Oct. r, 1894.J THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
259 
to be gathered about 10 or 12 montha from the time 
of planting. Its maturity is indicated by the tops or 
leaves turning yellow and falling off. The roots run 
to a depm of from 16 to 18 inches b-dow the surface 
of the ground and are dug up with hoes. At the 
same time that the labourers are gathering the crnp 
th°y break off the upper portion of the root find 
replant it so that the operations of gathering and 
plauting are carried on simultaneously. AH dead 
leaves &c. are dug iuto the ground, and form manure 
for the ensuing crop. 
The manufacture of arrowroot is a simple process, 
and does not require expensive machinery. The mont 
important thing is to have a good supply of clean 
frejh water. When the tubers arrive at the mi 1 
they are well soaked in water and thoroughly 
washed. The outer covering of skin is then 
t 'ken off, and they are again Wiished . After 
this they are put through a pulping mach ne 
which tears the roots to pieoes. The pulp is placed 
in a sieve and, whilst water is flowing on it, it is 
const antly stirred so that the grains of starch are 
separated from the fibrous portion. The fibre is 
further removed by being strained through sieves of 
uated fineness. The water containing the starch 
flows into tanks, where it is allowed to settle, and 
the water is then run off. It is again washed to 
remove any remaining impurities. The pure starch 
is taktm from the Bettling-tauks and placed on trays 
to drain and harden, after which it is removed to 
th^ drying house. It is then placed in the to pmost 
of a seiies of sieves of progressive fineness, which 
are suspended over large woaden trays. The arrow- 
root becomes dry, oracks «nd falls through sieve 
after sieve, until it finally reaches the wooden 
tray at the bottom in a fine granulated form. This 
completes the preparation, and it, is now rea ly to 
be put in barrels for exportation. The dry is done 
by means of air, the drying-hou'-e being open on all 
sides to ensure free circulation. — Mr Croiother's Report. 
TEA CULTIVATION IN THE MADKAS 
PRESIDENCY DURING THE 
"SEAR 1893. 
The total area under tea cultivation in the Madras 
Presidency during the year 1893 amounted to 3,900 
acres, against 5,694 acres in 1892. Tea planting 
was confined to the districts of the Nilgiris and 
Malabar during the year. The plantations in the 
Vizagapatam and Madura districts were abandoned 
during the year. From figures furnished by the 
owners Of plantations the total area under mature 
plants during the year was 2,938 acres, against 5,467 
acres in 1892, and uuder immature plants 387 
acres, against 227 acres. These figures differ 
from the total area, as details of the area under 
mature and immature plants are not available in the 
case of some detached patches. There were 85 tea 
plantations, 80 on the Nilgiris and 5 in Malabar, 
against 97, 93 on the Nilgiris and 4 in Malabar 
in the previous year. The number of persons 
employed on these plantations during the year 
was permanently 150,726, agaiust 54,105, and tem- 
porarily 41,577, against 13,245 in the previous year. 
The total yield of tea during 1893 was 829,3031b., 
against 116,24011'. in the previous year. The average 
yield in lb. per acre of mature plants was 301 in 
the Nilgiris, agaiust 200 in 1&92, and 66 in Mala- 
bar, against 299. 1,666 acres of land were taken 
up for planting but were not yet planted during the 
year, against 1,016 acres in the previous year. 
Tne number of tef» plantations in Tiavimcure on 
the 31->s D. comber, 1873, were 82, cgaiust 70 ou the 
same date in the previous year. Toe total area 
under tea during the j ear was 7,780 acres, agaiust 
7,321 aores iu 1892 ; the aie.i un er mature and 
i nmature plants was 5,788 ai.d 1,992 aore-, against 
6,008 ami 2,250 acr s in ihe pr^c ding yea'. The 
total approximate yield was 2,077,012 lb. all being 
black tea, against 2,030,225 lb. viz , 1,870,225 blaok 
and 160,000 lb. of greeu tea. The total number of 
persons employed permanently on the plantations 
nnd gardens in Travancore during the year was 
1.115,040, against 955,935 in 1892. The average 
jieli per acre was 359 lo , against 4011b. in 1892. 
