632 



tHE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Makch 1, 1886. 



On the orders of European merchants, mix different 

 varieties, particularly if of low quality, adding in the 

 operation a certain quantity of best or true gutta 

 to impart a "tone" to the parcel, and thus allow 

 it to pass muster, Sometimes this "tone" consists 

 of a skin of good gutta over a core of bad. I speak 

 the more strongly against this practice because I have 

 seeu it done in the East and have also seen its 

 results in Lomlon ; I speak, therefore, in both cases, 

 from personal observation. Again, many of these so- 

 called "low varieties" of guttapercha have no right 

 to be classed under that substance at all, unless, indeed, 

 we extend its significance and include under gutta- 

 percha such .substances as kowrie-gum, gambier, cutch, &c. 



This mixing, to a manufacturer, is a serious matter, 

 and I firmly believe that in some cases where a 

 " fault" has been found in a cable, often it has been 

 caused by a fraudulent admixture of some such 

 resinous substance, and its subsequent crystallising 

 out. When it is borne in mind that the very smallest 

 percentage of such an admixture m;i,y render a 

 cable utterly useless at a most critical nmment, I 

 am sure that I shall not be cliarged with hypercriticism, 

 or speaking too strongly on the subject. All the 

 varieties of true guttapercha are valuable, but wliat 

 I maintain most strongly is, that if any of these 

 are to be mixed, that such mixing sliouM be left to 

 the discretion of tlie manufacturer at home ; he, 

 and he alone, shold be be.st able to judge ns to 

 what varieties should be anialgarnate<l to meet the 

 various requirements in view. 



Ptti'itf/ from Adidtvration, — This I have already 

 incidentally mentioned, and tlie necessity of freedom 

 from adulteration will be admitted at once. A certain 

 proportion of fragments of bark mu-t always be 

 looked for, but in many cases it is purpo.sely added 

 to increase bulk and weight; a sieve through which 

 the gutta could eiisily run would obviate this. Stones, 

 sometimes as large as one's head, clay, billets of 

 wood, sawdust, and sago-flour, are the stock adulter- 

 ants. The remedy for this may be seen in the 

 following paragraph, and if a purer and less adulter- 

 ated articl'^ were soot into the m trkets, traders 

 would reaj) the benefit, as, at present, manufacturers 

 have to iuclude, in the valuation of a parcel, a certain 

 margin for probable adulteration ; frequently, buying 

 gutta is like buying a " pig in a poke." 



Prepurat'um fur the J/arkct. — The very best form 

 to prepare gutta in, for the market, is in thin dry 

 well-pressed slabs. By having thin slabs, instead of 

 the great irregular rilucks now exported, gross adulter- 

 ation by the iutroduction of stones, »Vc., would be 

 reduced tu a ndnimum, and alsu save to a consider- 

 able extent the wear and tear of machinery in the 

 subsequent inauipiilation of the gutlaperclia. If the 

 slabs are dry ami well pressed a great saving in 

 freight would be ensured, as at present exanqjiesare 

 not unknown of parcels losing 25 per ci'nt between 

 the ports of I'.xport and import. 



I have incidentally referred to the necessity of the 

 cultivation under f}.)vernment auspices ; when this is 

 done, and ii'tt till then, the manufacturer will have 

 placed within bis reach, what he really wants — A <iOOD 

 1't.tBE .\ND i'N.VDUi,TKuATt,n (iUTTArnucii A. This Sub- 

 ject, however, I trust to deal with shortly. — India- 

 i-nhbci' and Gtittaperchn Jotd'itat. 



COCONUT CULTIVATION; SAUT FISH. 



Vevangoda, 4th February, 1886. 

 .Tanuary closed with the weather usu.d at this season 

 — fierce sun during the day, followed by chilly, dewy 

 nights. The rainfall during the mmth was 9'09 inches 

 as against G3 last year. This is the critical period on 

 coconut plantations, and a time of great anxiety with 

 those owning or managing them. .Vil tluir energies 

 are expended in saviug, by propping up, the nuts 

 they put on their trees by cultivation. A sliort period 

 of such weather as we are now experiencing and our 

 plantations wear a melancholy and jaded look, with 

 bunches and branches drooping. If in addition to the 



dry season we are entering on, we have to face the 

 blight or insect plague, a correspondent in the (Mi.iei-rer 

 speaks of as being present in the Western Province, 

 the look-out of the coconut planter will be black in 

 the extreme. I have heard that in years gone by cater- 

 ])illars denuded whole plantations of foliage. The late 

 Mr. David Wilson, who had the reputation of adopting 

 radical remedies, fumigated his trees with sulphur. 

