520 FOURTH BULLETIN OF [1846. 



er», called "dhoricns," and of their boats, are never made close like ours, but filled 

 witli the loose coir, and sewed witli the lacings of bamboo, ratans, and other 

 fibrous plants, and the timbers not kept toirether in any way by nails or spikes. 

 Tlie ribs ot' tlieir hodts are, also fow in number. The reason of this singjular con- 

 slruction is, that the surf is so hi^ii and danojerons all around the island, tiiat theso 

 boats are able to stand the terrific thumpuigs caused by the heavy swells of the 

 ocean, where an American or European bo. it or vessel of thj same size would go 

 to pieces in twenty minutes. The value to the island of Ceylon of the cocoa-nut 

 tree cannot be far from three millions of pounds per annum. 



The best quality of cinnamon, called the "true cmnimon," is only grown in this 

 fertile island, not far from the seacoast. The Government have sold out their mo- 

 nopoly of the Cinnamon Garden to private parlies, who are making a very good 

 tiling of it. The colony Isvi-^s an export duty of sixppuoe a pound, wiiich brings 

 in a considerable revenue. The nutmeg, clove, an<l spice is likewise grown in 

 Ceylon, but not as yet to any extent, though the experiments made have all suc- 

 ceeded. The black pepper is also grown with nmch success, but not as an article 

 of ))rofit. Cotton has been tried, but will be able to do nothing in competition 

 with the American and Indian. 



The Bamboo Cane. — This article is similar in its appearance to the "cane" 

 wliich grows in our southern States, and the numerous purposes to which it is ap- 

 plied in India and China aslonislies an American. It is a much larger variety than 

 ours. It is used for fences and hedges, for making pap'sr, for laths, for scaffolding 

 for builders, for making ropci and cables, (it is always split by sharp drawing knives, 

 after being soaked in water, before it is used for this purpose,) making drinking 

 cups, baskets, hats, and other uses which it would be difficult to enumerate. The 

 consumption of paper manufactured from the bamboo is of almost infinite variety 

 of quality in India and China. The bamboo is cut down when not too old, split, 

 and then soaked in water. It is afterwards cut up into small billets and pounded 

 in mortars until all the fibre is separated and reduced to a pulp. It is said then to go 

 tlirough nearly the same method of preparation as we have in America and Europe. 

 The paper this is written on is made for the use of foreigners, and is sized with alum 

 and a glue made from seaweeds. Some of the finer kinds are made by mixing 

 refuse cotton and cotton rags. This quality is made principally at Nankin. Lirge 

 shipments are made to all parts of the .\rchipolago of the inferior qualities of Chi. 

 nese paper. There are two European establishments for manufacturing paper at 

 Calcutta which use bamboo freely. The Calcutta press is principally supplied by 

 these two establishments. One of them is owned by Mr. Marshman, son of the 

 late Dr. Marshman, of the English Baptist Missionary Society at Serampore, a 

 fhort distance above Calcutta. The other belongs to a Parsee gentleman. I do 

 not see wliat is to prevent our countrymen from entering into the business by using 

 the article which grows so plentifully at the south and west. It evidently only 

 wants application and a little attention to show that we can do with the same arti- 

 cle what the Chinese and Hindoos have done with it from time immemorial. The 

 young shoots of the bamboo, as tliey emerge from the grounds, are also extensively 

 used in China as a vegetable and pickle . 



White and black JNIostard Seed is grown in large quantities in continental 

 India, for the purpose of pressing into oil, which enters into the consumption of 

 Indian cookery to a greater extent than any other vegetable oil. It is also used for 

 burning where cocoanut oil is dear. The seeds are also exported in large quan- 

 tities to England, for the manufacture of mustard. Jute is raised in large quanti- 

 ties in Bengal, for the manufacture of gunny bags and gunny cloth, used in these 

 countries for bagging coffee, rice, seeds, &c. The cloth is used for making 

 tents, cotton bagging, &.C. The raw fibre is used for coarse ropes for iho baling 

 of cotton, hides, hemp, mate, and various other purposes. 



Linseed is sent in large quantities to England and America for pressing into oil. 

 It is chiefly grown in Bengal. The article we call peanuts or groundnuts, in Ame- 

 rica, is largely used in China and some parts of India for the purpose of making 

 into oil for burning. The Chinese use large quantities of it for tiiis purpose, but it 

 is not 80 good as some other vegetable oils for giving light. 



The following is a recipe for making cocoa nut oil soap, which, with bene oil. 

 is used nxclufiively in India, and is very strong. Possibly cotton seed or lard oil 

 may be subalitutcd for cocoanut and bene. It has the property of washing io salt 



