§44 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [April i, 1882, 
but that trade bas now ceased. The recent develop- 
ment of the tea industry in India gives, however, 
some indication of the beginnings of a new trade. At 
both the International Exhibitions in Australia, India 
was represented, though far batter in Melbourne 
than in Sydney ; and the Indian tea was brought more 
directly under the notice both of the trade and of 
consumers. But the steam communication is not 
quite direct enough to give to this trade all its re- 
quisite facilities. Calcutta, rather than Bombay, is 
the place of export for such commodities as are most 
likely to find a market in Australia. Yet the latter 
port is the main rendezvous of the steam fleet, and 
is the more convenient for that purpose. Produce 
coming down f com Calcutta and intended for Australia 
has to be transhipped at Calle, which is little better 
than an open roadstead ; and during the moasoon 
months, the steam company naturally objects to become 
responsible for valuable cargo. There is not trade enough 
at present for a direct line of steamers from Calcutta. 
We seldom send sailing ships from Australian ports 
there except with horses and coal, and though such 
vessels might bring back direct return cargoes, there 
is au increasing disinclination now to put valuable 
cargoes in sailing vessels. Time means money, and 
moreover there is risk of such commodities as tea 
getiicig spoilt on a long passage. What is wanted 
there," -re is some form of direct steam communication 
between Calcutta and the principal Australian ports. 
We have it with China, we have it occasionally with 
Bombay, but Calcutta has been out of the running. 
Perhaps the best chance of establishing such com- 
munication lies in our export of coal. Now that 
compound engines have so reduced the consumption of 
coal, especially at low speed, steam-colliers are coming 
into use not only for carrying coal short distances, 
but even for long voyages ; and it may soon become 
remunerative to send coal in this way to Calcutta and 
bring back produce. We do send coal to China 
in steamers and bring back produce. We may thus 
gradually find a maiket in India for other com- 
modities besides coal. Our tinned meat, tinned 
fruits and jams are quite suitable for the Anglo- 
Indian market. Grapes and apples have already 
been sent to Calcutta and Ceylon, and landed in good 
order. Kailway timber is in demand in India, and 
satisfactory experiments have been made with copper 
ore and tin. There is also some demand for coarse 
wools. What we could get from Calcutta in return 
would be such articles as tea, jute goods, fancy goods 
spices, oils, oilcakes, grain, and some delicate fabrics. 
A trade of this kind takes its time to grow, but will 
grow where the interchange is natural, and where 
facilities are provided. Some of the richest and most 
productive part of India has its natural outlet at the 
mouth of the great river which drains Bengal. But 
though English dominion began there, and though a 
great centre of commerce must always <xist there, 
Australia has not hitherto had such direct con- 
nsction with it, as it has with other parts of the world. 
Asa claimant for our trade, Calcutta has hitherto been 
at a disadvantage. The leader of commerce there, 
however, are aware ot the growing importance of Aus- 
tralia, are increasingly anxious to see direct communic- 
ation established, and ure piepared to give it every 
encouragement. 
In a recent number of the Ceylon Observer, the editor 
observes : — 
" A planter writes : — 1 The bread supplied to us here 
is oftentimes mixed with rice-flour, and is very dear. 
How is it we do not get cheap wheaten flour from 
Australia now, say in kegs of 14£lb. ; as also butter 
and cheese at cheap rates ; also good solid biscuits ? 
Planters would purchase such provisions regularly, if 
Bold cheap. We cannot any longer look to England for 
(heap diary produce. Australia must now supply us,' 
Finer wheat and finer flour than Australia produces, 
the world cannot show. But. to stand our damp hot 
climate, the flour must come in tin cases from Australia 
or it must, immediately after arrival, be put into tins 
or large earthenware jars. Biscuits and cheese, too, 
ought to be obtained from the Australian colonies at 
rates cheaper than England can afford ; while, with care 
in preparation, packing and carriage, butter should be 
included. Both butter and chee-e of good quality and 
in good condition have reached Ceylon from Melbourne. 
There are periods of the year, however, when butter 
becomes scarce and dear in many parts of Australia. 
The great wants are frequent intercourse, cheap freights, 
and special arrangements for carrying butter, fresh 
meat, fruit, &c. Those wants will yet be supplied, we 
feel certain, and a mutually profitable trade established, 
between the eastern and the eouthern colonies of 
Britain." 
CUBE FOR CRICKETS. 
TO THE EDITOR OP THE ' ' MADRAS MAIL. " 
Sir, — Your correspondent Distracted " complains, 
in your issue of the 11th instant, of " a plague of 
crickets." If he will try the Oodbuttee in fumigat- 
ing his rooms, or sprinkling freely over the places, 
a solution of carbolic acid, he will at once get rid of 
his "plagues?" — Yours, &c, John Shoktt. 
Yercaud, 14th Feb. 
COFFEE DYING OUT FROM DISEASE IN BRAZIL. 
Through the medium of the ably and honestly con- 
ducted Eio News, 'we shall soon know the truth and 
the whole truth about Brazil. In the paper of 24th 
December there is a scathing denunciation of the policy 
of so aiding private enterprize by Government grants 
of guarantees to private " usines " as really to strangle 
independent action. The writer shews the deleterious 
effect of the bolstering up policy on sugar and other 
industries as well as coffee, and we should wish to cojry 
the whole article. But considerations of available space 
compel us to confine our extracts to what is said about 
coffee. It will be seen that not only is disease pre- 
valent amongst coffee in Brazil, but disease of so fatal 
a nature that in fourteen years once productive coffee 
orchards had become a thing of the past in a district 
whence the infection was rapidly spreading. What the 
specific disease is, we are not informed, but it is evid- 
ently as deadly as our fungus. It may be the affection 
of which we have heard : the trees perishing from the 
attacks of myriad insects on then- roots. Anyhow, we 
now know that, if Brazil possesses much young and 
productive coffee, the older plantations are perishing 
from disease. Over-production will be checked by this 
fact as well as by its own direct effect of low prices. 
We quote as follows : — 
One of the great obstacles in the way of a per. 
manent industrial development in this country — and 
we propose to speak plainly — is the lack of individual 
independence aud enterprize. This serious defect i9 
one which has grown out of a long eeries of administrat- 
ive errors, aud is to day gaining eo strong a hold 
upon the country that it promises to defeat not only 
the development desired, but to strangle the develop- 
ment already secured. That this statement is perfectly 
just let us take up any industry that our Brazilian 
friends may choose to name. 
First and foremost among all the industries of the 
country is that of coffee production. This great 
industry is so well adapted to the soil and climate of 
