158 
THE TliOPICAL AGRICULTUIilST. 
[f?EPT. 1, 189P. 
ontiiif eiiticB. Eubbei' growing is no longer in llic 
expel iiiifeiital stns^e, as NsiliiesB ilin \>liiiilalion of J^a 
]<1 ^lne)^llcla, in () ix ica, to wliiuli fnitlic r rr-fn-.-iice is 
in ide below. Cultivatr d india-iiibbcr pl intntions are 
fe'A', for the rc:\s'',n that, in some dtgice like llie 
coffee ))''!.iit, llie india-rubber tcco requires a long 
pe iod of conlininiis cuUiv.itioii before making any 
retain to the cultivator. Mexico i')T)rdiS excpllrnt 
opportunitiefe for the development of tlii.s admittedly 
profitftbie indus'ry. On this point the antbority of 
Sir Hmiry Nevil D.iring, the ]Jritii-h ftliaiFter to 
Mexico, who, ill a recent report to the Foreij^ii OiFi'-a 
on the cuUivatioii of india-mbber, s^ys : — '■ The regions 
m03t favoriible for the prowth of ihiu important, yet 
rarely cullivated, indiaiubber tieearethe plains of 
Pochulla, Oix-\ca, and rIso along the limks of the 
Co)i;\lila Iliver where the tree is found in aBlonisbiiig 
mimberf". Vew are the plantations of india-rubber 
trees cxi-iting in the lUjpublic of Mexico. The prin- 
cipal one is Ija Esnieral !a, in Jiupiila, Oaxaca, which 
has over 200,000 trees ei«ht jears old." According 
to the same report the total expense for five years' 
cultivation of a "rubber plantation cf 100,000 trees 
will not exceed !ft'2.'>,000 in silver and the yield of 
lfiO,000 tree at the first year's harvest will bring the 
planter $120,'if0, besides the product obtained fiom 
the corn, vanilla bonus, caciio, and bananas raised, 
from si'e plantin'r. Tlie net prolif: on the invest- 
ment, filter deducting the entire cost of the land and 
all expenses up to the first year of harvesting, will 
be $9.5,( 00, and < a 'h of the Huccecding harvests, for 
twenty-live or thirty years, will bii' g a steady in- 
come "of over $1(>0,600"." G'his is -li'O pi r cent, per 
annum net profit on the investment. These calcu- 
lations are based upon the nroduction of a five year 
old tree, but the report ailos ihat '• thi.i product will 
bi gradually increased every year for the next four 
or five years," 
Jieaviiu' asiile tlie Wdiidprfiil c^tiinale of prolit** 
— and neither Sir Henry Doiinij; nor Mr. llonicro 
gives imicli practical itiforination as to labour (o 
back itinp, - we would obnei ve that liie favourite 
rubber i-s tliat so well ?pokcn of by M'- Hart in 
Trinidad (as quoted liy IH the other dayl and 
wiiicli for se\eial years rec■ei^■ed a yond deal of 
atteiUioii from Dr. Trinien in his annual Hejiorl!', 
(lltliouj:ii the growth and yield of hiilk did not 
Rirswer his expeclalions. I'ossibly the bituali' ii 
was not favourable to either. \Vc should like 
to know if any trees of this kind (I'iiiiama 
lubber) have been tried in the Kaliiiara or Kutiia- 
pnra distiiols and with what results. Here we 
mu.st close for the pie-jcnt. 
' ♦ 
PKOGUKSS IN THE V Ml NY EST • 
TOBAGO— THE laXKST 01- ^VKST INDIAN ISl.K.S. 
The beautiful little island of Tobago is to be the 
scene of f-ome agricultural life and enter|uise at 
last. A gentleman of ample means, ability and en- 
thusiasm, having one day, last nutuniii, con e 
across the little book " In Tropical Lands," was 
» rnck with the idea of selecting an interesting 
winter resort in the Tropics, and after consulia- 
tion with the writer, left in iS'oveiiiber last for the 
AVest Indies. Visiting Barbados, Dominica, 
Antigua, ISt Thomas, Ht. Kitts, etc., he spent a 
uioiitli in Trinidad and another month in Tobago. 
This, he thinks, the (inest little island in the West 
Indies: splendid soil, licli vegetation, abundance of 
clear sparkling water and pretty scenery— little 
changed since the day of Robinson Crusoe. Here 
luy friend has invested in 1,600 acres of excel- 
lent land eminently suited for, and intended 
tor, cacao, coconuts, nutme.gs, rubber, etc. 
