April i, 1889.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
Djokjakarta, or about 27 per cent, compared with 
the crop of 1887. If the production becomes less aa 
a consequence of this fearful disease the cost of pro- 
duction will be, of course, comparatively high«r, and 
the existence of the sugar industry more uncertain. 
However, the Government will have to give all its 
attention to the checking of the sereh disease, as the 
welfare of Java is principally dependent on this 
cultivation. — London and China Express. 
♦ 
COCA LEAVES. 
Sir, — I notice your remarks based upon a short 
paper introducing some of the exhibits that were 
made at the Linnean Society mooting of December 
20, relating to the coca plants of the different va- 
rieties by Mr. D. Morris, of Kew. I had to differ 
from Mr. Morris in many particulars. He brought 
forward a plant which he wished to name "novo- 
granatense " and a quantity of leaves collected from 
different sources, and stated that the plant with 
the largest leaf known existed in Paris, and was 
the only known specimen in Europe. I promised to 
send him specimens from some of my plants at 
Sydenham, as I had there four distinct varieties, 
and as the trees were large it was quite easy to 
see the difference in the habit, growth, and size 
of the leaf. I sent him the specimen, and he replied 
on December 31, as follows — 
I have to thank you for the specimens of coca 
which arrived while I was away last week. 
"I should say that No. 1 comes nearest to the 
Huanuco leaves, and to the plant in Oeylon, which 
yielded such good results in crystallizable cocaine. 
No. 2 is apparently the variety I have just described 
uuder the name of novorjranatense." 
"No. 3 comes near, but is not quite identical with 
the Bolivian type. It approaches more than any 
other to the leaves of the plant received from Dr. 
Treub, from the Botanical Gardens at Java. 
" No. 4 is a very well-marked plant, and appears 
to be the one figured by Ruiz and Pavon. These 
leaves I have not notice before. 
"We should be glad of a cutting or plant of Nos. 
1 and 4 if you could spare them. 
(Signed) D. Morris." 
Ab Mr. Morris attached great importance to the 
yield of cocaine, and got Mr. Ernest Howard to sup- 
port him in his opinion, I stated that in regard to 
the variety of coca leaves shown being the largest 
in Europe, even my largest variety of leaf in ao 
way comparerd in size to the leaves which yield 
the largest amount of cocaine that comes from Brazil, 
and which, were certainly 3 to 4 inches long. 
I referred to Mr. Howard, who was in the room, 
and he admitted at once that the fact of his having 
tested these large leaves had entirely slipped his 
memory. He believed that they could find some of 
these specimens at their works. This variety is cer- 
tainly the richest, but we have never seen but the 
one shipment of Brazilian leaves of this size. 
Mr. Morris further put forward the great value of 
the Java variety, the details of which you give in 
your Journal. It was a singular coincidence that 
the very day Mr. Morris made these remarks at the 
Linnean Society, a quantity of Java coca leaves 
were offered in Mincing Lane, and the highest bid 
for them was 2Jrf. per pound. 
I ivm informed that they cannot get this leaf in 
its natural form, as it is so brittle that it breaks up 
into almost powder. Some of the similar shipment 
of these leaves fetched Id. per pound, but there is 
much remaining unsold. 
In regard to the v.iriety of coca leaves from the 
U. S. Columbia, I mentioned that there were two 
or three varieties that came from that part of the 
world, and some that hud been tested by Messrs. 
Howards and Sons, of Stratford, when cocaine was 
worth 20s. per gram, which were entirely neglected 
for their value of yielding cocaine. 
I would call your attention to page 08, No. 9, 'New 
Commercial Plants,' and you will there see. that I 
give information and particulars of an analysis, made 
by Messrs. Howards and Sons, of Eryihroxylon mono- 
gyrum. 
I think it will be a great pity if Mr. Morris's 
conclusions go forth to the world, that one of the 
most valuable varieties of coca plants known at the 
present time is that coming from the U. S. Columbia, 
and is best suited for growing to yield cocaine. 
In opposition to this fact I find that those drug- 
gists and the houses making preparations of wine 
mixed with coca find that they have made a great 
mistake in purchasing only the thin green leaves, and 
now they are askiDg for the Bolivian varieties, which 
are larger, clearer and rounder in form. Therefore 
it shows it is not only the flavour that medical men 
think necessary ; they require, as do the makers of 
the alkaloid, the action of the cocaine in the wines they 
order. — Tkos. Christy. — Pharmaceutical Journal. 
TOBACCO AND BEETEOOT SUGAR IN 
NETHERLANDS INDIA. 
The Tobacco Company Arensburg will, it is 
said, deolare a dividend of 120 per cent, on the 
preceding year. A.t the meeting of shareholders of 
the Siak Tobacco Company Holland, held at Rotter- 
dam on the 15th inst., the directors have given infor- 
mation that in view of the present position of the 
tobacco market the cultivation of tobacco on the 
Company's estate had not yet commenced, and that 
it was the intention not to commence with it at 
any rate before 1890. After a prolonged debate, during 
which the idea of a liquidation of the company was 
proposed, it was decided to await further informa- 
tion, and to authorise the directors, in the meantime, 
to make an investigation with regard to the results 
of other tobacco companies in Siak, and to con- 
voke the shareholders again within six months. 
Considering the bad results of the working of lands 
in Siak by the East Sumatra Tobacco Company, and 
the doubtful results of the above-named company, 
it seems that the soil of Siak does not possess those 
excellent qualities for the cultivation of tobacco as 
Sumatra, and precaution is necessary before investing 
money in tobaoco companies. The Samarang Trading 
Company, in liquidation, has been converted into the 
Samarang Agricultural Company. The purpose of 
this company is the working of agricultural under- 
takings in general, and especially those possessed by 
the former company. The capital; 1,000,000 guilders, 
is divided in 2,000 shares, each of 500 guilders, to 
be divided again in 10 snares, each of 50 guilders. 
As full payment for 1,975 shares brought in by the 
liquidators of the Samarang Trading Company, all 
its assets and claims will be transferred to the new 
company. Some other limited companies purposing 
the cultivation of produce in Java have been established 
during the last few days. The Kenteng Agricultural 
Company, established at Haarlem, intends to cultivate 
coffee and other produce in the district of Kedirie 
(Java). The capital amounts to 190,000 guilders, divided 
in 76 shares each of 2,500 guilders, which have all been 
taken. The directors have received authority to in- 
crease the capital to 200,000 guilders if necessary, 
by issuing four shares each of 2,500 guilders. The 
Agricultural Company Ngoesrie, established at the 
Hague, purposes working certain lands in Blitar (Java") 
for the cultivation exclusively of coffee. The capital 
is 240,000 guilders, in 240 shares each of 1,000 guil- 
ders, which have also been taken. 
The protection rendered to the Beetroot industry 
by the various Governments have, no doubt, facilit- 
ated the speedy increase of this industry, but without 
the assistance of chemists and engineers it would 
never have come to that degree of development which 
it possesses now. Not only the industry but also 
agriculture has been benefited by the elucidations of 
the chemists. People in Java begin now to under- 
stand that without these elucidations the agriculture 
and industry will not be able to develop itself at 
such a degree as these — both branches in Europe— 
have done. 
