182 



its cotton is not readily damaged by rain, and is not 

 injured by hanging in the pod several days after 

 reaching maturity. 



The climate and soil of Fiji are favourable for 

 growing tobacco. However, owing to a general 

 want in these islands of a practical knowledge in pre- 

 paring the leaves for the market, tobacco is not so 

 extensively cultivated as it could be ; but, there is 

 one plantation of it in the group, at Maro, on the 

 western coast of Viti Levu, where the leaf is prepared 

 in a very creditable manner. In some localities, in 

 the interior of Viti Levu, the Fijians grow it to pay 

 Government taxes. The natives also grow it for 

 their own consumption. They cure the leaves by 

 hanging them up to dry, generally in a shaded airy 

 place, which is the only preparation the natives 

 bestow on the leaf. When wanted for smoking they 

 break a small portion of a leaf, dry it on a hot coal, 

 envelope it with a bit of dried banana leaf, and smoke 

 the tobacco in the form of a cigarette, which they 

 call Selnka. They have not much to learn in growing 

 the plant, but instructions in the manner of preparing 

 the Leaf would benefit them as well as the settlers. 



There are many localities in Fiji well adapted for 

 grown- ;.■• cacao (Theobroma cacao), or chocolate plant, 

 and so are the climate and soil. From measures 

 which the Righl Honourable the Secretary of State 

 for the Colonies has been pleased to take, the best 

 varieties of tin's plant cultivated in the West Indies 

 will soon be introduced to Fiji, where they will 

 undoubtedly succeed. 



Vanilla will also grow well in Fiji, and its culti- 

 vation, from the suitabl the climate, &c, will 



