Miscellaneous, 



166 



[Feb. 1908. 



continued. A good peeler should be able 

 to peel 50 lb. of green ginger in a day, 

 which when dried would weigh about 

 18 lb., and for this they are paid Is. 



After being peeled, the ginger is 

 washed. It is then laid out to dry on 

 small mats made from the mountain 

 thatch, which has been found to be the 

 best medium for drying ginger, for a 

 certain amount of evaporation takes 

 place on the under side as well as on 

 the upper. 



While being dried in this way, the 

 ginger has to be turned over by hands 

 piece by piece, at least once on the first 

 day. This drying process occupies five 

 to six days, according to the strength of 

 the sun, 



After being dried, it has to be bleeched 

 by washing, in order to give it the white 

 appearance. After this it receives two 

 days' drying before being packed for 

 export. 



It was formally shipped in large casks, 

 of a capacity of 4 to 5 barrels ; but now 

 it is shipped in barrels, and the common 

 quality in bags.— West Indian Bulletin. 



A POSSIBLE MARKET FOR 

 CALABASH GOURDS. 



The Colonial Botanist, Mr. F. M. 

 Bailey, has received from Messrs. Field 

 and Villars, of the Australian Calabash 

 Pipe Factory, Pitt Street, Sydney, two 

 calabash pipe bowls — one, silver- 

 mounted, ready for use ; and one pre- 

 pared, ready for mounting — also a pipe 

 head made of the seed capsule of one of 

 the gum-trees {Eucalyptus mineata); the 

 latter, however, is, as the makers say, 

 not likely to come into favour with the 

 public, being too clumsy. The calabash 

 pipe is, on the contrary, very handsome, 

 looking much like a meerschaum, and 

 equally light. The firm named announce 

 that they will buy large quantities of 

 these little gourds at £12 per 1,000, f .o.b. 

 Brisbane. A very small plot of ground 

 will grow thousands of them, and, on 

 good soil, they thrive as well as pump- 

 kins, melons, or chokos in Queensland. 

 They must be without flaw, and, when 

 ripe, exposed to the sun until they bleach 

 to a veiy light-yellcw colour. Whilst 

 growing, the gourd, when possible, must 

 be placed with the large end downwards, 

 in order to secure the shape. After 

 being cut, and during the bleaching 

 process, care must be taken not to leave 

 them exposed to rain or dew. Before 

 shipping the gourds, the thick end must 

 be cut off, as it is not used. If growers 

 send three or four gourds to Sydney, 

 they will there be cut as required, and 



returned to the sender as a guide. 

 Only the stem portion is used for pipe 

 bowls. At present these gourds are im- 

 ported from South Africa. Queensland 

 farmers, gardeners, and others could 

 easily capture the trade, and, seeing 

 with what little trouble the gourds can 

 be produced in large quantities, the price 

 of £12 per 1,000 should be very remuner- 

 ative. Mr. Bailey is of opinion that this 

 kind of gourd will do best, for pipe- 

 making purposes at least, on the table- 

 land from Toowoomba to Warwick. 

 The warmer coast land, he thinks, would 

 produce gourds too large for the purpose 

 required. 



[The gourd referred to is Lagenaria 

 vulgaris, generally known as the bottle 

 gourd.— Ed.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 

 By C. Drieberg. 



N. W. — The information you have re- 

 ceived is not correct. The Nitro-Bac- 

 terine advertised in the Review of Re- 

 views will not do for any and every 

 crop, and will not do for paddy. The 

 December, 1907, number of that publi- 

 cation distinctly states that the Nitro- 

 Bacterine tor clover is different from 

 that for peas, so that in the case even of 

 different leguminous crops the prepar- 

 ation is different. " At present," to quote 

 from the paper, "we have only dis- 

 covered the method of applying Nitro- 

 Bacterine to leguminous plants, not to 

 ordinary cereals." It will thus be seen 

 that paddy is out of it altogether. 



In view of the above statement it is 

 rather puzzling to find it stated in an 

 advertisement that Nitro-Bacterine has 

 been found to give excellent results 

 when applied to tomatoes and even to 

 roses ! 



G. de. S.— Yes, Casuarina is the same 

 as our " whip tree," the Sinhalese name 

 of which is a literal translation of the 

 popular name. There is nothing secret 

 about its germination ; the seed comes 

 up well in a well-prepared nursery bed. 

 The only thing to be careful about is to 

 get good seed. If you are a member of 

 the Society, the Secretary will get it for 

 you- It is astonishing how it flourishes 

 on the sea shore. Those who have 

 visited Madras will recall the hedge 

 along the Marina. The wood is, as you 

 say, extremely hard. I believe it is 

 known as "beef-wood" in Australia, 

 owing to the colour of the timber. 



Cotta. — Carbolineum is known to be 

 an excellent dressing for trees and tim- 

 bers to keep off all kinds of insects, in- 

 cluding white ants. Whether it would 



