418 



The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



perhaps for the palm-sugar maker, it is a palm 

 which dies at the time of flowering. Properly 

 managed a sago swamp would be continuously 

 productive without replanting or cultivation of 

 any kind; that is the growing palms should be 

 allowed to stand at proper distances and all un- 

 necessary suckers and useless intermediate 

 trunks should be removed, allowing one or two 

 suckers to grow from the base of each trunk as 

 soon as it is ready for cutting. In fact, the sago 

 may some day rival the nipa as a profitable palm 

 crop, though it will never compare with the 

 coconut. 



RUBBER IN IQUiTOS PERU. 



H. M. Consul at Iquitos (Mr G B Michell) 

 reports that the trade of Iquitos during the first 

 half of 1912 was restricted. The advances to 

 rubber gatherers have been much reduced and 

 credits curtailed. The rubber exports during 

 the six months ended June show an increase of 

 416 tons over the same period of last year, and, 

 as the second half of the year is the period of 

 greatest exportation, a very good year is ex- 

 pected. Caucho or " Peruvian Ball" has risen 

 in value because it does not meet with much 

 competition from the Far East, but the trees 

 are rapidly disappearing and the caucho is now 

 being brought from great distances, largely 

 from the Madre de Dios region, though the 

 difficulty of transport makes the supply trom 

 this district very irregular. — The Board of Trade 

 Journal, Oct. 17. 



COOLIES AND THEIR DIET. 



Importance of Providing Fuix Meals. 



Dr. Sansom, P.CM.O., Federated Malay 

 States, in his recently issued annual health 

 report for 1911, writes:— 



It is very important that the advantage of a 

 generous diet should be carefully considered by 

 all employers of labour. Several years' exper- 

 ience with a very large, constantly changing, 

 labour force has been so convincing that plenty 

 of nourishing food is one of the most important 

 factors in maintaining good health, that I feel 

 compelled to urge everyone who has labourers 

 under his control to pay particular attention to 

 the food supply of coolies. It is most essential 

 to build up and strengthen new arrivals who 

 have very little reserve force to call upon either 

 for work or to resist illness. Individuals re- 

 moved from their houses and placed under new 

 conditions are always more liable to disease, and 

 regular work is a greater effort and means a 

 large expenditure of energy in the early days. 



Work in tropical countries involves a greater 

 expenditure of energy than labour in temperate 

 climates — a labourer needs a definite supply of 

 proteids, fats, carbohydrates and salts to enable 

 him to work and provide resistance to disease — 

 unless this is given the output is poor and 

 mortality rates rise, so that not only from the 

 human point of view but also from the business 

 aspect it is necessary that this supply is ade- 

 quate. Expenditure on prevention of illness is 

 soon repaid with large interest; stupid ignorance 

 or wilful neglect of this important duty means 

 unnecessary wasteful extravagance as well as 

 loss of life.— Malay Mail. 



GROWING OF EUCALYPTUS IN SIMLA. 



During the past two years a series of inter- 

 esting experiments have been undertaken by the 

 Forest Department in the Simla Hills, for the 

 purpose of testing the possibility of introducing 

 eucalyptus on a large scale. The experiments 

 were carried out mainly at the different stations 

 of the Kalka-Simla Railway, in the Simla Muni- 

 cipal forests, and the catch meot area, the eleva- 

 tion thus varying from 2, 143 feet at Kalka to 

 7,400 feet at the catchment area. It was hoped 

 that it would be possible by the end of this year 

 to decide whether eucalyptus can be introduced 

 into the Simla Hills on a large scale. The ex- 

 periments, however, have not been altogether 

 decisive. Certain species were found to grow 

 quite well by direct sowings at all elevations from 

 2,O0C feet to 5,000 feet, some shading being 

 necessary in the first hot weather. Above 5,000 

 feet, however, the results were not so successful, 

 no species having yet been found that will stand 

 frost. The experiments are to be continued, 

 therefore, for a few months longer, and will in- 

 clude a test at the higher elevations of a small 

 quantity of Norfolk seed that has been received 

 from Mr Booth-Tucker, of a species which is 

 said to stand severe winters.— Indian Engi- 

 neering, Nov. 9. 



MONAZITE IN TRAVANCORE. 



Nagercoil, 0"t. 29.— Mr C W Soomburg, Tra- 

 vancore Agent Cosmopolitan Mining Company, 

 has just exported 1,600 bags of mouazite, weigh- 

 ing 100 tons, to Hamburg. This rare mineral, 

 of considerable commercial importance, exists 

 in immense quantities in Travancore, and it is 

 collected and exported by the said company, 

 which discovered it in a big tope on an extensive 

 scale. The mineral is found on the bed of an 

 adjoining stream and is supposed to have been 

 brought down and silted up by it. — Statesman, 



