to'. 1, i902.] 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
151 
size and texture, and if it cures well will serve for 
Rood Cigar Tobacco. The crop of 1901 season, which 
finished curing in the e.iily part of the year was 
a small one. It was of the Virginia variety, which 
appears to stand our climate better than the liner 
leaved kinds, the leaves of the latter becoming spotted 
by the weather. 
'TvMBmc— Curcuma lonfja— A. plot of this yielded 
at the rate of over two tons per acre, of the green 
tubers. 
Bhabur Grass. — Ischuoeum anr/ustifolium — The crop 
of plant harvested, showed produce at the rate of 6.000 
lb. per acre of the dried grass. 
GiNOEB.— ZjMi'ibec officinalis.— A plot devoted to 
this product yielded at the rate of ten tons per acre, 
of theundried rhizomes are of excellent size. There 
can be little doubt, as Mr. Meadeu proved long ago 
at the Convict Depot at Chaguana? ; that Ginger can 
be very euccessfully cultivated in Trinidad. It must 
however be harvested and cured in the dry season. 
OoLK.—Sltrculia aacmina fa. —this plant grows 
fairly well at the station but as it takes Bome 
years to come into bearing, no results have yet been 
obtained. 
FRCIT THEKS. 
MakooEs.— il/nng'i/olu indica—l reported last year 
that a consignment of Muigo trees had been re 
ceived from the East ludies. Subsequently, an 
additional consignment was received, which orrived 
in good order. Those plants which were healthy on 
arrival made good progrefs, and fourteen trees aie 
now planted out to the North of the office in per- 
manent positions, and making vigorous growth. 
E'even more are now ready for the open ground. 
These consignments, coming as they have /rom several 
different provinces, are expected to give us varieties 
differing from our West Indian seenling kinds. The 
Bale of the varieties of named Maiigoos has been 
large, and a decided choice has been made of the 
grafted varieties in preference to seedlings, which 
cannot be depended upon. Some of our best young 
trees three years planted gave a few fruit last season, 
which showed them true to name. It is to be 
hoped that the Mango trees will prove more pro- 
lific in the St. t'lair soil than at the old garden 
where many trees exist which have not fruited for 
years. The trees are o!d and the soil worn out, 
as might be expected, cultnated as they are on 
land which has been planted since 182i or 78 years. 
A large number of stocks were grafted during the 
year, and plants may be obtained of most of the 
best named varieties formerly described in Bulletin 
reports. The iection devoted to the growth of seed- 
ling varieties, raised from the best imported kinds, 
has made good progress ; and it is hoped will give 
fruit one year hence. 
Okanoes — The imported kinds of Orange secured 
some few years since from Florida and planted at 
Experiment Station in 1898, gave a good crop for 
their size, during 1901 ; enabled their quality to be 
correctly estimated. Many of the trees have borne 
Oranges of exoellent quality, suitable for market in 
any part of the world. Those known as "Pine 
Apple" Rubby and St. Michael's being especially 
good. An Orange of the Tangerine type, and evidently 
a variety of Citrus nobilis hai a beautiful coloured 
interior and is of excellent flavour, but appears to 
be less vigorous than others. The variety of Tan- 
gerine imported at the same time, is far from being 
eqnal to the Trinidad kinds. Our latest Orange to 
ripen is a variety called " Mandarin,'' a small fruit 
with a deep coloured rind. When imature. this is 
very acid, but if allowed to hang upon the trees, 
it becomes a most delicious morsel. As mentioned in 
previous reports the words " Mandarin" and " Tan- 
gerine" are applied to a numerous variety of seed- 
ling fruits, and similar fruits are named differently 
in the various districts, A seedling Orange produced 
from a Grenada v.iriety of Citrus Nobilis, gives very 
large fruit with a thick spongy skin, but the interior 
parU we simply ''bags of juicu" sweet, with a 
slight, though not uupleasant taste of the bittter 
flavour of the ordinary Shaddock, which thefiuit is 
actually resembles in form. Several of tlie named 
kinds have been successfully budded on sour Orange 
stocks, and are now strong plant?, for which wa 
have more applications than we can at present 
supply ; but measures are been taken to meet the 
demand. Many of onr growers appears to doubt the 
feasibility of sending Oranges to distance markets 
from Trinidad. Oranges have however been suc- 
cessfully sent to Englaod in ordinary packages by 
Koyal Mail Sttauier for several years in succession, 
and there can be no doubt that properly prepared 
and packed they can be safeiy transported in good 
order. 
Tlie fol'owiug lu'es in packing should be complied 
with to ensure this result : — 
1. rick on a dry day, without bruising, " stem 
cutting " the Orange from the tree, not pulling or 
shaking down the fruit. Any Orange wliich falls, 
should be rejected, as it will assuredly spoil others. 
2. Dry for two or three days by spreading care- 
fully in a single layer on a boarded floor, where 
there is plenty of air — until the skin becomes slightly 
leathery. 
3. Wrap each Orange singly, and pack in boxes 
containing not more than a single cubic foot in each 
division, snd pack tightly so that they do not bruise 
€ach other in tiansit. The boxes should be made 
with a'r spaces between the slats. It is important 
to remember that " Oranges are as tender as eggs " and 
should be handled as carefully, 
Shaddock- Citrus decnmana L — Some years since 
the Department obtained grafts of the pink fruited 
Shaddock. These were grafted on seedling stocks 
and two plants were obtained. These have fruited 
the first lime during the past season. Mr. McGillvray 
of Tobago, was good enough to presei t these, and 
sent us at the same time a fruit which was certainly 
the finest of its kind in size and flavour which has 
been seen here. We have been successful in getting 
eonie budded plants from these trees during the year 
which are now on sale in the nurseries in limited 
quantity. 
Citron.— CiVrKS mcdica, — A few years ego seed 
was presented to the Department, of the " Cedrat " 
or tiue Citron of Commerce. These were sowai and 
the plants have fruited. Only one however is true 
to the original. It is intended shortly to take buds 
from this plant, so as to obtsin the best fruit 
possible, as it is seen that seedling varities are un- 
reliable. 
Bergajiot Orange. — Citrus Bergamia, liisso.— Seei 
WI.S obtapned of this Orange several years ago from 
Southern Europe, and plants were raised sufficient 
to pUut one-tenth of an acre. These appear to 
vary largely, and it is probable that but few will 
be found to produce fruit of the required character. 
To obviate this, a small consignment of rafted Ber- 
gamot plants was imported, which it is hoped will 
afford the true perfume producing fruits. These will 
be propagated by budding and grafting as soon as the 
quality of fruit is determined. 
Limes. — A section of our best seedling Limes was 
planted in 1898, and the trees are new coming into 
bearing, selected varieties will be propagated by bud- 
ding for distribution as stocks are available. 
The Trinidike 'Lmsi.— Citrus mcdica. var. acida. — 
This is a variety of the lime, as large as an ordinary 
Sicily lemon, of like flavour, but slightly different 
from the ordinary Lime, and containing over twice 
the quantity of juice. This variety is one which 
appears to have originated nt the old Gardens, where 
it was found established some fifteen years since. 
I am of opinion that this would become an extremely 
popular fruit in English and American markets cnca 
well known. A tenth of an acre has been established 
but here again wss found the impracticability 
cf reproducing Citrus fruits true from seen. Varia- 
tion is considerable, and a selection of the best must 
be made, before propagation by budding is atttmpteJ j 
