4& 
f HE TROPICAL 
estates have also shown in many instances an important 
increase. 
Exports of tea for the year, show a fair increase, 
the figures being 3,247,319 kilos, against 2,568,675 in 
1885, but the industry generally remains very stationary. 
The importation of seeds from Assam has continued. 
The area of land planted with cinchona on private 
account is estimated at 21,000 acres, and the number of 
trees at 30,000,000, of which about 14,000,000 are of 
the O. Succirubra species. The crop for 1887 is estim- 
ated at 1,433,250 lb. The average proportion of sulph- 
ate extracted from the bark is estimated to be about 
3 per cent. 
The export of Banca (Government) tin in 188G was 
3,235 tons. 
Imports. — Emigration of coolies engaged to work on 
the tobacco estates in Deli, Sumatra, has continued 
regularly throughout the year. For the first time 
gangs of labourers also left for Queensland, engaged 
under contract for the sugar plantations there. It 
looked at oup time as if this traffic might assume 
considerable dimensions, but both the Governments 
of Queensland and of Netherlands-India appear to 
have regarded it with disfavour, and the latter have 
finally put a stop to it by publishing a decree in Jany. 
1887, rendering criminal the engagement of natives 
for labour purposes outside Netherlands-India. Iam 
not aware whether the labourers imported into Queens- 
land from here have given satisfaction, but I should 
be inclined to doubt it. The resident peasantry who 
work on sugar estates here are still too well off to 
think of emigrating, and I fancy the coolies shipped to 
Queensland were not of a class to ta ke kindly to the 
work. — L. & C. Express, May 27th. 
+ 
WAVES UTILISED TO PUMP WATEE. 
S. B. Palmer writes to the Scientific American : 
— "I send herewith a description of a wave-oper- 
ated force pump I constructed last summer, to 
supply my cottage with water, at Thousand Island 
Park, St. Lawrence Biver, N.Y. The water was deliv- 
ered through a three-quarter-inch pipe, 200 feet, 
with 40 feet elevation to tank. The power was 
obtained from the momentum of the waves, which 
proved ample. The first method by which I en- 
deavoured to obtain the power was by a float 
upon the water, which operated beautifully when 
detached, but when required to work very little 
power was developed. I then hung a shaft about 
six feet long, from supports anchored in crib work 
as shown in the sketch, and from shaft suspended 
three arms, three feet long. Suspended from the 
end arms was a plank trough, six inches wide. 
Practically, the apparatus represented a six-foot 
wheel, like the paddle wheel of a steamer, with 
barely one bucket, and that having a trough-like 
section. A cross arm at right angles projected 
from the central arm, to which was attached the 
pump. The incoming wave would impart its force 
or momentum to the swinging pendulum, carry- 
ing it much or little, according to the size. It 
was a surprise to see how small waves could do 
work ; that is, little swells, which would swing the 
bucket but a few inches, would deliver a corre- 
sponding amount of water, frequently in drops, 
rather than in a stream. Another lesson was 
learned by constructing the bucket 11 inches wide. 
At first, when a stream came sufficient to fill the 
bucket, there was not only a large waste of power, 
but great danger of destruction of the machine. 
Six inches proved to be the best width. For in- 
crease of power, increase in length is preferable. 
I am well aware that such apparatus might not 
be as practical as a wind-mill where heavy seas 
are liable to occur, as the construction of the 
piece to stand the shocks would ba expensive. In 
this experiment the cost was not one-quarter that 
of a windmill, while the apparatus was out of 
■6\$W—Hijdncy Mail 
NEW ZEALAND WOODS FOB TEA BOXES. 
Planters' Association of Ceylon, 
Kandy, 16th June 1887. 
To the Editor " Ceylon Observer. " 
Sie, — I beg to enclose for publication copy of 
a letter received from Mr. Haldane on the subject 
of New Zealand woods suitable for tea chests. — 
I am, sir, yours faithfully, A. PHILIP, 
Secretary. 
P.8. — With regard to the date of Mr. Haldane's 
letter I should explain that it only reached my 
hand a few days before the Committee meeting 
on the 10th instant, having been forwarded through 
a third party. A. P. 
24, 25 and 27, Rood Lane London E. 0., Feb. 1887. 
To the Ceylon Planters' Association. Gentlemen, — 
I believe you experience considerable difficulty in ob- 
taining suitable wood for tea chests. Since I left 
Ceylon I spent about two years in New Zealand and 
paid considerable attention to the timbers of that colony, 
many of which are very valuable, and some of tbem 
are well fitted for tea chests. To enable you to judge 
of the suitability of these woods, I send you a few 
small samples of someof the common timbers used in 
New Zealand. 
The colonists are cutting down the fine native forests 
with a recklessness which is to be regretted, as in 
about twenty years more Kauri will be a tree of the 
past. The country has steam saw-mills wherever 
there is sufficient " bush" to keep one going, com- 
petition is keen and prices low. Most of the saw- 
mills are near the coast. I fancy Ceylon planters 
would get timber as cheaply from New Zealand as 
from any other part of the world, as the mills are large 
and powerful and will cut up logs seven feet in dia- 
meter ; freight is the chief obstacle that I foresee. 
There are two ways in which you could ob- 
tain timber from New Zealand. To charter 
one of the numerous Auckland schooners to run 
to Brisbane and discharge her cargo into 
the British India steamers — or from the South 
Island to Melbourne, and ship by the P. and O. 
steamers. 
The following timbers are worthy of your atten- 
tion : — 
Dammaha Australis. — Kauri — the finest general 
timber in the Southern hemisphere. The wood is fre6 
from knots, straight, and works as easily as deal. 
The trees grow to an immense size, planks 12 feet 
in diameter being procurable. The present value of 
first-class boards and scantlings at the mills f. o. b. 
is 9s to 10s per 100 feet, and second-class boards 
(3s per 100 feet. Now the last are more sap wood 
than the former, and I think quite good enough 
for your purpose, and for 1 sper 100 feet extra, the 
mills would rip them up into lengths to the size of 
your boxes which would reduce the cost of freight. 
I send a sample of an ordinary kauri plank, cut out 
of a packing case. Kauri only grows north of lat- 
tiude 38 ° s; weight 35 to 40 lb. a cubic foot. 
Dacrydium Cupressinum. — Rimu or red pine-growr, 
to a height of 130 feet and 6 feet in diameter. The 
timber is clear, grained and solid. A handsome wood, 
of much value, and exceedingly valuable for many 
many purposes, — very plentiful in New Zealand, 
Grows in both the North and South Islands, Per- 
haps the best is obtainable about Wellington, where 
Mr. John Duncan could make shipments. I enclose 
a sample, if not too resinous this would be an ex- 
cellent timber for your purpose. Good planks could 
be got for about 7s to 8s per 100 feet f . o. b.; weight 
10 lb. per cubic toot. 
Podoc'Arpu3 Dacrydiordes. — Kahikatia or white pine 
— very plentiful in both islands, grows to 150 ft. high 
with a diametor of 4 ft. or more. Timber white, tough 
aud soft. It does not last well when exposed to 
wet, but is a good in door timber, well adapted for 
tea-chists ; value of planks at the mills 5s 6d per 
100 ft. f.o.b. Colonists use this wood for packing 
cases f r their cheeses, &c. It warps little — is soft to 
work and weighs 30 lb. a cubic foot. — It grows abund- 
antly on the Waikato Biver, where there are mills be* 
longing to a Mr. Gibbon. 
