3^8 
THE TROPICAL 
AGEICULTURIST. [Nov. 1, 1900. 
LIME AND MALARIA. 
Everything that tends to add to our 
knowledge of malaria— whether as regards 
the conditions which increase its spread or 
virulence, or the agencies which help to 
reduce its evil influence — is of interest to us 
as inhabitants of an Island which, despite 
its general healthiness, yields more victims 
to malarial fever than to any other ailment 
or epidemic. Indeed, fevers account for 
more deaths, probably, than all other diseases 
combined ; and malarial fever is more widely 
prevalent among us than any other ; and if 
it is not directly fatal to the same extent 
as other fevers, it enfeebles and ultimately 
conquers in most cases in which prompt 
treatment is not followed by adequate 
nourishment and care. It is, therefore, en- 
couraging after all the literature that has 
confronted us on the mosquito, — which is a 
troublesome enough customer without 
being reckoned as an active agent in inocu- 
lating one with malarial poison— to find that 
there is something to set against the mis- 
chievous mosquito. Though one may not 
be able to overpower the diminutive enemy 
directly with a coat of lime, lime has been 
found indirectly to be a potent agent 
against malaria. In Prance, Dr. Roche has 
discovered that the presence of lime in the 
soil or in the water, helps to exterminate 
malaria ; and it is a curious illustration of 
the inter-dependence of widely different 
industries that this medico-scientific dis- 
covery was first made in connection with 
experiments in Manuring I This fact is par- 
ticularly interesting to us as advocates, 
in season and out of season, of adding to the 
fertility of the soil by the judicious use of 
manures. The disappearance of marsh ma- 
laria from Puisaye, after lime had been 
used in the district as a fertiliser, led to 
investigations which are still being carried on, 
and which reasonably point to the proba- 
bility that in lime a very effective agent 
hag been found to neutralise the spread of 
malaria. Anotlier medical man. Dr. Grellet, 
has taken up the suggestion, the credit of 
which is primarily due to Dr. Roche ; and 
he has written to the Revue D' Hygiene, 
that the liming of the soil for agricultural 
purposes, in various provinces in France 
which were more or less affected by mala- 
ria, has resulted in the reduction of mala- 
rial cases, almost in proportion to the 
quantity of lime used. It is for experts to 
say whether his statement that, in many 
countries whose conditions favour the 
existence of malaria, the freedom or 
prevalence of malaria is the accom- 
paniment of a calcareous soil is true. Lower 
Egypt is cited as an instance ; 
while, in France, the district of Beaune on 
one side of the Loire is free from malaria, 
whereas the district on the opposite bank, with 
its sandy and clayey soils, is subject to it. 
So also the Channel coast of France is free ; 
while at the mouth of the Loire, malarial 
fevers are prevalent ; if the same observation 
applies to Algiers. Now this is a point 
which deserves special investigation in Ceylon, 
and we may add that there are peculiar 
facilities for observation in the compactness 
of our Island and in the free distribution of 
medical men throughout all the provinces. 
PLANTING IN DOMINICA. 
TO THE EDITOB OP THE TIMES. 
Sir. — I venture to beg you to give publication to 
a few lines dealing with one of our West Indian 
Islands and claiming for it the attention of those who 
aru interested in colonial enterprise. I refer to Domi- 
nica, one of the Leeward Islands, and of which I am 
administering the Goverament. 
Those beautiful isles, that are strong like a neck- 
lace across the throat of the Caribbean Sea, have 
never been " boomed " by advertisements nor ex- 
ploited by chartered Companies, and it is to be 
feared that in the case of Dominica, in particular, 
there are few of my readers who know much more 
about the island than that it is " somewhere in the 
West Indies," and consequently only vaguely con- 
nected in their miuds with buccaneers, rum, and yellow 
feTer. I am, therefore, addressing you in the h' pe 
that this may meet the eyes of young men possessed 
of energy and a moderate capital, who are inclined to 
become planters in a tropical island, and who may 
be induced to associate themselves with the progres- 
sive fortunes of one of cur most beautiful and valua- 
ble colonies. 
Dominica lies midway between the French islands of 
Martinique and Gnadelope and, for administrative pur- 
poses, has been p!aced under the control of the 
Governor-in-Chief at Antigua It is one of the most 
picturesque spots in the world, and its marvellona 
mountain scenery and tropical luxuriance evoked from 
Fronde some of his finest pieces of word painting. 
Comprising nearly 300 square miles Dominica is one 
of the largest of our West Indian islands, and offers 
a great field for agriculturul enterprise. The cultiva- 
tion of sugar has been practically abandoned, and, 
after a long period of difficulty and depression, the 
island appears, at last, to be entering on a phase of 
prosperity that bids fair to be permanent. Thanks to 
Mr. Chamberlain's lively interest in our great " un- 
developed estates," the Imperial Parliament was, last 
year, induced to vote a grant-in-aid to Dominica and, 
by its means, the magnificent highlands and valleys 
of the interior are now being made accessible. Over 
100,000 acres of virgin soil are thus being rendered 
available for cultivation and the natural conditions for 
successful enterprise are present everywhere. 
Unfortunately, the actual inhabitants of Dominica 
are possessed of but little capital, and their scanty 
resources have been heavily strained in their efforts 
to replace the unprofitable cultivation of the sugar 
cane by their present industries. Unassisted by 
extraneous capital and energy, the salvation of the 
island will be worked out but slowly, while, on the 
other hand, its great natural advantages ought, if 
made known, to attract to it an abundance of unin- 
vested money and enterprise. The men who are 
wanted in Ddniiuica are those of 
THE CLASS THAT HAVE MADE CEYLON AND BURMA 
what they are. They should be young, healthy, 
and energetic ; supplied with not less than 
£1,000, willing to work hard, and to wait three 
or four years for a good return. In the course 
of the last two decades hundreds of Englishmen, 
attracted by judicious advertisements and " puffs," 
have been induced to sink their energy and capital 
in Florida and California, while our own colonies, far 
nearer home and presenting latent possibilities of much 
greater advantages, have remained unvisited and un- 
undeveloped. If those men had been induced to try 
Dominica, Grenada, Trinidad, or any of the other 
West Indian islands, where sugar is not the 
supreme fetish, they would probably have been rich 
today instead of bemoaning the struggles and losses 
caused by frosts, droughts, blights, and dear labour. 
The climate of Dominica is excellent and parti- 
cularly suited to those who are inclined to pulmonary 
complaints. Yellow fever has been unknown for 50 
years, and there is very little malaria. White children 
thrive remarkably, and those who live in the hills a-re 
aa rosy and fresh as any in England. The temperature 
