Nov.  i,  1892.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
319 
The  amount  of  fat  was  not  sufficiently  inconsistent 
with  the  amount  of  the  other  ingredients  to  attract 
suspicion  to  any  one  of  the  samples. 
“ Sugar  and  starch  are  used  to  a moat  deplorable 
extent-”  In  adding  “ phosphates,  as  found  in  wheat,’’ 
the  manufacturer*  of  Digestible  0000a  “ overlooked 
the  fact  that  the  husked  cocoa  bean  is  fully  as  rich 
in  phosphoric  acid  as  is  wheat.” 
Beef  tea  was  ODce  considered  to  be  a very  con- 
centrated and  easily  digestible  food,  and  was  given 
to  invalids  in  small  quantities  with  full  confidence 
in  its  great,  almost  miraoulous,  nourishing  power. 
It  has  long  since  been  degraded  very  nearly  to  the 
rank  of  a mere  stimulant  and  is  never  intelligently  | 
administered  except  when  accomps.nied  by  an  ample 
amount  of  nourishing  food. 
As  a concentrated  and  easily  digestible  food  for 
invalids  cocoa  preparations  are  already  beginning 
to  share  the  same  fate ; as  material  for  the  prepara- 
tion of  pleasant,  exhilarating  and  slightly  nutritive 
beverages  for  both  weak  and  strong,  the  cp.reer 
of  cocoa  preparations  is  only  just  begun.  Moreover, 
their  proeress  in  popular  favor  will  keep  pace  with 
tho  manufacturers'  appreciation  of  this  faot. 
In  conclusion  the  report  says  : The  results  of  these 
investigations  emphasize  in  many  ways  the  many 
piers  that  have  been  made  for  the  estp.blichaient  of 
standards  of  purity,  strength  and  quality  for  foods— 
for  some  certain  means  of  enabling  tha  public  to  know 
the  strength, quality  and  degree  of  purity  of  the  food 
materials  on  the  markets.  Tbe  question  of  economy  | 
alone  is  sufficiently  important  to  justify  serious  con-  | 
sideration  of  this  need,  for  no  question  oan  be  of  more  I 
importance  to  a great  part  of  our  nation  than  ques- 
tions of  economy  in  food,  drink  and  clothing. — Ameri- 
can Grocer,  June  29. 
PLANTATIONS  AT  MAHANORO. 
ALMOST  ALL  BELONGING  TO  BRITISH 
SUBJECTS. 
I send  you  a list  of  the  plantations  of  Mahanoro 
and  its  neighbourhood.  We  rfekon  in  the  Mahanoro 
district,  43  plantations  of  Vanilla,  and  in  the  district 
of  Vatomandry,  close  to  Mahanoro,  8 plantations. 
The  planting  of  vanilla  is  increasing  gradually,  and  is 
now  very  important.  Almost  all  these  plantations 
(with  a few  exceptions)  belong  to  British  subjects. 
It  will  also  be  remarked  that  the  cultivation  of  Cocoa, 
Tea  and  Liberian  Coffee  has  commenced.  As  re- 
gards the  sugar  cane,  which  would  succeed  very 
well,  when  judged  from  specimens  of  those  cultivated 
by  the  natives  who,  however,  do  not  take  the  least 
care  of  their  plantations,  its  cultivation  has  not  yet 
been  undertaken,  owing  to  the  scare  French  pre- 
tensions have  placed  on  all  of  us,  every  one  fearing  to 
engage  much  money  at  once  in  such  critical  times. 
MAHANORO  AND  ITS  NEIGHBOURHOOD. 
PLANTATIONS  OF  VANILLA,  &C. 
Mangoro  River : — 
Beau  Retour,  Fch 4000 
Reunion — Br  : — 4000 
Flora  Br  11000 
Avenir, Native  : — 12000 
Bonne  Veine 
Beau-Sejour  — 
Bon  Espoir — 
Surprise 
Gibraltar  
New  Chance — 
Imprevu 
Cascades — 
Hermitage  — — 
Trianon  
Revolution  — 
Tandrokomby  - 
Venture  . 
Br  12000 
Br  25000 
Br  25000 
Br  6000 
Br  1600 
Br  3000 
Br  8000 
Br  10000 
Br 6000 
Br  3000 
Fch 6000 
Br  3000 
Br  6000 
Vanilla  Vines. 
