Dec. 1, 1903.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
38.5 
CACAO IMPOSTS TO THE UNITED STATES. 
RAPID GRO^H OF THE CHOCOLATE INDUSTHY. 
. Figures compiled by the United States DepHrtment 
of Commerce and Labour show 'that the importation 
of cacao has grown from 0,000,000 pounds iu 1833 
to 24.000,000 pounds in 1893 and 63 000 000 pounds 
iu 1903. The value of importations of cacao in crac'e 
form has grown from £200,000 in 1883 to £800 000 in 
1893 and nearly £l,G00.t00 in 1903. Meantime the 
importation of manufactured cacao and chocolate has 
fallen from 1.467,977 pounds in 1897, valued at 
£47,963 to 690,821 pounds in 1903, valued at £23.964 
approximate. Both cacao and ccUee have grown 
rapidly in favour in the United States in recent 
years, as against tea. which showed no material in- 
crease. The coffee importations grew from 515,000,000 
pounds in 1883 to 1,09\000 pounds iu 1902 and 
915,066,380 pounds in 1903; those of tea amounted 
to 73,000,000 pounds in 1883 and only 75,000,OiX) 
in 1902, but in 1003 were 108,000,000. Thus the growth 
in the importation of cacao has been more rapid 
proportionately than that of coffee and much more 
rapid than that of tea. Other evidence of the growth 
and popularity of cacao and its product, chocolate 
in the United States is in the fact that the number of 
cacao and chocolate manufacturing establishments re- 
ported in the census of 1830 was 7; in 1890, 11, and in 
190O, 24, while the capital employed increased from 
£106,100 in 1880 to £l,i7S,UQ—Sradsireets. 
VANILLA CULTIVATION IN MAURITIUS. 
A committee was recently appointed in Mauritius to 
make recommendations for the amendment of the laws 
on vanilla. In the report of this committee it is stated 
that ' vanilla grows Inxunriantly in Mauritius and 
constitutes an important source of revenue. There is 
practically no disease on fully grown plants. The 
failures in certain plantations are mostly due to bad 
cultivation. tTor some years, however, the plants 
have been attacked by fungi, which sometimes destroy 
a whole plantation in a short time. The flower.' have 
a great enemy in the common green bug which dami- 
gea large numbers of buds. These are however 
easily caught by hand ' 
There are some 3,000 vanilla planters in Mauritius 
bnt the majority of these, the Agricultural Keics says, 
are small proprietors who have a few plants in their 
gardens or orchards. The exports of prepared vanilla 
amounted, in iy('2, to 7,712 lb'. The cultivation is 
capable of considerable extension. 
THIEVrSG OF VAXILLA PODS 
In spite oi care taken to save the pods, they are 
subject to the depredation of thieves whom, owing to 
the nature of the product, it is very difficult to detect. 
With a view, theiefore, to protecting the planter.s, it 
is recommended that stringent regulations be made for 
the licensing of all sellers and preparers of vanilla the 
affixing of a special mark by vaniUa growers on their 
green pods, and the giving of notice to the authorities 
before vanilla is gathered. The committee further re- 
commends that a special Inspector be appointed for 
the purpose of inspecting and reporting on all vanilla 
plantations, preparing honses, etc- 
♦ 
Exchange Valce of the Euppee and Steaits 
DoLLAB. — In reply to a letter from Mr. R. L. Holme, 
Fiji, we shall have some further remarks to make 
shortly in regard to the varying exchange value of 
the Indian and Ceylon Rupee, and the Malay Straits 
Dollar. The eschan^'e value at present of the Rupee 
ia\s.4td. or R15 to the £1 sterling, and in calculating 
the price of copra in Colombo that will be correct 
The cent is the one-hundredth part of the Rupee. 
Ibe Straits Dollar is now eqa^l to Is. Wid. 
PINEAPPLE CULTIVATION IN CEYLON AND 
JAMAICA, 
Kingston Jamaica, October 8ih, 1903, 
Dear Sie,— I subscribe for the " Tropical Agri- 
ctdturi^t" and look eagerly for it every month. 
Your magazine is indeed a most valuable publication, 
and the information I glean from its pages is worth 
to me many times its cost. 
I have been growing pineapples exclusively for 20 
years, and anything pertaining to this fruit has always 
been of great interc.3t to me. 
Would yon publish at some future time an article 
on the pineapple in Ceylon, giving a description of 
all the vRrieties grown in your island ? I would be 
glad to know something about the " Kew'" pineapple, 
and would ako like to know whether it is a smooth 
leaf variety and if it is the same as the " Smooth 
Cayenne " grown in the " Azore " islands and shipped 
extensively to London. I have 56 varieties growing, 
but no " Kew," or if I have, it has never come to 
me under that name. 
Later I want to publish a list of all the varieties 
I have, sending a copy to every Director of Botanic 
Gardens throughout the world. 
Very truly yours, 
GEORGE LOUTREL LUCAS. 
Among the varieties of pineapples cultivated by 
Mr. Lucas are the following : — Smooth Cayenne, 
Abbaka, Red Ripley, Green Ripley, Kensing*on 
Flverton, Black .Jamaica, Ruby, Nacirema, Imperial, 
Mexican, Pernambuco, and others. Mr. MaoMillan 
of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, writes to 
ns that " the Kew Pine, or as some people call it 
' Giant Kew Pine," is synonymous with '"smooth 
Cayenne." The former name is not, so far as I am 
aware, knowri in England, and has probably arisen 
in the Colonies from this variety being introduced 
from Kew Gardens. 
There seem to be only three or four varieties alto- 
gether grown in Ceylon. Of these the " Kew " is by 
far the best the " Ripley," or as it is locally called 
''Mauritius," coming next to it. The former can 
always ^be identified by its smooth-edged leaves 
all the others being jagged or prickly. Pineapples 
are so little cultivated here that there is very little 
local information available. V/e have received" lately 
some half a dozen varieties from Java, but these have 
not yet produced fruit, so we are unable to speak 
of their value." 
The following note is from Mr. Macmillan's 
Circular on tropical fruits : — 
Aiianas saiiia. — Pineapple; Annasi, (Sinhalese)* 
Anashi-piUam, (Tamil). Generally supposed to be the 
most deiii;ions fruit in the world. The leaves afford 
a. fine and durable fibre of commercial importance. 
■Will thrive from sea-level to medium alti'ndes in 
moist and dry districts. Rich loamy soil, leaf mould 
and well-Totted manure : well-drained and sunny 
situation. Pknt about 2 ft. apart, in rows 3 ft. from 
each other. Prop, by suckers and ''crowns" (fraifc 
shoots). 
" Kew pine " (Smooth Cayenne). — The best variety 
for general cultivation, being a robust grower, 
nsually bearing iu the low-country in six months from 
time of planting sn:kers. Fruit grows to a large 
size, sometimes weighing over 20 lb. (exceeding the 
record for other countries) ; is very juicy and of a 
delicious flavour. Leaves not spiny. 
"Mauritius."— Fruit moderately large, yellow, an(J 
well-flavoured. Leaves spiny, 
