48 
thf tropical agriculturist. 
[July i, 1890 . 
The Okra Plant.— Considerable attentiou is being 
directed to the okra plant, an annual of South Ameri- 
can origin, which, heretofore, has been known chiefly 
as an excellent vegetable for soups. It has recently 
been discovered, however, that this plant has an ex- 
cel'ent fibre, and an inventor asserts that he has 
devised a process for extracting okra fibre at a cost 
not exceeding one cent per lb. It is believed that 
okra fibre, especially if extracted at this price, will 
largely displace jute, and it is also likely to come into 
competition with henequen.— Industries. [The “ okra ” 
is simply the bandakai, and the “ discovery ” referred 
to is by no means “ recent,” — Ed. T. yi.] 
Pine Needle Cloth.— Wo have already noticed 
the manufacture of cloth from Pine-needles as a 
promising young industry in some of our southern 
states. A correspondent of the Atlanta Constitution, 
writing from Wilmington, North Carolina, says 
that at a factory in a neighboring village may be 
seen specimens of colored mattings made from the 
“ Pine straw,” which are excellent in quality and 
also attractive in appearance, as the straw can be 
bleached to a fine creamy tint and readily takes 
brilliant dyes. But the machinery for making this 
malting lies idle, so great is the demand for coarse 
c’oth for cotton bagging — Garden and Forest. 
Cinchona. — At the annual meeting of the Western 
Java Cinchona Agricultural Company the report 
was read, which shows that the cinchona prices 
were far from being favourable. Encouraging reports 
have been received regarding the estates, and the 
number of cinchona trees on the four undertakings 
is at present about 3,975,000, or 225,000 more than 
in the preceding year. On account of the low 
prices harvesting was confined as much as possible. 
The total gross proceeds of the parcels already sold 
is f. 19,903, and the unsold stock on the spot and 
afloat is estimated at f. 63,270, showing a total of 
f, 83,233 appearing in the profit and loss account 
at a net value of f.65,083. The crop of 1890 is 
estimated at 150,000 kilos., and of 1891 at 220,000 
kilos. 210 piculs of coffee were harvested. According 
to the profit and loss account, the balance profit, 
after writing off, amounts to f. 21, 092, including the 
balance of the preceding year, and consequently a 
dividend of f.24 per chare, or 2 4-10 per cent can be 
declared. — L, and C. Express, May 9th. 
“ Hemileia Vastatiux” IN' America ?— If so, 
coffee is doomed in the Western world as well as in 
the|Eastern. This is what we find in theJffo News '. — 
The followit'g paragraph appeared in yesterday’s 
Telecp-am ■. — The Jamaica papers publish the following: 
— “llis Excellency the Governor, by proclamation, has 
prohibited the importation into the island of seeds or 
plants, or any description of earth or soil, or any 
article packed therewith, that may have come either 
directly or indirectly from the republic of Brar.W.” 
No reason is assigned for this prohibition. Standing 
by itself this paragraph seems extraordinary, and calls 
for some explanation — which we are happy to be able 
to furnish. The Governor of Jamaica, however, is 
evidently unaware that the Brazilian coffee epidemic, 
hernilcia vasfatrix, he is thus endeavouring to ward off 
from the island has already appeared in Central 
America. This is the more strange since the fact is 
already known in England, as the following clipping 
from the West Jndiun of London indicates: — The cul- 
tivation of cotTte in Jamaica and some other islands 
of the West Indies, though on a smaller sea'c than 
formerly, is of sufficient impoitanco to induce ua to 
warn jilanters engaged in this industry of the un- 
doubted appearance of the much dreaded and fatal 
Inmileift radairix, or coffeo leaf disease, in the s'ates 
of Central America. How it was located in that part 
of the American continent is not within our know- 
ledge ; all we can do is lo give timely warningtoonr 
West, IiidiHli lilfuiuiig fticinlH who, if sevendy rrs- 
Irictive measures are not adopted, will assnrrdly find 
this most deatruclivo pest amongst thorn before long, 
despite of e.':)ianso of eca between them. — I’anama 
itar and Ilci aid, March 81 li, 
The Batavia Niemosblad says that the Java coffee 
crop this year will fall so short as to give rice 
to serious financial difficulties with the Govern- 
ment. The paddy crop too looks unpromising and 
the sugar yield is no better. “ A deficit in the 
Budget looks alarmingly near, but the diminished 
tax bearing power of the impoverished people allows 
no hopeof additional revenue.” — Indian Anriculturist, 
May 10th. 
