18 



BALLAM RICE. 



A correspondent enquired " if the Ballam trade rice as shipped to 

 England, is usnally steamed before being cleaned and hulled. The rice 

 I see that comes here as Ballam has a yellowish appearance and a rather 

 peculiar smell and seems best liked in that condition — The coolies here 

 tell me it is rice that has been heated in water over a fire, or by steam 

 1 presume by a large grower. " 



The query was referred to the Superintendent, Royal Botanic Gar- 

 dens, C'alcutta, who Ins kindly sent the following information : — 



Copy of letter No. 1372 dated the :^Oth November, 1899, from the 

 Secretary, Bengal (Jhamber of Commerce, to the Reporter on Economic 

 Products to the Government of India. 



" I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter No. 2726 

 of 10th November, enclosing copy of an extract from a letter dated 30th 

 Augii-t 1899, from a correspondent in Jamaica, asking for certain in- 

 formation regarding the preparation of Ballam trade rice. 



" 2. I have consulted several of the principal shippers of this rice 

 to the West Indies and the concensus of replies is to the same efiect, 

 viz., that Ballam trade rice as shipped to England, is always subjected 

 to a treatment of boiling before being hulled. Large and small pro- 

 ducers all treat the rice in the same fashion which as far as I can gather, 

 is not an elaborate process of steaming, but is conducted in the open air 

 in the most primiti/e fashion. 



o 



COCOA AT GUAYAQUIL. 



A correspondent at Guayaquil sends the following notes on Cocoa 

 growing there: — 



" Though not directly interested in the cultivation of cocoa, I have 

 foi many years watched it carefully and have noted that although 

 the tree flourishes in almost any bank of alluvial soil, it only produce* 

 well when the said soil reaches a depth of not less than twelve feet as a 

 minimum ; when planted in a situation where the tap root enters sand or 

 gravel, the tree attains its usual height and throws ofi copious foliage 

 but seldom gives even a mediocre crop of pods ; in fact there are two 

 zones in the heart of the most productive portion of the upper river cocoa 

 region here in which an average crop is only obtained after a very 

 copious and long continued rainy season i,e. onceia seven years more or 

 less and in this region I have found ancient river beds extending right 

 along the unproductive portion with sand and gravel within six to ten 

 feet of the surface. 



" The best cocoa grows where a rich fat red alluvion is struck and 

 the average crop here is considered good when an orchard produces one 

 pound of marketable cocoa per tree. The tree is delicate and requires 

 considerable shade; though, if abandoned or uncared for, it does not die 

 off, even though enveloped in tropical vegetation, and if the vicinity be 

 cleared off, begins to produce just as soon as it is allowed ventilation 



