68o 
THF TROPICAL AdRIOULTURIST. [April i, 1889. 
Some companies of manufacturers have already 
established experimental stations, where the develop- 
ment of the sugar-cane was exactly followed in 
order that it might be possible to improve the cane, 
and where the manufacturers could make experiments 
on behalf of their cultivation and industry. But 
although this is a step in the right direction, these 
experimental stations cannot satisfy all wants. 
The Netherlands Indian Agricultural Company in this 
city therefore took a resolution, which cannot fail to be 
profitable. It has eDgaged some young Dutchmen, 
who will go to Java in the month of March, and 
there employ their knowledge and energy for the 
improvement of agriculture and industry. They will 
be conducted by Mr. Carp, a clever, technical person, 
who has already assisted during several years in 
beetroot manufactures. The company by preference 
takes such technicals, in order that they may also 
be of service in the manufactories. These chemists 
are appointed with the view of examining the soil 
and the stuffs with which it must b6 charged, 
whereas they have also control in the manufactories. 
The principal object is the improving of the cane, 
increase of the production of cane per como, im- 
provement of the manufacturing, and thus a larger 
production per 100 kilos cane. — London and China 
Express. 
- ♦ : 
Liberian Coffee in Colombo. — Another fine 
blossom out this morning on Liberian coffee trees 
in Turret Eoad. Promise of good crop from former 
blossom. — Car. 
Cinchona Planting in Java has lost a great 
authority in the person of Mr. G. W. Eeckhout, of 
Soekaboemie, the president of the Planters' Associa- 
tion. This able man is supposed to have been a 
relative of the great Belgian artist Eeckhout, of Brus- 
sels, formerly president of the Academy of Painting 
at the Hague, who died in Paris some years ago. 
— Burgoyne's Monthly Export. 
Norfolk Island. — In a recent American consular 
report an account is given of the isolated British 
settlement on Norfolk Island, in the South -Western 
Pacific, about midway between the north cape of New 
Zealand and New Caledonia, and about 380 miles 
from each. The island is about 5 miles long by 3 
broad, with a total area of 8,600 acres. It is just 
outside the tropics, the extremes of temperature are 
never reached, the climate is most equable, and the 
thermometer never raDges higher than 84° in sum- 
mer and never lower than 46° in winter. At one 
time the island was densely wooded with the native 
Pine (Araucaria excelsa) and other trees, but now 
it is covered with open, park-like downs, interspersed 
with groups of this Pine. Orginally used as a penal 
settlement it was in 1856 made over to the descends 
ants of the famous mutineers of the " Bounty," who 
had increased and multiplied beyoud the sustaining 
power of 1'itcairn Isiaud, and who were presented 
with Norfolk Island. The soil is exceedingly fertile, 
being composed of a dark chocolate loam, or de- 
composed basalt. There is a complete absence of 
frosi, and almost every temperate and sub-tropical 
plant grows in luxuriance. But three plants or 
weeds are so destructive to all other vegetation 
that a portion of every year is given by the whole 
community to ibcir destruction; but, in spite of this, 
they are steadily increasing. These are two Solan- 
UUJB and the Cassia buvigata. The whole island is 
parcelled out iuto 50 acre lots, held at a peppercorn 
rent; the original immigrants received HO acres each, 
and lor some years each married couple received 
the Same grant ; this was reduced to 25 acres. The 
native vegetation of the island is wholly peculiar; 
be idea t he: famous Norfolk Island Pine already men- 
ii oned there is a Tree Pern (Alsophilla excelsa ) and 
a Palm (Areca Baueri); there are brsides upwards 
of thirty different kinds of Ferns. — Gardeners' Chro- 
nicle. 
Green Bug and London Pubple. — A London 
correspondent writes to a Colombo firm as follows: — 
"Many thanks for your sample of green bug, and the 
coffee leaves. As you will see in our letter to your firm, 
we are sending out to you a trial consignment of ' Lou- 
don Purple' to be experimented with on Broughton and 
I hope sincerely that it will prove a success. Mr. Hem- 
ingway guarantees it to kill the green bug, but of course 
it won't touch leaf-disease- It must be carefully hand- 
led, as it is a deadly poison, but I don't suppose it will 
affect the berry itself." 
Insects. — The authorities of the Cornell University, 
Ithaca, New York, have established in connection 
■with their Agricultural Department an " Insectary." 
The object of this novel feature in agricultural educa- 
tion is to afford means for the study of the life- 
history of insects in their several stages, so as to 
ascertain their manners and customs, modes of increase, 
and the like, to discover what insects are injurious 
and which beneficial to the farmer, and to devise 
means for preventing the attacks or of pall ating the 
evil results of insect pests. The establishment is 
under the direction of Professor Oomstock. "Were 
such an establishment suggested here the proposal 
would in ail probability be received with ridicule, 
but it does not appear in that light to our eminently 
practical cousins. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 
Felling Trees by Electricity. — Hitherto machines 
for feeling trees have been driven by steam-power, 
but this is sometimes inconvenient, especially in thick 
woods, and electric power has recently been adopted 
in the Galician forests. Usually in such machines the 
trunk is sawn, but in this case it is drilled. When 
the wood is of a soft nature the drill has a sweep- 
ing motion, and cuts into the trunk by means of 
cutting edges on its sides. The drill is actuated by 
an electric motor mounted on a carriage, which is 
brought up close to the tree and shackled to it. 
The motor is capable of turning round its vertical 
axis; and the drill is geared to it in such a manner 
that it can turn through an arc of a circle and 
make a sweeping cut into the trunk. The first cut 
made, the drill is advanced a few inches and another 
section of the wood removed in the same way until 
the .trunk is half-severed. It is then clamped, to 
keep the cut from closing, and the operation continued 
until it would be unsafe to go on. The remainder 
is finished by a hand-saw or an axe. The current 
is conveyed to the motor by insulated leads brought 
through the forest from a generator placed in some 
convenient site. — Times. 
Horticulture in Caraccas. — We, Garden and Forest, 
have already referred to Dr. Ernst's first article, 
published in the Gartenflora, on " Horticulture in Car- 
accas." It has been followed by a second chapter 
that contains much interesting information with re- 
gard to the plants which flourish in the Venezuelan 
climate, and those which, upon trial, have been found 
ill-suited to it. The cultivation of useful plants, he 
tells us, has lagged so far behind that of flowering 
and ornamental plants, that it is no exaggeration to 
say, not a single new fruit or vegetable has been 
introduced into the country during the last fifty years. 
On the other hand, the prices paid for flowers are 
enormous, running so high in the ease of native 
Orchids, that their re-importation from England may 
prove profitable. A specimen of Cattleya Wagneriana, 
with twelve leaves and eight blossoms, had recently 
been offered to the author for 45 dols., and he 
attributes such demands to the fact, that collectors 
for English firms have given such enormous sums 
for white flowering Oattleyas, that the natives in 
consequence have "lost their heads" to a degree 
which can only be cured by a persistent abstention 
from purchase on the part of local eustomers. That 
they have by no means lost their cunning is shown 
by the statement that they treat the common Cat- 
tleya Mossia? with 6ulphur fumes so as to make it 
look like C. lteineckiana, bring the plants bearing 
these blanched blossoms to unsuspecting amateurs 
in twilight hours, and often receiving high prices for 
them. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 
