May 2, 1904.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST: 
•779 
A REMARKABLK FEARL, 
HOW A BALL OF liliESWAX WAS CONVKRTED INTO 
A GEM. 
Tlie Smithsonian Institute at Wasliinfjton has 
recently come into possess'on of one of llie most 
remarkable artificial pearls in existence. It is 
the more curious and valuable in that its origin 
is of a very lowly and humble character — it has 
resulted from a ball of beeswax being introduced 
into the shell of a living fresh-water nius-el ! The 
pearl is about an inch and a half in length, 
oval in form, and pink in colour. A period of 
two years was occupied in its formation. A fmall 
ball of wax was hxed near the hinge of the bivalve, 
which was placed in a tank of fresh water and 
carefully watched. The irritation »of the wax 
caused the mollusc to protect itself by covering 
the foreign object with a smooth coating of 
pearl — the same material as that which is used 
in lining the inner surface of its shell, The result 
was a pearl of enormous size. In consequence of 
pressure the Email wax ball lost its globular shape 
and became oval in form. At the end of two 
years the mussel was taken out of the tank and 
the pearl removed. Owing to dryness the wax 
in the interior contracted, and this, unfortunately 
caused the pearl to crack. This accident has made 
it possible to observe the nacreous covering, which 
is somewhat thicker than that of an ordinary 
sheet of note paper. If it were not for the 11 iw 
this extraordinary pearl says the " Daily Express," 
would be worth an enormous sum of money ; but 
even so, it is priceless as a curiosity. 
RUBBER PLANTATIONS IN TRAVANCORE^ 
The experiments in the cultivation of rubber 
tried by the local Forest Department having 
shown that Para rubber. {Hevea Braziliensis) 
grows well in the low valleys of the jungles in 
North Travancore, an English planter, Mr Hunter, 
has planted a fairly large area with rubber plants. 
Sonte planters from the High Range are laun- 
ching into a similar undertaking, and are 
negotiating for the purchase of land. The tliree 
varieties Hevea, Castilloa and Ficus elastica 
will grow well in Travancore in the fertile 
valleys of the Periyar and in the lower basin of 
Kolathupuzha. These tracts are considered 
admirably fitted for the cultivation ot rubber- 
yielding plants from the fact that climbers of 
caoutchouc-yielding plants grow spontaneously in 
these favoured regions of Travancore?— 3/. Mail, 
RUBBER IN BENGAL. 
From the Report of the Forest Administration 
in Bengal for the year 1902-03, we learn that in 
the Tista Division (Darjeeling) the rubber planta- 
tion was extended by 15 acres with very protni.'sing 
results. In the Darjeeling Division rubber {Ficus 
elastica) transplants have done well in Mangua 
block since the crop of sal which stood over them 
was opened out. In Kurseong, of 1,831 transplants 
of Para rubber (Ucvea Brasilien&is) put out near 
Sukna in previous years 1,609 survived and did 
well. In Jalpaignri transplants and nursery seed- 
lings in Kamsailiilt have generally survived, but 
their growl h has been very indifl'erent, and a similar 
remaik applies to transplants on two acres in 
Buxa, although the shade covering the latter was 
opened out more freely. Few of the seedlings of 
Kickxia Africana and Castilloa elastica rubber 
trees in the SuUua nursery survived and a fresh 
supply of 50 Kickxia seeds failed to germinate. 
Two maunds of rubber, collected in the Tista 
Division in the previous year, were sold for 11309, 
or at a profit of R229. 
TEA GROWING IN JAMAICA. 
Mr H E Cox Ramble, .Jumaica, the "one tea 
planter" of that Colony, writes to the Journal 
of the Jamnica Agricultural Society for March 
"The tea grown here is certainly a strong tea- 
and I venture to think that its special qualities 
will enable it to stand unblended on its own 
merits. I confess that I have no faith in blends ; 
I cannot help thinking that the mission in life 
of a blender is to pass off a low-class product by 
the admixture of a smaller quantiiy of high-class 
product. It is the need of maintaining a con- 
tant standard of jualily which has caused me, 
to refrain from importing seed, which lias neces- 
icated my waiting a long time for a return, and 
materially increased the cost of the establishment 
of my plantation." 
THE AMERICAN TEA MARKET. 
JAPANS EISE 15 PER CENT : PRICES MAINTAINED 
BECAUSE OF SMALL STOCKS ON HAND. 
The tea trade locally cannot help but feel rather 
satisfied with the past week's market. The market 
was well maintained. First hands are holding for 
higher prices. The war effect in the far East has 
elevated prices of Japan (eas fully 15 per cent. 
The probable scarcity of labour in japan may be 
accountable in part for the advance, but in the 
event of an open market, prices would decline 
then the effort to maintain the present level would 
have to come from this market rather than from 
producing centres. In sympathy with the higher 
price for Japans, India and Ceylon teas have also 
advanced. Distributing business continues good 
on a steady basis of values. In Canadiim markets 
as in London there is plenteous inquiry for medium 
qualities of tea. Ceylon and Indias are stronger 
and prices have ruled firm each day, Flavoury 
qualities are cenerally scarce. A despatch from 
Ottawa says that the Russo-Japanese war has 
caused an increase in the importation of teas into 
Canada. The reason assigned is that merchants in 
Canada feel that the vrar may cause a shortage, 
and are replenishing their stocks with that idea in 
mind. The apprehension that the Japan field may 
be closed is also causing an increased demand for 
the India and Ceylon varieties. So far the Russo- 
Jap war has scarcely affected the market, beyond 
the heavy importations of tea mentioned. The 
fact that the Japanese control the sea means cheap 
tea for the people of the United States and Canada. 
If Russia bad control of the Pacific she would 
blockade the Japanese ports and tea prices would 
soar skyward in America, Later on it may be 
found if the war assumes large proportions, tliat 
Japan requires many men to serve in the army 
whose places on the tea plantations will be very 
hard to fill, and thus a scarcity of labour may 
furnish a snHicient reason for the raising of the 
prices of tea. A« a matter of fact, however the 
Pacific Ocear. and all Japanese ports are wide 
open, anit as there is plenty of tea in Japan, it is 
hardly likely that even speculative attem,'ts to 
increase the price will be crowned with success 
Tea and Coffee Trade Journal, 