In Cochin there were only two plantations as in 
the previous year, with 57 acres under tea, against 
51 acres in 1892. There were 51 ttcres uuder 
mature and 6 under immature plants, against 41 
and 10 respeotively in 1892. During 1893 on'y 2 
parsons were emplojed permanently on the^c plan- 
tations, against 19 in 1892, and 3,800 temporarily, 
agaiust 2,000. The total approximate yield was 
18 850 1b. of black tea, agaiust 6,1001b., viz., 6.050 
ot black and 50 lb. of green tea in tho preceding 
year. Tne average yield in I!>. per acre of mature 
plants was 370, against 149 in 1892.— Madras Times. 
CACAO CULTIVATION IN TRINIDAD. 
Acoompan'ed by Mr. Hart, I rode through 6everal 
Cacao Estates in the Haravaland Sauta Crnz districts 
with a view of examining the method of cultivation 
and arrangement; and by the kind permission of Mr. 
Watkius, the Manager of cne of thes9 estates, I was 
enabltd to examine in detail the method of growing 
and curing cacao. I subsequently visited other cacao 
estates, but as the mode of cultivation, and the 
arraogement of the dryiDg-houses, &c, are alike 
throughout the colony, it may be w>ll to deal with 
the question fully now- 
The young cacao plants are placed at intervals of 
tweiv.i or til tt en feet ap rt according to the nature 
of the soil, and plantaius or cthtr vegetab'es are 
plao* d close to th m for the purposes of temporary 
shade. At the same time the " oaoao mother" (Er?j- 
thrina umbrosa) is planted every 50 or 60 feet apart 
tot permaueut shade. Other plants are also used for 
this purpose, such as the Sandbox Tree (Hura 
crepitans) the Guango, &c, but Erythrina is tbe one 
most frequently u ed. During the early stigesof the 
cult vntion it is moat important that the Cacao Plauta. 
tiou should be kept free from weeds; as the trees 
grow and cover the land the weeds do not grow so 
quickly, and are very easily dispofed of. I observed 
that pruning was very much uegleoted in Trinidad. 
I vi ited one or two estates, however, where great 
attention was paid to this important branch of cultiva- 
tion, but generally it was almost eutirely disregarded. 
As the Cacao pods are bon e on the stem and main 
brauchts of the tree, it is essentia' that these branches 
should be kept clear of foliage and small branches by 
careful pruning. A tree consisting of a single stem 
with four or fi?e spread ng branches about 2 ft. 6 in. 
or 3 f p . from the ground would undoubtedly produce 
the best orops, and development in this direction 
t-hould be aimed at. The tree should be kept open 
in the Ofntre to permit a free circulation of air, 
and the ends of the branches only should be oovered 
with leaves so that they might afford shade to the 
inner portion of the tree. All suokers and inward- 
growing brauches should be pruned off, and tho 
branches kept free from mosses and other epiphytes, 
as they prevent the development of the flowers. In 
gathering the crop the greatest care must be exer- 
cised or peiminent damaged will be done to the 
tre*. The po t must be cut off cleanly with a sharp 
kni e, and on ni account must it be pulled or twisted 
off. It should be cut as close to the pod as possible, 
because at the p'ace where the pod is attached there 
are eyes from whioh the fljweis for the next year's 
crop will spring, and iu the proportion thai ihe eyc9 
are damagtd in that proportion does tho tree becorno 
sterile. When gathered the pods are placed iu heaps 
and out open with a cutlass, and the b:aus are 
tabeu out and conveyed to tho " sweating-house " to 
undergo the process of fermentation. There are 
many opinions as to the best made of sweating, but 1 
think the mo hod gem. rally preferred is to all.jw ihe 
beans to fcrmout for eight or nine days, turning 
them over about three times during this period, so 
that an equal degree of fermentatiou may take place 
throughout the macs. Some kinds of cacao do not 
require so much sweating as others, but only ex- 
perience can determine this. 
