

 I for a thorough inspection of the simplicity and 

 v of this valuable machine in transplanting as well as 

 tran-t, rnng to a distance trees and shrubs of average size 

 — Gardem rs Chronicle. 



CATARRH OF THF BLADDER. 

 Stinging irritation, inflamation, all Kindey and similar 

 Complaints, cured out by "Buchu-paiba." W.E.Smith k 

 Co., Madras, Sole Agents. 



EDIBLE CAOTI. 

 The Prickly Pear or Indian Fig, as it is* sometimes termed 

 the fruit, of Opuntia vulgaris, is known in our fruit shops 

 but there are many other species of the Cactus family 

 which are edible, although only locally known where they 

 are indigenous— among these are Opuntia Ficus indies 

 Opuntia Tuna, O. Eafinesquii, and O. occidentalis. N, w 

 .Mexico, Arizona, California, and Utah, are the habitats of 

 most ot these. Oereus giganteus and C. Thurberi also 

 furnish edible fruits; the former attains a height of 25 to 

 50 feet, whilst C. Engelmanni is a dwarf species, with Targe 

 scarlet flowers, and refreshingly cool fruits of a Strawberry 

 taste. C. Quito of Chili is a stately Cactus which attains 

 a height of 15 feet. The charming snow-white flowers are 

 followed by sweetish mucilaginous fruits available for the 

 table. The fruits of the Opuntias are much eaten by the 

 Indians under the common Spanish name of twri/ts, and 

 great quantities are dried for use hi the winter. The fruits 

 of the Opuntias are of a bright red to purple colour, of 

 a rather pleasant, sweet, somewhat acid taste, and have 

 thin stems and rather large seeds which are discarded 

 They are much eaten by the Indians. The skin is studded 

 with bunches of very fine downy spines, which they brush 

 off with a bunch of grass. The Apache Indians use w ooden 

 tongs to gather the fruit and prevent scratching by the 

 spines or thorns of the plant. Some tribes dry the unripe 

 fruit of the Opuntia for future use. to be cooked with 

 meat and other substances. The fresh unripe fruit is often 

 boiled in water from ten to twelve hours until soli when 

 it becomes like Apple-sauce ; ihen, being allowed to ferment 

 a little, it becomes stimulating and nutritious. Some Ind- 

 ians roast the leaves of the Opuntia in hot ashes and 

 when cooked the outer skin with the thorns is easily re- 

 moved, leaving a slimy, sweet succulent substance, which 

 is eaten. 



In the province of Catania, in Sicily, in Algeria and 

 Egypt, the Opuntia Ficus indica is regularly cultivated for 

 its fruit, The product in Egypt is about 10,000 cwt. annu- 

 ally. In Sicily four varieties are known— one with yellow 

 fruit, one with white fruit, one with red fruit, and one 

 without seeds. The two firstnamed varieties are chiefly 

 cultivated, as they are most productive, and the fruit is 

 sweeter and larger. These fruits can be kept during the 

 winter up to March or April if covered with hay or paper 

 A hectare of ground planted with these Cacti yields a 

 return of about £20, and the cost does not exceed S2 

 The fruit of Oereus giganteus is Pear-shaped, of a greenish- 

 yellow colour, with a few small spines scattered over the 

 surface, which fall off as the fruit becomes thoroughly 

 ripe. The fruit is borne upon the highest part of the 

 plant, and is usually gathered by means of long hooked 

 sticks; the- interior is of a beautiful red colour and looks 

 tempting. The rind is pulpy, fibrous, juicy, and sweet- 

 the pulp is very palatable (and is full of small blfck seeds 

 which are also eaten), reminding one of Figs, the only 

 difference being that it has more moisture. The seeds are 

 indigestible unless when chewed. The Indians consider this 

 one of their greatest luxuries, and as long as the fruit 

 is obtainable care for nothing else. 



To dry this fruit as a preserve the seedy pulp is placed 

 between soft Indian Corn husks, the ends of which are 

 tied, and it is then dried in the sun for winter use or 

 trade. It is also put into earthen pots when fresh secured 

 from the air, and sold in the settlements. It retains its 

 sweetness for a long time. A clear light brown syrup is 

 expressed from the pulp arid sold in gallon jugs The 

 Papajo Indians are the largest producers of this Byrup 

 The Pimo Indians annually prepare a wine from this fruit 

 called by the Mexicans th wein, by taking the fresh pulp 

 or the syrup and mixing it with a certain quantity of 

 water in earthen vessels and exposing it to the sun for 

 some time to ferment, after which it is fit for drinking 

 It is of a clear amber colour, and in every respect superior 

 t0 -*flu h ° f * h " ; vine ,™ BaIe - U '» highly intoxicating, 

 with the taste and smell of sour beer, but some time i 

 before its stimulating effects are felt. When the wine is 

 ready for use, the Indians celebrate an annual drinkine 

 festival. 5 



Cereus Thurberi is commonly called peiahaya by the 

 Mexicans. It grows to 18 or 20 feet high, and 4 to 6 inches 

 m diameter, aud bears two crops of fruit per year The 

 fruit is the size and shape of an egg, aud is thickly co- 