He was not nincli enaiiioured with Port of Spain, 
Uut greatly enjoyed a ride through the mountain 
gorges, wi'icr^'Jiir Ai'tlmr Goiilon took his friend 
u 
("has. Kinf;sley ; j>urchoRed Iwo fire caca 
ctatcs in 'J'rinidad, the Kti-auiy cliuiHte cf 
whieli pxaf'tly f-uiis the car-ao tlioiigh llie 
reverse of invignrating lor the l:«r<ipean. 'J'li**re 
will hooii be openinffH in lliat <iUHiter for tue 
i,{ your sp.'ire " doray»-." The great sdvaiit- 
age of the West linliari ii<iandso\er Mfxioo oi IVru 
is (he sfriljlc O'ornntmfiit and ! I lUi not like 
J*.rnzil for the sniiie iea>-ori. Kothii^g will lUrire 
through a Spanish oxtriiction *fid the old pro^'(>ib 
holds good :— " rump out of a Sp'iniar<l e^ery 
li.irlicle of gitod and I he miiHinder will make h 
luetlj' fair I'oi I u«:n«he." No. no ; *«lick In the old 
11-ig under which there i< still ample room, and h« 
reganls the C'l own Colonies, at le«st, some ff-elirig 
ot safely and justice. O. C. 
CEVLON l'LANTK*KS' ASSOCIATION. 
Jirtrarts from Mtnuifn of Prurfaiiiigii of « Mi i tiiig 
held at Kutidy. on triday, the Sth duij uj July, 
OFl'ICIAL E'-'TIMATK OF TVA CROP I OB lKt8. 
Discussed the Offi'Mnl Eiitiuiste of tbf Tta rion for 
16'.I8 as compared with a' tual shipments as at date. 
llesoKed : — '• Tt al as the tirt^i hitlf year has shewn no 
increase over the 'J'ea yield lo end of June Iti^T, ihe 
ConiniiUee is of opinion that the eetimated incrcspe of 
lU.OOU.tX'O (tea millioi.) lb. of Tea i r Ifci'JS will uot be 
secured." 
CAC.\0 DISEASE AND THE SEBVICKS OF A CRVrT(.MJAMIfT. 
Kiad letters from Government in re(erenc« to remit- 
tance of the equivalent of £ 50 stg. 
J.ADVBIKD UKET1-K8. 
Read letters from the Director, Iloyal Ito'unio 
Gardens, I'eradcnija, and ficm Mr. Y.. Eruest 
Urcru 'he lat er stating tliat in bis opinion tba 
introduction of various kinds of fo eigii "Lady- 
bird beetles" would piove bcneficiMi not only 
to ccffte or tea but, to all cultivated plains in C«t- 
Ion, each cf which has one or more tpecies of tcil« 
insect or aphis that must more or less affect its pro- 
ductive power; furtlier mentioning that he had been 
promised a consipKment of living Lid>bird beetirs 
from the Cape, where they have eevernl fpecies likely 
to be useful iu Ceylon. Itesolved : — '' Thai a grant of 
K'200 be voted to Mr. E. E. Green towards his eK- 
peiises in briuping a consignment of 'Lidxbird bee- 
tles' from the Cape." 
Head letter from the Secretary United Pl-iuters' As- 
Eociatiou of Southern India. 
I.ANTANA Bl'O. 
Bend letter from the Director, Royal liotanic Gar- 
dens, I'cradeniya stating tb-it in regard to the Lnnlau* 
insect it has been common about Kandy for years 
and that the Director now does not see biw chance 
of extorniinating it; adding that the area aflfccted by 
it is too lirguand it is too onioivorous in its ap- 
petites. The Director farther iiieDlions that 
the only feasible thing is he thinks for plau- 
ters to kepp it cff the tea by burning b'ck the Lan- 
taua and other -jveeds npon the boundaiies of estates. 
If the insect is once allowed to live on tea for a ge- 
neration or two, the progeny may acquire the taste 
for this plant and thus become a most dangerous 
enemy ; at present the insect prefers other plants 
and seems to h-sve but little relish for tea. In this 
connection the chief danger is likely to aiise frorn the 
iusect getting upon abandoned tea estates and plan- 
ters who have any such land iu the uei^hbouibood 
should keep careful watch upon it for the appear- 
ance cf this or other pests. Eesolved : — " That Go- 
vernment be askea to appoint an entomologist who 
could devote the whole cf his time to inv stigation 
of the many important problems in connection with 
insect pests the Committee being of opinion that the 
time has come when in the agricultural interests of 
the island Government should at once take preven- 
tive measures which can only be done by a scientist 
in the early stages ; such entomologist would work 
out the life history and habits cf obscure insect 
pests -which are at present not thoroughly understvc^," 
