Oct. 1, 1903.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTUIIIST. 
26.3 
A GUTTA-PERCHA EXPEDITION TO 
THE SOUTH SEA. 
The Coraniittee has senb Herr Schlechter to 
German New Guinea to explore this possession 
for Gutta-peixlia. The expedition was a com- 
plete success, Herr Schlechter liaving discovered 
at the foot of the Bismark Mountains, and 
elsewliere gutta trees and vines giving an 
excellent quality of gutta, equivalent to "gutta- 
merah" and other finer sorts. Samples sent to 
Germany are now undergoing a detailed technical 
examination, bat we may now feel sure that our 
cable industry can be provided with gutta-percha 
from the German colonies. This discovery is the 
more important as the supply from Northern 
Borneo and other gutta countries is rapidly 
declining, at least, for the better sorts. For this 
reason a Bremen merchant, Herr Oldemeyer, hai 
promised a prize of £150 to the explorer who 
should find in a German (Jolony a wild-growing 
gntta plant giving a good latex. Of course, the 
prize is due to Herr Schlechter. West Africa is 
concerned in this discovery. Herr Schlechter has 
sent to the Botanical Gardens at Berlin cases of 
young plants from seeds of the newly discovered 
gutta trees and vines, and these plants are now 
being submitted to a trial of the West African 
climate, in the Botanical Gardens of Victoria 
(Kamerun) and Togo. These countries being nearer 
to Europe and better suited for plantation than the 
far-oif and ill-developed islands of tiie South Sea, 
it would be a great gain if the gutta plants 
could thrive there.— (?t<.<ta-Perc7i.a Trades' Jour- 
nal, August 4. 
^ 
GOLD IN BRITISH GUIANA. 
Reuter's agent, writing on July 3lst, makes 
the following remarks : — 
Although a British possession with undeve- 
loped wealth of greater magnitude almost 
than that of the newly acquired colonies of 
South Africa, it is being left almost entirely 
to American and Continental capital to ex- 
ploit it. fhe conviction has been firmly im- 
planted in the British mind that British 
Guiana, or Demerara, is a sugar-cane growing 
country and nothing more, but the mistake 
of this mu3t be evident when it is mentioned 
that only a fringe of the vast territory of 
109,000 square miles is under sugar-cane— 
ahout 150 altogether being cultivated— and 
the greater part of the interior is as unknown 
as is the centre of Africa, The United States 
have jnst resolved to send parties to ex- 
plore the interior of Brazil, the neighbouring 
country, and it js not improbable that this 
will be followed by a similar expedition to 
British Guiana. Gold, diamonds and balata 
are riches which the interior possesses and 
which at present are being worked with 
spasmodic efforts. In the case of the first- 
named industry little real attempt has bsen 
made at development, but a German com- 
pany, known as the Omai Syndicate, have 
just completed the erection of a large plant 
to work the gold on up-to-date principles. 
Negotiations have also been entered into 
with a Dutch company with a proposed capital 
of £250,000 to take over and work gold 
claims in the Barima district. With regard 
34 
to the diamond industry, American capitdl 
is for the greater part, invested, and sf)lendi(l 
returns have been received.— London Titnen, 
Aug. 15. 
♦ 
COCOA AND OTHER PKODUCrS IN 
TRINIDAD. 
Trinidad, July 30th, 1902, 
Weathkr.— We continue to have very favour- 
able weather for all growing cultivation. 
Produce. — Cocoa. — The weather has been favour- 
able for the prospects of the December crop. Re- 
ceipts froirt the country continue to diminish daily, 
but, owing to a much less active enquiry, prices 
locally have declined to a rate more in keeping 
with prices in European markets and we quote 
today .^12.90 to $13.10 for ordinary, and $13.40 
to .§13.50 for good estates grade. 
CoPRAH. — Some lots have been offered lately, 
the price still holding at 3c. per lb., which doea 
not corresporid with London quotations, the 
market tliere being weaker, 
Balata Gum. — London quotations at Is 8Jd, and 
Is 9d. per lb. C & F do not encourage local buyers 
as this article here fetches Is 9d. per lb. for other 
markets. — Trinidad Semi- Monthly Market Bepari, 
♦ 
MOSQUITOES, MALARIA AND YELLOW 
EEVER. 
We are indebted to a scientific friend 
for the translation respecting " mosquitoes 
and yellow fever in Cuba ", which appears 
in our daily and T.A, Ibis the most striking 
testimony we have yet seen to the vital im- 
portance and utmost practical value of the 
discovery made by Dr. Ronald Ross, We are 
all proud that a British surgeon should have 
hoen the first to demonstrate the connection 
between the " wee scoonrels " (of the teased 
tropical Scot) and fever ; but it reflects 
on our national enterprise that, apparently, 
our American cousins should be the first, 
in Cuba, to demonstrate the great and 
absolute saving of life from putting in prac- 
tice the lesson taught by the discovery. 
We know from reports received by us, but 
not yet read, that Sir Wm Macgregor, who 
i^ M.D., as well as Governor, has not been 
idle in Lagos, West Africa ; but we do not 
think results like those reported from Cuba 
have been attained, or we should certainly 
have seen much made of them in the London 
press. To have saved 291 lives in six months 
in Cuba (a hotbed of yellow fever) is a most 
notable result ; and how it has been done 
can be seen elsewhere. Surely, effective 
steps should betaken to get rid of mosquito- 
breeding stagnant pools and drains in several 
roads of this city in the interests of public 
health ? But still more ought steps to be 
taken by Government to conquer and kill out 
mosquitoes in malarial districts where Sur- 
veyors, Irrigation and Railw.iy Officers — 
apart from the natives— suffer so much from 
fever. After the example shown in Cuba it 
will be a disgrace if the Indian and Ceylon 
authorities, to delay any longer to engage in 
an anti-mosquito campaign. 
