Sept. 1, 1898.] 
THE TROPICAL 
AGEICULTUEIST. 
167 
Grape Groavixg. — An interesting experiment 
is being made in Brazil, witii a view of making 
up the loss sustained by the fall in the value of 
coffee. This is the cuhivation of the grape. Au 
e.Khibitiou was held last month at Rio de Janeiro, 
at which specimens of about 300 varieties were on 
view, including grapes for table and wine making. 
— From "The Journal of the Jamaica Agricultural 
Society for June. 
Cueing Goat Skin. — To cure a goat's skin, trim it 
cu the flesh side with a sharp knife, aud then well 
brush wilh a solation of 2i lb. of alum and i lb. of 
common salt in 1 gal. of warm water; the skin ^^houId 
be treated two or three times with this solution on 
successive days. Now sprinkle bran all over the skin, 
brush out, and nail the skin to a board and dry it. As 
a preservative against insects: the flesh side may be 
treated with a mixture of arsenic aud black prepsd 
previous to drying. — From Work for July. 
The Profits from Cardamoms.— A planter 
writes: — "The figures in your Saturday's issue, 
of a yield of 48U lb. per acre over SO acres of 
cardamoms, are, surely, phenomenal, and must 
make the mouths of planters water. At 4s 
a lb., that would represent £7,680 for the 
year— or, say, nett £7,000 ! Deducting this acre- 
age and yield from the 5,153 acres under the 
product and the 592,830 lb. cardamoms exported 
last year, we have an average of only 97 lb. 
per acre. Is not that too low ? Though even 
with that, if an average of 4s can be ob- 
tained, the spice must be regarded as one of our 
most paying products." 
The Threatened Tea Crisis.— At the meeting 
of the Jokai (Assam) Tea Company on June 24th 
Surgeon-General A. C, C. DeEenzy, c.B. (chairman 
of the company) in the course of his addre-ss said : — 
The figures given in the repori showed how grie- 
vously the rise in exchange was effecting the cost of 
production in ladia, but that was not the end of the 
matter. The establishment of a gold standard in India 
would have the eSect of lowering the price of tea in 
this market by raising the value of gold, and as it would 
confer a bounty of 'SO per cent on China, they cculd 
hardly expect to be able to continue the struggle with 
that country for the supply of foreign market.s, in 
which for the last few years, they had been 
finding so large an outlet for their surplus produce. 
If China were to continue tinder its present corrupt 
and impotent Government they might be able to con- 
tinue the struggle. But how long would that Govern- 
ment live? "Was it not almost certain that that countrv 
would shortly be opened to European enterprise, capi- 
tal, and skill, and that they must look forward to plan- 
ters of foreign nationality, as well as Enslishmeu, en- 
gaging in the tea industry in China ? Favoured by a 
bounty of 30 per cent China grown tea would surely be 
able to retain its position in the foreign market, from 
which they had been lately so rapidly displacin<r it. 
It was greatly to be regretted that the Indian tea" in- 
dustry was not represented on the Comniis5ion which 
was now examining the currency proposals of the 
Indian Government. The question, in his opinion, 
vitally affected the safety of the Indian tea indastrv! 
and a common standard of value between India aiid 
the other countries where tea could be produced com- 
mercially was essential to its existence for any long 
period. Such a bounty as it was proposed to confer 
on China would as certainly destroy the Indian and 
Ceylon tea industries as the beetroot sugar bounties had 
destroyed the \Yest Indian scgar industry. In conclu- 
sion, he stated that instructions had been sent to the 
company's superintendents to reduce expenses to the 
lowest possible point. The directors had also decided to 
stop all extensions, except such as might be calculated 
to reduce the cost of production on those gardens which 
were too small to give profitable occupation to a tirst- 
class'raanager. As regarded buildings, thev would do the 
best they could with the old ones, only completing the 
permanent ones under coastiuctioo, 
The Future of Ceylon".— A correspondent! 
writing as a nieicliant and owner of tea property 
in Ceylon, calls attention to the adverse effects 
on the prosperity of the island of the closing of 
the Indian mints. Ceylon since 1872 has had a 
rupee currency, but it is quite independent of 
India in its financial relations, and is in no way 
interested in the Indian delt. Yet, whenever a 
scarcity of money occurs in India it seriously 
affects Ceylon, as the Indian banks which have 
agencies in the Colony are instructed to remit 
rupees to Bombay or Calcutta, as the case may 
be, sometimes even selling high-class securities to 
obtain cash. The result is that it is difficult, and 
sometimes even impossible, to borrow at 15 or. as 
much as 20 per cent. The Ceylon Government 
has a note issue based upon a reserve of 5 millions 
of rupees, aboirt half of which is in silver in the 
Government vaults. Our correspondent asks 
whether it is not possible to tise this silver in 
times of great pressure in the Colony for the re- 
lief of trade. And he goes on to ask how India 
is to compete with China if she is to have a gold 
standard, supposing China continues the silver 
standaul and is opened up by means of railways. 
All the European nations are now interesting them- 
selves in China. Is it not likely that China will 
soon become an exporter of wheat, indigo, and 
jute, as she lias long been of tea ? And if she 
does, ■with European capital and- European skill 
to develop her resources, what is to become of 
India and Ceylon ? The question is undoubtedly 
very serious, and we would commend it to the 
careful attention of the Committee that is now 
considering the Indian Government's currency pro- 
posals. — Statist, June 25. 
Wanted: ax Agricultural (Sciextieic) 
DEP.A.RTMEXT. — A well-known planter puts the 
question to us — " Has not the time arrived 
for a public agitation for a Government Scientific 
Department ? What with weevil, cacao oisease, 
lantana bug, etc. and the colony dependent on 
'agriculture?' Surely there should be a depart- 
ment to look after the various interests involved." 
We most lieartilj' agree. We have been press- 
ing for reforms in this direction for a quarters 
of a century back. Never was there a more press- 
ing need than now : but then never was there a 
more mifav our able time for asking for a new De- 
partment I With K2,500,000of our revenue to be 
apjiropriated for a non-paying Kailway (in utter 
defiance of the " Will-it-pay " test), where is the 
chance of getting money voted for the perma- 
nent establishment of Scientific and Agricultural 
investigators so much needed in the country ? 
It will even, perhaps, come to be asked if we 
can afford the boon of imperial Penny Postage, 
although the disgrace and discredit of refusing 
to join in this great reform will, we hope, 
deter obstruction or delay. With Ceylon leading, 
the Straits must follow and also India we are 
told. — At the same time how extraordinary that 
a Colony so entirely dependent on its agri- 
culture should be far behind Dependencies like 
British Guiana, not nearly so important, in its 
provision for the scientific investigation of agri- 
cultural pests. The fact is that every Civil 
Servant Cadet for Ceylon should go through 
an agricultural course after the pattern of the 
Civil Servants sent out to Java; and then their 
interest in the needs of cultivators aud idan* 
ters, would speedily secure the . appointment 
of Specialists. The way, in which the local 
Agricultural School is allowed to drag on, is 
simply a disgrace to the preseut Cejlou Aduiiiii$« 
tiation. 
