fm THOPICAL AaEICULTURlST. [Kov, 2, 1901 
preparing the cotton and are also sending out agents 
to see to the proper treatment and marketing of 
tbecrop, The tehenie was fully discussed yesterday, 
and arrangements were made for making advances 
to small grovvers where required. As already an- 
nounced in The Times, Sir Daniel iVIorri^, Imperial 
Director of A-xncultnre for the West Indies, is 
proceeding to the United States, accompanied by 
Mr Boveil, of Barbadoes, to study the methods in 
vogue there for growing and marketing cotton. 
The sea island variety of cottoia grovirs well in 
the West Indies and several lots already received 
in England liave fetched high and remunerative 
prices, and there is every probability that before 
long a large and profitable industry will be esta- 
blished. 
The Chairman stated that the movement, both 
in the West Indies and in other parts of the 
Empire, met with the most cordial approval and 
would receive every possible support from the 
Government whilst the Colonial Secretary took 
a very great personal interest in the matter 
The Duke of Marlborough promised Sir Alfred 
Jones that he would attend the next meeting of 
the association in Manchester early in October. — 
London Times Sept. 17. 
TEA FKOM JAMAICA. 
Sir Alfred Jones, K.C.M.G., stated to a Daxly 
^ail representative in Liverpool yesterday that 
his experiments in Jamaica had. sho^ved excellent 
prospects of tea growing on the island. In a short 
time tea of good blend will be added to the exports 
of Jamaica- Mr. R Dawson, an expert, selected 
the warm, temperate slopes of the Blue Mountains, 
at an altitude of some 4,000 feet, as being an ideal 
place for the growth and cultivation of tea. 
There is ample water power to work the machinery. 
From experiments it has been proved that the 
Chinese varieties $;row luxuriantly, but there are 
still better prospects for the Assam and Ceylon 
hybrids. — Daily Mail, Sept. 19. 
BANANA HEMP FROM GEEMAN EAST 
AFRICA. 
It is reported from German East Africa that 
recently in the interior, in the Uluguru moun- 
tains, a species of banana has been found in 
great numbers, the inside bark of which has been 
recognised by experts as very valuable as Manila 
hemp. There is said to be room enough for un- 
bounded plantations of the new industrial material, 
—L. & C. Express, Sept. 18. 
AGRICULTURE IN SIERRA LEONE. 
In a recent report on Sierra Leone, issued by the 
Colonial Office, it is stated that agriaulture, in its 
generally accepted sense, is not carried out in that 
Colony or Protectorate. Generally speaking, it may 
be said to be confined to the growing of such crops as 
rice, cassava, and maize. The soil is fertile, and there 
are millions of acres of land that might be made 
productive, but the natural indolence of the people is 
an almost insuperable bar to the extension of agri- 
cultare, and as long as their easily satisfied wants are 
met under present conditions, it will be difficult to 
overcome their inertness and to persuade them to take 
up agriculture on a larger and lucrative scale. Small 
quantities of sweet potatoes and yams are also grown, 
and ia some parts ginger is cultivated to a limited ex- 
tent. Efforts are being nude to encoorage aud extend 
THE CULTIVATION OF COTTON, 
and an American cotton expert has been sent out, 
under the auspices of the British Cotton Growing 
Association, for this purpose. At present a certain 
amouQt of cotton is cultivated in those parts of the 
Protectorate where the mauiitacture of native cloth is 
carried on. The plant is indigenous to the couuiiy, 
and its cultivation is of the most primitive kind, the 
seed being sown broadcast over the land on which 
cassava or rice has been planted. The native plant 
is perennial, and the quality and staple are good. A 
sample which was recently sent to England was quoted 
at 5§d per lb. The cotton expert is of opinion that 
mucb might be done to improve both the quality and 
the staple by proper methods of cultivation and by a 
careful selection of seed. He is now engaged in the 
Sherbro district in carrying out experiments with a 
view of determining this. Every encouragement is 
being given to the people to induce them to take up 
the industry, and the Government has agreed to 
accept cotton in lieu of cash in the payment of the 
house tax. Consignments of cotton will also be carried 
by rail free of freight, — Board of Trade Journal, Sept 17. 
SERICULTURE IN ORISSA. 
The native Chiefs of Orissa, says the Englishman, 
are setting an excellent example to others by intro- 
ducing sericulture among their tenantry. The 
Maharaja of Mourbhang was the first to set the ball 
rolling. The Maharaja of Keonjhor followed suit, 
and we understand others are also alive to the ad- 
vantages of silkworm rearing. At Baripada thou- 
sands of mulberry trees are being propagated in a 
nursery. The trees will be distributed among 
the peasantry next June and July, The shrub 
mulberry of Bengal has also been introduced, and 
three crops of cocoons have been already reared 
successfully, and a number of local raiyats trained. 
The plan on which the Maharaja is proceeding 
is an excellent one. For the first four or five 
years while the mulberry trees are growing, the 
silkworms will be reared in small plantations of 
Bengal mulberry at Baripada and a number of 
outstations for the purpose of training the raiyats. 
When the thousands of mulberry trees are full 
grown all over the State, hundreds of cultivators will 
be also ready to make use of the leaves for the 
purpose of rearing silkworms. The Maharaja 
intends buying up the cocoons from his tenants 
and spinning them to raw silk in a central factory. 
The Maharaja has employed one of the best 
sericulturists of the country to look after the 
enterprise and although at the initial stage of 
the industry it cannot possibly yield any profit, 
the measures adopted promise a final success. At 
Keonjhor mulberry planting will be commenced 
in a few days. — Pioneer Oct. 
INDIAN COOLIES FOR REUNION, 
Another competitor in the Indian Cooly 
Emigration field may possibly be seen shortly. 
We learn from the Quinsaine Coloniale 
(Paris) that a determined effort is about 
to be made to reintroduce Indian Cooly 
Emigration to Reunion, where planters and 
employers are in a desperate state owin^ to 
a want of labour. The British Government 
stopped emigration to Reunion many years 
ago because the coolies were badly treated ; 
but in 1897 a new Convention was drawn 
up, permitting emigration though under 
conditions which the French Colonists say 
are " impossible." It is now sought to have 
the Convention modified and it is hoped 
in Paris to effect th\s,—M, Mail, Oct. I. 