,,  ,,-3000  cocoa 
(trees. 
„ „ 100  „ 
>1  f) 
,,  „ 600  cocoa 
trees,  2000 
tea  & 4000 
coffee 
(Liberia). 
„ „ 600  cocoa 
(trees. 
J J 
Menagisa 
Anosy  (islet) 
Lebanon 
Marotsiriry 
Mahatsinjo 
Ankazon 
Andriampianinana 
Mahamasina 
Manolotsoa 
Nazareth 
Ambatomby 
Andevobe  — 
1 
) Native-300000 ,, 
J 
Br: 
12000  Vanilla  Vines,  100 
Cocoa  trees 
Native 
Native 
Native 
— 2000 
— 1000 
— 4000 
Miandry  ny  zara 
Betsizaina  Antitezana- 
Native 4000 
Fangarina,  Fch 7000 
Masomeloka,  Temps  1 
Perdu  Br  : — | 
,,  Ambodicoco 
native 
Mangidihidy,  Pain  de 
Sucre  ~ 
Lohariana  
Ihosy,  Solitude 
Eden 
Amiti6  — 
Unknown 
5000 
2000 
Br:—  9000 
Br:—  5000 
Br:-  8000 
Br;—  20000 
Br:—  8000 
Br:—  5000 
245,100  Vanilla  Vines,  4400 
(Cocoa  trees : 
BEPARASY. 
Manandry  Riveb  : — 
Bon  Eapiir  Br: — 6000  „ „ 
Lac  Marie Br  :—  20000  „ „ 
Upper  Beparasy:  — 
La  Resource Br  : — 6000  ;,  „ 
Mod  Repos Br  : — 8000  „ „ 
Sahasakana  : — 
Bonne  Chance Br  : — 4000  „ „ 
Union Br: — 8000  „ „ 
Unknown  Fch: — 8000  „ „ 
RuEgean  Ross  — Br  :—  20000  „ ,, 
80,000  Vanilla  Vines. 
The  number  of  Vines  on  the  above-mentioned  eftates 
are  approximate. — Madagascar  News,  July  9. 
AGRICULTURE  AND  HORTICULTURE  IN 
PERAK. 
Mr.  Oliver  Marks,  Superintendent  Government 
Plantations,  has  made  the  following  report  regarding 
the  District  of  Taiping  in  1891  : — 
The  year  has  hardly  been  a successful  one  in  re- 
gard to  agriculture.  No  coffee  planting  has  been 
done,  to  any  large  extent  ; and  in  spite  of  the  very 
favourable  terms  offered  by  Government  to 
pioneer  planters,  tbe  results  have  been  disappoint- 
ing. Several  applications  have  been  made  for  coffee 
land,  and  large  grants  have  been  given  to  approved 
applicants,  but  up  to  date  nothing  has  been  done 
to  open  up  tbe  land. 
The  natives,  and  the  Sumatra  Malays  now  in 
Perak,  have  planted  several  small  blocks  of  laud  with 
Liberian  coffee  and  fruit  trees,  and  the  demand  for 
seed  increases  as  the  success  of  Liberian  coffee 
becomes  known.  Raja  Mahmud,  of  Batu  Gajah,  and 
Imam  PraDg,  of  Gopeng,  have  already  large  tracts  of 
land  under  cultivation  and  are  adding  to  their  estates, 
and  have  been  supplied  with  seed  and  plants  from  the 
Government  nurseries.  Several  thousand  pepper 
cuttings  have  been  sold  and  distributed  to  native 
planters,  principally  in  the  Kuala  Kangsar  district, 
where  the  cultivation  of  pepper  is  daily  on  the  in- 
crease. Kong  Ling’s  estate  and  that  of  Syed  Musa 
are  both  doing  excellently,  and  should  both  give  fair 
crops  this  year.  Pepper  cultivation  is  admirably 
suited  to  the  Malays,  the  easy  and  idle  work  of  tend- 
ing the  vines  requiring  very  little  exertion,  and  the 
small  profit  satisfying  their  ambition. 
The  Government  pepper  gardens  at  Pand&ng 
Rengas  have  been  kept  in  good  order  during  the 
