748 THE TEOPICAL AGEICULTURIST. [May 1, 1900. 
to lay out such a sum and expect a profilaLle 
letnni from it. Most of tlie blocks are on 
open and UDdulatin<; country, partially woodcil. 
The climate is not worse than Nortliern Queens- 
land : in fact, in the upland country the climate 
is healthy and bracing. I believe there is a good 
future for British New Guinen, and I hope that the 
land taken up will be in the hands of Australians 
on]y.— Sydney Mail, March .S. 
• PARA RUBBER IN THE STKAITS. 
A PROMISING OUTLOOK. 
TO THE EDITOR " S. F. PRESS," 
Dear Sir, — I have been asked by the Com- 
mittee of the United Planters' Association F. M. S. 
10 let it be widely known that a strong feelin;,' 
exists amongst planters that the time is fast aii- 
proaching when we should send a reiircsentative to 
l*ara and from thence to the different seats of the 
rubber industry in order that when this country is 
ready to put its own rubber upon the Market, v.e 
may' be in full possession of all the mostup-tn- 
date methods of tapping, of obtaining the maxi- 
mum output witli tlie minimum of danuige lo the 
tree and of curing our produce in such a nianiuir 
that it will fetch as high apricj as any in the iiiiir- 
ketsof the world. It has already been denionslraiod 
that we can grow Para Rubber, that we can get a 
heavy yield, and that the Cjuality of our produce is 
equal in value to the best Brazilian. These are 
now proved facts and there is no doubt that if we 
avoid all initial mistakes when cultivating and 
producing on a large scale, are thoroughly coached 
in our business when we first make our bow to the 
public and so gain straight off a repiitation for 
quality, a very prosperous agricultural future lies 
before the Malay Peninsula. 
i believe I am right in stating that the Rubber 
Bone is approximately confined to 15* north and 
5* south of the equator, and-a glance Rt a map 
of the world will very soon show liow exceji- 
tionally well situated we are in every respect by 
comparison with other rubber producing countries. 
Easy trans])ort, a labour supply that can be deve 
loped until it is sufficient for our fullest require- 
ments, a healthy climate where the white man 
and tlie coolie alike can thrive, all these advan- 
tages are ours; and I maintain that it rests with 
us whether we make a success of the great in- 
dustry which we have inaugurated here or whether 
l»y carelessness and ignorance in our initial methods 
we find ourselves saddled with a reputation which 
it may tyke us years to live down 
The Resident-General with characteristic sym- 
pathy, has jiromised the jjlanters th.e assif-tance 
of an expert from Kew, and a substantial sum 
has been provided for that purpose on tt^e Federal 
Estimates: no one doubts that the re&ults of tliis 
officer's researches wiil be of enormous benelt to 
Malayan agricultnre generally, but, with respect to 
Rubber, we believe that much additional good may 
be done by sending over to Paraone ci our own men, 
a thoroughly practical and energetic planter, and, 
making his experience the basis of our own me- 
thods, by steadily endeavouring to improve from 
that point. In Selangor during the year 1898, no 
less tlian 889,.500 Para Rubber trees were planted 
and in 1899 the SPA Annual Report sl^ows a 
return of 1,600,000. Previous to 1898 a fair num- 
ber were planted too. Taking 1,0(0,000 then as 
likely to arrive at maturity and with a yield of 
1^ lb. per tree which we may i)ut at 2s, or say $1 
to allow for a possible fall of 50 per cent in value, 
Ve have thiy Slate miotic suHicient ara planted 
to give us an annual return of $1,530,000, double 
tiii^ for the rest of tlie Malay Peniusuln, and it is 
abundantly clear that we have already laid tlie 
foundations of what may with luck aud care fce- 
comea-i enoimous trade 
It wiil no doubt be objected that wliat answers 
in Brazil uiiiy not by any means apply here, but 
surely it is folly to assume this ? We know next to 
noLh*in'4 iibout our subject at present, and very soon 
most pluiitt rs w ill be wanting to begin tapping on a 
small sca'e, let us find out then as soon as possi- 
ble ;iil that theie is to be learnt and apply 1 ha*; 
kno" IciljiC to suit local conditions. 
it has been estimated that to send a good man 
to HrazW with ' carle blanche' to travel as he 
thiriks host and to extend his inquiries, if he get 
the opporlnnily, to other rubbers besides Fara, 
wiil cusl in ail pruhabiiiiy not less than $10,000. 
In these hard t!:iics this is a large sum to rai.*e, 
and my oliject in writing is to invite public opi- 
nion iij on the question. If those interested will 
coiiimunicate their views io the press much good 
may resait aiul when the time comes for us to 
trtke definite action, the skeleton of the scheme 
will already have been framed. — I am, dear sir, 
y»urs faithfully, E. V. Carky. 
Chairman, United Planters' Association, 
Klano, March, 1900. 
Cine/ a pore Free Press, i>larch 17. 
^ . 
CATTLE NOTES. 
By w. a, dk sii.va, v.s. 
This little volume (published by the " Ceylon 
Standard" I'ress of over 100 leaves), meets a 
need experienced by niany residents in the island, 
and being compiled for this country ; it touches 
on the questions that constantly arise with 
owners of cattle. The headings of the chapters 
will give an idea of the scope of the work : — 
Cattle and Buffaloes ; Oescriptiou and Aging. 
Cattle Food ; Cattle Sheds : Handling of 
Cattle; Signs of 111 Health ; Nursing and Ai tend- 
ance ; Meili'.inal Materials ; Prevention of Di- 
sease and Treatment; Milk Cows. 
There is also an Index with the names of 
medicinal materipls in Sinhalese, Tamil and Hindi. 
Thirty pages are devoted to the Diseases to 
which Cattle are liable. The book will Ije found 
very valuable in giving simple directions as to 
treatment in sickness and tiie proper /ceding and 
care of animals at all times, and should be in 
the hands of all those who own cattle. Three 
rupees would be well spent on the volume. As 
a sample of the style of tlio book we will quote 
wdiat is said on the subject of cow-pox : — 
An infective fevfi attended with eruptions in the 
teats and udder of cows. This is a very mild desease, 
the fever is uot high, aud the vesiclee that appear 
cn the udder and teats, do not give much trouble; 
the disease runs its course in from ten to fourteen, 
ciays. Laxatives, such as a pint of gingeily oil or 
linseed oil; salines as an ounce of nitre liu the water, 
are useful in the early stagfs. Milk from cows 
Buffering from this disease should not be used. 
Planting in British Ouiana. — According to 
the Government Botanist there is anexcellentopen- 
ing in British Guiana for small cultivators. Cacao 
was formerly largely produced by the Dutch, and, 
with due selection of situation and soil, few con- 
tries are better adapted to cacao cultivation. 
Rubber cultivation could also be successfully 
carried on, as already one or more valuable species 
are found in a wild state, — Imperial Institute 
Journal, March, 
