419 
which has been vacated by the natives ever since the attack upon 
the labour ship “ Janet Stuart,” several islands and bays at the 
west side of Russell Island quite deserted by the natives through 
fear of the New Geor jer D hu veter numberless uninhabited 
and most fertile islands in the Marova Lagoon, the whole of Gizo 
Island and he tris islets, quite dr eu phy and numerous small 
roga near Wana-Wan The Marau Company have within the 
last tw t hire moniki commenced work upon a large block of 
land pre by them on the north a of Guadalcanar about 
six miles from Marau Sound. The situation appears to have been 
well Ar ue the land being of the first quality. lt is proposed 
o grow cacao, coffee, both Arabian and Liberian, Vanilla, and 
other products. Seedlings of the two former have been raised at 
the Company's head station at Marau Sound and were being 
des. to the plantation at the time I left the Protectorate in 
ctob 
“The Company have had some difficulty in bem. seeds of 
cacao, although the tree had been introduced to the Solomons 
some years ago by the late Mr. Stevens of Ugi. I vu d about a 
dozen trees growing in the trader’s garden at Ugi in sour undrained 
soil. They appeared quite neglected, and although bearing fairly 
well appeared to be badly diseased. For this reason Mr. Svensen 
of the Marau Company had been unwilling to use seed from these 
f 
longicorn beetle. It appeared to start its sack near the ends of 
the young branches and work down wards through the heart of the 
branch. The branches affected quickly responded to the attack of 
the larva by presenting an unhealthy appearance, so that I think 
that in a properly tended plantation ‘there w ould be no difficulty 
in keeping the trouble in check by pruni 
* The Marau Company is also xxr 3 AA with a view to 
shipment, and it is expected that the first shipment will be made 
about the middle of 1897. As Marau is one of the last places of 
call of the steamer “Titus” and the voyage to Sydney is made 
from that place in from seven to eight days, it will be seen that the 
east end of Guadalcanar isas favourably situated as Fiji or Queens- 
land for supplying the Sydney market. The irader Sheridan, at 
Makira Harbour on San Christoval, also announced to me in June 
his intention of planting bananas for export, and I believe a 
commencement has already been made. 
“ Mr. Maben, at presenta visitor to the teu: will probably 
embark in the enterprise of coffee plant 
INDIA RUBBER. 
* During the present visit to the Protectorate I made several 
experiments with a view to the production of india rubber, the 
trees experimented upon being chiefly various species of parasitical 
Ficus. I regret to usd that my experiments were unsuccessful. 
was, however, shown by one of the Aola traders, who had just 
returned from British New ide some samples ‘of rubber now 
being procured there by the natives. The say wre showed me 
the samples said that had seen the same as that from 
which they were produced growing in the "Rene Gea and from 
