May I, 1886.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



773 



had pointed oat the superior saitability of che tea plant 

 for cultivation in Fiji, aud had induced the laying down 

 of the abandoned cotfee plantations in tliis or some 

 other crop which had given fair promise of a remuner- 

 ative character as the result of actual e?q)priencp. Of 

 course it may he objected that this is all speculation, 

 deriving its iiuasi-philosophic appearance from the light 

 of the after event. Granted. But directed on a reason- 

 able course speculation becomes a very profitable mental 

 exercise. Upon practical men its effect is to induce 

 experiment, and as this is the special object now in view, 

 so valuable a factor may well be employed in %vorking 

 out the desired result. 



Considering former experience it might have been 

 fairly expected that the breathing time following upon 

 tho establishment of ths sugar industry would have 

 been utilised for the purpose of ascertaining by 

 what products, offering a fair chance of remunerative 

 cultivation, it could be supplemented. But the person 

 who would ask — M'hat has been douei' — must be 

 answered, practically, nothing. Ouce again we have 

 seen ruin impending over the colony. Again we have 

 seen its staple industry checked and brought peril- 

 ously near to the verge of suspension. There is now 

 every prospect that the cloud is rolling by. But 

 if such were not the case, is it not evident that for 

 the sheer want of a substitute industry to turn to, 

 the outlook would be even more gloon-.y than it 

 was aftrr the cottoi: failure. 



In the face of this poverty of available resource, not- 

 withstanding tlie wonderful capability of our soil and 

 the advantages of our climate, it is suggestive to turn to 

 the long list of arlicli*s etiinnerated by Sir. Holmes as 

 forming certain of the variovis sources whence Ceylon 

 derives its wealth. It has not two. but rather two dozen 

 strings to its bow; and as Mr. Holmes correctly observes 

 of the catalogue he has furnished : — " It would be 

 easy from it to fill in a very long list of plants we oufilit 

 to have, and have not, in Fiji." But to secure their 

 introduction and to test their suitability for the climate 

 it is first of all necess.ary that some effort shall be made 

 toward the t'stablishraent of an experimental garden. 

 The proposal is no new one, but has been ventilated 

 aud urged in these columns over and <jver again. 

 At one time there even seemed a prospect that this 

 insistence would not be barren of practical result. 

 The attention of the old Agricultural Society was 

 aroused. The matter was foricbly represented to 

 Sir Arthur Gordon. Its importance was by him 

 freely admitted. Promises^ of some definite action 

 in the desired direction were as freely given. But, 

 ax though satisfied with this measure of success, the 

 spa.snuidic interest then subsided. No sustained effort 

 followed to obtain the fulfilment of the promise, and 

 therefore nothing resulted. 



Perhaps, thougli, it is incorrect to say that nothing 

 resulte<l, since some time afterw.ard reference was 

 officially made to the "Botanical Gardens," as to a some- 

 thing actually existing. Enquiry then elicited the fact 

 that there was a plot of ground in rear of Draiba digni- 

 fied by this pretentious title. There are indeed a few 

 who could even now go to the place " where once the 

 garden smiled," and who yet preserve traditions of the 

 magnificent Crotous, Drac»nas, etc.. there cultivated. 

 Is it not a thousand pities that so bold an attempt to 

 improve our list of remunerative products should have 

 been prematurely abandoned. 



Sir. Holmes conceives that with respect to the 

 prospect of obtaining the establishment of this ex- 

 perimental garden the Government is " past praying 

 for." Strictly construed this may be accepted as a 

 general characteristic of governments. But in the 

 sense intended and coming from one who has himself 

 done much in the direction of improving our product list, 

 the remark is imlicative of the pernicious and dishearten- 

 ing effect of official apathy. Nevertheless he pertinently 

 propoimds for authorative answer the question : — " Is it 

 right, honest, or "i.se to shirk this matter any longer?" 

