466 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[NOVEMBER I, l88l. 
thriven in the suburbs of Madras and to this day, to 
the north and south of the ciiy, large plantations may 
be seen. It appears, however, that at a place known 
as Edakanaad, situated between Sadras and Pondi- 
cherry, coconut plantations are in a thriving con- 
dition, but the owners of planta'ions "are far 
from being perfect in ihe art of planting." In the 
Godavery district, coconut planting is carried on with 
great success, and those engaged in the industry in 
Madras may well borrow a leaf from the system 
adopted in the granary of 1 lie Northern Circars in 
respect to this industry. It is to be regretted that 
the author of the pamphlet does not give particulars 
of the system adopted in the Godavery district which 
may be usefully followed in other places. The »reat 
difference in planting coconu.ts oil the Malabar and 
Coromandel Coasts is this — in the former, the heavy 
and continuous showers of rain for almost nine months 
in the year, render the watering of the plants un- 
necessary after six or eight months. On the Coro- 
mandel Coast, the rainfall is very much less, and 
it is necessary to water the trees till they begin to 
bear, and even after that, when toddy is drawn, it 
is necessary that the supply of water should be con- 
tinuous. Plantations should be situated on land where 
freshwater is to be had near the .surface. The planta- 
tions in and about Madras are situated on clayey 
soil which is easily irrigated and the trees can be 
planted closer than in a plantation of sandy soil. 
It is, however, not considered advisable to plant the 
trees too close, for if they are so planted, the yield 
of coconuts will not be as large as it would 
be otherwise. The writer of the pamphlet says 
that the profit from each coconut tree bearing 
toddy is as small as two rupees per annum — owing 
to this small revenue, the owners of gardens pre- 
fer to obtain the coconuts and sell them. We are 
not disposed to accept the statements of the pam- 
phleteer that the yield of toddy from a coconut tree 
results in so small a profit as two rupees per annum. 
If that is the case, there is not likely to be such a 
large yield of toddy in Madras and in the suburbs 
as there is at present where some hundreds of shops 
— there are fully three hundred shops within the 
limits of the Municipality — are in existence and there 
is no question as to the large quantity of toddy sold 
by their owners. The pamphlet contains many useful 
hints on coconut cultivation, such as the raising of 
plants in nurseries, the cost of conveyance by rail, 
and of 1 he valuable species of coconut grown in Cey- 
lon and in parts of the Nicobar islands between which 
and the west coast . a large trade in dried coconuts 
is carried on for exportation to Europe and other 
parts. To those engaged in growth of casuarina some 
of the suggestions contained in the pamphlet may 
prove useful. They may be induced to adopt the 
writ r's suggestions to plant coconut trees w ith casua- 
rina and some of the hints may also be useful in 
dispelling the wild theories that have lately been pro- 
mulgated in respect to the profits to be derived from 
casuarina planting. On this subject, the Secretary of 
the Agri- Horticultural Society at Madras has lately 
published some useful statistics which go to show that 
casuarina planting will yield a fair return, but not 
to the extent anticipated by the promoters of a newly 
established company at Madras Nevertheless, we 
think, that were greater attention given to coconut 
planting in Madras and in places where plantations 
are likely to thrive, it will turn out to be a success- 
ful and paying undertaking. — Madras Standard. 
ORANGE CULTURE IN SYRIA, 
Some notes on orange culture in a recent consular 
report froml'.cyrout, arcquoted in the'London Times, from 
ivbich we learn that the two districts in which 
oranges are the most plentiful are those of Jaffa and 
Sidon. The orange trade began to assume consider- 
able proportions some 40 years ago, and the new 
Government of Egypt took shape, and it is now one 
of the most profit able in the two towns above men- 
tioned. . Unfortunately the inhabitants, allured by rir-t 
gains, commenced planting gardens, and expending 
money beyond their resources, the result of which 
has been that, in spite of all remunerations for 
small outlays, their improvidence has placed most 
of them in the power of money-lenders, who con- 
tinue to advance at interest of 15 10 20 per cent. 
However, a Company has lately been formed in 
Jaffa to negociate loans with orange cultivators, and 
if its operations be carried on fairly, we may ex- 
pect an extension of horticulture, with benefit alike 
to the Company and the borrowers. At the present 
moment Jaffa possesses some 340 gardens, averag- 
ing from 2,000 to 2,500 trees in each. The crop 
of fruit from these may be put down at about 
30,000,000. A garden costs from 40,000f. to oO.OOOf. 
and brings in 4,000f. to 5,0001'. per annum. 
For several miles round Jaffa extends a fert- 
ile plain, 011 which water is always to be 
found at a depth of 40 ft. or ;"0 ft. With capital and 
enterprise much of this might be planted, and the 
orange trade doubled in a short time. The present 
system of irrigation is that of s.nall wells, from which 
the water is drawn by mules ; but experiments have 
proved that very little engineering skill would be 
required in order to turn the streams of the River 
Andjah, some four miles from the town, over the 
plain. The land near Jaffa would then be cheapened 
in pioportion as the value of that freshly-watered 
rose. At present, unplanted land close to Jaffa, able 
to support 2,000 trees, is worth 2,000f. to 3,000f. ; 
but at two or three hours' distance it will fetch 
only 5f. to Of", a deunum. The export is carried on 
chiefly by sailing bo.'ts for Egypt and Constantinople, 
and by steamers for liussia, Trieste, and Marseilles. 
Exportation in cases is a comparatively recent intro- 
duction, which has given considerable impulse to 
business with Europe. The orange gardens of Sidon 
are cultivated on the same principle as those of Jaffa. 
An acre of land at Sidon is generally valued at fiom 
P,000f. to 7,000f., and is capable of bringing in an 
income of about GOOf. The exportation begins in Sept- 
ember, and is at first almost exclusively directed to 
Russia, till the winter closes the Black Sea ports, 
wdien it is continued to Trieste and Egypt. Eu- 
ropean cargoes are pasked in paper and close cases; 
the rest are sent in open crates. Each case con- 
tains some 300 oranges or lemons, and last year's 
export is reckoned at 20,000 cases, all of which fetched 
very high prices, especially lemoas in Russia. The 
average prices are for 1,000 lemons 150 to 170 piastres; 
while for 1,250 oranges, reckoned as a trade 1,000 ; the 
cultivator receives 70 to 80 piastres. — Journal of tlx- 
Society, of Arts. 
AGRICULTURE ON THE CONTINENT OF 
, EUROPE. 
(Special letter.) 
Paris', 10th September. 
I The French are very extensive spinners and weavers 
of Australian wool : it forms the basis of the woolen 
I and silken stuffs which they export to that colony. The 
pure breed of French merinos, such as it exists at Ram- 
bouillet, differs on several important points from the 
Australian merino ; the latter is less heavy and smaller ; 
! the staple of its fleece is, however, finer, in the sense 
that its diameter is narrower, hut the Australian merino 
wool is less elastic and its undulations not so regular 
as that from the perfect Rambouillet sheep. Now Aus- 
tralian wool growers aim at fineness of fleece : hence. 
' why many consider the crossing of native merinos with 
