320 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [November i, 1889 
nounces as impure and unfit for food, animals, 
whose lungs show pustules or excresenses dissemi- 
nated in their surface." 
Time prevents my continuing this subject further 
today, as I am writing for today's post. Let us hope 
that although the Government may not have a 
soul to be saved or a body to be kicked, yet, as it 
is composed of individuals whose bodies are 
nourished with solid beef, they will see to the 
matter for their own sakes. 
It has been stated in certain quarters that it 
was time pressure was brought to bear on the 
authorities, or that the Governor should be pe ti- 
tioned. I hardly think this necessary : we are all in 
the swim. — Yours truly, B. 
Gape Colony. — Professor MacOwan contributes to 
the Departmental Agricultural Journal an interesting 
article on Apple-scab and other diseases caused by 
fungi in Apples aud Pears. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 
Singapore. — The annual Report of the P>otian : c 
Gardens, Singapore, has reached us. It is mainly 
occupied with de'ails of the routine work of the 
garden which show that the newly-appointed Director, 
Mr H. N. Ridley, is alive to the duties of hii office. 
—.Ibid. 
Jamaica. — The prize for the best sample of Tobacco, 
400 lb in weight, has been divided equally between 
Jamaica and North Borneo. The last number of the 
Botanical Depaitment. Jamaica, contains a full account 
of the method of culture and preparation, from the 
pen of the late Mr. J. 0. Espin,a (iulan, who was 
engaged in the culture in Jamaica. — Ibid. 
The Future op Quinine. — The New York 
correspondent of the Chemist and Druggist cabled on 
August 29 that the only notable news in the drug 
market on that side was that a further advance 
had been effected in quinine, and that dealers 
regarded the future of this article with much 
confidence. The same journal mentions that a 
gentleman who has recently visited the Ceylon 
estates reports that he does not see how the planters 
are to send away much more than 6,000,000 lb. 
of bark next year, most of which will come from 
healthy trees. 
Tea from Yokohama. Japan. — The export of tea 
amounted to 23,808,714 lb., valued at £559,628., as 
against 26,557,619 lb., valued at £732,348 in 1887. 
The tea season of 1888-9 opened auspiciously for 
exporters last April, and so continued in May and 
June, prices here declining ; but owing to the rapidity 
with which supplies were poured into the markets 
of the American continent a glut was the result, and 
holders became too eager to realise. Auction sales 
in Chicago and New York, coupled with extravagant 
rumours which prevailed relative to the crop, further 
contributed to disorganise the market for a time, 
Since the summer, a firmer tone lias prevailed in the 
consuming markets. The quality of the leaf was a. 
fair average throughout the season. — Japan Weekly Mail, 
Aug. 31st. 
OvEE-Pol'ULATION AND ' EMIGRATION IN JAVA. 
— A pamphlet in Dutch on this subject, by Mr. R. 
A. Eekhout, Hon. Secretary of the Soekaboeim 
Agricultural Association, has been sent to us by 
the author. It contains three papers (reprinted 
from the Batayiaaseh Handelsblad of 29th April, 
13th May and 29th June 1889), headed respectively 
" Increase of the Population of Java," " Emigra- 
tion of Chinese to Netherlands India," and " Emi- 
gration of Java's Surplus Population to the Outside 
Possessions." In two places Ceylon is mentioned : 
in one, the writer doubts if in our island (as in 
Java) large numbers of natives are to be met with 
on the public roads suffering from horrible diseases ; 
and in the other the emigration of Tamils to 
Ceylon is referred to. Mr. Eekhout urges on the 
N. I. Government the formation of an Emigration 
Board euoh as exists in British India. 
Cotton in Ceylon.— The Lancashire people are 
very much interested in the cotton manufacturing 
j enterprise recently started in Ceylon, and they are 
feeling its extension. The good people of Ceylon 
may grow as much cotton as they please, but 
if they, following in the wake of India, are going 
to start cotton mills, the outlook for Lancashire 
will not be cheerful.— H. & C. Mail. 
India-rubber and Gutta percha. — Messrs. Fergu- 
son, of Colombo, have done good service by pub- 
lishing a second edition of their treatise, which 
is a summary of information compiled from various 
sources as to the natural history and cultivation 
of the trees. Messrs. Haddon & Co., of Bouverie 
Street, are the agents for the work in this country. 
— Gardener's Chronicle, Sept. 7th. 
Puee Arrowroot Flour.— Mr. R. P. Jayawardene 
of Gotta has had reasons to suspect the puritv of the 
stuff sold in the native market as " arrowroot " and 
had been induced to attempt to produce a really pure 
supply of an article so largely recommended by medical 
men. The arrowroot of the natiTe market is largely 
adulterated with the starch of the sweet potato, the 
eassava, and rice, an article which the doctors recom- 
mending "arrowroot'' would hesitate to permit their 
patients to take. The lowness of the price, viz., 12 to 
20 cents the pound is sufficient evidence of the inferio- 
rity of the stuff; a pound packet of Mr. Jayawardene's 
article known as " Jayawardhanapura arrowroot" is 35 
cents. — Cor. [We have a good report from a housekeeper 
who has tried Mr. Jayawardene's arrowroot in several 
ways. She finds it much purer and whiter than what is 
bought at the door and can recommend it as probably 
equal to and much less expensive than the West India 
arrowroot in tins. — Ed ] 
Quinine in India. — It is very satisfactory to 
learn how the missionaries (both ladies and gentle- 
men) are extending the use of quinine among 
the people both in India and China, by taking 
supplies for distribution on their evangelistic 
journeys. Miss G. M. Fletcher, in giving an 
account of work in the villages near Delhi, mentions 
that during five months of tentwork, as much as 
14 lb. of quinine were distributed among 600 
patients, and that the people now come regularly 
for the fever medicine to the B. M. S. Dispensary 
in Delhi from the region round about. If quinine 
were freely distributed among the people of China, 
especially in the low marshy districts, there would 
soon be a stop put to the opium traffic, and the 
same may be said of laudanum-drinking in the 
Fen districts of England if the people were only 
induced to try quinine instead. 
The Weights of Ceylon Tea Packages. — The 
following extract from the Produce Markets' Review 
should have attention and consideration at the 
hands of Ceylon Tea planters : — " The large varia- 
tions in the weight of teas packed in Ceylon, which 
necessitate turning out and reweighing on arrival 
here, call for special attention on the part of tea 
planters, and the subject has been exhaustively 
dealt with in Messrs. I. A. Rucker & [Bencraft's Cir- 
cular of June 27th. Beyond their own interests, 
however, the planters would do well to consult the 
convenience and wishes of the Grocer, whose predi- 
lection lies strongly in favour of increasing the aver- 
age net weight of half -chests to at least 601b. This 
sized package can be easily handled, and the carriage 
on the net weight of tea would be less than in the 
smaller packages, while the saving in labour would 
be considerable, and the weight would coincide with 
that of half-chests of China Tea, by which standard 
the Grocer is accustomed to buy. As regards Dock 
charges, a package of 89 lb. gross is charged only 
5s 2d, as against 4s 8d for one of 60 lb. gross, and 
the rent is the same as for one of even 45 lb. gross, 
namely, Id per week. Thus the larger package is 
not only more acceptable to the Grocer, but by far 
the most economical for the importer." 
