THE TROPICAL 
AGllICULTURIST. 
[Dec. 1, 1903. 
oflScer resident in the North, is uncalled for, for these 
estates were not opened under his advice or in- 
strnotion, but long before hia Bppointment. While on 
this subj-'ot we XDny mnntion that tlure would seem to 
be the idea with some that the instruct' r in coffee 
culture was appointed by the Govenimeut to advocate 
the planting r.p of ccffiie solely. Since we were here 
at the time of the agitation for an instructor and s^w 
many ot the petitions submitted to the Government, 
we may state the appointment followed a unanimous 
request of those aheady growing coffee, for an expert 
to advise and instruct them. Mr. Newport has done 
good work and devoted his energies to the advance- 
ment of the industry to the growers. If the industry 
is not as great or as wide-pread as it might have been, 
the fault does not lie at his door, and while having in 
this branch of his work, for he has not been kept solely 
at coffee instruction, by no means an easy row to hoe, 
he has commanded the gratitude and respect of all 
coffee growers. Not even do those who have tried and 
failed in growing coffee blaire the instructor in any 
way. 
"Under these circumstances,' continues the oorre- 
apondsnt (circumstances related, or rather misrelated, 
by himself) " 1 would strongly advise Ceylon men to 
stay away from Queensland " — the reason is worth 
noting— " there is no hospitality as in Cevlonfor a 
planter looking for a berth, long experience goes for 
nothing." Thus he continues to misstate and unload 
the blame of his own want of success on to others. We 
need scarcely say that the residents ol North Queens- 
land can hardly be accused of want of hospitality, but 
we may say that in coming to a democratic country 
Ceylon or Indian planters (and we have seen several of 
these) or others, must bear in mind that he must take 
his coat off, and that everything must be done by 
himself for himself ; that such positions as superin- 
tendents of estates are not to he had — the demand 
doesn't exist — any more than for such services as 
bailiff or farm manager, private secretaries, valets, or 
coachmen. But to the man of practical utility, grit, 
energy and stamina, North Queen-land not only will 
be found hospitable and holding out to him as great 
possibil.ties as were ever to be found, whether in 
coffee cultore, other industries or walk of life, but as 
his capabilities are so will be the measure of his suc- 
cess. ''Leaving Cairns for Geraldton " says Mr. 
Cottam, " seems to be jumping out of the frying pan 
into the fire." Well, from his 1 st heard of address he 
has remaioed in the fire. L'rt us hope ihat he h'ls 
started to work, and that he will prove a capable ci izen 
when his experience of this country is enlarged, and 
he has learnt, for instame, to manipulate mowing 
machines without smashing his thumbs. 
RUBBER FROM MOMBASA, EAST 
AFRICA PROTECTORATE. 
This sample of rubber was forwarded to the Imperial 
Institnte for examination and commercial valuation 
by Sir C. Eliot, Commissioner of the East Africa 
Protectorate, and in the accompanying letter it is 
stated to have been obtained from a creeper which 
grows in the Shimba Hills near Mombasa. The label 
upon the specimen furnishes the additional statement 
that the rubber was obtained from the Wadiuma 
Forest, two hours' journey from Muele Hill, Shimba. 
Description of the Specimen — A ball of rubber, about 
8 in. in diameter, light brown in colour externnlly, 
and slightly sticky ; the freshly cub eurf»ce showed 
a mottled appearance, varying in colour from white 
to light brown, and was less sticky than the outer 
surface ; the ball was slightly poroas, and contained 
small particles of vegetable matter distributed through 
it ; it was very elastic, and fragments of the rubber 
stretched well without breaking ; when heated at 
12flO 0. the rubber partiHlly melted. 
Commercial Valuation. — A specimen of the rubber, 
together with the results of the chf-micai tsamina.ion, 
was snbmitted to brokers for commercial valuation, 
and was classed by them (together with the sample 
from Takaungu) aa nice, hard, red rubber, which would 
sell well, and be worth 2s. 6d. to 2i. M.per lb., ex 
warehouse in London if not sticky, Consignments of 
this rubber would no donbt find a ready sale in the 
London mirket at the present time, — Board i,f Trade 
Journal. 
CULTIVATION OF THE GAMBIER PLANT IN 
SUMATRA, 
The tanning material known as gambier, or white 
catechu, is a product obtained by extracting the leaves 
and twigs of the East Indian plant, Uncaria Gambier. 
and concentrating the extract so produced until it 
solidifies. Until quite recently this material was 
almost entirely produced in the Straits Settlements, 
but within the last few years its manufacture has been 
commenced in Sumatra and Java, and according to 
a recent number of the "Journal d' Agriculture 
Tropioale " (March, 1903), the care bestowed in 
Sumatra on the cultivation of the plant and in the 
manufacture of t'-'e extract has led to the production of 
a high quality gambier, which is gradually displacing 
the products of other districts. The young plants, 
when from 7 to 8 in. in height are planted out, so that 
merely the tip of the stem shows above ground ; this 
treatment usually results in the production of a large 
number of lateial roots, so that the plant is less liable 
to be torn out of the ground by strong winds, and is 
less susceptible to the atiacks of fungoid growths. 
The twigs and leaves for the preparation of the extract 
are obtained by careful pruning of the plants with 
shears, this method being less harmful than lopping 
the branches with knives ks was formerly practiced. 
The twigs are first cut up in a chaff-cutter, and then 
extracted by boiling with water, the extract being then 
concentrated until it almost solidifies; at this point it 
is allowed to stand for an hour to cool, then cut into 
the usual cubical pieces, which are finally dried by 
anificial heat. In this way, it is stated, a product 
lighter in colour than ordinary gambier is obtained.— 
Ibid. 
The Kola Tree of the French Congo.— 
The kola nuts of commerce are the product of 
the West African tree. Cola acuminata. They 
are employed to some extent in Europe as a 
drug, and also as a stimulating foodstuff of the 
same character as tea or coffee. Attention is 
directed in a recent number of the " Journal d' 
Agriculture Ti'opicale " (February, 1903) to a 
species of kola (Cola hallayi) growing in the 
French Congo, the. fruit of which resembles 
that of Cola acuminata, and possesses similar 
properties. This tree grows well up to an alti- 
tude of about 1,400 ft , either on the banks of 
rivers amid thick undergrowth, or on the open 
Flain, but requires a clay soil containing iron, 
t attains maturity in ten years and yields in 
the wild state from 100 to 110 lbs. of nuts per 
annum, the quantity which is easily doubled by 
cultivation The nuts are used by the natives 
as a sustaining food stuff; they are collected 
just before ripening and huried in ant-heaps, 
when the ants remove the yellowish white skin, 
without attacking the nut, and at the same 
t me cover with a coating of loam, which pre- 
vents access of air to the nut, and so acts as 
a preservative. The nuts were for some years 
exported in considerable quantities from the 
Congo, but the presence in several cargoes of 
larvae of an insect which destroyed the kernels, 
stopped this trade. The creation of an export 
trade in these nuts would be of great value to 
this part of Africa, where much of the soil is 
quite unsuited for the cultivation of other eco-" 
nomic plants.— 5o<irf7 of Trade Jottmal. 
