$02 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
fNov. r. 1894. 
an equable temperature, and thrives best in forests 
■where there is naturally a great amount of moisture, 
it, however, avoids anything approaching to marshy 
or boggy land, and manifests a preference for warm 
loam, or a sandy clay, often growing on the margin 
of small streams in clumps or groups, in situations 
where it is protected from the wind. 
This tree was introduced into the Botanic Gardens, 
Trinidad, some years ago. but from the absence of 
any certain records it is impossible to give the dale. 
We have specimens, however, over thirty feet in 
height, which have produced seeds for several years 
from which a large number of plants have been 
raised and distributed. From the similarity of the 
climate of Trinidad to that of Central America lying 
as it does within the same parallels of latitude, it 
h to be inferred that our climate is admirably suited 
to the growth of this plint, and that we should do 
well to propagate it upon an extensive scale. Mr. 
Morris in his work on British Honduras says, that 
the tree "gives a safe and sure return, and is c^p.ib'e 
of being rendered of the greatest value to planters 
not only in this Colony but everywhere in counee- 
tiou with the cultivation of Bananas, Cacao, Coffee, 
Oranges and other shade-loving plants. In most 
countries planters aro obliged to have permanent 
shade-trees for their plantations, and geuerally the 
trees used are worthless, except at shade-trees." It 
is well-known in Trinidad that the Bois Immortelle 
has no economic value other than as a cacao nurse, 
or mother to the cacao as the Spanish cultivators 
term it. It is therefore reasonable to suggest that 
if we can supply a plant which has all the advantage 1 
that the Immortelle is said to possess, and one which 
will in the future, under proper management, bring 
in a " safe and suro return" that there is room for 
experiment and trial. 
. I do not think however that the tree is bo well 
suited for cacao shade a3 the " Bois Immortelle " or 
the "Madera" of Nicaragua, still it may sometimes 
with advantage be planted conjointly with crops such 
as Cacao or Nutmegs, but it would be certainly 
preferable to cultivate it by itself and give it the 
protection of such trees as the " Samau," or "Cow- 
bean" tree " Pithecolobium Samau," as it is in such 
positions that it is found to thrive best in its original 
home. 
At thirteen feet apart there are 257 trees to the 
acre, or say in rouud numbers, 250. If each tree 
produces one pound (1 lb) of rubber and this sells 
(as it should) at 2/ per lb, it would yield a return 
of some £25 per acre, but it is estimated that when 
fairly established the yield per tree per annum would 
be three or four times the quantity mentioned. There 
need be little hesitation in deciding that to plant the 
tree at intervals or amongst other crops is far from 
being an economical procedure, for it is evident that 
a crop from trees systematically planted can be 
collected at half the cost of oi:e taken from trees 
planted at intervals with other crops. 
The method of collecting Rubber is extremely 
simple. The system common to the Orinoco is well 
described by Dr. Ernst of Caracas in Revista National 
de Agricultura which was translated aud published in 
our Bulletin No. 18, of June 1893, and from which 
planters can gather sufficient to enable them to carry 
on operations in a successful manner, but where 
further information is deemed necessary it will be 
readily afforded on application at tbe Garden's office 
by letter or by appointment. Caution however must 
be exercised in selection of sites, as Castilloa Eluatica 
is not a tree that will stand strong winds, such as 
prevail in on the shores of some West Indian Islands. 
It should therefore be only planted in well-protected 
situations. Plants that are fully twelve months old 
are the best for plaut : ng out, but other sizes can be 
used, if proper care is taken. The young plants 
should be kept in a shady position until the place 
is prepared where they are intended to be planted. 
To commence, a hole should be opened out, n:>t less 
than three feet in diameter and one deep, and the 
old soil entrely removed. Then prepare soil by cutting 
up the turf six inches thick from a loamy pasture 
where it has been closely grazed by cattle ; ohop this 
fine with a spade or hoe until the pieces are not 
more tha. 1J inches square, then mix it thoroughly 
with one third of its bulk of clean and h-ie river sand, 
fill the whole with this compost trcaJing it down 
somewhat firm with the feet, out not bard, let it rest 
a day or two and then p-.it in your p'ant. In placing 
the plant in the whole great care should be exercised 
not to put it in too low down. Never bury the stem 
of your plant below the surface but let what was 
originally the surface of the earth in the pot or 
bamboo b) again at the surface when yon havj finished 
planting. If th- plant does not stand firmly, place 
a small stake to its side and tie it loosely to it until 
the roots have taken sufficient hold. A.s the tree 
commences to grow it should bo kept to one stem, 
or rather one leader. Two leading branches should 
not ba allowed as our object is to iroduce a clem 
smooth stem to render the collection of the rubber 
a more simple operation than if the tree had branching 
stems. The tree at certain seasons sheds some of 
its leaves and not a few of its einaller branches but 
is seldom without some foliage all the year round. It 
mxy be stated — 
1st — That the industry is a very promising one. 
2nd— That it can be introduced with a very small 
expenditure. 
3rd — The retarns from rubber are fairly regular, as 
the material is produced at several seasons. 
4th — The cost of up-keep is very small indeed, prob- 
ably less than any other West Indian Crop. 
5th — The market for produce is constant and good 
and not liable to any considerable fluctuations and 
has a tendency to better prices. 
Such ;easou3 as the above should at least induce 
planters and proprietors to give the matter a very 
full consideration. 
COFFEIS CULTIVATION IN THE NEW 
WORLD. 
In the year 1871-75 Ceylon exported 988,328 cwt. 
of coffee, or a little under one million cwts. In 
the year 1802 the total exports were only 43,143 cwt. 
or less than one-twentieth of the exports of 1874-75. 
In fact, it may be said that the splendid coffe-i 
industry of Ceylon has within the last 20 years 
almost ceased to exist. This, as is well known, has 
happened owing to the appearance of a deadly fun- 
goid disease amongst the coifee plants, rendering 
them incapable of producing remunerative crops. This 
disease (llemiltia vastatria) is known as the ' Ceylon 
coffee-leaf disease." It has extended its ravages into 
nearly eveiy coffee producing c^uutry in the Old 
World. It first of all spread from Ceylon to Southern 
India and then gradually extended itself to the rich 
coffee plantations of Java, to Sumatra, the Straits 
Settlements, Mauritius, Natal, Madagascar, and last 
of all to Fiji. The effects of the disease have been 
almost as deadly in other countries as in Ceylon. 
Hence in the Old World tropics coffee cultivation is 
carried on under very disadvantageous circumstances, 
and the total yield is comparatively small. Fortu- 
nately, the disease has not, as yet, appeared in any 
portion of tropical America, either in the West India 
Islands, iu Central America or tropical South Ameri- 
ca. The falling off in the production of coffee in the 
Old World has naturally produced a stimulating 
effect upon coffee cultivation in the New World. 
Prices have ruled high and the industry has, on the 
whole, proved of a very remunerative character. The 
important coffee industries iu Guatemala, Costa Bica, 
and Brazil have greatly contributed to keep up the 
supplies iu the world's markets, and as might 
caturally be expectid they have iu consequence be- 
come singularly prosperous. In Guatemala especially 
the exports during the last few years have nearly 
doubled, and they are now of the annual value of 
nearly three million sterling. 
Attention was called to coffee production in 
Guatemala in the Kew Bulletin for November last 
(1892, p. 23). It was then sought to caII into existence 
a similar industry in the rich lands of the adjoining 
Colony of British Honduras. Everything necessary 
