420 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
[Dec. 1, 1899. 
The Committee were also of this opinion, and 
it was accordingly decided to write to the Asso- 
ciation in London, stating that their offer to 
select a scientist in England had been accepted, 
and asking that enquiries be made ac once regard- 
ing an agricultural chemist. It was also to be 
pointed out that it would be necessary to consult 
the Government of Bengal and the Administration 
of Assam before anyone was finally engaged. 
Considered file of papers in connection with 
the Bill to consolidate and amend the law re- 
lating to emigration to Assam which was intro- 
duced into the Imperial Legislative Council on 
the 13th October. Copies of the Bill had been 
forwarded to the Assam and Cachar Branches for 
their consideration. The Assam Branch had arran- 
ged for a special meeting of members in Nov- 
ember to discuss the Bill, and steps were, it was 
understood, also to be taken in Cachar for the 
due consideration of the measure. Mr. Bucking- 
ham, CIE., Chairman of the Assam Branch, had 
been appointed by the Government of India as an 
Additional Member of the Imperial Council to 
participate in the discussion of the measure. The 
Committee then proceeded to the formation of a 
Special Sub- Committee to examine and report 
upon the provisions of the Bill. It was agreed 
that the Sub-Committee should consist of five 
members and Mr. Becg and Mr. Magor accepted 
seats upon it. It was further agreed to ask Mr. 
A Topping, of Messrs. Macneill & Co., Mr. W 
"Warrington, of Messrs. Finlay Muir &0o., and 
Mr. C de C Richards, of Messrs. McLeod & Co., 
to act. A letter of 20th October from the Chair- 
man of the Assam Branch upon certain of the pro- 
visions of the Bill, and a letter of 24th October 
with enclosures from Messrs. Begg, Dunlop & 
Co., were to be referred to the Sub-Committee 
for their consideration. Considered letter of 28th 
October from Messrs. Shaw, Wallace & Co., cover- 
ing papers in original in regard to a case in 
Cachar in which an application had been made 
under Act XIII of 1859 for the arrest of certain 
absconded coolies. The Magistrate had refused 
to issue warrants for the arrest of the coolies on 
the ground that the advance of one rupee made 
under each contract was not sufficient to make 
the contracts binding. Messrs. Shaw, Wallace & 
Co. stated that it appeared to be a custom on 
many gardens to make an advance of only one rupee, 
deducting the sum at the termination of the con- 
tract. There appeared to be no decision of the High 
Court upon the point and the"y thought it was a 
question upon which the Association might obtain 
a legal opinion. After somediscussion the Secretary 
was instructed to forward the papers to Messrs, 
Sanderson & Co., the Solicitors to the Asso- 
cation, with a request for an expression of opi- 
nion upon the points in question. Considered 
letter No. 4,491-T., of 27th October, from the 
Director-General of Telesrraphs, in reply to the 
Committee's letter No. 611 O., of 10th idem, it> 
regard to telegraphic news for the mofussil. 
"With the last-named letter, the Cotnmittte for- 
warded a letter of 2nd October, from Mr. J. 
Buckingham, C.I.E., the Chairman of the Assam 
Branch, suggesting the establishment of a re- 
gular system of wiring the latest telegraphic 
news to Assam. Mr. Buckingham estimated 
that at least forty stations in the Assam Valley 
alone would be only too glad to avail them- 
selves of the opportunity of getting the latest 
telegrajihic communication, provided they liad 
not to pay deferred rates. He proposed that 
for all telegrams conveying English or Indian 
news, " press " rates only should be charged. 
This proposal was supported by the Committee 
in their covering letter. 
In his reply the Director-General of Telegraphs 
stated that he was not empowered to giant the 
concession asked for. He, however, diev^ atten- 
tion to 'Kule 109 and footnote. Section 11 of the 
Telegraph Guide. He pointed out that under 
that rule if in any distiict served by a telegraph 
office, whether by hand or postal delivery, four 
subscribers combined, and d';sired each to be 
provided with a copy of a telegram containing 
a sunmiary of news, the cost to each subscriber 
would be practically the same as that of a tele- 
gram addressed to each subscriber at press rates. 
If more than four subscribers desired copies, the 
cost to each would be less than press rates. 
Such telegrams would have to be drawn up and 
sent Ly an agent independent of the Telegraph 
Department. 
The Secretary was instructed to forward a 
copy of this letter to Mr. Buckingham, with a 
request for his opinion upon the proposal re- 
ferred to by the Director-General of Telecrraphs, 
and asking whether the Committee could do 
anything more in the matter. 
H. S. ASHTON, Chairman. 
— Indian Planters' Gazette, Nov. 11. 
THE COMING FIBRE INDUSTRY. 
There can be little doubt, judging from present 
appearances, that the profitable growing of agavee 
for the production of fibres in India is merely • 
matter of time. A few years back little was known 
in this country concerning these plants and their 
great economical value. Thanks to" Forester" and 
others they have, daring the last few yearn, been 
brought prominently forward, and now that a machine 
is invented which can be worked by a couple of 
natives after a few hours' practice and turn out 
fibre at the rate of Ik tons per hour, there is every 
prospect that during the next few years we may 
have an industry which may rival in diraeusiona 
that of the Bahama Islands themselves. Although 
a good deal of information upon the subject has 
been furnished from time to time to the preBB, 
there are still a large number of enquirers into such 
details as to the very best agave to grow, the pro- 
bable cost of planting, yield per acre, &c. As I 
have for the last five years giveu considerable at- 
tention to the subject with the view of planting np 
waste land, perhaps a few of the facts regarding the 
cultivation of the plant may not come emiss, at a 
time when a great many zemindars and planters 
are seeking information on the subject. 
THE AGAVE GENUS. 
There- are numerous species of the agave genua, 
and they are nearly ail monocarpio perennials, tbat 
is they grow on for an indefinite number of yeara 
producing leaves only and then flowers. They only 
flower (poll) once in their lives as when they flower 
they die. The usual period between the very young 
state and the throwing up of their flowering poll 
is between seven and fifteen years, but this would 
appear to entirely depend on the nature of their 
environment. 
SISAL HEMP. 
Sisal hemp is produced by more than one species 
of agave, but one recognised as producing the very 
best agave fibre is Agave rigida var. sisalana. Thia 
is the species which has been introduced into thia 
country, and considerable care has been taken to 
import only the true variety. Agave sisalana is the 
name that Dr. Perriue gave to the plant known to 
the natives of Yucitan as Yaxci. Another variety 
cultivated in Yucatan is named Agave rigida var. 
longifolio. This variety produces equally aa valuable 
