Aug. 1, 1902.] THE TEOPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
mediately attract hordes of the more active true 
ants, which would speedily remove all traces of the 
mixture, though thousands would perish in the 
achievement. The wholesale destruction of these ants 
would be a distinct misfortune, and would probubiy 
result in a marked increase of real pests, upon many 
of which they prey. Application of an arsenical pre- 
paration — such as Arsenite of Copper, or " Gieen 
Araenoid " — without the treacle, would be nioro 
effective against the attacks of white ants, as it 
would not attract the attention of other insects. — 
Yours, &c., E. Ebnest Geeen. 
Peradeniya, June 25. 
^ 
LAGOS FOREST RESERVES AND 
RUBBER. 
In Octoberi attention was drawn in the paper 
"West Africa" to the fact that indignation was felt 
in Lagos at the Ordinance introduced into the Legis- 
lative Council by the Governor, in September (called 
the Forest Reserves Ordinance), with the object of 
protecting the rubber trade, by which it was sought 
to impose the requirement of a licence before rubber 
trees could be tapped or the produce could bo sold. 
It was stated that the natives regarded the proposed 
legislation as an unjust interference with the rights 
of the owners of land, and that great dissatisfaction 
was felt respecting it. 
The Section determined to address the Colonial 
Of&ce on the subject, since, while recognising and 
sympathising with every endeavour to protect the 
rubber industry, it felt it necessary to protest against 
one clause of the Ordinance as likely to cause much 
unnecessary friction. The following letter was 
consequently addressed to the Colonial Office : — 
"Manchester Chamber of Commerce, " Nov. 23, 1901. 
" Sib, — I am desired by the President of this Chamber 
to address you on the subject of the Lagos Forest 
Reserves Ordinance, which has been under the con- 
sideration of the African Section of the Chamber. 
The Section is strongly impressed by the necessity 
of preserving the productive capacity of the rubber 
plant in the interests alike of the Colony and of 
British trade with Lagos, It is apprehensive, how- 
ever, that some parts of the Ordinance, especially 
Clause No. 1 of Section 5, are very likely to create 
alarm and irritation in the native mind, since they will 
almost certainly regard it as an encroachment on 
the just rights of native landowners. It 'is believed 
also that the clause requiring every native selling 
produce to take out a licence will prove a source of 
discontent. I am to suggest that before your asstnt 
is accorded to this measure it may be revised wHh 
a view to removing all ground for reasonable objection 
on the part of the natives. I am further respectfully to 
express the regret of the Section that opportunity %va3 
not given, before the publication of the Ordinance in 
the Colony, to the Home Chamber of Commerce in- 
terested in trade with Lagos to consider and report to 
yon upon its terms, — I have, &c., 
" Elijah Helm, Secretary." 
" The Right Hon. Joseph Chambbelain, M.P., 
*' Colonial Office, London." 
'' Colonial Office, Downing Street, 
" December 26, 1901. 
" Sib,— I am directed by Mr Secretary Chamberlain 
to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of November 
11 on the subject of the Bill recently introduced into 
the Legislative Council of Lagos to provide for the 
regulation of the forests in the Colony and Protectorate. 
2. Mr Chamberlain is glaot to Fee that the Manchester 
Chamber of Commerce recognise the necessity of pre. 
serving the productive capacity of the rubber plants. 
It would, in his opinion, be to the advantage of the 
country as well as in the best interests of trade that 
the Governor should have power to regulate, not only 
the cgllectiou of rubber, but also the catting of timber, 
as proposed iu the Bill introduced into the Legislative 
Council, but, in view of the objections taken to the 
manner in which it was proposed that the rogulaliong 
should beeuforced, the Bill will not be proceeded with in 
its present form, lyir Chamberlnin hopes, however, that 
further discussiou will co;jvinoe the native autliori- 
ties iu the Protectorate of the necessity of taking 
measures to prevent the forests from boiug exploited 
at the expense of the future, and that it will be seen 
that the effect of regulations such as those proposed 
would be not to encroach upon the just rights, of the 
landowners and people in the Prutectoriit.i, but to 
protect them again.st the operations of pursons who 
are only intoredted in obtaining an immediate profit. 
3. I am to add, with reference to the last paragraph 
of your letter, that the introduction of a Bill into the 
Legislative Council is the method prescribed by 
the constitution of Lagos to afford opportunity for the 
discassson of measures before they are passed into 
law. — I am, &c., " C. P. Lucas." 
" The Secretary, 
Manchester Chamber of Commerce."— /«cZia Rubber 
Trades' Journal, May 26. 
COFi'EE IN ABYSSINIA. 
It is reported in letters received from Harrar that 
Mohamed Alia Bohra, a leading merchant of 
Abyssinia, has obtained from the King the mono- 
poly of purchasing coffee in Abyssioia and Harrar. 
Coffee sella at Harrar at 6 shiiUogs per maund of 
36 lb and the monopolist may buy it at half this rate. 
— Indian Witness. 
ASSAM TEA GOING OUT OF 
CULTIVATION. 
Read letter dated 4th June, from Messrs. Shaw, 
Walla^ie & Co., poin.ing out, in reference to the 
" Report on Tea Culmre in Assam" for the year 
19Q1, just issued by the Assam Secretariat, tlie 
large amount of Tea land which appeared to be 
goins out of cultivation. Tiie method adopted by 
tiie Assam Secretariat in conipiling the returns 
was to transfer tea, which had been planted out 
three years, from the "immature" to the 
"mature" column. For instance, in 1S98, the nett 
addition to the area under cultivation was shewn 
at li, 997 acres, but the iiicrease in mature tea in 
1901, as shewn by tlie Keport was only? 261 acres. 
It would thus appear that 7,733 ncres had disap- 
peared from cultivation. Mr McMorran also sub- 
mitted a digest, which he had prepared from ure- 
vious reports, shewing i-i.nilar discnpancies. li 
was decided to draw the attention of the Assam 
Administration to the differences, iu the figures 
which had been pointed out.—/. T. A, Minutes, 
June 17. 
« 
FORESTRY AND FRUIT-GROWING IN 
THE ORANGE RIVER COLONY, 
Bloemfontein, Jane 4.— Recent reports from the 
Government forest nursery which has been laid one 
nrar Thaba Nehu show that surpriaiufr progress 
has been made. Over 100,000 seedling trees, 
mainly eucalyptus and pine, are now ready for 
transplanation. Exiieiivuents have also been made 
in the cultivation of oak trees, of v/iiich eigiit acrjs 
have beeu planted, iind 'bo wattle area under 
culiivation is b;!ing oouiinually extend(;d. The 
coustructio'i of dams aad wa er furrows is pro- 
ceeding. Ic is iiiteniled to establisli plantations 
general!}', and w herever the Government acquires 
land a portion of it will be preserved tor forestry. 
