October, 1909.] 



351 



* 



Miscellaneous. 



Victoria Gardens, Bombay.— These 

 fine gardens are an immense attraction to 

 the residents of the great city of Bombay, 

 and deservedly so, for the grounds, 

 which cover several acres, are very 

 suitably laid out and contain a great 

 variety of tropical trees, shrubs and 

 plants. The plant houses are stocked 

 with ferns, choice foliage and other 

 plants, and the whole institution evi- 

 dences great care in its general upkeep. 



A large assortment of economic and 

 general plants is kept in the nurseries 

 for purchase or exchange. By the latter 

 methods two eases of plants were 

 secured for Mazeras, through the kind- 

 ness of the Superintendent, 



The nearness of Bombay to Mombasa, 

 as well as the means of communication 

 between the two ports, renders the 

 importation of plants to East Africa a 

 matter of little difficulty and to those 

 desirous of importing tropical plants, 

 the Bombay Gardens are recommended 

 as a reliable source. A catalogue show- 

 ing what plants and seeds are available, 

 with prices attached, is issued there. 



Poona.— A visit was made to the 

 Ganeshkhind Botanic Gardens, Kirkee, 

 near Poona, where special attention was 

 being given to the preparation of various 

 fibres by means of retting, with good 

 results, though the process is somewhat 

 slow. 



In this district large numbers of 

 Agave Cantula, similar in appearance to 

 the Sisal Hemp, were seen to be " poling," 

 and millions of bulbils were available. 



The plant is said to produce what is 

 known as " Bombay Aloe Fibre," which 

 is considered inferior to Sisal H emp. 



Much useful work of a general nature 

 is being carried on at the Ganeshkhind 

 Experimental Station. 



The Empress Garden at Poona was 

 also visited. 



For extreme neatness and the great 

 variety of pot plants, no prettier garden 

 was seen anywhere, but nothing in the 

 way of experimental work is attempted. 



From Bombay to Poona the railway 

 passes over the celebrated "Ghauts," 

 acknowledged to be a marvel of engi- 

 neering, and in places the traveller looks 

 down over precipices of hundreds of feet 

 into the valleys and plains below. 



Rice is grown in places on the plains, 

 otherwise the country in the neighbour- 

 hood of the " Ghauts " is of little use for 

 agricultural purposes. 



Nagpur (Central Provinces).— My visit 

 here coincided with the holding of an 

 Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition 

 on a large scale. 



The exhibits were of a very compre- 

 hensive nature, and included agricultural 

 and other implements of various types 

 as well as manufacturing plant. Work- 

 ing trials of the implements and 

 machines were made at stated times, in 

 which the natives and others took a 

 keen interest. 



A small sugar "plant" including a 

 centrifuge for separating the molasses 

 from the sugar was in frequent use and 

 specially interested the natives ; many 

 of whom were anxious to obtain a 

 duplicate. The makers are Thomas 

 Broadbent, Huddersfield, England, 



To those ordering the "plant" the 

 advice was tendered that the pattern 

 should be that supplied to Mohammed 

 Hadi, Assistant Director of Agriculture, 

 United Provinces, as this contained 

 important improvements especially as 

 regards the centrifuge. 



The collection of unginned cotton, oil- 

 seeds, rice, wheat, pulses, etc., were 

 representative of the various districts, 

 and were of special merit. 



Another instructive set of exhibits 

 contained different types of soil with 

 the chemical analyses of the same, and 

 the porosity of each soil was illustrated 

 by means of large glass tubes. 



Mr. Hemingway, the Director of Agri- 

 culture, took much interest in assisting 

 me to inspect and obtain information at 

 the exhibition and other places under 

 his control. 



A visit was made to the Government 

 Experimental Farm at Nagpur, where 

 special attention is being paid to wheat, 

 cotton, forage and other crops. An 

 improved type of "Georgian" Upland 

 Cotton was found to do extra well at 

 Nagpur, and it is likely to further 

 encourage cotton growing in the Central 

 Provinces. 



By permission of the Management I 

 went over the Empress Cotton Mill at 

 Nagpur with Mr. Hemingway. This is 

 the largest Cotton Mill in India, employ- 

 ing about 6,000 hands and paying high 

 dividends. Here the whole process of 

 spinning and weaving can be seen in a 

 short space of time. 



The mill uses a large amount of 

 American cotton for mixing with the 

 short staple Indian cotton. 



A collection of the pulses, rice, and 

 oil seeds grown in the Central Provinces 

 was kindly promised me by Mr. Hem- 

 ingway. 



Calcutta Royal Botanic Gardens, 

 Slbpur.— These splendid gardens are 

 one of the great delights of visitors to 

 Calcutta, 



