178 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Sept. 1, 1900. 
to nothing about our subject at present, and very- 
soon most planters will be wanting to begin tap- 
ping on a small scale. Let us find out then as 
soon as possible all that there is to be learnt and 
apply that knowledge to suit local conditions. 
It has been estimated that to send a good man 
to Brazil with "carte blanche" to travel as he 
thinks best and to extend his inquiries, if he got 
the opportunity, to other rubbers besides Para, 
will cost in all probability not less than $10,000. 
In these hard times this is a large sum to raise, 
and my object in writing is to invite public opi- 
nion upon the question. If those interested will 
communicate their views to the press much good 
may result, and when the time comes for us to 
take definite actipn, the skeleton of the scheme 
will already have been framed. —I am, dear sir, 
yours faithfully E. V. Carey, Chairman, United 
Planters' Association. 
supplies stores and will shortly furnish soda-water 
also, a welcome diink in a dry land during the 
summer months. The enthusiastic sportsman may 
inquire how he is to get to Seistan : he will have 
to march from Quetta to Nushki and tiien across 
the desert, which Captain Webb-\Vare has opened 
out as a caravan route. He will find rest-houses 
conveniently placed, and if he wishes to see a new 
country, which may some day rise into importance 
owini; to its strategic position west of Afglianifstan, 
lie will take his guns and an uuliiuited supply of 
cartridges and hurry off to (juetta next winter. — 
Pioneer, August 17. 
SPORT IN SEISTAN, EASTERN PERSIA 
REPORT BY CAPTAIN CUENEVIX-TKENCH. 
The British Officer in India, Civil or Military, 
will go far afield for sport, and if he be particu- 
larly fond of using his smoothbore he may here- 
after be tempted to try Seistan in spite of the 
difficulties of getting there. Taking Captain 
Chenevix-Trench, British Consul in that part of 
Eastern Persia, as our authority, we may give 
some description of the country and of the game 
birds to be found therein, fcieistan, then, is a 
fertile plain about fifty miles square, watered by 
canals from the Heliiiand. That river forms the 
eastern boundary of the province and marks the 
local division between Persia and Afghanistan. 
The waters of the Helmand, instead of finding 
their way to the sea, spread themselves out over 
miles of plain and form a huge lagoon, seven or 
eight feet depp, called in the vernacular "Naisar." 
In the summer when the river is in iiood, due to 
the melting of the snows in the far-away Koh-i- 
Baba, this shallow lake extends its borders for 
miles'; bixt in the winter the water recedes, leav- 
ing a wide margin of grass and reeds. Then wild 
duck, teal and water-fowl generally come in en- 
ormous numbers from Central Asia, and the shoot- 
ing would be unrivalled — if sportsmen were there. 
There are no boats in Seistan, but an excellent 
substitute is found in the native tutin. This is 
made by binding together dry reeds into a solid 
mass, having the shape of a pointed raft with 
ratiie'r a high prow. The tiUhb is pointed along 
and makes a very comfortable form of duck-iiunt. 
Besides the " Naisar," there are many other 
smaller lagoons, and all give good cover. But 
Seistan has other game than water-fowl. In the 
Report of the 1871 Boundary Commission, the fol- 
lowing entry occurs in the diary under date Feb- 
ruary, 26th: " The land swarms with game and 
partii'dg'is. sand-grouse, quail, teal, duck, geese 
pad pigeon weie to be seen in every direction." 
Captain Trench states that the sportsman who 
adventures into Seistan will find villages every- 
where with supples in abundance: milk, eggs, 
and chickens are cheap, barley about one rupee 
per maund,«to 18 seers for a rupee. The people 
of the country are most friendly and are anxious 
to sell. Camels can be hired for transport and 
ponies can be bought at an average of R60 to K70 
each. The Beistanis all talk Persian, very few 
kno\\ing Hindustani, while Baluchis on the border 
Bpeak Baluchi in addition to Persian. There is an 
Indian sho)) at Nasratabad, the chief town, and 
it bears the name of "Mahomed Ali Brothers," 
titiuiUviv(;ii''-'Ub'' i" t|>uc-ttiv, Tlii:i gnterpiying firm 
TRADE IN DRIED LEAVES AND ELOWERS. 
Mr. E Riidowsky, Commission Agent, 14, Wein- 
ligstrasse, Dresden, Germany, asks us to draw the atten- 
tion of oar readers to the great possibilitiea there 
exist of opening up, between India and Europe, a 
remunerative trade in dried leaves and flowers such 
aa are extensively used in Europe for decorative 
pnrposes. Mr. E Rudowsky, in his letter, states : — 
" Our selection at the present time is very limited, 
and the steady growing demand in Europe compela 
us to seek for fresh fields to make up deficiencies, 
and as India has plenty to offer in that direction, 
there is a good way of opening new and profitable 
makets for such produce, and thus helping the 
colony. To give you an idea of the possibilities of 
the trade, 1 willj only mention that the so-called 
" Cape-flower," a small dried flower, is imported from 
South Africa in hundred-weights and tons, and I 
do not see why similar results should not be 
achieved gradually from India as well. Articles 
of this kind should be gathered with about three 
to four inches stem, as the case may be, so as 
to fasten to wreaths, bouquets, etc., well dried and 
packed in ten pound boxes (the limit the postal au- 
thorities carry), and sent by post. As they are light 
in weight a ten pound box would hold several 
thousand. Any dried leaves, flowers, etc., which are 
attractive enough to lend themselves for decorative 
purposes, would certainly be well appreciated here. 
Mr. E Rudowsky informs us that he will be glad 
to answer any further questions ; to receive samples ; 
and to give quotations, His address is given above. 
— Indian Forester. 
RUBBER PLANTING EXPERIENCES IN 
NICARAGUA. 
(To the Editor of the India Eubber World,) 
In the March number of your journal appears a 
very erroneous article, made up, it seems, of 
surmises and hearsay, written by Charles D. 
Scott, of San Juan Del Norte, Nicaragua, in re- 
gard to rubber culture in Nicaragua. For fear 
that his statements niay be believed by readers 
of your journal, I take the liberty of vs'riting 
to you to contradict iMr. Scott's rash article. I 
am sorry he did not make a thorough search 
for information. 
There are a number of good rubber plantations 
in this district. One planter is Mr. G. G. Cossitt, 
who gives his experience in rubber culture for 
the past three years, which is no hearsay or 
surmise, but reality. Mr. Cossitt says: "After 
years of exploration of Nicaragua, I decided to 
locate near here for rubber planting, on account 
of the rich land, healthy location, and proximity 
to market. In June, 1897, I planted my nursery 
of rubber seed, and in January, 1898, I begaa 
cutting the timber on the Tennessee plantation. 
Everything was cut clean and burnt off in April, 
and the rows for rubber laid off. On the 19th 
of May, 1898, as the rainy season began, I com- 
menced transplanting from the nurserv, and 
tinisUccl iu Julj% Since then I have kept tb^ 