Brazil. — Many complaints reach us from Brazil 
about the disastrous effects to the planters of Ihelate 
slave emancipation. Some of the coffee plantations 
in the fertile district of Esperito Santo are utterly 
deserted by labourers, and are rapidly becoming over- 
grown with w'eeds. On others a few blacks still 
linger, and condescend to werk for a day or two in 
each week, but very unwillingly. Similar conditions 
prevail more or less throughout the remaining pro- 
vinces of Brazil, and a lare number of planters are 
threatened with ruin. Meanwhile there is some talk 
of forming associations for encouraging the influx 
of European labour. But white workers, besides 
being dearer, are not suited to the hot, moist climate, 
and are found very inefficient helpers on a plantation. 
Some means must be found either of coaxing or coerc- 
ing the recalcitrant negro, or many a Brazilian [flanter 
will find himself deprived of the fruits of a lifetime 
of labour. — Briti.sh Trade Journal, May 1st. 
Coconut Butter. — The Times Calcutta corres- 
pondent forwards a somewhat strange account of 
another new butter, the trade in which, he states, 
has developed to extraordinary dimensions in India. 
It is reported to be made from coconut milk, and 
to be pleasant to the taste and smell, and of a 
clear, whitish colour, free from acids, and easily 
digestible. The curious part of his story is that 
the coconuts are sent to Germany, there to have 
the milk extracted for the manufacture of the butter, 
one firm turning out. it is said from 3000 to 4000 
kilograms daily. Wo know that so many millions 
of the inhabitants of India are strict vegetarians 
in accordance with their religious ordinances, that 
vegetable butter is finding a large sale there, and 
already one or two varieties of such butter have 
been referred to in these pages. It would be in- 
teresting to know whether the milk of the coconut 
could not be made into butter in India itself, instead 
of being transported thousands of miles to be manu- 
factured in Europe ?— British Trade Journal. 
Orange Cultivation on the Nugiris. — Besides 
the paper on Viticulture noticed by us the other day, 
Mr. Lawford has contribuled one on the cu’tivation 
of the orange and other citrus trees in California. It 
is superfluous forusto dwell on the subject in d Mail, 
as the cultivation of oranges and lime.“, on the Nilgiris 
is carried on with marked success. Not an estate but 
grows scores of trees of this family; some of the very 
best varieties. They are planted either in avenues or 
scattered among the tea and coffee. Little of the 
fruit, however, benefits the proprietor as it is stolen 
and consumed by the coolies. On some estates 
orchards are formed and enclosed includ ng orange 
trees marvellously pro ific. As an example we may 
instance that at Billicul. The soil here is gravelly, 
but by years of preparation it has become rich and 
productive. The trees arc umbrageous and healthy, 
sufficiently close to yield a dense .‘hade, and when in 
blossom, the air is redolent with perfume and cool 
even during the hotte.st part of the day. The fiuiting 
season extends from November to Eebruarj-, when the 
grove is a fine sight, every tree laden with thousands 
of the golden fnn't, some of the branches so abun- 
dantly as to need propping up. The fruit at Billicul 
is mi.xed, but mostly of the thick skii.ned variety, juicy 
and sweet but alas ! The demaml for it has always 
been insignificaiit, and basketfuls every year, that 
could flud no purehaser.s, were buried as manure.— 
South of India Observer, 
