792 
THr TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [ May t > l8 9°- 
SiasAii Hemp. — Mr. Paterson of Padalur, S. E. 
Wynaad, inquired whether the Agri-Hortioultural 
Society of India, had any plants of the Sissal hemp 
for oale, and the price per mille, as he was desirous 
of procuring about 50,000 plants. He was informed 
that the authorities of Kew have been addressed on 
the feasibility and oost of importing suffioient plants 
to set up a trial plantation. 
Coconut Leaf Disease. — We call attention 
to the very sensible Supplementary Report fur- 
nished by Mr. Drieberg, Superintendent of the 
Agricultural School, on the subject of the alleged 
cooonut leaf disease. Mr. Drieberg deserves the 
thanks of all coaonut proprietors for so oarefully 
and discriminatingly setting about the elucida- 
tion of the question entrusted to him. His very 
practical, judicious remarks on the cause of the leaf 
disooloration and on the poor appearance of trees 
planted on unsuitable soil — or soil not worked by 
lime into a satisfactory condition— will be generally 
approved of ; and it is not too much to expect that 
both the soientist — Dr. Trimen for instance — and the 
practical planter will cordially endorse Mr. Drieberg' s 
findings, conclusions and recommendations. Dr. 
Trimen had previously relieved the public from 
any dread of a repetition of a widespread fungoid 
disease; but Mr. Drieberg's Supplementary Report 
is no less timely, reassuring and useful. 
Improvement in Tea Cultivation.— At the 
Annual General Meeting of members of the Indian 
Tea Association held on the 7th April, in the rooms 
of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce, Mr. J. N. 
Stuart (in the Chair) said in the course of a long 
speech : — 
« X suggestion has come from Assam that the Se- 
cretary of the General Committee should from time to 
time visit the various tea districts for the purpose 
of conferring with local Committees, and obtaining 
the views of planters on various points ; if a suit- 
able man could be got, who might be a planter of 
standing, and who would inspire their confidenoe, the 
arrangement would probably do more good to the 
planting interest than anything else : the opportu- 
nity for adopting the suggestion seems a suitable one. 
Reference is made in the report to the efforts put 
forward in London for pushing the consumption of 
Indian tea in France or America ; if the work begun 
at the Paris Exhibition is strongly supported now, 
the money spent will have been well laid out, other- 
wise it will be so much wasted. The Association lias 
done what it could by guaranteeing a sum of £500 
tow.irds the Exhibition. This Bum was nearly all 
•ubscribed by the agency houses, who moreover had 
most of them, already subscribed to the guarantee 
fund in London. There is now an opportunity for 
the many proprietors of private gardens or share- 
holders of Companies who have not subscribed to assist 
in developing the consumption of India tea in France. 
The General Committee, believing that improvements 
might be made in the system of cultivation, manuring 
ko., of tea, have associated themselves with the Agri- 
cultural and Horticultural Society in a scheme for 
analysing and reporting on the various soils, and the 
manures suitable for tea, and have guaranteed RIO, 000 
for expenses. This expenditure will be spread over two 
or three years, and it is hoped that valuable information 
will be gained by the employment of an expert to be 
appointed, and that we shall have more reliable data 
than we at present possess regarding the soil, manure, 
and method of cultivation be»t adapted to the tea plant. 
I venture to think that a few years hence we shall look 
baok with astonishment to the unscientific and happy- 
go-lucky manner in which we have carried on the culti- 
vation and manufacture of tea, and I trust you will give 
your approval to the action of the Committee in 
attempting to place the industry on a mora scientific 
and, we trust, sounder footing. In view of the expen- 
diture to bj incurred, the Committee propose to make 
the subscription as it wa9 originally fixed, one anna per 
acre instead of !> pie; the small increase will be grudged 
by no one, if the efficiency of the Association is, as we 
hope, ^0 be increased." 
