177 



on the hill of 1 2d., dangerously near the precipice over which we 



fell in 1897. 



THE PROPOSED COFFEE TRUST. 



The coffee valorisation scheme continues stagnant, owing to the 

 refusal of President Alves to call a special Session of Congress. 

 Dr. Nilo was very well received at the capital of Minas, which ap- 

 pears to indicate that both the States of Minas and Rio are luke- 

 warm regarding the project. In Sao Paulo, on the other hand, 

 planters and politicians are highly indignant at the dilatory action 

 of the Federal Government, and a seditious spirit is commencing 

 to make itself felt. Valorisation or separation is now the motto 

 of the extreme faction, and the government is doubtless now bit- 

 terly repentant at having been induced to play with fire. The po- 

 sition is extremely difficult, and it will be very interesting to see 

 how the executive will set about reconciling the Paulistas until 

 November, when President Penna will have to shew his hand. 



Daily entries of coffee are much larger than usual for the time 

 of year, and Rio already shows an increase of over 300,000 bags 

 in comparison with last year. It is quite possible that we may re- 

 ceive nearly ten thousand bags per diem until the end of the sea- 

 son. An optimistic estimate of only 3,500,000 bags for next sea- 

 son has been widely disseminated. 



CAMPHOR IN CEYLON.-II. 



An article on this subject was published in this Bulletin for 

 June, page 129. The following extract is from a speech of His 

 Excellency Sir Henry Blake a short time ago in Ceylon. 



I want to read you the results of an experiment made by Mr. 

 Kelway Bamber from four camphor trees growing at Hakgala, 

 which, as you know, is 5,500 feet above sea-level. Camphor is 

 growing and growing well at Henaratgoda almost on sea-level. 

 Therefore, we may assume, it will grow over almost any part of 

 this Island. These four trees were of different sizes. They took 

 the prunings of six or eight inches, and these six or eight inches 

 gave at the rate of 47 lbs. of prunings per tree. They calculated 

 that each tree ;would bear pruning four times a year, and that 

 would give 188 lbs. of prunings per tree per annum. Planted 12 

 by 12, it would give 56,400 lbs. per acre per annum of fresh pru- 

 nings. Now Mr. Bamber distilled from the fresh prunings I ' 5 

 per cent, of camphor, and from that 56,400 at I ' 5 there would be 

 864 lbs. of camphor per acre. Then take the cost of planting, 

 etc., at R144, distilling, fuel and labour at R30, weeding per acre 

 R6, in all R180, ;and you get a net result of £74 4s. per acre. 

 That is calculating camphor at 2s. per lb., camphor being 3s. per 

 lb. at present. Taking half the weight of prunings, take even a 

 quarter and you get about £l8 per acre; and it seems to me this 

 additional product is worth considering." 



