THS TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [February i, 1889. 
Penang Lawyer (Licuala acutifida). — This is a palm, 
the saplings of which, with the roots attached, are 
imported Lti considerable quantities from Penang. 
Pimento (Pimenta Officinalis). — A tree common in 
Jamaica, where it is largely cultivated for the sake of 
its fruits, which are the allspioe of commerce. 
For the stick and umhrella tra*le large quantities of 
the young saplings are imported from the West Indies. 
The sticks are valued specially for umbrela handle 0 , in 
consequence of their rigidity and non-liability to warp. 
Pomegranate (Punica Granatum). — These sticks come 
mostly from Algeria, where th^y are specially cultivated. 
Rnjah Cane. — This favourite stick has been known 
in commerce for some twenty years or more. It is 
imported from Borneo, and for a long time after its 
introduction its botanical origin remained a mystery. 
It has, however, since been referred to the genus 
of palms Eugeissonia, and probably to the species 
minor. The commercial name rajah is said to be de- 
rived from the fact of the duties paid for its export 
being claimed by the Rajah of Borneo. 
Rattan, — Under this name a variety of sticks, ap- 
parently the produce of different species of Calamus, 
are known. Thus we have root rattans, white hard- 
barked rattans, monster ra ttans, miniature rattans, and 
so on. They are all of a simi'ar character, with the 
scarB of the fallen leaves strongly marked in trans- 
verse rings. They are the produce of Eastern countries. 
From the foregoing notes it will b» seen how ex- 
tensive are the resources of the walking and umbrel'a 
stick trude at the present time, and bow the forests 
and jungles of the world are laid under contribution 
to supply the material. 
The following estimate of the annual imports of some 
of the principal canes from the Bast here referred to 
will further illustrate its commercial importance: — 
Approximate 
Description. Country. quantity. 
Bamboos Chiua aud Japan 5,000,000 
Partridge canes China 2,600,000 
Tonquin canes China 20,000,000 
Malacca Siak 250,000 
Whan gee Japa n 600,000 
Rattan Singapore 100,000 
Other Eastern canes China, &c 500^000 
28,950,000 
Besides these, the number of various kinds of rat- 
tan canes imported from Singapore and other Eastern 
countries amount in weight to about l,50l) tons, while 
of sticks other than canes we have of olive, myrtle, 
orange, and various kinds from Algeria, as many as 
2,000,000; and of haz<], dogwood, cherry, &c, from 
Ausiria, Hungary, and France, about 3,000,000. The 
total value of the sticks in *he raw state imported 
from all countries mav be. estimated at about £300,000. 
— Journal of the Society of Arts. 
St. Helena. — This isle in mid ocean, once 
so important as a calling place for East Indian 
and war ships and famous as the prison of Napoleon, 
has fallen on evil days. This is obvious from a 
letter in the St. Helena Guardian of Oct. 18th, 
which we quote as follows : — 
St. Helena stands in unique position and depends 
entirely on the calling of ships and Imperial expendi- 
ture for almost every farthing spent within it. Sup- 
posing tomorrow the Government were unfortunately 
to withdraw the Troops, and the few ships and men- 
of-war which now call were to keep off from our har- 
bour for any time or continuously, what difference 
would there be. between St. Helena and Tristan da 
Canba except that here we should have an exceeding 
far larger starving population dependent entirely ou 
such supplies as the surrounding sea aud scanty 
acreage capable of cultivation and the feeding of 
cattle and sheep would afford. Fortunately the retail 
prices of the absolute necessaries of life such as rice, 
flour, sugar, &c, were never cheaper than at this time, 
but the poor man properly exclaims, what, is the 
benefit of this to one who has no moans whatever of 
taking advantage of their cheapness ! It is only tanta- 
lizing him to call hie attention to it. 
Tobacco.— The large company for growing tobacco 
in Borneo, to which we referred some time since 
is, we hear, likely to be brought out very shortly. 
The area of land that has been acquired is as much 
as 40,000 acres. Meanwhile, we may state that the 
shares of the London Borneo Tobacco Company 
(Limited), the final call on which becomes due on 
the 1st prox., are quoted £3 to £4 premium. 
Offers at £3 premium have been more than once 
refused. - L. # C. Express. 
India-rubber and Opium at Mozambique. — The 
following note on the produce of the rubber at 
Mozambique occurs in a recently issued Consular re- 
port. The writer says: — "Rubber is obtained mostly 
from the lower districts nearer the sea. There are 
two qualities, differing in their method of preparation. 
The better is that drawn from cuts made in the 
stems of vines, and made up into balls without fur- 
ther preparation. The inferior quality is got by boiling 
the rubber-bearing stems and roots; it is white, con- 
tains much moisture, and commands a lower price 
than the other. The supply of rubber continues to 
be maintained, but cannot be expected to last very 
long, as in gome districts the vines have all been 
destroyed by the reckless way of gathering eurployed 
by the natives. It has more than once been proposed 
to try systematic planting of rubber trees, but nothing 
has yet b* en done. There is no doubt that the supply 
could be increased, as well as made more certain, 
were cultivation gone into systematically, and the 
gathering of the rubber not left to the me r cy of natives. 
The total export in 1885 was valued at £1450. Refer- 
ring to tbe cultivation of opium, it is said that at 
Mopea it has been put on an entirely new footing. 
In some other places — namely, at Ohamo, on the Shire, 
and Mafufu, on the Ziwa-Ziwa — opium culture has also 
been under the auspices of the Mozambique Produce 
Company, Limited, of London. — Gardeners' Chroniclt. 
Tea Peospects. — Our special telegram from 
Calcutta reports that the Indian Tea Exports while 
shoeing a steady advance, have not yet attained 
the estimated excess over those for the previous 
season. Counting both the Indian and Ceylon 
exports to the Australasian Colonies, the total 
is still quite an insignificant proportion of 
the whole quantity consumed. There is however 
good reason to look forward to a considerable in- 
crease in the export of Ceylon teas to Melbourne 
during 1889. From all sides we hear of our pro- 
duce being greatly appreciated in Victoria, Tas- 
mania and New Zealand. Mr. Wm. Mackenzie 
ought to be able to give his brother planters 
valuable information on this point. Here is what 
" Old Colonist " says under date 24th November, 
where he was wroth under the idea that Ceylon 
had made up her mind to boycott Australia in the 
matter of tea ! ! He wrote ■ — 
I do not, of course, believe in "No freight", there 
is more in it than this. In olden times wh«>n Colombo 
agents got 18 per cent, of the estate expenditure, 
besides a rebate on freight the proprietors wot not of, 
want of freight was never heard of then ! Now the 
pendulum is too far the other way ; tbe planter 
starves the poor agent ; hence freight difficulty ; make 
it worth his while, and no more will be heard of 
no freight. One thing I am certain of is that the 
market now for pekoe souchong at Is in bond is 
practically unlimited in Australia as far as Ceylon 
is concerned. No need to give away gratis ; nothing 
indeed more likely to bring the tea into disrepute. 
On the other hand, Mr. J.F. Wingate writes : — "I fear 
there is not much to be done in Pure Ceylon Tea 
in New Zealand. Blended rubbish has taken too 
strong a hold of the general taste to be easily 
supplemented." But on this a Colombo merchant 
wall remarks : — "Then if this is so everyone should 
try and get any N. Z. acquaintances of theirs to turn 
over a new leaf — this can only be done by sending 
them an occasional present of really good Ceylon 
tea telling them how to make it," 
