October, 1911.] 



34i 



Miscellaneous. 



the skin, a piece of twine was twisted 

 round the projecting part of the pin and 

 drawn tight. This raised the bitten 

 part, which was cut off with a sharp 

 knife. 



The vinegar cure is described in the 

 Queeensland Agricultural Journal in 

 tne issues of January, 1903, January, 

 1904, and February, 1905. Three authen- 

 ticated cases of cure of snake-bite by the 

 vinegar treatment have been reported 

 to us since the first article appeared in 

 the Journal.— Ed. " Q.A.J." 



SCOVELL'S ESTATE, BANGALORE, 



(Illustrated.) 

 The practical solution of the problem 

 whether English fruit could be success- 

 fully grown in the tropics is one which 

 calls for a good deal of enterprise. In 

 Ceylon we find grapes growing in Jaffna, 

 peaches in Haputale, and pears and 

 plums in Nuwara Eliya ; while in Ban- 

 galore most varieties of English fruit 

 are found to thrive. But, so far as we 

 know, no serious attempt on a commer- 

 cial scale has been made to raise such 

 fruit under the most favourable condi- 

 tions for their growth, and under the 

 supervision of thoroughly qualified 

 practical experts. We have heard of 

 more than one Company or Syndicate 

 started under apparently happy aus- 

 pices, but in the end iuvariably lan- 

 guishing for the want of a proper water- 

 supply, for the lack of funds, for the 

 need of a reliable expert, or some such 

 reason. "Scovell's Estate" is rather a 

 misleading designation for what is in 

 reality a fruit farm situated 6 or 7 

 miles away from Bangalore Canton- 

 ment. The farm is about a hundred 

 acres in extent, and during the last 

 two years has been gradually planted 

 up with different varieties of fruit-trees 

 imported from Australia— such as 

 oranges, grapes, apples, peaches, peas, 

 apricots, &c. 



In such a venture the two important 

 elements are the selection of the site 

 and the proper equipment of the farm. 

 In both these respects Scovell's Estate 

 has been most fortunate. As regards 

 situation the place is a veritable " happy- 

 valley," provided with an unfailing 

 water supply, which is so utilised as to 

 bring the entire area under a perfect 

 scheme of irrigation. This excellent 

 arrangement, though it has involved 

 considerable expense, places the farm 

 at an immense advantage. 



The plantation itself is under the 

 immediate supervision of a fruit expert 

 of considerable practical experience, 



who is convinced that it is possible to 

 arrest the tendency in tropical veget- 

 ation to grow continuously, and to induce 

 a dormant condition so essential for the 

 formation of fruit buds. 



I had the privilege of visiting Scovell's 

 Estate on the 17ch of September last, 

 and of being shown over the property 

 by Mr. Scovell and his Manager, Mr. 

 Meredith, both of whom seem to be 

 quite satisfied with the prospects. If 

 their anticipations are realised, there 

 should be a great future for the cultiv- 

 ation of English fruit in Southern India, 

 provided the same business acumen is 

 available for selection and equipment; 

 for with cheap labour and good prices in 

 the East, there is no reason why the 

 output should not successfully compete 

 with the produce of Australia and other 

 parts of the world. 



The Farm is well worth a visit, and the 

 best time for seeing it is about April, 

 when most of the fruit under cultivation 

 should be in season. 



C. DRIEBERG. 

 Colombo, October 4th, 1911. 



RIVALRY BETWEEN PANAMA 

 AND SUEZ. 



Rates will be Slashed in a War 

 for the World's Commerce 

 between the two ditches. 



With the opening of Panama Canal 

 there will be a slash in the rates in a 

 war for the commerce of the world. 

 According to latest advices the United 

 States Government is preparing to begin 

 business with a cut in the rates of 100 per 

 cent, below the tolls charged by the 

 Suez Canal. 



An interesting article on the coming 

 war for the commerce of the world 

 appears in the Minneapolis Journal, 

 and is of special interest at this time, 

 The article follows : — 



Competition between the Panama 

 Canal and the Suez Canal is expected as 

 soon as the former waterway is open to 

 commerce. The United States Govern- 

 ment realizes this, and is preparing for 

 it. It is the intention, if Congress sanc- 

 tions the step, to begin business at 

 Panama at once with a cut of practically 

 100 per cent, below the tolls charged by 

 the Suez Canal. 



"That the Suez Canal will meet the 

 cut is not doubted. That canal is own- 

 ed by a private corporation, and with- 

 out competition, it has been earning a 

 gross revenue of upward of $20,000,000 a 



