6io 
TH6 7k6P\6kL AaftlCULTUftlST. [March x, 1890. 
The Eat Plague has not confined itself to the 
Laccadives. In the Nilgiris they have never been 
known to be as plentiful before, as they are at the 
present time. Field produce, especially potatoes, 
are reported to be seriously damaged by their ravages. 
—Madras Mail, Feb. 11th. 
A Petroleum Syndicate. — It is stated that the 
Government have granted a concession of four 
square miles of land adjoining Finlay, Fleming's 
building in the Yeanangyoung sub-division to a 
syndicate consisting of Sir Lepel Griffin, Captain 
Aubrey Patton and Messrs. Kirby and Eobert 
Gordon, c.e., to prospect for earth-oil. — Indian 
Agriculturist, Feb. 1st. 
Tobacco. — It has be6n said that the fact of 
the German Syndioate giving up its interests in 
Ceylon is not a good sign for the prospeots of our 
tobaoco -growing industry. But it is forgotten, that 
Messrs. Schappie & Co. retain a large interest 
through shares in the local Company. They have by 
no means sold out of, or abandoned the Colony 
and they still look for returns upon their in- 
vestments. 
Minerals in Perak are thus noticed in a re- 
port on the Kinta District : — 
I sent some of the ore from the lode at Klian 
Kepoh Tambun to the Curator of the Museum. This 
ore contained wolfram in large quantities, and, when 
assayed by the Curator, gave 65 per oent of wolfram and 
21 per cent of oxide of tin. This was, of course 
a very rich pieoe, but I would point out that this 
lode is very rich indeed in ore. It contains tin and 
wolfram, and both iu large quantities. Wolfram 
is taken to be one of the best indications of a strong 
healthy lode, and even if shipped in the ore, is worth 
from £30 to £45 a ton, according to quality. 
I would again briDg before the notice of Government 
the great utility of a diamond-boring machine, without 
which it is quite impossible to locate or form any 
opinion of these numerous lodes. 
I have now found six distinct lodes in the Ulu 
Kinta mukim. 
Most of these lodes are associated with copper, and 
they occur in limestone. It would be most useful 
to know what ohange takes place at the junction of 
these lodes with the granite, which is undoubtedly 
the next formation under the limestone. In my 
opinion, the copper would in all probability change 
into tin. 
Pearling off Western Australia. — A sup- 
plement to the Government Gazette issued 
yesterday states that HisExoellency the Administra- 
tor has been pleased to direct that on and after that 
date the following Pearling Banks on the North-West 
Coast, which have been olosecl since the 15th Novem- 
ber 1885, shall be thrown open for Pearling purposes 
until further notice : 1. Those oS the coast between 
Depuch Island and Point Poissonier (those between 
Cape Thouin and Depuch Island were opened 14th 
July 1886) ; 2. Those lying between a North and 
South line running through the North-East of Dolphin 
eland to the Mainland ; and 3. Those lying between 
the mouth of the Fortesque and Cane Bivers, extend- 
ing six miles from shore. — W. A. Inquirer, Jan. 10th. 
No country would benefit so largely as India 
by the establishment of a National " Arbor day." 
In America and Australia " Arbor days" are public 
holidays in schools and the children attending 
them are expected in return for the holiday to 
plant at least one tree eaoh. If every school boy 
in India put down a single troe per annum, in a 
few years we should have millions. On the Nilgiris 
it should be granted on the first day of the mon- 
soon, and the superintendent of the gardens should 
be direoted to grow suitable trees for the purpose 
and distribute tbem free, within certain limits, to 
all applicants. The stations and suburbs would 
present a very different aspeot in a few years if 
this was a recognised indulgence, — S, I. Observer. 
Oil op Eucalyptus.— Mr. S. G. Wallace, of West 
End, Ootacamund, has for some time paft been 
engaged in conducting a series of experiments with 
the oil of Eucalyptus. The oil is extraoted from the 
Eucalyptus Globulus, which grows luxuriantly on 
the Nilgiris, and is said to possess great medicinal 
virtues. It is largely used in some of the hill tracts 
in Northern India, and is gradually coming into use 
in Southern India. It is specially effective in oases 
of rheumatism, bronchitis, &c, and is a good 
deodorant and disinfectant. The experiments made 
with it by Mr. Wallace have been attended with very 
considerable success, and the oil is said to have 
effected some marvellous cures in oases of chronio 
dysentery,— Madras Mail, Feb. 11th. 
Mr. D. Morris lectured on " The Sugar Islands " 
at the North London Polytechnic on Jan. 16th. 
The lecture was illustrated by a number of excellent 
views taken frcm photographs in the West Indies 
and the large audience was highly interested in 
them. Mr. Morris drew attention to the new era 
of prosperity which certainly woull come to the 
West India islands if new blood and energy went 
forth to them, and if the mother oountry gave 
considerate treatment in regard to their staple 
industry, for, iu spite of numerous other industries 
which have sprung up of late years t o some of the 
islands, many of them, independent on sugar, must 
stand or fall with the action to be taken in regard 
to what was known as the bounty system H. <& C. 
Mail 
An Interesting Specimen of the Coco de Mer 
or double coconut of the Seychelles Islands, has 
been presented to the Museum of the Boyal Botanic 
Society of London by Sir Gerald Graham, who 
received it from General Gordon. These nuts are 
a great rarity, and were first brought to the 
knowledge of European science by the currents 
of the ocean. Their mysterious origin caused them 
to be regarded as possessing miraculous healing 
virtues, and they are even said to have fetched 
their weight in gold. The palm which yields them 
grows to a great height, and is only found in 
the Seychelles. When General Gordon was com- 
mandant there he took a peculiar interest in the 
tree, perhaps because the supposed the Seychelles 
to be a remnant of an old continent which con- 
tained the Garden of Eden. It is well known that 
he located that region in the Indian Ocean, where 
these islands lie ; not only for Biblical but scientific 
reasons. Other specimens of the tree, including 
niok-nacks made from its prettily striped wood, 
were presented by Miss Gordon to the botanical 
museum at Kew Gardens, where they are on view. 
— Globe. 
Liberian Coffee Company in Johore.— 
Liberian coffee must be well thought of in the 
Straits, to judge by this extract from a Prospectus 
just issued : — 
The Oompauy is formed to take over as a going con- 
cern from the 1st February next, the estates of 
" Oastlewood " and " Wayfoong," comprising respec- 
tively 1,700 acres and 300 acres of fine undulating land, 
of which a fair proportion is virgin forest. The estates 
are situated about seven miles from Johore Towd, and 
are easy of access by road or water. Cargo boats of 
large size can be brought up close to the Manager's 
house at Castlewood, taking produce to Singapore at a 
very small cost. The land is let on a lease of 999 years, 
paying 10 shillings an acre for the first crop only, and an 
advalorem export duty of two and a half percent. 182 
acres are planted with Liberian coffee from four to seven 
years old, the yield from which for 1889 has been 700 
piculs of cleaned coffee. The price to be paid to the 
Vendor is $50,000 in cish and §40,000 iu deferred shares. 
The valuation at 90,000 dollars or 180,000 rupees 
say, we oonsider as high as anything in Ceylon in 
the palmy day of ooffee, 
