Oct. 1, 1902.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
559 
and its roots produos more starch per acre than any 
other vegetable or grain. In South Alabama, Missis- 
Bippi, Georgia and Florida its cultivation ia spread- 
ing with great rapidity. It thrives best in the light 
iandy soil which befoce was thought not of much 
worth. The average yield of the roots gives eight 
tons to the acre. The starch from these roots costs 
only 24^d per lb., and it 'is said to be far superior to 
wheat starch at 3d per lb. The gain in using cassava 
for fattening animals, as compared with the old 
methods, is stated to be about 30 per cent on a 
seventy-day test, hitherto artifloial fertilisers have 
been used for cassava in America, but now it is 
found that several kinds of beans aud peas growing 
freely in the regions where it is cultivated form per- 
fect natural fertilisers for it. Tapioca is cultivatod in 
the Straits Settlements, and would no doubt t\irive 
eqaally well m many parts of India. 
GEM-MINING IN QUEENSLAND. 
has latterly attracted considerable attention, and 
with the view of obtaining some accurate information 
respecting the condition and prospects of this branch 
of the industry, it was considered desirable that an 
examination of the Queensland sapphire and opal 
fields should be made by persons specially qualified 
for the task. Accordingly Mr B Dunstan, Assistant 
Government Geologist, wss deputed to visit the 
iapphire fields at Anakie in tho Clermont district, 
and to Mr Jackson, also of the geological survey 
itaff, was assigned the duty of inspecting the opal 
centres of the State from Cuunamulla to Winton, 
With respect to sapphire-mining at Anakie Mr 
Dunstan says that only a small portion of the ex- 
tensive tr«ct of sapphire-bearing country has been 
explored, the principal camps being confined to an 
area not exceeding 10 square miles. The sapphire 
deposits are found in much the same manner as 
shallow alluvial gold or tin, and vary in thick- 
ness from a few inches to several feet. The stones 
are blue, yellow and green, of numerous tints 
and shades, the green and yellow being the most 
beautiful. The yellow stones are rare, and the 
blue are of so dark a shade as to appear almost 
black, and cannot compare with the brilliantly 
tinted stones of Siam, Burmah, or Ceylon. Green 
atones, uncommon in other parts of the world, are 
found in abundance at Anakie, and their comparative 
rarity and frequently great beauty have created a 
growing demand for them. Amongst other stones 
found at Anakie is the hyacinth which, when cut, 
forma a richly coloured gem of a deep blood-red 
colour, and the Oriental cat's-eye, rejected as value- 
less until the skill of the lapidary disclosed the 
peculiar lustre that is occasionally very marked and 
effective. More important, perhaps, was the discovery 
that the sapphire deposits are also diamentiferous, 
and one diamond weighing 1^ carats, and absolutely 
colourless, was purchased by Mr Dunstan, and is now 
to be seen in the Geological Museum. 
Mr Dunstan estimates the number of persons en- 
gaged in gem-mining at Anakie at the time of his 
visit to be 2(10, and the warden sets down the value 
of last year's output from the field at 6,000Z. 
The production of opal in 1901 was estimated at 
7,400J. — Board of Trade Journal, August 7. 
PRODUCTS AND TRADE OF JAVA 
FOR 1901. 
The year 1901 can scarcely be regarded as pro- 
sperous for the Island of Java. Against a large sugar 
crop, there was a falling-off in the production of coffee, 
rice and coprah, while the import trade left much to 
be desired. 
The Coffee crop was very small. On the eastern 
»id« of the island the trees suffered a good deal from 
the effects of th? eruption of the Kloet. Tha mu 
stresma destroyed a few eatatea, and others were in- 
jured by falling stones and ash, and the blossom, then 
very nearly coming out, was more or less ruined. 
Government have abolished tho export duty, which 
amounted to about lOd per 112 lb., and this may 
assist in resuscitating the cultuie. The production of 
the coffee crop from private estates in Java last year 
was 175,000 piculs Java and 1I8.2.')0 piculs Liberia, 
while next crop is estimated at 389,500 piculs Java 
and 93,600 piculs Liberia. The Government crop was 
again small, amounting to 78,200 piculs Java ftud 
30,<117 piculs Liberia coffee. 
QuiNiKE. — Notwithstanding the increased monthly 
shipment I of cinchona bark from Java to Holland 
during 1901 prices realised were satisfactory. The 
quantity of sulphate of quinine produced by the 
Bandong factory and sold at auction in Batavia dur- 
ing 1901 was 1,014,000 ozs. (English). The average 
price paid was 11-lOthd. per oz., the equivalent of 
1 7-lOfch d. per unit. The balk of the quinine was 
shipped to the United States and London. 
Tea. — The season's production exceeded any of its 
predecessors. The export has almost entirely been 
shipped to Holland and London, though regular smnll 
parcels of specially-prepared tea have been forwarded 
to ports in the Persian Gulf. Attempts are being 
made by Java planters to prepare their tea in tabloid 
form, which is considered in some quarters to be most 
suitable for the markets in Russia. 
The Copra crop was much interfered with by rain, 
and was consequently below either of the two preced- 
ing years as regards quantity. Prices have been un- 
precedentedly good. 
Fertilisers. — Large quantities of sulphate of 
ammonia and blood manures from the United King- 
dom and the colonies continue to be used all over the 
island. Groundnut-cake from the Madras coast and 
bean-cake from China also find much fdvour, and the 
imports of all kinds are increasing. 
Oil. — The prospects of an increased business being 
done in liquid fuel have not so far been realised, but 
a consilerable number of local industrial under- 
takings use this fuel in preference to coal. 
Consul Davids. 
MICA PRODUCTION IN 1901. 
In the Iron Age (New York) of the 17th ult. it is 
stated that the United States' Geological Survey haa 
completed the report upon the production of mica in 
the United States in 1901, from which it appears 
that the total output of sheet mica during that year 
was 360,060 lb, valued at 98,859 dols, and of scrap 
mica 2,171 tons (of 2,000 lb), valued at 19,719 dols. 
In 1900 the production of sheet mica was 456,283 lb, 
valued at 92,758 dols, and of scrap mica 5,497 tons, 
valued at 55, .502 dols. Mica has been found in many 
of the States, but in 1901 was produced only in 
New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, and 
South Dakota, by far the larger amount being obtained 
from North Carolina. 
The production of mica in 1901 in detail was as 
follows : — New Hampshire, 65,800 lb of sheet mica 
and 255 tons of scrap mica ; New Mexico, 3,100 lb 
of sheet mica and 140 tons of scrap mica; North 
Carolina. 266,160 lb of sheet mica and 1,775 tons of 
scrap mica; and South Dakota, 25,000 lb sheet mica; 
total, 360,1 60 lb of sheet mica aud 2,172 tons of 
scrap mic'A.. Idaho, Maine, Nevada, Rhode Island, 
and Virgina, which were producers of mica in 1900, 
had no production during 1901, and of the other 
States, with the exception of North Carolina, there 
has been a very noticeable falling-oflf in the produc- 
tion. In North Carolina there was a, decided increase 
in the production of plate mica, but a large falling- 
ofi" in the production of scrap mxae.,— Board of Trade 
iJounial, Angust 7. 
