156 



THE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



of a too liberal supply of stable manure 

 on the orange grove is the production of 

 exuberant foliage and large fruit with a 

 thick peel. The fruit loses much of its 

 aroma and becomes fibrous. On the con- 

 trary a soil very poor in nitrogen com- 

 pounds produces tiny oranges delicious in 

 flavour but unfit for commerce. The 

 chemical manures which preferably should 

 l)e supplied to the orange grove are the 

 assimilable silts of phosphorus and 

 potash. Already we see that the mure 

 experienced foreign cultivatms are 

 abandoning the use of nitrate of soda and 



have taken to use the superphosphates 

 and " sulphate " of potasium in moderate 

 quantities. To this chemical manure I 

 prefer bone-dust and wood ashes, which 

 are cheaper, less active, and have a more 

 durable influence on the soil. Stable 

 manure, particularly cow-manure, is an 

 excellent compost for the orange grove, 

 provided it is sufficiently rotten to pre- 

 vent any undue fermentation when sup- 

 plied to the soil. But as it contains a 

 high percentage of nitrogen compounds, 

 a liberal supply should be avoided to pre- 

 vent the deterioration of the fruit." 



Coai Returns. 



Return of Coal raised and labour employed at the Natal Collieries for the month of 

 April, 1901 :— . 



Labour Employed. i ■ j 



Name of Colliery. Above Ground.^ ^ Below Ground. ^oal raised. 



Natal Navigation *13 82 96 9' 290 77 9,099 2 



Natal Marine 125 20 & d J 3 8 lb 



Dundee ... 1| f \ 5 ^.^ 



^^^^f' ::: !! ill io 7 200 4,452 



St- Georges 1 IJ^ j-^ f „ 3r,i2 o 



Natal Steam Coal 9 8a 7 i -14 ^ _ 



Newcastle ... •■■ * ^2 <■ i->k 9-> '<I77 



New Campbell 18 128 2. .77 



Inkunzi ... ... ." r 8 1 20 307 



East Lennoxton ... ... o 1 7 1 7 15 208 



West Lennoxton ... ... ^ i xt d : 



Crown N. Return. 



Total 83 5(34 399 58 1,617 617 41,718 3 



Corresponding month (1900) _^ _^ ^ ''''' 



H Europeans, 33 Natives, and 23 Indians, reported as employed in shaft sinking and other 

 unproductive work, are not included in the return. 



A/r- nffi.o CHAS. J, GRAY, 



Mines Office, Commissioner of Mines. 



May 8th, 1901. 



Return of Coal bunkered and exported at the Port of Durban for the month of 

 April, 1901:— ^^^^ 



*Coal Bunkered ... ... - 



5,972 



25,453 18 



Coal exported to Cape Colony ... — -''9^^ ^* ^^q^q ^ 



Tottd bunkered and exported ... ••• ■•• 31,514 5 



'Included in this item are 4,689 tons of Imported Coal. 



Customs House, Port Natal, GEO. MAYSTON^ Customs 



30th April, 1901. • Collector oii^ustoms. 



