310 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Nov. 1, 1698. 
No. 34. Lilsea zeylanica, Neea. " Flora Brit, 
India," vol. v., p. 178. Singalese— /rurfur/^Jfu/a. 
A common tree in the hill country, hetn ecu 2,000 
and 4,000 feet, and in great favour not only for 
the tea oases but for door frames, sash bars, (fadoi, 
and the like. The wood ia light in weight, and will 
take a high polish of a yellowish orange colour. 
EupnoBBiACE.;E. 
No. 35. Aleurites triloba, Forst. Singalese — Tel- 
Jcekuna, 
An introduced tree and common enough in native 
gardens, where it ia cultivated for the sake of the 
oil that ia extracted from the nut. Sometimea, 
but very rarely, used in tea-case manufacture. The 
wood is white, aoft, and light. 
Ueticack.i:. 
No. 36. hicus ntrvjsa. Ilayne. " Flora Brit. 
India," vol. v., p. 512. Sinhalese — Kalamadua. 
A large-leaved tree, and occasionally found in the 
forests of the wet zone. The wood is soft and li^^ht 
but decays quickly. 
It is probable that a few more species of the 
genus Ficus get mixed np with other light soft 
woods in tea-box mauiafacture, as they are easily 
procurable in common with so many of the woods 
mentioned above, but it ia undesireablo to record 
any doubtful examples. The list given includes 
most, if not all, of the recognised tea-box woods, 
and to which, but for the ignorance of the traders 
^hemselves, many more might be added. 
The culture of woods for this special trade may 
in course of time be tried in Ceylon, as the wants 
of the planters make suitable wood more and more 
scarce; but it is noteworthy that no invention has 
yet been brought out by which compressed wood 
could be used instead of the present very labori- 
ously manufactured article. — Journal of the tSuciety 
of Arts. 
THE NATAL FIBRE INDUSTRY. 
The following is an extract from a letter received 
in Durban from a well-known firm of merchants in 
London : — 
"Natal Fibre. — We think it will be of interest to 
you to hear the position of thi.s article at the present 
time, especially aa it so favourable that we should 
like to induce you to start some shipments if it is 
possible. As you know, your Natal fibre is similar 
to Mauritius sisal hemp, the value of which is guided 
entirely by the prices of Manila hemp. Now, at 
our first valuation we gave you the price at about 
f 17, but since then, owing to the insurrection in 
Manila and the war between Spain and the United 
States, the collection of hemp in Manila has for the 
time entirely ceased. Practically no parcels ai'e com- 
ing forward, and all available stock in London ia 
being rapidly snlitched up. Owing to this, the priie 
of Manila has risen to £35 per ton, and on this valu- 
ation our brokers, to whom we showed your fibre, 
and who make a speciality of all classes of hemp, 
report : ' Very good length, well dresaed and fair 
Btrength, fair colour, present value about £80.' Of 
course, no one can forsee how long the state of 
affairs in Manila will last, but at the time of writing 
there are no prospects of and apeedy settlement of 
matters, and even after the war has ceased it will 
Ipe some time before further shipments are forwarded, 
and it ia very unlikely that the prices will fall to 
anv extent this year. Therefore, reckoning with as 
much certainly as possible, the very lowest prices 
that parcels of your hemp would realise would be 
£25, which is allowing a margin of £.5 fall, which 
is most unlikely, and for any slight overvalu- 
ation on the part of the brokers, 'iherefore, if you 
can see your way to stnrt a shipment .... w.th 
a code for prices and repetitious, it is a splendid op- 
portunity to get your hemp into the market. We 
look forward to hearing from you, and trust that 
the information we aro giving you will prove useful.'' 
-^Natal Mercury. 
rL4NTING NOTES. 
Pi .tNT DiPF.At;i;s.— The browning of the Vine, which 
was treated with so much humour bv Mr. Blackmore 
at one of the meetings at Chlswick, is novr Mcer- 
tained to be caused by a slime fungus. More recent 
researches show that it is by no means confined to 
the Vine, but that it is met with in Beetroots, 
Potatos, Melons, Cucumbers, Artichokes, Laurel- 
Cherries, Ancuba, Cherries, Apricots, and Plums. 
The Pseudocommis— for inch is the name of the 
Blime-fuugua or Myxomycete, determines the gam- 
ming, the fungus known as Coryneum being now 
exculpated. In addition to the plants mentioned, 
Apples, Pears, Chestnuts, Poplars, and Sugar-cane 
are mentioned by Mr. lloze as subject to this ter- 
rible scourge, lu many cases the disease has been 
attributed to other fungi. The existence of the other 
fungi IS not denied, but it is supposed that instead 
of being directly injurious, they merely feed on the 
tissues decayed and injured by the presence of tha 
my-xomycete. These are questions which must be 
settled as soon as possibl* in the botanical labora- 
tory. The present state of uncertainty is worse than 
embarrassing to the practitioner. Inoculation of a 
previously healthy plant with spores of the several 
fungi was considered as suflicient pioof of the malig- 
nity of that particular fungus, but the slime-fungui 
can as easily be inticduced, and the evidence is 
as strong in the one case as in the o[.her.—0 ardtnert' 
Chronicle. 
Mr. Dovald Mackay has just returned from 
a trip to the upper portion of the Central Pro- 
vince, glad to get back from tiie co'd and pour- 
ing rain of Nnwara Eliya ; but much pleased 
with the improvement of the tea all alon" his 
route and more especially in the Agras, "eince 
he saw it four year.- ago. Mr. Mackay is now 
going up the Cliilaw Puttalain road to visit 
coconut estates. He will see one of the most 
profitable routes for a Railway in the island 
and one that might have been .served by the 
metre gauge on to Mannar, Jaffna and Trinco- 
malee if the Railway Commission ars had only put 
down their feet and stoppe d the broad gauge at 
Kurunegala. As it is, a line on tiie 2J feet 
ganje to Piittalani will have to be made and 
this gauge is quite enough for Jaflna (direct to 
Colombo) if only Mr. Cliamberlain could be got 
to believe so, for there is nothing; worthy of the 
name of main line beyond anuradhapura. 
The Coconut as a Vegetablb Food.— In its life- 
supporting qualiiiesthe coconut is quite equal to teh 
best of other vegetable products that have been 
ranked above it and although these nutritive qualites 
are admitted, the amount of nutrition derived is 
much greater than is generally supposed. As &u 
example, we miy refer to theaceount that has been 
published of a vessel which left San Francisco, with 
400 passengers, for Sydney. Running short of stores, 
they were obliged to pat in at port, where a large 
quantity of coconuts wag obtained. The remainder 
of the passage was attended with heavy weather, and 
the vessle became water-logged, only reaching Sydeny 
«fter a perilous voyage of eighty days. Owing to the 
extreme length of the voyage, their provisions ran out, 
and men, women, and children were reduced to an 
exclusive diet of coconut, and owing to the scarcity 
of these, the quantity apportioned was in the propor- 
tion of one coconut to each adult. Notwithstanding 
this diet, wholly unrelieved by any change, not a life 
was lost, not single cose of "illneaa occurred, all the 
passengers landing in a healthy and well-nourishei 
condition. 
Tnis is spaaking well for the trade on shted'led 
coconut, which, with the improvement in min iftc.ur- 
ing the last few years, has almost entirely replaced 
th< fresh coconut. This is because of its keeping 
qualities, and when prepare in the careful manner 
that the "Brazil" brand is, it is much healthier, and 
certainly more economical, for it well not turn rancid — 
" American Grocer," Aug. 3. 
