KOV. 2, 1885.1 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



343 



before enteiiug the old di-i\c which leads back lo 

 the entrance gate a very pretty bit is seen looking 

 up the new ornamental piece of water, which is KiO ft. 

 long, at the end of which is a very handsome 

 clump of tree ferns, and looking round in the 

 opposite direction the Madulsima mountains are 

 again to be seen. The Eucalyptus plantation is 

 situated a short distance above the fernery 

 and is reached by a path leading from the N.W. 

 side of fernery. The plantation is planted up 

 with small clu'mps of between 10 and 50 different 

 kinds and is interesting as containing young 

 plants of some of the largest trees in the 

 world. The " Kauri Gum " — KiicnUiptKx ra^o.ssfo — 

 and the narrow-leaved Peppermint (ium — K. (imijyd- 

 alhta — have been known to reach a height of 

 400 ft., and to measure in girth at a yard from 

 the ground 7.5 to 100 ft. The wood of these and 

 several of the other species grown here is exceed- 

 ingly strong and very durable. Other interesting 

 species are E. Guuiiii — the Tasmanian Cider Tree 

 or Swamp Gum of Gippsland, E. lencoxiilon — 

 Victorian Iron Bark, E. iiinrflinntn — Jarrah or Maho- 

 gany Gum, E. piperita — Peppermint Tree, 7','. riiiiiii- 

 (i/i.— Victorian manna Gum, and E. citn'mlora — 

 the Lemon-scented Gum. W. Nock. 



THE LONDON COFFEE TEADE. 

 At the Commercial Sale Kooms, Mincing Lane, 

 on Sept. 1-lth a very numerously attended 

 meeting of coffee importers, buyers, and brokers 

 was held to consider the position of the 

 coffee trade in London. Mr. Peat, the chair- 

 man, stated that coffee was an important item 

 in the commerce of the world, and especially in 

 the commerce of England ; but he was sorry to 

 say that England did not now occupy that high 

 position in reference to coffee which she used and 

 ought to do, and she did not do the fair proportion 

 of the trade to which she was entitled. That was 

 apparent to any one who would compare the total 

 stock of coffee in Europe at any one time with that 

 which came to the port of London. He found that 

 in 1882 the total stock of coffee in the chief ports 

 of Europe was 175, .571 tons, and of that London had 

 28,000 tons, which was a very small proportion. But 

 in 18»5 that proportion was still less ; for while 

 in the chief ports of Europe there were 217,1)29 

 tons, in Lomlon there were only 20,000 tons. 

 That very considerable falling-off was due to a 

 rariety of causes, and while they had no remedy 

 for some of these causes, he thought they had for 

 others. If there were any regulations in tlie terms 

 of commissions which tended to diminish their trade, 

 they ought to find a remedy if possible. He then 

 stated that among the questions wlrich deserved 

 consideration, and for which a representative com- 

 mittee might suggest improvements, were the con- 

 ditions and allowances, which might have been very 

 benelicial in past times, but which were not suited 

 to the altered state of the present day ; then there 

 were the discounts, whicli were very uncertain 

 and objectionable ; and another subject for con- 

 sideration would be that of dock rates. Mr. Asser 

 urged that all the various interests of the trade 

 should join together, not only lo keep but if 

 possible to increase their trade, which had been 

 diminishing for some time, and was going to 

 other ports of the world. Mr. Eucker said 

 that at one time London w-as practically the import 

 port for the whole of the trade, but that time 

 had gone by. As to the Central .Vmerican trade, they 

 should endeavour to offer some inducements to 

 increase that trade. He should like to sec the 

 obnoxious discounts done away with altogether. Mr. 



-Miljor also hoped that the discounts and all the 

 aiitii^u.ited allowances should be knocked on the 

 heail. Mr. Whales complained tliat no specific 

 suggestion had been nuide to improve their position, 

 and, so far as he could gather, the promoters of 

 the meeting desired to take away some advantages 

 which the trade now had in order to improve the 

 trade of the port of London ; but no intelligent 

 body of men would agree to such a course. All 

 the efforts made to bring the trade to London 

 would be futile if it meant making the article 

 dearer. iMr. Hicks observed that the desire of the 

 promoters was to take away the obstacles to 

 trade. After considerable discussion a resolution 

 was submitted for the appointment of a represen- 

 tative committee ; but an amendment that the 

 meeting should be adjourned was carried by a 

 large majority, and the meeting closed with a 

 vote of thanks to the Chairman.— Howtc ISfen-s. 



"BRAZIL" IN THE BIUTISH ASSOCIATION 



Mr. Colin MacKenzie read a paper on Brazil. 

 He held that Brazil was an enormous undulating 

 plain or slightly elevated table land, H,:i00,0H0 

 S(iuare miles in extent, with a coast line of 8,70 

 miles. There was no volcano, and hardly any 

 desert or barren country. The country might bo 

 divided into three divisions — the littoral, the settled 

 belt, and the virgin forest. The littoral contained 

 all the towns, with an extensive commerce in 

 sugar, coffee, hides, indiarubber, and drugs. The 

 settled belt was a mere fringe, comprising all the 

 cattle, sugar, and coffee estates of the country. 

 Laud was opened up for cultivation by setting 

 lire to the forest in the dry season, a most waste- 

 ful and destructive system. All the rest of the 

 empire was virgin forest. Nine-tenths of it was 

 witliin the tropical zone, and so rich was the 

 soil, so vigorous and varied the vegetation, that 

 it formed one of the wonders of the world. No 

 industry was carried on in the forest except the 

 gathering of india-rubliev and medicinal herbs. 

 The population was 10 millions, the basis of which 

 was of Portuguese descent. They were affectionate 

 to their families and kind to the dependent races, 

 the Indians and the negroes. The latter were 

 being emancipated, partly by the action of the 

 law of free births in force since 1871, and partly 

 by private benevolence. In about 10 years the 

 system of slavery w'ould expire through the causes 

 now at work, and this immense and fertile country 

 would be opened up to spontaneous immigration. 

 The northern races of Europe could not stand 

 tlie heat, but the Latin races from the shores of 

 the Mediterranean could work anil flourish there. 

 Brazil was nearly as large as Euruiie, and could sup- 

 purl a greater population to the square mile. The 

 a\erage population of Europe was H7 to the square 

 mile, which would give for Brazil nearly 300 millions 

 of inhabitants. 



In the discussion which followed Mr. K. N. Cust re- 

 marked that a large number of natives still inhabited 

 Brazil who spoke no less than 20 different dialects. 

 Brazil is the last stronghold of slavery. 



Professor Trail, of Abenleen, said that when acting 

 as botanist in an expedition sent out to explore tho 

 Amazon valley he travelled for many hundred miles 

 in the Amazon river and its tributaries, and found 

 that they were navigable for great distances from the 

 sea. The whole valley was well watered and was 

 extremely fertile, and cattle could be reared there 

 with great advantage. It was to be regretted that 

 the native races were generally treated with great 

 barbarity. — London Times. 



