F;b. 1,1895.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
5ii 
record month, up to date. Not one of them failed 
to exceed any previous year in outturn, and this, with 
finer leaf, speaks volumes. Our estimate for this 
season (Stanger district) is, as you know, 720,000 lb 
but if the present favourable conditions continue till 
the end of January we shall not hesitate to clap on 
another 40,000 or 50,000 lb to that total. Our neigh- 
bours are, I am glad to say,, doing equally well, so 
that the prospect is decidedly encouraging. — Hiatal 
Mercury, Dec. 14. 
NEW PROCESS FOR EXTRACTING 
RAMIE FIBRE. 
Ramie or Rheea fibre is once more a general 
subject of attention in the press. New companies 
and new modes of dealing with the fibre are not 
unfrequently spoken of ; but it would seem as 
if the latest London Company to which we re- 
cently referred possessed the truly economical 
method ; for its business is largely on the in- 
crease. Meantime, we observe the following- 
paragraph from the Singapore Free Press given 
an extract from a report by the American Consul - 
General there, Consul-General Pratt : — 
" My attention has recently been called to a new 
and economical process for the extraction of the fibre 
of the ramie plaut by simple chemical means and 
heat. Desirous of satisfying me as to the efficacy 
of the above, the inventor took a quantity of the 
plants, stripped off the bark in my presence, and 
after about forty minutes' boiling in his mixture, pro- 
duced a mass of fibre which seemed entirely free 
from gum or other deleterious ingredients, and which 
after having been simply washed in cold water, dried 
a few hours in the sun, and then pulled out with the 
fingers, appeared in proper shape for spinning. If, 
as I am inclined to think, the ramie will thrive in 
our Atlantic and Gulf States of the South, in South- 
ern California, and in New Mexico, our agriculturists 
would greatly benefit by producing the plant, were 
a cheap and easy means afforded for the extraction 
of its very valuable fibre. '( 
America is not likely, we should think, to compete 
with India, Ceylon, Johore, &c, in the cultivation 
of Bnhmcria nivea, indigenous as it is to Assam. 
But what we are curious to know is where Consul- 
Genera] Pratt met "the inventor of the new 
process" of dealing with the fibre ? If in the 
Straits, there must be an additional "Richmond 
in the field." 
RECENT PATENTS. 
IMPROVEMENTS IN CINCHONA PREPARATIONS. 
No. 12,79G. 1894. F. W. Fletcher, Enfield. 
This invention consists in the extraction of cinchona- 
bark by means of a menstruum consisting of water, 
glycerine and hydrobromie acid. The process em- 
gloyed is a special one, and the evaporation is in racuo. 
ty this means an extract is obtained containing the 
whole of the alkaloids of the bark, together with 
the kiuic, kinovic, and cincho-tanuic acids, and the 
other natural and more or less undefined constituents 
of the bark, all of which possess valuable tonic, aro- 
matic, and astringent qualities. — Chemist and Druggist. 
HAWAIIAN COFFEE. 
The coffee industry of the islands is still in an ex- 
perimental stage. There are a number of plantations, 
a few of which will obtain a small crop this season. 
In North flilo, a plantation of thirty acres, in dif- 
ferent stages of growth, will yield ovor a ton of coffee. 
In this neighbourhood thero" are about 30,000 trees 
out. In ICona about 10,000 pounds is estimated as 
the crop from the wild groves located there. In Kai- 
luo, ou tho plantation of tho Hawaiian Uofl'oo and Tea 
Company, the coffee trees are iu fine condition. The 
company has 160 acres in coffee, of which a small por- 
tion has trees three years old. The bulk are from three 
months to two years old. The oldest trees, topped 
at four and a half feet and set six feet apart, are 
quite full of fruit, and a considerable number in 
the large fields have quite a sprinkling of berries 
onthem, and they promise well for the next crop. 
These are set wider apart, and will be topped 
higher. 
In some localities the soil is not of the right 
sort ; in others its capacity of growing coffee is to 
be tested. In Hilo a Mr. Rycroft has thirty-five 
acres of trees three years old and fifteen acres just 
planted. He expects to gather two tons of coffee 
this season. In Olaa about 300,000 trees are out 
and more being set out. The trees and young 
plants show a vigorous and healthy growth. There 
are no trees over two years old at present, and very 
few have yet attained that ago. In Kau there is 
land adapted for coffee, but not much has been done. 
In Hamakua a number of Portuguese have many 
trees more or less neglected. 
The Kukaiau plantation embraces sixty-five acres 
set at two different elevations, one part being 
1,400 feet and the rest 2,000 feet, in both of 
which the coffee looked very well and compared 
favorably with any seen, both in growth and Clear- 
ing, although a little wind-blown on the lower tract 
on the exposed ridges. This coffee is from two to 
three years old, planted seven by eight feet and 
being topped at six feet in height, and is just coming 
into bearing, and will possibly yield two tons of coffee. 
As in all countries where a new planting indus- 
try is started, views differ as to methods of culti- 
vation, and Hawaii is no exception to the rule. 
The proper height for topping, distance of setting 
the trees apart, and hade, are all matters about 
which planters differ. One grower, with 1,500 trees, 
costing P00, expects to get 1,500 pounds from the 
patch this year. 
From the above facts, reported by a committee 
of investigation, whose report in full is published in 
the Planters' Monthly for November, it is fair to con- 
clude that coffee promises to be a productive indus- 
try on the islands, where the soil and climate are 
favorable, provided cultivation is intelligently carried 
forward. Wild coffee was found growing in the forests 
and by the roadside, and producing fairly well. — Ameri- 
can Grocer, Dec. 12. 
COCONUTS IN NORTH NEGOMBO 
DISTRICT. 
NORTH OF THE MAHAOYA. 
Jan. 12. 
Rain seems to have been pretty general all over the 
island last week ; and this side has not been forgotten 
On one estate there was a fall of 4-35 inches on the 
7th and on the same day 1-60 on another estate 25 
miles farther north-west. This rain has been most 
welcome as cultivators were beginning to fear thev 
were in for another year of drought seeing that rain 
ceased so early in December. It has also saved the 
paddy crops which were beginning to suffer. Colds 
rheumatism and slight fevers have prevailed for a 
month past owing to the long-shore wind. Can vou 
give me the address of one or two tanners? I can't 
get the information in the " Ceylon Handbook and 
Directory," but " even Jove sometime-" nods." More 
powertoE. W. His "First March in Africa ' shows 
pluck and ondurance of no mean order. That last 25 
miles and the final climb would have " done' for many 
a younger man. I laughed considerably over some of 
his quaint conceits. [Written of course, before the 
ne as of poor E. W. s death arrived. A long— a last 
farewell to all his travels and jottiugs.— We shall 
certainly n<\d a list of tanners in Colombo to the 
•• Director v " now passing through tho press and hopa 
to give addiessos of one or two for our correspondent's 
benefit by Weducsday.— Ed. I'.A,} 