Gum Acacia. — The Mysore Province produces large 
quantities of gum acacia commonly called gum 
arabic. The largest quantities come from Maddur 
and Chennapatam on the Mysore line, and from 
Gubbi on the Harihar Branch of the Southern Mah- 
ratta Railway. Three qualities are sold in the local 
markets. Tears of gum, almost transparent, fetoh 
the highest price. Pieces slightly discoloured are 
passed second, while an admixture of bark lowers 
the value to a third place. Now is the season for 
the gum harvest, and brokers from Madras houses 
are busily buying in all they can get. The prices vary 
from 1-8-0 to 2-4 0 per maund of 25 lb., while in the 
London Market as muoh as 50 shillings per cwt. are 
received for the same gum .-—Barujalore Spectator. 
The Recent Fall in Bark. — is thus explained 
by the well-kaown London Brokers Messrs. O., M 
& C. Woodhouse in their report of Maroh 20th: — 
A large proportion of the Bark offered at auction 
during February consisted of Wynaad and other South 
East India, which being as a rule bright and well 
prepared, met with a good demand at full rates. The 
value of the unit waa maintained about lfd to 2d 
until the last Public Sales held on 11th inst., when 
the tone was decidedly flat and about one-third of the 
Ceylon and East India offered wa3 withdrawn, the 
unit being quoted ljd to IJd. This depression has 
beju attributed to large Public Sales of Java, B-irk ad- 
vertised for the 27th i_ist. in Holland, at which over 
5,000 packages will be offered, estimated to contain 
nearly (500,0u0 oz. of quinine. This is no doubt a 
lagre amount, but if the flatness in the market is 
due to this cause it is a question if it is not being 
overdone — we should rather consider it in a great 
measure owing to some weak holders of quinine on 
the spot who are pressing their quinine on tne^market 
at declining rates, although the German manufacturers 
are holding back and will not offer below Is 4Jd per 
oz. for best marks. At the close there are sellers.^of 
second-hand qnimne at Is IJd per oz. on the spot and 
a few sales have been made as low as Is IJd per oz. 
Tea Prospects in Assam. —My forecast of an early 
seasjn in my last has not come to pass, and at pre- 
sent it seems as if it will be a rather unusually Jate 
one. Little over half an inoh of rain has fallen 
during the month, and we are some three inches 
short to the corresponding date last year. The drought 
would not have mattered much, but hardly a day 
has passed without very high dry winds which have 
materially checked the growth of the bushes, and I 
regret to say " red spider " is slowly but steadily 
making its appearance on most gardens. A few good 
heavy showers would soon see us in full swiDg, and, 
though badly wanted, I doabt if we shall have much 
heavy rain till after the moon has passed the full, 
although latter day meteorologists and scientists would 
have us believe there is no connection between the 
phases of the moon and rainfall. The earthquake 
ou the night of the 8.h or morning of the 9th 
itibtaut reported by several of your correspondents 
from different districts was felt nere also, and the 
stuck was an unusually severe one. My Eabu told 
me in the morning it lasted 10 minutes, but I think 
a similar number of seconds would be nearer the 
mark. His house is rather a ricketty one. Local 
coolies, at any rate as far as Central and Lower Assam 
are concerned, are very short this year, and once 
more we are realising the the unreliability of Kachari 
labour. I hear there is a good deal of competition 
going on for those available and looking out for 
work, and I suppose a lowering of niriks or advance 
in raies will be the inevitable result. Should my 
surmise prove correct, a pity in these hard times for 
tea. At last the roads have beeu thoroughly taken 
in hand, and on parts of the Trunk Road I see very 
heavy work, raising the bund several feet. I only 
hope they will get it done before heavy rain falls, or 
travelling in pares will be impracticable. I hear that 
from 1st proximo all local works are to be directly 
under the control of the Daputy Commissioner, a 
change which should be an advantage.— Cor., Calcutta 
FingUsltman. 
