254 
THE TROPICAL AaRICULTURIST. [Oct. 1, 1903. 
Leeches. — In answer to a correspondent; the 
Entornoljgisb has furnished, the following informa- 
tion concerning leeche=i, whicli may be of general 
interest : — Leeciies prefer marshes or ponds with 
a bottom of mud or clay overgrown with weeds. 
In autumn chey bury deep into the mud. After 
pairing they burrow into the bank just above the 
level of the water and form cocoons or egg cases 
of a slimy material in which are enclosed from 
ten to sixteen ego[s. These cocoons are left in the 
burrows and in from four to six weeks the young 
ones emerge. The you ig leeches are slender and 
threadlike, and it is about five years before they 
attain full size. — Agricultural Gazette, of N S W. 
A Pleasing Gift. — Instances of the disappear- 
ance of uncommon or interesting plants in the 
neighbourhood of towns are unforcunately only too 
frequent, so that the gift of a small but particu- 
larly rich piece of land, presented by Mr Willett 
to the Ashmolean Natural History Society of 
Oxfordshire, will appeal to all naturalists. The 
donor desired to perpetuate the name of his 
famous fellow-collesian, and suggested that the 
area should be known as the " Riiskin Plot." 
The unique character of the vegetation is dae 
to the presence of TJolite overlying tlie clay, and 
these provide the situation required by a number 
of orchids and sedges. Mr G G Druce, who selected 
the spot describes in a small pamphlet the 
interesting plants which are collected together. 
— Nature. 
Maize Fodder.— Maize is the greatest of all 
fattening feeds for live stock, but, as is well known, 
it will make a badly balanced ration, being defi- 
cient in protein, and consequently not suited as a 
sole ration for growing animals. It has long been 
known that different samples of maize vary much 
in chemical composition, the softer and more 
starchy having a lower protein content than the 
flinty varieties, as it is the germ and horny-ap- 
pearingportions and bran that contains the protein. 
Scientific plant- breeders have been busy for several 
years with attempts to develop breeds of m^iize 
that will come nearer yielding a well-balanced feed. 
As it is we must balance the maize ration with 
some food having a much higher protein content, 
and containing less of carbohydrates and fat. These 
efforts have measurably succeeded, but not per- 
cectly. The experiment stations are working on 
this problem with every propecb of ultimate suc- 
cess. — Agricultural Gazette, of N S W", Aug. 
Rubber in Annam and Ceylon — We 
call attention to the article under this 
title jOn another page, Dr. Yersin who 
has visited Ceylon on more than 
one occasion, was greatly struck with, 
his visit to Mr F J Holloway at Kepiti- 
galla plantation ; but remarks on the slow 
process of tapping there, and compares 
the gathering of the latex in Ceylon with 
the evidently better methods employed in 
Brazil. In Ceylon, he says, it takes three 
men to tap 100 trees distant only 4 to 
5 metres, and to place 400 cups ; whilst 
in Amazonia a single rubber collector in a 
morning taps over 150 trees and places 
450 to 500 cups ; and moreover in the after- 
noon he smokes his morning's gathering of 
latex. Quicker and more economic methods 
will evidently have to be employed in 
Ceylon, now that rubber planting is being 
considerably extended each year ; but is Dr. 
Yersin correct in bis figures? 
Rubber and Experimental Gardens,— 
While the Bdangoda and Yattipauwa, Govern- 
ment Experimental Gardens, are now leased 
for extraction of latex at R1,000. a year, — the 
little garden near Kambukkana, of some 21 
acres, is being made the subject of experi- 
ments by the Forest Department, and, we 
hear, with surprising results as regards the 
quantity of rubber harvested for the age of 
the trees. It is intended, we believe, to 
plant up some 25 more acres in this 
garden. 
Coffee, as is well known, is an antidote to 
alcohol, bat The La icet, which has been discussing 
the habit of taking coffee after dinner, declares 
that, 4inlike alcohol, coffee diminishes organic 
waste and rouses the muscular energy without the 
collapse which follows alcoholic imbibition. Ex- 
cessive coffee drinking is condemned as an evil, but 
cautiously used cofifee is said to serve an admirable 
purpose iu dietetics. Jelly is an excellent vehicle 
for coffee, and coffee jelly is recommended as an 
excellent sequel to dinner for people with whom 
hot coffee disagrees. The coffee in the jelly should 
not be stinted in quantity — which is the cardinal 
mistake of the English housewife in brewing hot 
coffee. To be quite satisfactory coffee must be made ■■ 
with an abundance of m iterial, whether served hot 
or as coffee jelly. — Home paper. 
Japanese Camphor Monopoly.— The Osaka 
Mainichi reports that there is a good deal of 
opposition to the idea of disposing of the monopoly 
of the camphor and camphor-oil business in Japan 
to Messrs Samuel Samuel & Co., who hold the 
monopoly of the Formosan article. The autho- 
rities are reported to be greatly troubled about 
the matter, as the firm are sure to do all they 
possibly can to gain control of the market, The 
law comes into effect on and after October 1st 
next. The Osak t journal does not undertake to 
explain why the Government should be anxious 
to differentiate between rival bidders for the 
monopoly, and particularly anxious to debar 
the firm which has already paid handsomely for 
the monopoly in Poxmo'ia,,— Chemist and Drug- 
gist- 
Samoa as a Cacao Country.—" In two 
years Samoa ought to be making a name 
for itself as a cacao country" is the proud 
boast contained in the latest advices from 
this island to hand by the Australian mail 
this morning. The manager of another cacao 
plantation company it appears had just ar- 
rived—The Safata Samoa Cocoa Gesellschaft. 
This Company intends clearing and planting 
400 acres, and hope to get the cacao planted 
by the end of the year. A particularly dry 
season last year has had an adverse effect 
on the young cacao plantations and many 
planters have had to replant this season. 
Labour too is a difficulty. Some of the plant- 
ers who imported Chinese, are now drawing 
long faces at the prices charged per head 
(marks 714) for recruiting, transport, com- 
mission, etc., to be paid in three monthly 
instalments. This includes their passage back 
to China, three years hence. This does not 
include the labourers' wages of 10 marks per 
month ; that is to say, if an epidemic should 
break among the Chinese, and the men die, 
the planter would lose his 714 marks. Some 
people we note speak very highly ot their 
Chinese ; others, the reverse. 
