261 
obtaining pure milk—both small and of inferior quality to those which 
have since been made. I was sorry also not to have had an opportunity 
of correcting the notes for the press, as I notice several misprints in 
em. 
were correct in your belief that the name “ Abba” is Picco to 
all arboreous fig-trees in this neighbourhood. Of these there is a 
remarkable variety. I will ata later date send specimens ant as 
you so kindly direct me. 
An enterprising firm of Lagos merchants, who have lately established 
a branch house in Badagry, have made a fair beginning in the rubber 
business. 
So far as I can at present see West African rubber will never be 
reliable so long as the natives have the preparation in their own hands, 
The milk bears transport well, keeps well, and can easily be tested, by 
letting a sample (mixed with water) stand for twelve hours in a glass 
vessel. Unless merchants employ reliable men to buy and coagulate 
the milk, I fear that the trade will be of a very ephemeral natare, Yet 
on the other hand it seems clear, from the large numbers of rubber- 
giving fig-trees, that a properly conducted trade would be a considerable 
source of future prosperity to the whole coast. "The present palm oil 
and kernel trade may be said to depend upon the continuance of slavery, 
and is indeed in many ways an injury to the people. 
The Governor of the Colony, with his usual insight, is encouraging 
cocoa-nut planting and other similar industries, which will do much to 
improve the general prosperity. He has already proved that the india- 
rubber industry i is by no means the least important of these branches of 
commerce, 
Atvan MiLLsON, 
LXI.—LIBERIAN COFFEE AT THE STRAITS 
SETTLEMENTS, 
(Coffea liberica, Bull.) 
About 15 years ago the introduction of a new species of coffee, now 
known as Coffea liberica, to supplement Coffea arabica which had 
itherto been Eccli cultivated, was looked upon with considerable 
interest t tl me the coffee plantations in Ceyl 
were threatened with partial, if not total, extinction by the prevalence 
of a fun est known as the Ceylon coffee-leaf disease (Hemileia 
neci. at "s West Dos the once prosperous mes. s aps 
soil, and the pressure of other, ce = the pred more rem tive 
cultures. It was claimed that ‘the mo: dy à an 
the Arabian; that it could withstand, Bere Praga the attacks of 
i for 
in and fungoid pests; and tha ble serge at 
lower elevations and in localities loe phos poris s as regards 
n 
e scientific discoverer Te Liberian coffee appears to have been 
Afzelius. It was described and figured by Sto in the Transactions 
of the agree” Maren e.t cond Seri ries, Bot. I 171, 
It is also described by the same author in Flora P Tropical Africa, 
yol, III., p. 181. 
