August i, 1889.] THE TROPICAL AQRTG13 LTUR1 ST- 
77 
OOOONUT OIL FROM CUBA.. 
It has been five years since Cuban coconut oil was 
offered for sale in this market, and the trade was 
under the impression that it bad retired from com- 
merce for good, but fruit vessels from Cuba have re- 
cently discharged at this port Dearly one thousand 
barrels of the oil, which would seem to indicate that 
its importation was resumed to oompete with Ceylon 
oil. It is stated, however, that the oil was brought 
here under a misapprehension, and that the low prices 
prevailing will discourage further importations. Ha- 
vana may be a better market than the United States 
at the present time, but its comparative close 
proximity and the fact that the Cuban industry has 
been rejuvenated by a Frenchman with a new hy- 
draulic process, will not have a beneficial effect on 
the local market for coconut oil in the future. The 
old time rival may continue to seek an outlet here 
but the success in that direction will depend ou 
quality.— Oil Reporter, New York, April 24. 
CINCHONA IN JAVA. 
The Report of Mr. Van Rornunde, Director of 
the Government Cinchona Enterprise in Java, for 
the firBt quarter of 1889, dated Tirtasari, 7th 
April 1889, is as follows :— 
Daring the months of January and February remark- 
ably little rain fell ; but March, on the contrary, was 
very wet. In consequence of the late setting-in of the 
west monsoon and the number of dry days in the first 
months of the year, the new planting could not be car- 
ried out as quickly as was desired, and the first plants 
that were planted out all suffered from the drought at 
the beginning of the year. However, as exceptionally 
strong, well-grown seedlings were used for planting, 
the loss from drying-off is of no consequence. Those 
that succeeded best were plants that were planted at 
the end of the quarter. Thanks to the long-continued 
drought in the year 1888 and the vigorous stirring of 
the 6oil earned out during the east monsoon, the 
plants everywhere grew exceptionally well during this 
quarter, and the harvestable gardens promise to yield 
this year a considerable outturn. The upkeep of the 
plantations during the past quarter required less 
manual labor than ever before. During the long- 
continued drought of the past year it was possible to 
as good as entirely extirpate alang-alang and other 
noxious weeds, and in their place almost everywhere 
has sprung up the Wollastonia uollingeriana, which 
has appeared during the pa.-t ten years, and which 
seldom reaches a height of more than a meter and 
therefore offers little or no hindrance to the 
growth if plants of any size. Of all the Compositce- 
found in the cinchona plantations the Wollastonia zol- 
lingeriana is the only one that after stirring of the 
soil springs up again in the same spot and with the 
same rapidity and in equal abundance. Only young 
gardens therefore still require a continuous and care- 
ful upkeep. As in the previous year so also during 
the past quarter the plantations at Nagrak and those 
on the Malabar mountains and also now again es- 
pecially the graft gardens at Tirtasari were affected 
by caterpillars. The insects were caught and killed 
in thousands. On account of the general good growth 
however the plantations suffered but little this time 
from the plague. The last batch of bark of the crop 
of 1888 was dispatched to Tandjong-Priok about the 
middle of February. Altogether during the past year 
741,799 half-kilograms of bark were gathered. Of 
this 739,581 half-kilograms were destined for sale in 
the Netherlands and 2,218 pounds were reserved for 
the local military medical service. The crop of 1889 
amouuts to about 175,000 half-kilograms of bark, of 
which by the end of the quarter 81,479 pounds were 
dispatched to Taujong-Priok. For a similar period of 
1888 the crop amounted to only 75,000 half-kilograms. 
Though the much m >re vigorous growth during this 
quarter may have contributed very much to the in- 
creased crop, the reason therefore is partly to be 
sought in the fact, that artificial means of drying 
are now everywhere available. On the 13th of De- 
eomber the last aale of oinohona bark of the orop of 
1887 was held at Amsterdam. For pharmaceutical 
barks of the desired form and of handsome appear- 
ance as much as fO 97 per half-kilogram was paid. 