 An admif.sion has lately been madi- by the Administrator 

 that in conspqueuce of the decline in sugar values the 

 revenue has so suffered that works of importance must 

 be postponed. \\'hat then woulil have been the result 

 bad the depression continued ? And in the face of the 



probabilities which the reflection must suggest, is there 

 not a peculiar significance attaching to the question 

 above quoted. In every interest therefore a strenuous 

 effort should be made to force the subject on the atten- 

 tion of the Government. It is one of vital importance 

 and its consideration should be compelled, at least to 

 the extent of eliciting an answer to the question above 

 formulated. 



This is a matter which specially comes within the pro- 

 vince of the Planters' Association, Further, as several 

 of its members are also members of the Legislative 

 Council, and as the subject is one which warmly 

 commends itself to their support, the .Vssociatiou should 

 be in a position to obtain something more than a mere 

 formal reply. It must be expected that the first response 

 will be a full admission of the importance attaching to 

 the subject, a declaration that it has at all times very 

 largely occupied official attention, and pathetic regrets 

 that the present state of the revenue does not warrant, 

 etc. This should not be accepted as concluding the 

 subject, although the force attaching to the last cla use 

 cannot be gainsaid. But some guarantee for the future 

 should be obtained by the setting aside of land for the 

 purpose, say ontheKewa; and the placing of it under 

 the temporary charge of some officer, say Mr. Robert 

 Wilson ; with instructions to do something in the way of 

 inauguration. Many are the instances that can be men- 

 tioned in which the seed or products likely to add to our 

 export list has been introduced for gratuitous distribution, 

 has been distributed, aud has been heard of no more 

 because of the desultory manner iu which the experi- 

 mental culture has been attemptej^. This would hardly 

 be the case if the seed could be forwarded to any public 

 establishment for trial by a public officer who would 

 feel that a special weight attached to bis report. How- 

 ever humble ami unpretentious the beginning, the 

 development of the institution would rapidly follow as 

 its value became appreciated, and even now no cjuestiou 

 is entertained that it would soon repay the expenditure 

 it would involve. The object can be secured if the 

 effort made is commensurate with its importance, and 

 this simply depends upon the Planters' Association and 

 the unofficial members of Council. — Fiji limet. 



THE ODLTIVATION OF INSECT WAX. 

 It is within comparatively recent years that insect 

 wax has become an article of export from C'bina, 

 and even now comparatively little is known among 

 the general public of this article. Insect wax con- 

 sists principally of cerotic acid in combination with 

 oxide of cerotyl, an<l has been used lately iu England for 

 manufacturing purposes in making a superior kind of 

 wax candles, though the article is at present far 

 too costly for general use. Considering, however, that 

 nearly 500 tons of beeswax are annually imported 

 into England alone, and that Chinese insect wax in 

 adapted iu a superior degree to all the purposes for 

 which beeswax is u.sed at present, it stands to rea.son 

 that Chinese insect wax has a great future before 

 it if its production can be increased and cheapened. 

 Strange to say, insect wax has hitherto not been 

 discovered anywhere iu the world except iu the one 

 Chinese province of Szechuen and iu South America. 

 But South American insect wax is hardly known yet, 

 nor 'has it so far become an article of commerce. 

 Some years ago the insect wax of China attracted 

 the attention of the French Government, and an 

 attempt has been made in Algeria to rear the Chin- 

 ese wax insect on imported insect trees and wax 

 trees there, but with what results we cannot tell. 

 From a Parliamentary Blue Book lately published it 

 appears that the Director of Kew Gardens also had 

 his att,ention directed to the matter aiul applied to 

 the late Sir Harry Parkes for information on the 

 subject of ' insect white wax, for sppcimeus of tho 

 insect trees and wax trees, and for fo'-ms of the wax 

 product. Sir Harry Pa-kes instructeil Mr. Hosie to 

 visit the wax producing distri(;ts of Szechuen and to 

 supply all that the Director of Krw Gardens required. 

 Mr. Hosie accordingly journeyed in .Tune aTid .Tuly, IS&l, 

 through central Szechuen, studying the suhjcot in 

 loco, and hia official report has been presented, by 



