THE TROPICAL 
AGlilULTURIST. 
I July 1, I'JOO. 
is the Bonnet Pepper (C. ictnuionuni), the traits 
of 'which are very lleshy, and liave a <ie)ircssefl 
form, like a Scotch bonnet. Tim shrubby Capsi- 
cum, or Spur Pepper, (C. frutescens), is a nati\ e 
of the East Indies, and has been in our gardens 
since 105G. It forms a dwarf bushy slirnl>, with 
wliite llowers, and bears numerous snifill oblong 
obtuse pods which are very pungent, and in tlieir 
green and ripe state are used for pickling, as well 
as for making Chilli vinegar, 'iliis is done by 
merely putting a handful of pods into a bottle, 
and afterwards filling it with best vinegar, wJiich 
in several weeks will be fit for use. But the chief 
purpose for which this species is cultivated is for 
rnaking Cayenne pepper, which is often prepared 
by drying the pods on a hot plate, or in a slow 
oven, and then pounding tliem in a mortar, and 
passing them through a hand-mill until the whole 
is reduced to the finest possible state. After this 
lias been done, the powder is to be sifted through 
a thin muslin sieve, and preserved in well-corked 
glass bottles for use. The common annual 
Capsicum, or Guinea Pepper f'C. annuum), was 
introduced into Europe by the Spaniards. It was 
cultivated in England in 1518, and is sufficiently 
hardy to thrive in summer against a south wall 
in the open air, and nature its fruit. The colour, 
direction, and figure of the latter is very vari- 
able — some being yellow, others red, and others 
black. In a green state they are used for pickling, 
and when ripe are mixed with tomatoes, &;c., to 
form sauces. They are also dried and ground 
for use like Cayenne pepper. The Berry-bearing 
Capsicum, or Bird Pepper ft', hacaitinii ), is in- 
digenous to both the East and West Indies, and 
has been grown in this country since 1781. Its 
pods are erect, roundish, egg-shaped, veiy ijun- 
gent, and when ripe are dried and used for the 
same ]ju.rposes as those of other kinds of (Jup- 
sicu.111. They also form one of the chief ingre- 
dients in the preparation known in tlie West 
Indies afi m'l.n-flruiu, which is usually resorted to 
by those affected o ith loss of appetite or weak 
digestion, and consists of cucumbers sliced vei-y 
thin, slnillots or onions cliojjped very fine, a little 
lime juice and Maderia wine, to which is added 
a handful of the pods of this pepper, and the 
whole are then mashed too'ether, and mixed with 
as much liquid as may be thought necessary. 
Besides the three species noticed as being tlie 
kinds most generally cultivated, there are many 
other species and varieties occasionally grown for 
the sake of their pods, all of which yield a warm 
acrid oil, which acts powerfully on the stomach, 
and is thought to correct flatulency, and assist 
digestion. f W. B. B.] 
THE INDIAN CURRENCY AND EXPORT- 
ING INDUSTRIES, 
London, 25th May, 1900. 
Sli{.,— Last Thursday I attended Mr. Kaines's 
lecture on the Industries of India, and spoke 
in the discussion, and showed that in con- 
isequence of the currency measures, all in- 
dustries lunst decline. In ;l word, I showed 
that the Government, hy their method of 
giving stability to the exchange value of the 
rupee, had given an unstable value to pro- 
perty. That it had declined in value since 
IH'Xi, and was liable to be again diminished 
in value should the needs of the Govermnent 
com])!'] it again to raise the exchange. I 
also showed t lia.t tiie withdrawal of ca,))ital 
was proved by diuiinisliing wages, and dinii- 
iiisi>ing jneans of en)])loyuient. When Lord 
George jlamiltoii attempted to answer me 
he av(;id(!d India altogtsther and, as a I'eply 
to what I liad pointed out as to the decrease 
iu. wvly inmiigratiou into Ceylon, merely 
said that the i-e))ort ( n the island was favor- 
able. ^Vhen Mr. Rees (who is in the Coun- 
cil at Calcutta) attempted an answ er, it was 
merely to say that he knew of a consider- 
able sum that was about to be spent in 
jilanting in Travancore. But, of course, no 
answer was possible-. Formerly we stood 
on an automatic currency wliich kept us ou 
even terms with onr silver using rivals in 
other ])arts of the world, whereas now we 
are not (jnly heavily handicapped in our 
competition, hut may be much more so, 
if recur) ing famines cause the Government, 
as is very probable, to again force up the 
rate of exchange — Obediently vours, 
ROBERT H. ELLIOT. 
P. S — You Vi ill observe remarks by 
Mr. Vithaldon D. Thackersey in Weekly 
Tunes of I iidia for .M.-iy."j*h. (ui h'Av the Bom- 
bay Cotton Mills have l)ei-n suflering from 
the currency legislation, iiut. of course, every 
kind of productive enterprise must suffer. 
The Mysore gold mines managed hy a single 
agency lose u[)wards of i^oLOOO a year for every 
penny the exchange has been forced up, and 
considering Lhatthe exchange ought now to be 
at Is Id. and that their operation have in- 
creased since the above cadculation was irwide, 
the present loss is probably about i;iOO,OtKJ 
jier annum, or say £90,000 if we allow 
£10,000 for saving on purchases from this 
side.— R.H.E. 
A TAMIL TREATISE ON AGRICULTURE. 
( Communicated. ) 
Mylapore, June 1st, 1900. 
SiK, — In a separate packet I send for your kind 
perusal and early review my honk on Agricul- 
ture in Tamil. The book contains ^collection of 
agicultural practices explaining tlie laineiple un- 
derlying them, thus solving the problems of Tree- 
growing, Village Sanitation, etc. Attempt was 
made to write it in a village Tamil, so that every 
Tamil-knowing individual may understand the 
contents of t!ie book. 
My 15 years' experience in questions connected 
with Agriculture warrants nie to present a pub- 
lication to my countrymen. The publication is 
no commercial concern. It is done with love — 
the local papers have recommended the book to 
the notice of the Government so that it may 
he popularized in villages and made a subjecl 
of study in schools. 
If you think the book is deserving of 
the above recommendation I request you will 
also help me in taking it to the notice 
of Ceylon authorities : I shall thank you much. 
I require only fair play. In conclusion I re« 
quest you will send nie the issue containing the 
review for my information. An early review 
is solicited. — Yours faitlifuily, 
G. RAJAGOPAL NAIDU, 
Agricultural Inspector. 
Mylapore : Madras. 
( Be vkiv — Commiinicatcd. ) 
' VivASAYA ViLAKKAM " Or " Agricultuve Explained " 
ia the title of a Tamil treatise on Improved Agri- 
cultura by Agricultural Inspector Kajagopal Naidn of 
iVIadras, late Superintendent Lashio Farm, Burma. 
This book bears on its title-page the appropriate 
motto "India's nsed is improved Agriculture," and 
is dedicated to Mr. Charles Benson, Deputy Director 
pf Laud Records and Agii<Hilture, Bladras. 
