263 
natives cannot be encouraged to grow it for export. Indian rice comes 
to us too cheaply. It can be bought here at about 15s. a cwt. 
re is a sentimental objection to taxing food stuffs. In a case of 
t 
. 
race to work, either to grow the article or earn more money wherewith 
: Believe me, &e. 
The Director, (Signed) G. T. Carrer. 
- Royal Gardens, Kew. 
By the West African agreement between Great Britain and France 
of August 10, 1887, a frontier line between the English and French 
possessions was established. In accordance with its provisions a 
hj L4 fa . 
e 
The partition of Tropical Africa amongst European nations has 
made it more than ever a matter of importance to procure materials for, 
find the funds for attaching a botanist to the staff. But they were 
willing to allow a medical officer to be selected who would do what 
Was possible in the way of botanical exploration. The appointment 
was accepted by Mr. J. Brown-Lester, M.B., C.M, o i 
plied with the necessary botanical ontfit 
tom Kew, and left Liverpool with the expedition in the S.S. Congo 
on November 15, 
CLXXVIIL—PRODUCTION OF PRUNES IN THE 
SOUTH OF FRANCE. 
In the valley of the Loire in France, especially about Bourgueil, a 
small town lying between Tours and Angers, the Prunier de St. Julien 
us domestica, L. var. Juliana, D.C.) is largely cultivated. This 
h ^ 
(Prun 
1S one of the principle sources of supply of the ordinary grocers 
nes, 
“not depressed at the insertion of the stalk, and with a scarcely 
The stone is short (7; to js; of an inch long, $ to 5; broad), broadly 
“ rounded at the up bdid. 4 16, BRA Vg 
* The fruit is dried partly by solar and partly by fire heat, —that 
“is to say, it is exposed alternately to the heat of an oven and to the 
i open air. Thus prepared, it is about 1} inches long, black. and 
á shrivelled, but recovers its original size by digestion in warm 
^ Water," E d i ; 
U 64981.  875.—12/90. Wt. 1. A8 
7 visible suture, and no furrow. The pulp is greenish and rather = D Tet 
austere unless the fruit is very ripe ; it does not adhere tothe stone, . .. 
