8o6 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [June I, x8B8. 
than seven such peaks between Lisbon and Ten- 
erifi'e. On one of these at 400 fathoms, two species 
of coral (Lo-phuhelia prolifcra and Amphihelia 
oculata) were growing luxuriantly. In all, about 
300 such submarine cones were already known. 
All the agencies at work above the lower limit of 
wave action tended to level down these cones, 
and thus to form banks. The lecturer instanced 
Graham's Island, thrown up in the Mediterranean 
in 1831, which, although three miles in circum- 
ference, was washed away in a year or two, leaving 
the bank formed on the spot with eight yards of 
water over it. Many parallel instances must often 
have happened in the great ocean basins. On the other 
hand, all the deeply submerged summits were built 
up to the lower limit of wave action by the accu- 
mulation of the remains of their animal popu- 
lation and by the fall of shells upon them from the 
surface waters. In this way were foundations laid 
for the true reef-building species, which could 
flourish in the shallower depths only. In the 
Solomon Islands group, there were upraised coral 
islands, each with its central volcanic cone already 
strewn with thick layers of marine deposits, and 
like deposits must now be forming over hundreds 
of submerged mountains. The lecturer spoke of the 
icy coldness* of the bulk of the ocean waters at 
the bottom, even at the equator. But on the sur- 
face, there was within the tropics a relatively thin 
film of warm water, the temperature being from 
70 deg. to 84 deg. Fahrenheit. This film of warm 
water was much deeper towards the western parts 
of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans than in the 
eastern, by reason of the trade winds, which blow 
over from the East, carrying all the warm surface- 
waters to the westward, and drawing up cold water 
from beneath along the western shores of Africa and 
America to supply the place of that driven westward at 
the surface. Hence, there was at all times a very cold 
temperature along these western shores. There were 
no coral reefs along the western shores of Africa and 
South America, a circumstance evidently connected 
with the low temperature, wide range, and — more 
directly with the food supply resulting from these con- 
ditions. It seemed a confirmation of this view that on 
the eastern shores of Africa, about Cape Gardafui, from 
off which the south-west monsoon blows, there were 
likewise no coral reefs, though they flourished to 
the north and south of this region, where cold water 
was also drawn to the surface by wind action. Coral 
reefs flourished in mid ocean along the eastern shores 
of the continents, where the coasts were bathed by 
the warmest and purest currents of water coming 
directly from the open sea. If we excepted Bermuda 
and one or two other outlying reef's, it might be said 
that reefs were never found where the surface temper- 
ature of the water at any season of the year sank be- 
low 70 deg. Fahrenheit, and where the annual range 
was greater than 12 deg. Fahrenheit. In tropical 
countries, however, the temperature was higher, and 
the range much less. The food supply of the coral 
reef and the other interesting points of the problem 
were next discussed, leading up to the fairy vision of 
the coral archipelago emerging from the waves in all 
its manifold loveliness and grace.— London Times. 
♦ 
PLANTING IN MANILA. 
(Translated for the Straits Times.) 
The growing deterioration in the quality of the 
Manila Hemp brought to market, has induced the 
authorities to take action to improve matters 
in this renpeot. Three hundred dollars have been 
i r ued for the purchase of living hemp plants for 
cultivation in tlio province of Zambales. Other 
u eful produce plants will also bo obtained for 
*imilar purposes. Something of the kind was tried 
years ago by the then Governor-General. That 
official took so much to heart the develop- 
ment of the productive resources of the 
islands, that he did all he could to further the 
planting of cocoa and coffee. Vast numbers of 
coffee and cocoa plants were in consequence put 
under cultivation. The start once given, private 
enterprise was left to do the rest. Publio indifference 
and neglect ensured the failure of the undertaking. 
♦ 
AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATION': RUBIES, 
A RUN THROUGH THE AUSTRALIAN CONTINENT. 
A CHAT WITH EXPLORER LINDSAY, DISCOVEROR OF THE 
RUBIES. 
Mr. David Lindsay, our own South Australian ex- 
plorer, is to be seen in the city streets again after 
having for the second time crossed the Australian 
Continent. He has brought a new curiosity — a 
minute but very lively specimen of the blackfellows 
of our interior country. When Mr. Lindsay came 
down last time he placed on view an 18-year-old 
" boy," who measured 6J feet, and who with his 6 
feet odd of master formed a great attraction for 
folks when the couple walked in the streets. But 
this Anakite " Dick " of Mr. Lindsay's is now work- 
ing on the ruby-fields, putting his money into the 
Savings Bank like a Christian, and feeling himself 
animated by some sort of an ambition to ultimately 
exhaust the treasures of learning stored up at Prince 
Alfred College. In the meanwhile he is adding 
cubits unto his stature. Mr. Lindsay's new attend- 
ant is about 4£ feet loDg and 8 years old, and 
answers to the name of Teddy. He is a smart little 
bundle of mischief, as full of frolic as a kitten is, 
as fond of his master as fond can be, and so jolly 
that he is perpetually on the grain, and when he 
grins he shows a singularly beautiful set of teeth, 
worth £50 of any dentist's money. Teddy comes 
from a station at Borrow's Creek, and says that 
metropolitan life is so greatly to his taste that he 
has no wish to go back amongst the unenlightenedy 
savages of the interior. 
The explorer got into town late on 'Wednegdai- 
week, and thus completed his second transcontof 
nental journey. He left Adelaide in the latter half m 
last year, and reached Port Darwin by steamer. Frord 
Palmerston to Adelaide he has followed the Overlain 
Telegraph line. He bade good-by to Palmerston or 
the middle of September, and having spent two or 
three weeks upon the gold-fields started for the South. 
He had four horses, and his only buman companion 
was a blackfellow. This little party ran over the 
country at a rate of speed probably unprecedented. 
They traversed the 900 miles from their starting-point 
to the ruby-fields in five weeks and two days ! The 
journey was without special incident. They saw no 
natives except a few at the stations. They were not 
in special jeopardy, and they even enjoyed them- 
selves after a mild fashion. Once or twice hasty 
rushes had to be made from water to water, as they 
travelled just before the beginning of the wet 
season. They went one stage of 75 miles without a drop 
of water, and the distance would have been 104 miles 
had not a providential thunderstorm brought rain be- 
tween the permanent supply points. There were one 
other thirsty stage of 65 miles and two of 40 each- 
The horses kept up capitally all the way. Mr. Lindsay 
stayed upon the ruby-fields three and a half months sur- 
veying claims for Adelaide Companies and prospecting, 
and so indue course he arrived in Adelaide again. 
" Should a Transcontinental .Railway be made '?" 
"Yes," said Mr. Lindsay. 
•' But people say the country is too bad to warrant 
the cost." 
"I was exceedingly pleased," continued he, "with the 
country along the telegraph. Speakiug broadly, it is all 
fit for occupation by pastoralists. Some parts certainly 
are poor, and it is patoli, just as all country nearly 
everywhere in the world is. But a railway should 
be made. There are no engineering difficulties worth 
speaking of. There would bo an ample supply of 