For ledgeriana and officinalis barks the average price 
amounted to /0-4536 and /0-4655 per half -kilogram. 
On 17th January 1889 the first sale of cinchona bark 
of the crop of 1888 took place. In the price of phar- 
maceutical barks a considerable fall was again notice- 
able, although quills of handsome appearance still 
continued to realize high prices. For ledgeriana and 
officinalis barks the average price at this sale was 
/0-4923 and /0-5375 per half-kilogram. The unit 
prices— reckoning per half-kilogram bark and per cent 
of sulphate of quinine — amounted according to reports 
received at the sales of 17th January, 21st February and 
21st March 1889 respectively to 8J, 7| and 7J cents. 
The total number of cinchona plants of all 
varieties at the end of first quarter of 1889 was 
3,328,900, viz., in the nurseries : 1,502,000, consisting 
of 1,351,000 ledgeriana (including 21,000 grafts), 
and 151,000 succirubra; and in the open : 1,826,900, 
consisting of 1,096,000 ledgeriana (including 225,000 
grafts and cuttings, and exclusive of the more or 
less 3,000 original ledgerianas), 5,000 calisaya and 
hasskarliana, 650,000 succirubra and caloptera, 
74,900 officinalis, and 1,000 lancifolia (including 
250 Cpitayensis), 
— «, 
AN OLD CEYLON COFFEE PLANTER AS A 
VINE GROWER AT SAN FRANCISCO. 
The following is taken from the Aberdeen Weekly 
Free Press and refers to an old Ceylon coffee 
planter : — 
The Fresno Weekly Expositor of 3rd April gives the 
following account of the vineyard planted in its vici- 
nity by Mr. W L. Malcolmson, who is a son of the 
late Mr. James Malcolmson, Aberdeen : — An Expositor 
representative made a trip to the new Malcolmson 
vineyard, composed of 160 acres, on Monday, located 
seven miles due east from this city. The drive is 
very pleasant from Fresno, passing the Arlington 
Heights tract on the left and the Windsor Terrace 
tra<*t on the right, coming out ou the Bartou Road, 
and along the south line of the Barton vineyard. 
Recently there have been several sales of land made 
in this locality, a tract adjoining the Barton vine- 
yard on the south selling at 50 d.ds an acre. Thou 
we came upon the Goodmnn vineyard of 160 acres, 
all planted in Muscat raisin grape. Then we pass 
the Ki-nnedy vineyard, also of 160 acres, which was 
sold only last mouth for 75,000 ciols. We now come 
upon the celebrated Forsyth vineyard of 160 acres, 
from which the owner netted last year 38,000 dols. in 
raisin grapes. In and around this vineyard we were 
shown, and the inviting appearance, the shade, the 
beautiful miniature lake, the residence, and the broad, 
level acres, all spoke of comforts which the owner 
must enjoy. Passing from this vineyard we next 
drove to the Eggers vineyard, through beautiful 
avenues shaded with poplars, and everything about 
denoting prosperity and thrift. Driving due oorth we 
then come into the Toll House road, and fronting on 
this road is the new vineyard, composed of 160 acres, 
belonging to W. Laiug Malcolmson. The soil is of 
the chooolate sandy loam, of heavy body, in which 
the raisin grape thrives unusually well. This vine- 
yard is planted in the Muscat raisin grape, and 120 
acres of the property are now improved. Mr. Mal- 
colmson purchased the property from Aug. Weihe, 
of San Francisco, on the 8th of January last. Since 
then he has ploughed the entire tract, erected a re- 
sidence, foreman's house, workshops, stables, China- 
men's quarters, corrals, etc. He has also constructed 
a ditch from the main canal. At present he is 
making roads, beautifying his residence grounds, and 
Chinamen are engaged in planting the remainder of 
his vineyard. Speaking of beautifying his grounds, 
Mr. Malcolmson has ornamented his front yard in 
the shape of a shield, the borders and portions of the 
eentrebeing sowed in blue grass, interspersed with 
