September i, 1887.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
ation of ships. The purposes to which jarrah may 
be applierl are innumerable; it fills the place where 
Saul and teak could not be admitted, as well as 
where they are used ; and as the material can be 
supplied at a price considerably less than the tim- 
bers named, in the log, and at half their price in 
scantling, it should be employed where hitherto 
timber has been considered undesirable — for instance, 
in sea-facing, dock-lining, landing-stages, break-waters 
and beacons ; curbs, road-paving, block-Mooring, weather- 
boarding, and wainscot partitions, wallings, ceilings 
and roof coverings. 
A Western Australian almanac says: — " None of the 
neighbouring colonies possess timber of a similar 
character to the jarrah, or endowed with equally 
valuable properties. If cut at the proper season, when 
the sap has expended itself and the tree is at rest, 
it will be found the most enduring of all woods. 
On this condition it defies decay; fcimo, weather, 
water, the white ant, and the sea worm have no 
ell'ect, upon it. Specimens have been exhibited of 
portions of wood which had been nearly thirty years 
partly under water and partly out. Others had been 
used as posts, and for the same period buried in sand, 
where the white ant destroys in a few weeks overy 
other kind of wood. For this peculiar property the 
jarrah is now much sought after for railway sleepers 
and telegraph posts in India and the colonies. It is 
admirably adopted for dock gates, piles, and other 
purposes, and for keel pieces, keelsons, and other 
heavy timber in shipbuilding. Vessels of considerable 
burden are built entirely of this wood, the peculiar 
properties of which render copper-sheathing entirely 
unnecessary, although the sea worm is most abundant 
iu these waters." 
Though in the foregoing there are a diversity of 
opinions, yet the general tendency is to testify to 
the usefulness in an extraordinary degree, under 
stated conditions, of jarrah wood, and the practical 
mind will quickly see many opportunities for taking 
advantage of a wood possessing so many valuable 
qualities as this wo >d has been found to contain ; and 
it is not saying too much to express a hope that the 
shipments now in the London docks will be but the 
prelude to many other, and more important, consign- 
ments to this country, where iutriusic merit is the 
only passport necessary to gain public favor and sup- 
port when commercial interests are concerned. 
— Quoted bi/ the Ndgiri Express. 
♦ 
TRADE NOTES FROM THE SEYCHELLES 
ISLANDS. 
CPENINfi.S FOR BRITISH MKRCHANTS. 
Mahe, Seychelles, September 4. 
There is evory probability that beforo many months 
aro over, little out-of-the-world and hardly-known 
Seychelles will suddenly obtain an unexpected im- 
portance. For some months back it has been rumour- 
ed that the Messageries Maritimes meant to 
radically alter their steamship service in these seas. 
At present their Marseilles-Australia lino calls at 
Bourbon and Mauritius, where connection is made 
with a smaller lino running between thoso ports to 
Tamatave and Mosambique. However, it has dawned 
ui)on tho French company that unless they greatly 
shorten the journey to and from Australia they are 
likely soon to bo oustod from their Australian traffic. 
Consequently it has been decided that their stoamers 
should coal here at Seychelles, and then proceed direct- 
ly to Adelaido and the other Australian ports. It is 
stated that this new arrangement will commeuco on 
January 1 next. Mahe will also bo tho connecting 
station for the Mauritius- ISoiubon and Tamatave- 
.Mo/.iimbiquo linos. Thus there is every probability 
that iu a few years Seychelles will become a second 
si. Thomas in thuso soas. Of course this uow ar- 
rangement will do a groat deal of good to Sey- 
chelles — it could not be othorwise. Still it cannot 
be denied that it is felt to boa pity that the mon >- 
poly should still be loft in French hands, and partic- 
ularly in the hands of a conipmy that has always 
treatod S vein linn in inch a heji handed manner 
Hcfore the alteration above alluded to wan definitely 
announced, there was a good deal of talk amongst 
the planters about starting a small English steamer 
to trade between the islands and Mauritius, and to 
convey their produce to that port, where low freights 
can always be obtained for England. As matters 
now are, it is very probable that no move will be 
made in this direction until it is seen how tho new 
service works. To give an instance of the freights 
at present charged by the Messageries Maritimes, I 
have only to quote one of our principal exports, 
namely, vanilla. Freight at the rate of 3d. per 'lb', 
on the gross weight is demanded. As it is custom- 
ary to pack vanilla first in tin boxes, and then in 
stout wooden cases, this rate, high as it may appear 
at first sight, is, in roality, higher still. All this 
is bad enough, but tho worst thing we have to put 
up with is the uncertainty as to whether the steamers 
will carry our goods or not. I wonder how many 
times during tho last year or two our valuable goods 
have been shipped on board more or les3 rotten 
lighters, and taken outside to the mail steamer in 
the outer harbour only to be brought back and un- 
loaded again (at our expense, of course), because, 
lor some reason or other — or, perhaps, none at all — 
the captain thinks his ship would be better with- 
out them. Now that the Messageries are making 
all these alterations, I hope the authorities at St. 
Martiu's-le-Grand will see their way to improving 
the letter service with this colony. To be brief. It 
now takes five weeks to obtain an answer to a letter 
from Paris, but nine for one from London. We 
have on very rare occasions received answers from 
England at the shorter period, but this has only 
happened twice during the last year. It is in this 
that French houses doing business with Seychelles 
have such an immense pull over their English 
competitors. 
Our vanilla crops last year were fairly good. This 
year a larger area ought to come into bearing. From 
the number of " buttous " to be seen on the vines, 
there is every probability of a good crop. Several 
of the more enterprising planters have lately com- 
menced to dry their vanilla by artificial means, so 
far with great success. As others are likely to follow 
suit a good demand for heating-stoves is likely to 
spring up. A small stove capable of burning wood 
is the thing required. 
Vanilla is grown by a number of persons on a 
vpry small scale, and it is doubtful whether they 
will ever adopt the new method ; it is thus likely 
that the old-fashioned sun-drying has still a long life 
before it. Vanilla to be dried properly in the sun 
must be covered by a blanket. These blankets are 
at present in great request, and, consequently, very 
dear. The Creoles have an idea that the darker 
tho blanket the better the vanilla is cured. This 
may be erroneous for all I know, but exporters at 
home should notice the fact. Blankets of the very 
commonest quality aro the things required. I be- 
lieve there is a quality at homo known as tho " charity 
blanket," which would, I think, just suit the 
requirements of this market. Nearly all the vanilla 
blankets at present in use are of French manufact- 
ure. I may add that a planter, a gentleman from 
Bradford, sent a sample back to his native town, 
but was informed that nothing so bad was manu- 
factured in that district. Now that I am discussing 
blankets, I may add that I have noticed that all kinds 
of woollen goods are both dear and very hard to 
get in Mah6. In proof I may state that T recently 
obtained a large quantity of green baize for my house. 
I have since beon deluged with offers, which, had 
I wished to soli, would have loft me a very fair profit. 
The principal industry of the place is the manu- 
facture of coconut oil. A very large proportion of 
tho oil quoted at homo as '* Mauritius " comes from 
Seychelles. Nearly all tho mills iu the colony are 
of tho most primitive description — a hollowed tree- 
trunk, a spar, au ox, and a boy with a stick, aud 
tho apparatus is complete. There is a good open- 
ing for improved mills. It is tmo ono or two such 
were introduced hero some years ago, but thoy failed 
for two reasons — they easily got out of order ; and 
'• they did their work too well In tlieiio pa.ru 
