55 



in inferior soil will be abandoned. This is even more probable now 

 as so far from any prospect of an advance in price, appearances 

 all point the other way. The improvement in the Coffee markets 

 abroad mentioned above, was only temporary, and the prices so far ob- 

 tained for this year's (1901) crop, are, in many instances, as much as 

 £1 per cwt., less than those of the preceding year. 



Cocoa 



Some progress has been made in the cultivation of cocoa. In order 

 to encourage the industry, a law was passed in 1894, offering a pre- 

 minm of 25 c a tree for plantations containing upwards of 500 trees, 

 of at least three years' growth, provided that they were in good con- 

 dition. In virtue of this law, applications for the premium have been 

 made to the Minister of Public Works representing 400,000 trees, but 

 the report of the Commision appointed to inspect the plantations and 

 count the trees has not yet been published. In order to protect this 

 industry, the import duties were raised in April to 30 c. per kilo for 

 cocoa in bean and 50 c. per kilo on ground cocoa. Those who have 

 embarked in this industry are well satisfied with the results so far ob- 

 tained; the production is already almost sufficient to supply the home 

 consumption, and when the existing plantations come into full bearing 

 it is probable that cocoa will figure conspicuously among the exports. 



Woods. 



Although there was a large falling-off in the quantity of dyewoods 

 exported, this has been more than compensated for by the larger ship- 

 ments of mahogany, cedar and rosewood. This industry being de- 

 pendent on the exploitation of the forests, it is destined of necessity, 

 to decline as the forests, or at least, th se near the coast, or the navi- 

 gable rivers, become depleted. 



VARIATION IN COLOUR OF GRAPES. 



A correspondent writes as follows: — 



" A plant of so called Madresfield Court which I obtained from Hope 

 in 1899, fruited two small tasteless, or better say flavourless bunches 

 of purple coloured grapes in 1900, without being pruned ; and after 

 being pruned in February, 1901, the vine fruited four bunches of round 

 white grapes with full muscat flavour " 



Another correspondent contributes the following : — 

 " I have cultivated grapes for some years past, and this year I have 

 had a strange experience which perhaps may interest you. About four 

 years ago Mr. Griffith gave me some slips of a black gr^pe which he 

 called Royal Ascot and which I grew at my residence Cavaliers Pen 

 and two years it bore a few small bunches of black grapes. I then had 

 to change my residence and have gone to live on the Brentford Road 

 and took several grape plants with me (layers from my old vines) 

 among them a plant of the Royal Ascot, which I layered in a kerosine 

 tin. Last year it bore a few bunches and this year it has borne again 

 only the grapes this year are white and the flavour seems very much 

 improved but in every other respect the vine is like the old one At 

 Cavaliers the ground was hard and clayey, while at my present, resi- 

 dence it is virgin soil, a beautiful loam." 



