COFFEE COUNTRIES. 23Q 



now been surveyed in blocks varying in sizes of % acre to 

 12,000 acres. In all about 1,000 acres have been cleared, and 

 about 400 acres planted up. The gardens at Silam are, I 

 hear, looking very encouraging, especially as regards ' new 

 product.' A trial of cacao and Liberian Coffee on a small 

 scale here, and planted in Ceylon style, is looking well, as also 

 the few Liberian trees ' put in ' by the Cantonese, whose 

 estates, owing to having 'gone in for' extravagant cleaning-up 

 (much beyond that which is usually done), will take a long 

 time to pay. The place requires some Ceylon men to make it 

 a success. With our splendid and well-proportioned rainfall, 

 everything grows extremely well, especially cacao and Liberian 

 Coffee, for which our soil and climate seem to be well suited. 

 A great many of the clearings here owned by both Europeans 

 and natives are managed by men who have scarcely ever seen 

 jungle, and hold extraordinary ideas as to * clearing-up ' and 

 weeding, and think as the Malays do: 'Man plants ("sticks in" 

 it is appropriately called), and Providence looks after the 

 seeds.' It is hoped that some of these people will soon see 

 the error of their ways and obtain practical assistance. 



" We are fairly well supplied with labour from Brunei, 

 Labuan, Singapore and Hongkong for thirty dollar cents per 

 day (which we hope to reduce) ; the coolies from the latter 

 place are, however, ' at sea ' in the jungle or on plantations, 

 and consequently not much use, but may perhaps, like their 

 employers, with the aid of practical assistance and advice, 

 become better in time." 



NEW GUINEA 



Must fall into European hands sooner or later, and 

 no hands are so fit for it to fall into as ours. 

 Under English rule it might become the garden of 

 the Pacific ; under a German flag it will be a con- 

 stant thorn in the side of Anglo-Saxon Australasia. 

 The Argus special correspondent, Capt. Armit, 



