Oct. 1, 1898.] THE TROPICAL AGEICULTtJRIST. 
naturally the case along the valleys through which 
streams flow. 
Mica exists in the -western parts of the district 
where the land begins to rise ta the ghats. The 
surface indication of it is the outcrop of quartz 
and felspar, with which minerals it is usnallj asso- 
ciated, being sometimes integrated nith them so as 
to form a coarsegrained granite, or else occuring in 
large separate masses. It is not unusual to find 
distinct masses of mica, of quartz, and of felspar, 
lying contigeous to each other; the idea which tney 
convey being that Nature intended manufacturing 
granite on the spot, but after collecting the neces- 
sary materials had changed her mind about it. 
But the surface indication, above mentioned, is not 
always present: in some cases mica occurs in isola- 
ted blocks. There are mica mines in operation at 
Inikurti, Utttkur, Chaganum, Sydapuram, and Khan- 
dali, all lying from W.S.W to S.S.W. of the town 
of Nellore, at from twenty to thirty miles distance. 
Indications of mica are met with further north, but 
no mines have yet been started : the industry is in 
fact in its infancy, the first mine, the one at TJtuknr- 
having only been started in 1SS3. The mineral it 
found near the surface, and those hitherto engaged 
upon the getting of it not being professional miners, 
but mere diggers, the only method of working yet 
adopted has been that of quarrjing — no subterraneous 
mining has yet been attempted. The mica occurs 
in masses of from 100 to 200 cubic feet ; these masses 
have been found from near the surface to a depth 
of 70 feet, the method employed for detaching the 
stuff being blasting with gunpowder or dynamite. 
The cutting and sorting of the mica after it is 
won from the quarry is a very important part of the 
industry: the value depends not only on the sizes 
of the sheets, but also upon their freedom from flaws 
and their clearness and transparency. Slabs of clear 
mica have been obtained of a superficial area exceed- 
ing two square feet ; such pieces are however rare. 
But pieces of no more than 4 square inches find a 
ready market. All clear mica is cut into rectangu- 
lar pieces of certain sizes. The clippings, or waste, 
have hitherto been thrown aside as useless ; but 
inquiries have recently been made for this waste 
also, as the mineral is said to be useful as a lu- 
bricant when powdered. Some of the mines recent- 
ly started have had their whole oatput bespoken 
by firms in Madras. New uses are continually being 
found for the m neral. A. patent has recently been 
taken out in ludia for a composition, in which it 
is the principal ingredient, for the covering of boi- 
lers, steam-pipes, and the like, as it is a capital 
non-conductor of heat. A cartridge has also been 
recently invented in which, instead of paper or metal 
for the wrapping, mica is used, the advantages of 
the material for this purpose being manifold. 
It is not easy to ascertain the actual cost of get- 
ting the material, the mine owners being naturally 
reticent on the subject ; and, in fact, the cost must 
vary in different mines according to the quantity 
and quality of the mica obtained, and the depth at 
which it is found. That it is a very paying indus- 
try is clear from the eagerness with which both 
Europeans and natives are taking up land for mining. 
From statistics obtained from the Sea Customs 
Department, it appears that during the first half of 
the year 1895 the quantity of mica exported from 
the port of Madras was 66,815 lbs., which increased 
to 71,030 lbs. in the second half, and to 89,330 lbs. 
in the first half of 1896. During last year (1896), 
no less than 30 mining leases were taken out 
for 64 acres of land, for a total assessment of 3,192 
rupees. The industry has hitherto been worked by 
men of small means, who have each taken up from 
one to two acres of land to opperate upon. But 
recently some firms in Madras have been applying for 
large blocks of land for the purpose. In consequence of 
these applications Government have been reconsideing 
the question of their attitude towards the industry. 
Hitherto the rule has been a charge of a rupee an 
acre for the right of prospecting, and an annual recent 
of 50 rupees an acre for laud taken up ou lease for 
mmmg upon. But the term '•' prospecting " has net 
been clearly defined, not have any maximum or 
miuimumlimits been laid down as to the sizes of blocks 
which may bs taken up or the distances whir-h must 
separate rival ^ blocks. In consequence of this difficul- 
ties have arisen at times. Government have hi- 
therto taken no interest in the outturn of the mines 
or the status of the lessees; they are inclined now 
to take an interest in both; they desire to encour- 
age firms or companies to take "up large blocks of 
lands say of about half a square mile in area and 
while reduciag the ground-reat to charge a royalty 
of 5 per cent, ad valorem on the oiitturu. The ides- 
is that such firms or companies, by introducing 
improved methods of mining, would get better re- 
sults than have yet been achived and so earn a 
higher profit, in which profit Government desire to 
participate. The difficulty of accurately valuing the 
mica obtained is to be gotten over by ultimately 
accepting a brokers's certificate as to what it realised 
on sale in Loudon, or wherever it was disposed of • 
Government in the first instance exacting a royalty 
calculated upon the highest price it is likely to 
realise. A deposit of 500 rupees is to be made with 
each apphca:ion for a lease of land or a license to 
prospect. The new rules have not yet been promul- 
gated, but It is believed that the above is a pretty 
accurate forecast of what is coming. These rnlea 
of course, apply only to mining on Government 
land. Where it is desired to mine on land belomrine 
to private parties, an arrangement must be com''e to 
with the owners. The Eajah of Vencataghiri owns 
much mica bearing land in the district; his rates 
at present, are a rupee an acre for prospectinfr and 
an annual rent of 50 rupees an acre for mintni? 
_ It must not be supposed that all who have gone 
in for mica mining have been successful ; there have 
been failures as well as successes; but the success- 
es have so far outnumbered the failures that as 
has already been said, there is a considerable boom 
i?, "® industry just now— as booms in India so 
The xailures have generally been due to ignorance' 
men have started mining where there was no mica' 
lu some cases failures have been due to want of 
capital and spirit. One of the most successful mines 
in the district was abandoned by the original owner 
as unprofitable. 
Besides mica, the district contains iron Conner 
gypsum, kaolin, and garnets. The iron ore is of good 
quality and is worked by the natives to a =mall 
extent for supplying local wants. The copner ore 
was worked formerly but the ore procurable near 
the surface being exhausted, the industry has been 
abandoned. It is not known to what e.xteut these 
minerals exist. Gypsum, kaolin and garnets are 
found, but are not worked. The kaolin, which is 
disintegrated felspar, is white, and appears to be 
of good quality. The garnets hitherto found havp 
been T^oor.— Journal of the Sociefi/ of Arts. 
HOW RUBBER TREE.S (FICUS ELASTIC A) 
ARE GROWN IN ASSAM: 
By D. p. Gopeland, Deputy Conseiuator 
p FoKESTs, Darrang DrvlSION. 
Ficus ELASTicA.-l The India rubber fi.. or n-, 
outchouc tree is indigenous in Assam where h i. 
found a dominant tree in the evergreen forest^ Tf 
requires an exceedingly damp atmosphere, and the 
best natural rubber trees are met with in the fn,J=f^ 
at the foot of the hills, or on the hills then sehes 
up to an elevation of 2,500 feet. "c-mseues 
N.\TUR.-\L Germination.— 2. la its na'unl 
the rubber starts from seed dropped by bi,ds in 
the forks o other trees, often 20 or 30 feet or even 
more from he ground, where it germinates, and the 
young p ant remains an epiphyte for years until 
Its aerial roots touch the ground: as soon as tb s 
takes place, the ittle epiphyte changes rapidly nto 
a Mgorous tree, throwing out numerous aerial riots 
which gradually envelope the tree ou which it firat 
began life and often kill it out. 