 The results exceeded his expectations. Caterpillars and 

 coconut trees were both killed. Of course, this is ])o.ss. 

 ible only where trees had been overfumigated, for the 

 the- fumes of sulphur in excess are known to be 

 fata to vegetable life. There was a spirited discussion 

 on this subject in a local journal when Mr. George Wall 

 put forward his cure for leaf disease by sulphur fumes. 

 It is a question, however, whether it was possible to 

 kill the hardy coconut tree with sulphur fumes, as most 

 of the fumes generated under the trees would in a very 

 little time have been dissipated into spa'-e. It is poss- 

 ible that the absence of foliage, the lungs of a tree, was 

 answerable for the deaths. It is best for planters to 

 be on the look-out and stamp out such visitations in 

 the incipient stage. 



In a former comniunicatien I gave expression to an 

 opinion that the coconut tree is thankful for all the 

 moisture it can get. Further observation shews that 

 though the tree may benefit by much rain its owner does 

 not. It is with coconut, as with all fruit bearing trees 

 csces.iive rainfall produces leaf an.l uot fruit. Check- 

 ing of growth or wintering is as necessaryfor a coconut 

 tree to bear as for any other fruit bearer. I was pre- 

 viously of opinion that the coconut was an excefjtion 

 to this ride, but recent observation shews that it is not. 

 The flower spathes thrown out by the coconut palm 

 during the last few months have with a few exceptions 

 been abortive. If this is traceable to the wet weather 

 we have just passed through, then it proves that the 

 cocoinit is no exception to the rule I have just made 

 just made reference to. I do not presume to speak 

 beyond what I have observed or learnt from eu(juiries. 

 These go to shew that in this district at least, coco- 

 nut crops will be very short. A healthy tree in full 

 bearing ought to have on it about twelve bunches in 

 all stages of growth, from the incipient fruit in the 

 newly opened spatlie to the fully ripe nut. Hardly half 

 this number of bunches, and very small bunches too 

 they are, are now noticeable on the trees. A rise in 

 the price of Oopperah to something like K60 will com- 

 pensate for small crops. There is no reason why this 

 price should not be reached, if Merchants will only take 

 the trouble to inspect the bulk of the copperali 

 they export and not deligate this important duty 

 to subordinates. A good article only will then be sent 

 to meet continental demands, and with increased de- 

 mand prices must rise. While on the subject of crops 

 1 notice the continued increase in the exports of ciu- 

 namon quills and chips. I do not think wc can just 

 yet expect increased prices, especially with the rise in 

 the price of chips. 



The thanks of the Island are doe to Mr. Kavenscroft 

 for not only starting a new industry, or at least in- 

 creasing its scope, but for bringing within the reach 

 of many a superior quality of dry fish. I noticed in 

 the papers that Mr. Auwardt was able to sell only 3 

 cwts. out of the ton of dry fish he put up for compet- 

 ition. This cannot be construed into a want of demand 

 for the article, reople do not cousume dry fish by the 

 ewt., and loose dry fish is not a savoury article to bo 

 carried about. I think if he will only pick it iu tins-r 

 krrosine tins ought to answer — of uniform weight, a 

 demand for the fish is sure to spring up in up-country 

 bungalows. — " Examiner." 



Fka-M't Ki.Ot'ii. — The ingenious Americans have 

 taken to manufacturing biscuits and pastry from the 

 flour of pea-nuts, of which there is said to have been 

 an enormous crop last year, A^irgini;i and the two 

 adjacent States having raised 2,GOO,00il bushels. As 

 ground nuts grow in large quantities in this country, 

 there can be no reason why a ainiilnr attempt should 

 not be made here. — Indian Gardener, 



