378 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Dec. 1, 1899. 
important and wide-reaching than even the most 
sanguine of planters hope for at present. One of 
the leading agency houses is already fitting out one 
of their factories in Behar to test next season a 
new process for which an outturn or more than double 
the quantity of dye is claimed, and, in my opinion, 
improvements will not even stop at this. 
Messrs. Mewboarn and Ellis are therefore wrong 
in thinliing that the cost of making indigo in India 
■will not decrease in the same proportion as they 
expect the cost of the artificial indigo to decrease. 
The cost will, on the contrary, decrease to an ex- 
tent which will enable the natural indigo industry 
to meet the competition successfully, and come out 
of it victoriously. — Yours obdient servant, 
EUGENE C. SCHEOTTKY. 
Wiesbaden Villa, Sonneck. October. 
jp. 
PLANTING IN THE GOLD COAST. 
The annual report for 1898 from the Gold Coast 
Colony puts in some very strong pleas for railways, 
"With improved transport we are assured the output 
of rubber could be trebled, money would be saved, 
and better emplojment could be found for human 
beings than using them as beasts of burden — for at 
present the rubber has to be carried to the coast 
on men's ehoulders, The export of timber is further 
handicapped by the lack of transport facilities, and 
that with such facilities more trade might be done 
is evidenced by the increase in the timber business 
in those districts which have water communication. 
Moreover, the mines in the Colony can never be 
properly developed so long as all the materials and 
machinery have to be transported on the heads of 
natives. Happily, one Government railway is al- 
ready under construction, and surveys for six others 
have been made. Five of these lines will tap the 
mining districts. 
In the nine months there were 621,116 tons of 
foreign refined beet sugar imported into the United 
Kingdom, and 311,237 tons of raw or unrefined beet, 
making together a total quantity of 932,353. The 
total quantity of sugar from all parts was 1,084,711 
tons. Another proof is thus afforded of the almost 
entire possession by beet root sugar of the English 
market. The British public is providing work and 
wages for vast populations in Germany and Prance. 
Java and the Philippines show a great falling-ofi", 
and practically nothing comes from Cuba and Porto 
EiCD. Peiu and Brazil also show a large decrease, 
proving that all cane countries are suffering, so far 
as the English market is concerned, from the bounty 
competition. On the other hand, Mauritius and the 
East Indies have sent more than they did last year, 
but their actual totals are veiy small. The British 
West Indies have sent less, viz., 35,000 tons or 
rather more than ten per cent, of their total crop, 
probably in the from of Demerara and Trinidad 
crystals. During three months we only received 4,000 
tons of West India sugar. The raw cocoa imported 
amounted to 38 milliLn pounds, the home consump- 
tion for the nine months being 26 niillians. The 
imports of prepared cocoa were 3,700,00ulb, or not 
much more than half of last year's imports for the 
same months. The home consumption, too, has 
fallen off, being under four millions of pounds 
against more than four and a half millions in 1898. 
This looks as if the home manufacturers were using 
more of the raw cocoa, and we were becoming less 
dependent upon the Continent for our prepared 
cocoa supplies. The quantity of raw cocoa in bond 
is 19 millions of pounds, much about the same as 
last year, but the prepared cocca in bond is only 
468,0001b, against 1,45 1, 000 last year. This may partly 
account for the recent strong market, and be a 
reason for the continuance of favourable prices. 
The shipping of war stores to South Africa should 
also be regarded as supporting the cocoa market. 
It should, however, be noted that a large uantity 
of raw cocoa is re exported, viz. : nearly nine million 
pounds. The prepared cocoa exported is mall, only 
peaching 572,000 lb, which was, however, considerably, 
in excess of the two preceding years. The amount 
of new cocoa consumed per head of the population 
was 0 80 in 1898, showing a gradual increase since 
1884, when it was 0-39. Prepared cocoa, too has 
increased in consumction from 0"03 in 1684 to 0.16 
in 1898. The 0 20 of 1897 was evidently a record 
year, and due to special causes. On the whole, with 
an increased consumption, however slow and steady 
the prospects of cocoa are fairly good, and there 
may come a boom some day when the tiue virtues of 
this food will be more popularly recognised. — Planter. 
♦ 
A FAMOUS LADY ORCHID GROWER. 
Mrs. George B. Wilson, of Philadelphia, according 
to the " Boston Traveller," (Sept), owns the largest 
collection of orchids in America, but she has unfor- 
tunately lost quite recently several fine specimens. 
The writer says that for the past ten years this 
gorgeous orchid flower has been Mr. Wilson's hobby. 
Always and admirer of orchids, about 1894 she decided 
to go into orchids thoroughly, and began a stndy of 
this millionaire's emblem, sending all over the world 
for specimens of it myriad varieties. Europe, Asia, 
North and South America, and the isles of 
the sea were explored, each for its particular 
production. At important orchid centres agencies 
for Mrs. Wilson were established which from time to 
time have furnished her with rare and valuable plants 
together with information regarding their cultiva- 
tion. In this way more than 10,000 orchids have 
been brought together at the Wilton mansion in 
Philadelphia. In its line this asemblage is one of the 
most famous and most extensive in existence. A few 
years ago the collection as it, then stood, was greatly 
improved by the addition of that belonging to the 
Erastns Corning estate of Alt)an5', which it had taken 
40 years together. All of the great florist firms have 
professional orchid collectors. They brave the fast- 
nesses of the forest of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers 
and are exposed to the deadly fevers and maismas of 
swamps where the anacondas and boa-constrictors are. 
the least of the evils to be enconuntered. 
BIrs. Wilson's collection is assembled in seven great 
glasshouses that were erected in the rf ar of the Wilson 
mansion at the cost of thousands of dollars. Upon 
entering the main conserva'ory, in the centre of which 
is a grove of the palms, the East India house is found 
to the left. Passing from this house the next is that 
of crypripediums, containing over 800 specimens. 
Beyond is the Mexican house, which is literally a 
mass of bloom. Many of the plants carry from two 
to fix spikes of brilliantly coloured blossoms. Cons- 
picuous among them is the rareLaeliadawsoni, bearing 
several flowers of a most exquisite type. Another pro- 
minent one is the Laelia anceps alba, measuring over 
four feet square. The Cattleya house has a fine show- 
ing of blossoms, and provides a distinctive charm in its 
superb specimens. Taken in its entirety, the collect- 
ion fills seven houses, and it is conceeded to be one of 
the most valuable in America. Many of the smaller 
plants cost from 300 to 500 dollars each, and others of 
the unique varieties would fetch thousands even at 
forced sale. Perhaps the most interesting feature of 
Mrs. Wilson's collection is the assemblage of varities 
that come from the Phillippine Islands. Tne Spani- 
ards made the collectors pay a licence for hunting 
orchids there, but despite that method of coaxing 
ducats from American pocket many unique plants 
came from the group. Under the new regime, when 
Aguinaldo and his followers shall have ceased to strug- 
gle, the Influx of plants from Uncle Sam's new domain 
will without doubt be greatly increased. Mrs. Wilson 
is now in Mexico, directly overseeing the work of her 
agents there who are searching for Mexican orchid 
wonders. Her superintendence is not a sinecure, nor 
is it the work of an amateur. The owner of this giant 
orchid collection is fully conversant with the habits of 
pet plant and of the laws which govern them. She 
has made a scholarly study of the flower, and believes 
in putting the knowledge she has acquired into prac- 
tical application. When at home, everything ia under 
her owu pereoual Eupervision. 
