1050 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[June i, 1882. 
Superintendent will be well versed in its cultivation as he has had several acres under his charge 
in Jamaica. 
Benzoin.— Seeds of Styrax Benzoin received from the Buitenzorg Garden, Java, have given 
us young plants which are growing with great vigour and beauty. Gum Benjamin, the resin of 
this plant, is obtained in Sumatra and forms a large export from that country through Singapore 
and Penang to Bombay and Europe. Though not now much employed in medicine it is largely 
used for incense and in making pastiles, &c. Benzoic acid is also obtained from it. 
Cola Nut. — Two young plants of Cola acuminata, the seeds of which are a well-known 
masticatory among the negroes of W. Trop. Africa, have been received from Kew. Of this tree 
we already possess several examples in the gardens. 
Annatto.— Several gentlemen have made enquiries as to the mode in which this is prepared 
for the market ; and as I could find no very definite published account, I applied to the authorities 
at the Royal Gardens, Kew, for information, and have received several communications from them, 
the most, important being from Mr. Vilmorin's report on " Produits Agricoles non Alimentaires" 
(Paris Exhibition "Rapports du Jury International). The following is a summary: — Bixa 
Orellana is native to Tropical America, but fairly naturalized in other hotcountries, as in India 
and Ceylon. Annatto (Roucou is the French name) however is prepared almost wholly in the 
French colonies, chiefly Cayenne (French Guiana) and Guadeloupe (which each produce about 
400—500,000 kilos), but lately taken up also in Reunion and the Indian Possessions of France. 
The Guadeloupe samples were the best at the Paris Exhibition. The best method of preparation 
appears to be (there are some discrepancies in different accounts) the following. The seeds with 
their pulpy envelopes are pounded in a wooden mortar, and after adding hot water the mixture 
is left in the mortar for several days after which it is passed through a sieve. The liquid is then 
left to ferment for eight days, when the water is decanted off and the deposited pulp left to become 
concentrated by evaporation in the shade. When it has acquired the consistency of firm putty 
it is made up into cakesof 1^ — 2 kilos weight. These are packed with plantain leaves, and have 
a lively orange-yellow colour ; the value is about 4 fr. the kilo. In Cayenne it would appear that 
the pulp is sometimes boiled for four or five hours and afterwards put under weights to squeeze 
out the water. It is also sometimes made into rolls instead of cakes, in which state it appears 
to fetch an inferior price. 
It is remarkable that none is made in British Guiana ; even that required for local 
consumption there is imported from the neighbouring French colon y. 
The trade in Annatto is a limited one. It is used as a dye occasionally, but its principal 
employment is for colouring cheese and butter. 
Timber Trees. — About 25 young trees of the valuable Greenheart of Demerara (Nectandra 
Rodicei) have been planted out in the old arboretum. They were obtained from the Botanic Garden 
in that colony, some directly and some through Kew. The tree is figured in Bentley and Trimen'3 
" Medicinal Plants," t. 219, on account of the bark and the alkaloid Bebeerine contained in it being 
included in the British Pharmacopoeia ; but it is now little employed in medicine. 
To Mr. Jenman we are also indebted for another excellent timber tree of British Guiana, the 
Mora, Dimorphandra Mora, or Mora excelsa. 
A Wardian case of 30 young Mahogany trees has been sent to the Governor-General of 
Netherlands India, Java, and one of 39 to the Collector of Tanjore. A single capsule ripened on 
one of our largest trees in Peradeniya in January, the sole result of myriads of flowers. 
Sandal Wood has often been claimed as a native of Ceylon, but does not occur here wild. 
Attempts to raise trees in the moist climate of Peradeniya have not hitherto been successful, but 
a few seedlings (from Mysore seed kindly sent by Col. Beddome) planted out on a dry sunny 
slope in August last give promise of succeeding well. In some of the drier districts young plants 
formerly sent out from the gardeus have done well. In the event of any steps being taken 
towards an efficient Forest Conservancy, proper plantations of this extremely valuable tree may 
be therefore contemplated. 
" Lore-country Products." 1 '—Of the estates opened lately in the low coast districts of Ceylon, 
the group at Udagama, some 25 miles from Galle, is of special interest. These are not more 
than 300 feet above the sea and have a rainfall of 150 inches well distributed over the year. 
The cultivation of nutmegs and pepper especially has been undertaken in a systematic manner, 
