7J<> 
TH k TROPICAL AGRICUI/rURIST. [Mav i, 895. 
C. P. Bell. It is taken from Arthetologia, vol. xxix. 
p: 407. 1812. 
Hook Money from Ceylon, 18th November 1811. 
Wm. Jordan, Esq., f.s.a. exhibited to the Society a 
specimen of money from Ceylon in the form of a 
double hook. Its name in the language of the Kau- 
dians is ^Audoo, which means a hook. It is of sil ei 
weighing about ten pence of our current coin, 
though it's value in Kandy, where it is stated to 
have been in use for more than three centuries, is 
only four-pence. A. M. Feinhkon. 
THE FUTURE OF THE MVNCn IN 
QUEENSLAND. 
TO THE EDITOR Of THE A U ST It A I. A S I A N . 
Sin, — In a recent issue of 2'Jie Anxtralaaian you show 
a most benevolent disposition towards the mango, and 
by those of us in North Queensland who are doing 
our best in a humble way to create outside markets 
for the surplus of the annual crop, your earnest 
efforts in the oause arc much appreciated. • '■ * At 
a time when it was the general opinion here that 
mangoes would not carry, 1 packed a case and sent 
it to Ararat, where the fruit arrived without spot or 
blemish. Then, in 181)2, Mr* Gulliver, of Roseneath- 
gardens, and myself went one better, Bending several 
cases to London. The British-India Steam Navi- 
gation Company, with characteristic enterprise, took 
a lively interest in the experiment. One lot of fruit 
was carried in the refrigerating compartment of the 
Jumna the temperature of which during the whole 
voyage averaged three or four degrees below freez- 
ing point. As a natural result the mangoes were 
frozen, and on being thawed most of them went 
disgustingly bad. Another lot was sent home in the 
iee chamber of the "Roma," which maintained an 
average temperature of about -12deg., being as much 
too hot as the Jumna's refrigerating chamber was 
too cold. However, here is what the London 
correspondent of the North Queensland Herald 
(to whom the fruit was consigned) wrote under date 
of 11th March, 1892 : — " Returning to Mr. Gulliver's 
mangoes. A few of the best were shown to one of the 
leading firms of fruit salesmen in Convent-Garden, 
whorepjrted that they were favourably impressed, and 
that they thought the public would take kindly to the 
new fruit if attractive kinds were sent over. This 
seemed a great point with them. The manager said 
that he thought it would be useless to expoi t the dull, 
unattractive sorts. Those splashed with red and yel- 
low and the large primrose mango these he thought 
would ' fetch' the public from their looks. The man- 
goes have also been shown to fruit brokers and lead- 
ing storekeepers, all of whom have taken interest in 
the venture, and say that there is no doubt but that if 
mangoes caa be put on the London market in good 
condition and looking well they will sell. Sothera is 
every prospect of success for this venture if it is fol- 
lowed up with skill and push." It was thought worth 
while recently to cable the information that the proper 
temperature for fruit during the voyage to London was 
about 35 deg. Mr. Gulliver and myself established 
this fact three years ago, as far as mangoes are 
concerned. If you can spare me a little more space, 
I would like to say something regarding the opinion 
frequently expressod by myself that the mango will 
become as popular as the banana with you Victorians. 
From my poiiit of view, the mango is passing through 
trials and experiences which exactly correspond with 
those put upon the banana not so very long ago. 
Twelve or fourteen years ago the Queensland banana 
was somewhat of a rarity in your shops. In those 
days we used to buy out of curiosity the plantain — 
the soapy, flavourless thing which has to be cooked 
to be made edible ; but that was what Victorians 
who did not know better were told was the banana. 
Of course, few desired a second acquaintance with its 
insipidity. Nowadays you can buy Queensland 
bananas — real Cavendish — upcountry in Victoria at the 
same price at which they are sold in Townsville. 
When I ponder over this circumstance I am con- 
firmed in my belief that the mango trade will rival the 
banana trade in volume, with this exception, alas, the 
banana lias all seasons for its own. The mango 
season lasts with us in Townsville fioui late in 
October until the beginning of April only. It were 
loo great and gloiious a gift of kindly Providence 
to be always with us, I am sending you by parcel 
pobt a Miiall coni- ignment of mangoes fioiu Ko-. 
neatb, Mr. Gullivers garden. The condition* mi 
posed by (be post are not favourable to tin- fruit, 
and if a small pioportion arrives in an edible Mute 
I shall be satisfied, for I can bardlv believe that 
when you have tasted a few you will still demand 
"some method of rendering the mango palatable 
Some extracts concerning the fruit are eitcloaod. — 
Yours, See., E .1. JiANFIELD. 
Townsville. February 18. 
THE AGAVE OR ALOE AS A KIBRE 
PLANT. 
To thi: EJDITOB, •• Tin: Inkian I'.m im i.i:. 
Deah Silt.— In >our number of the lDtli .lanuaiv. 
you have a leading article on ■• Sida a.-, a valuable 
fibre-producing plant, and there! »re of economic value 
and worthy of attention being given to its cultuii-. 
I would also ask you to draw attention to another 
valuable fibre-producing plant whose cultivation on 
a correct basis would, I am sure, be of beiefit, and 
at any rate it woidd add to the ic-outces of the 
country. 
I refer to the " Agace," or as it is couimonlv 
though enoneously called " Aloe " plant. It is well 
known that the leaves of the agave plant can render, 
when properly treated, a very strong and durable 
fibre. In the Bombay Presidency the cultivation of 
the " Agave " is curried out tD a certain extent, and 
the fibre extracted therefrom, but this is done in a 
very unscientific and ignorant manner, and conse- 
quently the fibre produced is not fit for the 
manufacture of any but the coarsest of fabrics, 
as bags for coin, rice, <fcc. Again the 
" Agave " cultivated is the species kno.vn »8 A. 
viri/mra which does not yield such a good fibre as A. 
autericaiia. I am told that experimental cultivation was 
carried on in seme of the Bengal jails under the 
orders of Government, but do not remember having 
seen any report on the results. Perhaps you or any 
of your readers could give some particulars as to 
what has resulted from the jail experiments, or from 
any which may have been privately carried out. The 
cultivation of the "agave is so simple, and not 
attended with a>:y expensive outlay; and further (he 
extraction of the fibres is by no means a difficult 
operation, that tha plant seems to me as being 
particularly suited for village cultivation on waste 
lands ; while the operations of fibre extraction and 
even spinning into yarns might form an employment 
for the women and children of a village community. 
I firmly believe that something can be done in this 
line to help towards establishing local industries and 
your support and advocacy will greatly help towards 
bringing this about. 
By the way some time ago a company was formed 
in Calcutta I think, called the " Indian Husbandry 
Company," whose object was to further the interests 
of such industries as I have mentioned. 
If this company is still in existence. I have not 
heard of it lately. — Yours faithfully, Industry. 
February 28th, 181)5. 
— Indian Engineer. 
THE BANANA DISEASE. 
BY Hf.kbket Worsley. 
The subject of the disease in bano-iias is now oc- 
cupying the attention of cultivators and I now purpose 
to explain the system of treatment necessary for its 
cure. 
The chemistry of agriculture is a somewhat compli- 
cated matter, but by explaining a few of the leading 
points of interest we shall then know how to act. 
Plant life requires to find in the soil at its disposal 
as food certain matters ; namely nitrogen, lime, 
potash, phosphorous iron, and magnesia and these 
matters must all be present at the same time, 
because, if one or more be absent, the action 
