Miscellaneous. 



[July, 1908. 



Preparation.— For the best flour the 

 skin of the zhizmoes should be cleaned 

 with a knife and washed a second time. 

 Next they should be reduced to a pulp. 

 This is usually done by pounding in a 

 lagre wooden mortar. On a large scale, 

 however, it is necessary either to pass 

 them through a machine with two rollers, 

 or grate them by pressing against a 

 rapidly revolving wheel overlaid with 

 rough tin, like a nutmeg grater. An 

 arrangement such as the last is easily 

 made. Now wash the pulp thoroughly 

 with clean water and strain through 

 a sieve which will allow the flour to pass 

 through. The flour is allowed to settle 

 in a vessel, and, after the removal of the 

 water, is taken out and washed over and 

 over again till the water left standing 

 over it is quite clear. Now thoroughly 

 dry the flour in the sun as soon as pos- 

 sible. For keeping, pack in sealed tins. 



Queensland Arrowroot. 

 Queensland arrowroot is the product of 

 Canna edulis, also called "tois-les-mois " 

 (known in Sinhalese as " But-sarana," 

 the name of " Indian shot," of which it 

 is a species). It may be distinguished 

 from the ordinary garden canna by the 

 peculiar shape and colour of the leaves, 

 which are inclined to be round and 

 coloured brown. The small flowers are 

 a bright Vermillion red. 



The plant is propagated and cultivated 

 in the same way as ordinary arrowroot, 

 but the " sets" are put further apart, 

 say 3 feet by 3 feet. The preparation of 

 the flour is done in the same way. 



On account of the larger size of the 

 starch grains and their greater solubility 

 in boiling water the flour is considered 

 one of the best starchy foods for 

 childern and invalids. 



(For plants or divisions apply to the 

 Superintendent of School Gardens, Gov- 

 ernment Stock Garden, Colombo.) 



June 20, 1908. C. DRIBBERG. 



SUGAR INDUSTRY OF FORMOSA 



In reply to inquiries of manufacturers 

 of machinery and of equipment com- 

 panies, Consul Julean EL Arnold, of 

 Tamsui, furnishes the following infor- 

 mation concerning the sugar industry of 

 Formosa and imports of machinery and 

 mill supplies thereof :— 



There is much activity in South 

 Formosa in the erection of large modern 

 sugar mills. Machinery for five mills, 

 representing an outlay of several millions 

 of dollars, is at present lying on the 

 beach in Takao Harbour awaiting trans- 



portation to the sugar plantations. 

 There are ten vessels now engaged in 

 discharging or attempting to discharge 

 cargoes of sugar machinery and mill 

 equipments. The harbour facilities have 

 been taxed to such an extent, that large 

 demurrage claims have been lodged by 

 the shipping companies against consig- 

 nees. 



Outside of the Honolulu Iron Works, 

 which has secured a contract for the 

 erection of three large mills, no other 

 American firms have booked any orders 

 or appear to be interested in attempting 

 to compete with the British and German 

 firms, which are at present engaged 

 in supplying the great part of the 

 machinery for the new mills. 



Experts declare that the soil and 

 climatic conditions of Formosa are pecu- 

 liarly well adapted to the growing of 

 sugar cane. The Formosan Government 

 is doing every thing possible to encourage 

 the growing of cane in the island. 

 Furthermore, the Japanese Government 

 is determined that Formosa, which at 

 present supplies but 20 per cent, of the 

 Japanese consumption, shall supply the 

 entire consumption, as well as enter the 

 markets of China and the rest of the 

 Far East. That capitalists in Japan 

 have every confidence in the sugar 

 industry of Formosa is attested by the 

 fact that, in face of a financial stringency 

 during the past year, over $10,000,000 

 has been subscribed to sugar manufactur- 

 ing companies in Formosa. 



There are still a number of mills to be 

 contracted for, and future developments 

 are bound to require extensions in the 

 mills now under course of erection, and 

 the native mills, of which there are a 

 large number, must either amalgamate 

 and erect modern mills or be absorbed 

 by the larger companies. 



In connection with the erection of the 

 mills at present contracted for, there 

 will be a demand for good concrete 

 mixers, pumps, and electric fittings. 

 Naturally, the large mills all find the 

 cane cars a necessity. Already 325 miles 

 of sugar trams are contracted for, and 

 the little 20-ton locomotives are now 

 puffing over the sugar plantations to an 

 extent undreamed of a few years ago. 



One of the larger companies has 

 purchased two pairs of steam plough, and 

 pronounces the steam plough a necessity 

 to the future welfare of the sugar 

 industry in Formosa. The country is 

 flat and lends itself well to the use of the 

 steam plough. Undoubtedly within a 

 few years the steam plough will be as 

 common on the lowlands of Formosa as 

 the sugar trams. 



