470 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Jan. 1, 1903, 
ideas. TheCoiumitfcee arj planning some interest- 
ing experiments witla mby and ultra- violer colmupd 
glasses. Kiiby colour is beneficial to insect-life, 
and it is expected that worms i,'io\vn in a 
ruby light will grow to a large siz-. 
Ou the other hand, it is said that microbes 
cannot exist under ul'.ra violet rays. Experiments 
were also tried with worms grown from European 
seed. Moderate success was achieved, but the 
Committee have decided not to continue these 
experiments. They are morj hopeful of the results 
to be obtained by using hybrid seed, bred from the 
male European, and the female Indian moLh. The 
hybrid seed is ni iltivoltive. Some very fine co- 
coons have been produced from hybrid worm«in 
the Chandpur umssry.—Planting Opinion, 
Nov. 22, 
CONCESSIONS FROM MEXICO. 
Concession for Pe.\rl fishing.— A despatch 
dated .5ch November has been received at the 
Foreign Office, from H. M. Consul at Mexico City, 
forwarding a copy of the Mexican "L)iario Official" 
of 30th uit., coataiaiug the text of a concession, in 
the form of a contract, granted by the Mexican 
Government to Messrs. Santa Cruz and Oliver for 
the ourpose of exploiting for ten years the mother- 
of pearl to be found from the mouth f the Kio 
Colorado South to the Port of M mzanillo and on 
the shores of the islands in the G ulf ot California 
known as Tiburon, Sa,n Esteban, Sau Pedro Martir, 
and San Pedro Nolasca. The concessionaires are 
also allowed, during the same period, to exploit 
the sheep and goats, phosphates and sulphates 
which exist on the islands of the ReviUagigedo 
Archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, and also within 
a zone extending ten kilomeires (six miles) roiind 
the coast of the last mentioned islands to exploit 
the lish, shell fish, and whales, the islands referred 
to being : Socorro, San Beuedicto, Roc: Partida 
and Clarion, as well as the oysters to be found on 
the last mentioned. The concessionaires are obliged 
to resoect previously established fishing rights, 
especially those of small fishermen. By Article -1 
the concessionaires will pay in rent as follows :--I 
dol. for every ton of fish or shell-fish, 10 dols. for 
every ton of mother-of-pearl, 3 dols. for every ton 
of whale oil, 2 dols. for every ton of ordinary turtle, 
and 50 dols. for every ton of the Eretmochelys 
Imbricata producing tortoise-shell, 10 cents 
annually for each head of cattle given pasture on 
national lands within the zone, 50 cents annually 
for every hectare (2-4:71 acres) of national lands 
cultivated, 20 cents per ton of oyster shell, and 50 
cents per ton ot phosphates and sulphates which 
they will work, 50 cents for each sheep or goat 
utilised, besides an annual fixed sum of 400 dols. 
They must construct within three years a factory 
or packing house to tin, or otherwise preserve, the 
produce of their fisheries. They may build the 
same free of any charge on any national land 
within the zone of their c.ncession. They will 
have to begin work within one year from the date 
of the present contract, and must contribute 
12,000 dols. annually towards tbe expenses of 
Government inspection. It is interesting to note 
that among other reasons the contract will become 
void by paragraph 7 of Article 17 " for having given 
over the concession or having admitted into 
partnership any foreign Government or agent of 
such Government," but by Article 20 the con- 
cessionaires aud thQ company which they may 
form shall always be considered as Mexican even 
if one or all uf its members were foreigners, and 
will in all cases be subject to the Gourts of Law of 
Mexico. They ca-inot ever claiai under the con- 
tract any rights in International Law, neither will 
they be allowed to make any appeal to any foreign 
Diplomatic Agent. The same number of the 
" Diario" contains another concession of a similar 
nature granted to Mr. II Gilbert for prawn, lobster 
and sponge fishing off the coast of Yucatan, 
between Cape Oangrejo and Punta Flor, —Boar'd 
oj Trade Journal, Nov. 27. 
PLANTING NOTES. 
Artificial Camphor. — According to an Ame- 
rican patent article camphor (identical with 
natural camphor) may be prepared by treating 
water-free turpentine with oxalic acid, whereby 
pinyl formate is produced. This is distilled with 
lime, and bornoal and camphor result, which may 
be distilled off.— P/iarm. Central, 1902, 566. 
CA.CAO Fou Germany— Samoa.— A Decree 
issued by the Governor of Samoa, prohibits 
the impni'tation of cocoa seed and cocoa 
plants into that island from Ceylon and the 
Dutch East Indies, and only permits such 
importation trom other countries subject to 
previous permission, of the Government. 
The decree was to have come into force on 
the 6th September last. 
Pepper and other Plant Diseases.— 
The Annual Ueporc of the Government 
Botanist, Madras, has just reached us, and 
we extract the following: — 
Adisease inthe Wynaad pepper plantations re- 
ceived a certain amount of attention. After a 
careful examination of the specimens received it 
was decide 1 that study at a distance was useless. 
Several pests were found, and it is always a matter 
of ''ifficulty to determine which of these has 
attacked plants weakened from some other cause 
and which has made an onslaught on originally 
healthy plants. 
The following were dealt with : — Rust in wheat 
from the Palnis ; minute insects (Aptera) among 
Cinchona seedlings, determined to be harmless 
because of the character of their m >uthparts ; 
smutted Sorghum, remedies suggeste i and a 
scheme of experiments with recent methods drawn 
up for the Saidapet farm ; turnip Haas (Bagrada 
picta) in the Ootacaraund gardens; plant bugs 
(Nezara viridula var.) in the ga dens and notably 
in the Cinchona p antations ; difference in colour 
of coffee beans; a destructive ontbreak of green 
scale (Aspidiotus Camelhae) in the Kanan Devan 
Tea plantations ; a cott'ee-rooc fungus in Coorg ; a 
disease of the prickly-pear, unfortunately received 
in bad condition ; Striga euphrasioides, etc., as 
pests in badly cultivated lands ; -and- binding planis 
as protection on the East Coast ; salt bushes as 
fodder plants; the requirements of the Durian tree 
as regards climate . nd eleva'iion ; fibre machines 
suitable for "Aloe fibre"; and questions ou 
Hydnocarpus, mosquitoes, lialsamodendron Berryi 
as a hedge plant, various species of C issia us 
"senna," Teplirosia or "wild indigo" for green 
dressing, and many other references of minor iiin« 
portauce. 
