December i, 1887.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
427 
[Since writing tho above we have received a letter 
from Mr. Gibbs, in which he says : — "By Htill mure 
rocunt changes I havo been able to keep the heat up 
with all green wood to 550", and by a simple furt'.icr 
addition to tho stove T have burned the smoke from 
coal also, so as to render the resultant air as pure as 
that from wood, i. e., pure enough to be inhaled with- 
out any disagreeable effect. In about a fortnight T 
should havo pleasure in showing these results to any 
of your readers." — Ed. H.and C. M.~\—S.di C. Mail. 
♦ 
PLANTING IN NETHERLANDS INDIA. 
(Translated for the Straits Times.) 
In West Horueo, so says the Surabaya Cvwrant, tho 
Netherlands Resident and his subordinates, contrary 
to the policy pursued by their fellow ofticUls in tho 
outlying possessions in the Dutch East Indies, do offer 
encouragmeut to private enterprise in tho cultivation 
lino. This became manifest recently in the quest for 
the Tehu Keoug, a variety of Borneo eaue noted for 
enormous yields of juice. Parties from Java coming 
over to West Borneo to seek for this cane of promise 
met with every facility from the Resident. The Gov- 
ernment and most of the officials in high position 
show such inditfereuce to the well-being of tho out- 
lying settlements in Netherlands India, that the ex- 
ceptional attitude of the above mentioned Resident 
comes as a kind of pleasant surprise. The great mis- 
fortune besetting Netherlands Borneo arises from the 
fact that Dutch commercial associations are quite ig- 
norant of its teeming productive resources, all from 
lack of an enterprising spirit. This is mainly ascribed 
to the objectionable mode of Government which is 
based on doing as little as possible for the outlying 
possessions for the sake of economy. Now that Java 
planters and mercantile men have begun to take an 
Interest in West Borneo, it is expected on good grounds 
tlmt the resources of tho country will no longer escape 
their notice. The Holies of the country lie so readily 
within reach that it only requires an enlightened 
policy on tho part of Government to eucourage people 
to seek for them. At pressnt the products of West 
Km noo find their way almost exclusively to Singapore. 
In that territory there are found, for instance, gold 
and diamonds, valuable vegetablo tallows, gutta per- 
eha, copra, dammnr. and pepper, besides many 
other highly prized articles of trade, not to mention 
the vast tracts of fertile land and extensive forests 
awaiting the stimulus of business enterprise. 
PLANTING IN DELI. 
{Translated for the Straits Times.) 
The law in Deli seems to bo systematically evaded 
by Mindry planters as regards the treatment of their 
labourers) and the payment of wages in due time. 
They are illtreated and their wages kept back on 
certain estates, without tho planters concerned being 
brought to book for it, owing to the local officials be- 
ing ignorant of what was going on, and taking no 
Mans to remove this ignorauce. It seems to be rare 
for a Controller to visit the estates in his district. 
Controllers indeed have but little time to spare for 
the purpose, owing to tho heavy prossuro of duties 
which keep them closely tied to tho desk. Other 
otlicials seldom think it worth while to make them- 
selves acquainted with estate affairs, to the advantage 
uaturally, of the law-breaking planters. Tho latter 
aro only brought to hook when their misdeeds be- 
como too flagrant to be overlooked. 
In Deli, competition with British North Borneo is 
looked forwards to with some apprehension. Tho 
loonl Qowrant urges the planters to look less to Uov- 
eminent to render the struggle for existence easier, 
than to their own energy and perseverance. Tobacco 
curing l» still susceptible of improvement. Tho im- 
provement of the tobacco brought to market in 
quality, noods to bo kept in view more than over. 
At present, the question of quality, that is how many 
pieuli of the article ran bo produced stands too much 
iu tho foreground. The times have come to such a 
pass that planters must face the need for taking 
particular care to turn out marketable tobacco. 
Complaints now are too frequent regarding brandy, 
bad sorting, cheating in trade marks, &e. They have 
become so general as to bo beyond suspicion of being 
lightly made. The planters have besides too strong 
a tendency to put all their eggs in one basket, by 
exclusively trusting to tobacco. Trials with new pro- 
duce articles have never been earnestly pursued, 
Tobacco at any time may fail them. With only one 
article to fall hack upon, adversity will c »me upon 
them unprepared, with but ruinous consequences in 
its wake. 
+ 
THE IVORY TRADE OF THE EAST COAST 
OF AFRICA. 
A correspondent of D</.v HandeU- Museum of 
Vienna says that for centuries Zanzibar was the 
chief mart of ivory, which was formerly brought 
partly from the coast, partly from the interior. 
But with the increased consumption and value of 
that article elephants are being exterminated and 
have to be sought far away in the interior to the 
west of Tanganayika and north-west of Victoria 
Nyanza. The chief trading centre in the interior 
is Tabara, in Myamwcsi, where various caravan 
routes meet. The practice at present is for Indian 
traders to equip a caravan in Zanzib ir and place 
it in charge of an experienced and trustworthy 
Arab, who takes it from Bagamoyo, opposite Zanzi- 
bar to Tabara. If he finds enough ivory there he 
exchanges goods which he has brought for the pur- 
pose, and starts on the return journey ; but as a 
rule, the caravan and to go further, and by the 
information he receives from returning caravans the 
conductor judges where he can go with most chance 
of speedy success. Large quantities of ivory are 
usually in the hands of native chiefs, with whom 
it is a kind of treasure, and sometimes, it is said, 
the Arab conductors, who arc usually accompanied 
by well-armed escorts, will make war on a chief, 
seize his ivory, and sell his people into slavery. If 
force cannot be used, the trader must patiently 
purchase small quantities from time to time an 
occasion arises, and sometimes he is forced to wait 
for years in the interior before he can part with 
all his merchandise and obtain his loads of ivory. 
The greater part of the ivory arrives in Zanzibar 
in July and August ; the Indian merchants go to 
Bagamoyo to meet their conductors, and then a 
settlement takes place. The cost of the caravan 
with 1,6 per cent per annum is charged to the 
Arab, the Indian takes the ivory, sells it on ae- 
count of the Arab, and pays the latter the balanoe. 
Arrived in Zanzibar, the ivory is either sent by 
the Indian merchants direct to Bombay or to London, 
or it is sold to Hamburg or American merchants 
on tho spot. The trade, therefore, is wholly in the 
hands of Indian merchants ; but tho advantage of 
having agents of the European merchants in Tabara 
to purchase ivory systematically and forward it to 
the coast has been discussed in Zanzibar, and one 
Hamburg firm there decided to try it. A caravan 
under two Germans was despatched to Tabara, 
where one was to remain to establish a branch, 
while tho other pushed on to Uganda, so as to 
bo ablo to purchase at first hand. One died soon 
afterwards, and tho other fell ill and win ft I 1 
to return. Tho close connexion between tho ivory 
and the slave trade in the interior must always 
act as a hindrance to Europeans trading at drat 
hand in ivory. Tho Arabs usually transport tho 
ivory to the coast by means of natives whom they 
have enslaved or purchased at very low prices, and 
then can sell the latter on tho coast at a profit 
of $10 a head. European traders, on the other 
hand, must pay tho bearers $•"> a month and an 
arm's length ol cotton stuff per day. No .statistic 
oxiat respecting tho annual export (row Zanzibar. 
