762 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [March i, 1882. 
what does not belong to them are ostracized if not 
actively punished, we cannot see the propriety of 
treating Brazil, Spain, Egypt and other slaveholding 
countries as if they were respectable, clean-handed 
units in " the comity of nations." It is time we spoke 
of Brazil as she deserves to be spoken of. The fact 
that she is the greatest coffee-producing country in 
the would ought not to blind us to the connected fact 
that she is the greatest criminal against the laws of 
human nature and the Lord of human nature. 
"THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST." 
An old colonist writes from the mother country by 
last mail :— 
"The success of the Tropical Agriculturist was so 
evident and so certainly assured from its first issue, 
that I have hitherto not thought it necessary to say 
one word in its favour, and I only write now to briefly 
record my candid opinion that it has more of the 
elements of permanency about it than, perhaps, any pub- 
lication ever issued from the Indian press — not except- 
ing the Government Gazettes. In all probability, it will 
live as long as any of the products, regarding which it 
records information so interesting and valuable. 
" May it live as long as the Bogaha itself ! Meanwhile, 
find my subscription for two years enclosed. The only 
suggestion I have to make is to implore you not to 
'Jimprove' or alter the work in any shape or form 
down to its fine classic cover. Let us have it uniform- 
ly the same for the next half century at least." 
The Estates Purchasing and Prospecting Com- 
pany, which lately started into existence, is, we are 
glad to learn, to be followed by another Company 
which the force of circumstances is bringing into exist- 
ence. It has for some time been a matter for serious 
consideration how gold, known to exist in large quan- 
tities in the pyrites is to be extracted. The appliances 
for this process do not exist on the various mines, 
and are too expensive and elaborate to be undertaken 
by each separate concern. The representatives of the 
various mines at home have resolved to assist in 
starting a Company for smelting works, for the re- 
duction of these pyrites and the extraction of the 
gold, silver and copper found in them. The various 
Mining Companies could obtain their ore treated at a 
central factory, where scientific and expensive smelt- 
ing works will be erected and conducted under skilled 
management. Should such a Company come into exist- 
ence, we hope it will follow the wise course adopted 
by the Estates Purchasing Company, and secure a local 
agency and an Indian direction. — South of India Observer. 
Nutmeg Cultivation. — We have received from 
Mr. W. Ferguson a copy of the "Journal of the 
Indian Archipelago" for October 1848, containing a 
paper called "Some Account of Nutmeg Cultivation, by 
Thos. Oxley, Esq., A. B., Senior Surgeon of the Straits 
Settlements." This appears to be a full and thoroughly 
practical essay. One paragraph we may copy here : — 
The nutmeg tree shows flower about the 7th year, but the 
longer it is before doing so, the better and stronger will 
it he. I cannot refrain from a smile when a sanguine 
Ijlanter informs me with exultation that he has obtained 
a nut from a tree only 3 or 4 years planted out, — so 
much the worse for his chance of success, too great 
precocity being incompatible with strength and longevity. 
The best trees do not shew flower before the 9th year, 
and one such is worth a score of the others. This 
will be evident when it is stated that I have 
seen several trees yield more than ten thousand nuts 
each in one year, whereas I do not believe that there 
is :i plantation in the Straits that averages 1,000 from 
every tree. This very great disparity of bearing shews 
plainly that the cultivation of the plant is not yet 
thoroughly understood, or greater uniformity would pre- 
vail, and I think it clearly enough points out that a higher 
degree of cultivation would meet its reward. It is not 
quite safe to cut down the male plants upon first shew- 
ing flower, as they many times show perfectly female 
flowers the following year, and in that case are generally 
the strongest and finest trees. But there is some indic- 
ation of this in the first mode of flowering. When the 
racemes are many times divided and have numerous flowers, 
there is no chance of its becoming entirely female, but 
where there are only two or three flowers oi a raceme 
there is a fair prospect of its doing so. Ihj tree has 
not been introduced into the Straits sufficiently long to 
determine its longevity, but those introduced and planted 
in the beginning of the present century as yet shew no 
symptoms of decay. 
We shall submit the essay for Dr. Trimen's judgment 
before republishing it in the Tropical Agriculturist. 
The Harvesting op the Cinchona Bark.— 'Have 
you any knowledge of the Caulfeild bottle process ? ' 
was the question put to a mercantile firm not long ago. 
We suppose that, effective and important as it is, the 
principle is as simple as that on which boys deprive 
alder twigs in the Highlands of .Scotland of their bark 
taking the bark off and putting it on again unbroken 
in the manufacture of whistles. They used to beat 
the alder bark all round with the handles of their 
knives, and this loosened it. The same effect in a 
far better and more scientific manner is, doubtless, 
produced by the friction of the polished surface of 
a bottle rendered ponderable by being filled with sand. 
The beating process often broke the bark, which the 
rubbing is not likely to do. if Mr. Caulfeild 
really invented the idea, it is much to the credit of 
his sagacity. Even if he had previous hints, which 
he adopted, he deserves the gratitude of cinchona 
growers. Cinnamon is peeled when there is plenty 
of juice between the wood and the bark. Possibly 
the friction of the knife in the process of removing 
the outer bark may cause the inner to separate more 
easily. But we never saw or heard of any beating or 
rubbing process to induce the more easy and unbroken 
removal of cinnamon bark. 
Indian Agriculture.— Sir George Couper, in his 
address to the Talukdars of Oudh at the close of 
the Agricultural Exhibition last Saturday, departed 
somewhat from the customary empty formalities and 
platitudes of such occasion?, and gave these wealthy 
landlords some very wholesome advice as to their 
duties and responsibilities in the important position 
they occupy. It was a plain talk full of . good sense 
and sound admonition. He counseled them first to 
make greater exertions for increasing the value of 
their estates, bj introducing improved machinery, 
better seed, more manure, and more extensive irrig- 
ation arrangements. Then he passed to what he styled 
far the more important division of their duties, that 
pertaining to the improvement of the welfare of 
their tenantry, iu which he assured them that not 
only Her Majesty's Government but Her Most Gracious 
Majesty herself were deeply interested. He bade 
them take note of the widespr. ad assertions that 
their tenantry had been unduly harrassed and griev- 
ously oppressed by the exactions imposed, and warned 
them that if this were so and were not speedily 
mended it would become the duty of the Govern- 
ment to see what legitimate means could be provided 
to alter this state of affairs and check the d. grad- 
ation of agriculture, He exhorted them to feel a kindly 
sympathy and take a warm personal interest in the 
welfare of their tenants. We trust these words will 
produce a good effect, and we hope they will be pro- 
perly followed up. It is one of the best siyns of the 
times that the rulers are more fully awaking to the^ 
vast importance of greater efforts to improve the 
condition of the many millions of patient toilers com- 
mitted to their care. — Lucknow Witness, 
