122 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTTJRIST. [Aug. l, 1899. 
Coffee-growers sliould not be discouraged by 
tbe present low prices, says the Eaviaii Planters' 
Monthly. This is sound advice, and is based on 
conditions that are a repetition of the liistory of 
I lie coffee trade- liif;lier prices will arjaiii return, 
as they have in tiie past. In 1886 there was an 
era of low cost, and the industry being unprofit- 
able, the phinters neglected their plantations -awX 
no new areas were cultivated. The supply was 
out of relation to the world's rcquiren'.eiils, and an 
eraofhi;;h prices followed, and this stimulated 
cofFee-pIanting in Mexico, Central and Houth 
America, and in time has brought out an excess 
of supply and )ircRent low prices. There is no excess 
of Kne coff'eg, and the result is the witle range in 
quotations — Ironi seven cents for low grade up to 
33 cents fof the liuest raw Java and Kona. 
Inoculation against Rinderpest in India. 
— In the last issue of t\\Q Pionner to hand we leai ii 
that sucees.sful experiments in inoculating cattle 
had heen made in the N. W. Province of India, 
at the in.- iance ofCapt. Rogers Iriii)erial Bacterio- 
logist, ("are was taken not to prejudice the 
nativefi against the measure, aTabsildar or Deputy 
collector being sent to the village where our out- 
break was announced ; he assembled the chief 
landlords and raiyats, explained the use of ino- 
culation and asked them for their consent without 
which no operations were performed. The Lieut. - 
Governor of the Province expresses the hope that 
general inoculation of cattle would follow upon 
the successful first experiments at Barcilly. In 
Ceylon there has rot been evidence of so much 
prejudice as in India and the importance of pre- 
ventive measures to check rinderpest in the island 
is equally great. 
Indiabubbeb in Fbench Africa.— We 
direct attention to an interesting Report 
(see page 110) on Rubber oi^erations — in 
hand, intended or advised — in French West 
Africa. Besides the indigenous Landol2:>Ma, 
the four best-known American kinds (Para, 
Castilloa, Ceara and (or) Manitoba) have 
been introduced; and although it is too 
soon to get results, yet there is a good 
deal of interesting information afforded, 
especially from an official point of view and 
we see that both the French and Belgian 
(Congo) authorities are most fully alive to 
the necessity of replanting in order to make 
up for the present ruthless waste of rubber- 
yielding trees and creepers by the natives in 
their harvesting. How this is proposed to 
be done, we must leave our translation on 
page 110 to say. 
Agricultural Congress at the Paris 
Exhibition. — A programme has reached us 
by a rceent mail of the coming Sixth Inter- 
national Congress of Agriculture to be held 
during the Paris Exhibition next year from 
July lst-8th. With it comes a printed letter 
from M. .Tules M^line, President of the 
Commission, in which he states that the 
Commission appeals to agriculturists and 
farmers of every land, asking them " to 
lend their aid in increasing the importance 
and the eclat of this great reunion which 
should draw together the bonds that already 
exist between the agricviltnrists in all 
countries." Sir Ernest Clarke, Hon. Cecil 
T. Parker, and Mr. R. W. Granville-Smith 
are to i-epresent Great Britain on the 
Commission. But as far as we can see, the 
subjects to be discussed concern Agriculture 
in Europe alone. 
Useful Timber Trees,— The Queensland 
"Agricultural Journal" gives particulars of 
several timber trees which seem easily grown 
and very useful : first, there is '"The Swamp 
Oak," CaHiiarbui glauca, gi-OMTng 30 to 90 
feet with a diameter of 9 inehe.s to 3 feet, 
according to soil and locality, and of which 
we are told : — 
The timber of the Swamp Oak is of a reddish 
colour, beauiifully marked and very close-graiaed. It 
is also hard and durable, strong and tough, a,"d ia 
valuable, aud much used for shinKles and sts.%'es. It is 
also useful as a cabinet wood. The Btrai-ht saplings 
make splendid rafters for bush buildings, and old 
trees, with plenty of heattwood, moke good posts, 
lasting well in the ground. Ali the Casitariuui are 
splendid trees for planting. They are all of very 
rapiil gi-owth, and make good breakv.inds, copses, or 
Hhelter plantations. The saplings are always n=cful 
for mabv other things besides the spee^iy supply of 
excellent firewood which they give. These trees form 
one of the most striking features of the Australian 
landscape. Their leafless branches and black, gloomy, 
sombre appearance always make a sad impression on 
the traveller, and whenever there is a slight hre.?2e 
there comes from them a dull, depressing sigh. They 
are remarkable as belonging to a class of trees which 
abounded in the forests of other countries in long-past 
geological ages, as is evidenced by the fo.-sil remains 
frequently fuund in the coal measures. The Swamp 
Oak, besides being a quick grower, is a very beautiful 
tree if planted apart, its tall, straight-stemmed trunk 
and pendulous leafless branches showing well. 
Next the " Horse-tail Oak," Casuarino equi- 
sefifolia, 50 to 150 feet high and 12 to 30 inches 
in diameter : — 
The Horsetail Oak produces a dark-coloured timber, 
coarse but closely grained, beautifully marked, hard, 
light, and tough. It is useful for shingles, staves, 
and veneers, and for all purposes where lightness and 
toughness are required. Its timber makes splendid 
fuel, giving great heat and leaving very few ashes. 
The "Erect She-Oak," Casicarijia siiberosa, 
30 to 50 feet by 12 to 24 inches in diameter : — 
The timber of the Erect She-Ook is of a daik-brown, 
very prettily marked, coarse in the giain, but hard and 
tough. It is a handsome timber, sl^roug and durable, 
and is very valuable. It is used for bullock-ynkes and 
hurdles, shingles, staves for buckets, kegs and tubs, 
mauls, &c. It is also useful in cabinet work and for 
veneers. 
The "Forest Oak," Casuarina torulosa, 30 to 
80 feet by 9 to 24 inches in diameter : — 
The timber of the Forest Oak is of a reddish colour, 
and very nicely marked. It is a handsome wood, 
sometimes remarkably heavy, and of great strength, 
hard, tough, and close in the grain. It is in much 
demand for durable shingles and furniture-work, and 
is also much used for yokes for bullock drays and 
wagons, and for staves. It is also valuable for 
cabinet work, and gives a handsome veneer. It f ar- 
nishes one of the best timbers for fuel, and is thus 
greatly in favour both for domestic use and for heating 
bakers' ovens. It burns with a clear white ash, and 
leaves no cinders. It is a tree which is worthy of 
cultivation, for when growing on good soils it makes a 
handsome tree. 
The editor adds on the Casuarina generally : — 
All the Casuarinas ought to be planted more fre- 
quently thau they are. They are all fast-growing 
trees, growing as much as 3 and 4 feet in one year in 
height, aud are all useful. There is no waste, for the 
timber of all species makes excellent firev/ood. 
Besides this, they make excellent breakwinds or 
shelter plantations. For general beauty and use (in 
so many ways) they are hard to beat, and fp^rmers and 
settlers might do worse than plant some of them. 
Perhaps Mr. Nock may be able to tell us how 
some of the above have grown at Hakgala, 
or are there any at Peradeniya and in 
Colombo ? 
