34S 
THe TROPiGAL AQRIOULTURrST 
[November i, 1890. 
Mr. Baron has been good enough to supplement 
his paper on the Flora of Midagascar by preparing 
for the Kew Bulletin some hrii f but interesting notes 
on the economic plants of the island. These plants 
are of con.siderable iiitere.st and importance. One of 
the earliest notices of Madanaacar economic 
plants is contained in Rodion’s ]'oycuje to Mada- 
gascar and the East Indies (English traushtt'on, 
1793, pp. 280-297). la this work plants from the 
north of Madagascar, “ now transplanted in ihe 
Royal Botanical Garden at the Isle de Prince ” 
(Mauritius), are given undwr their uativo names The 
Ravensara (Jtavansara arumatica), <he Tanguem or 
Tangena (Tanghinia venenifera) and the Filao (a 
species of Casuarina) and many other.s are noticed. 
The later tree is quaintly and not unappropriately 
de.scribed as “Equisetum arborescens ” 
Dr. G. W. Parker, a medical mi sionary sent out to 
Madagascar, has recently prepared a Malagasy Materia 
Medica, with special reference to the use of native 
plants. Tins, with determinations made at Kew, was 
communicated to the Bliarmaceutical Journal, 1881 
vol. xi., pp., 853 — 855. Thera are numerous scattered 
notes respecting the economic plants of Madagascar 
to bo found in other works, but the a'love appear to 
include the more systematic attempts to describe thorn. 
It may not be inappropriate to mention here that 
there are still some very valuable plants of Mada- 
gascar about which at present we know very little. 
As shown in the Ketv Bulletin for May 1888, p. 135, 
we are not acquainted with the source of Madagascar 
Ebony nor of Madagascar Sandal wood. There is also 
the plant which yields Madagascar Pia.saava. This is 
doubtless a palm, but not a species ofBaphia as is 
generally supposed. 
While much of the flora of Madagascar is identical 
with that of Ceylon, the great island has far the 
advantage, and to it we owe, amongst othei pro- 
ductions, “the flambeau tree” {Poinciaiici regia) 
and “ the traveller’s tree.” Mr. Baron recognizes 
three separate zones, regarding which he states : — 
“ That the flora of the centra! region should differ 
widely from the flora of the eastern and wes ern 
regions is accounted for by the great elevation abeve 
the se.a of the central part of the island. But how 
are we to explain the existence of so great a difference 
between the floras of the eastern and we.' tern regions, 
occupying, as they do, the same lutitndiual nml al- 
titudinal positions, for of the 2,206 plan's foun 1 in 
the eastern and western regions only 128 (not reckon- 
ing the 100 occurring in all the three regions) are 
common to both. I believe the explanation to be 
simple. The central elevated plateau of the i.sland, 
which runs from north to south, is undoubtedly of 
very great antiquity, having existed not improbably 
from Palieozoio times, an i has thereforo always formed 
a barrier between the floras of the eastern and western 
regions. The floras therefore, even if they were for- 
merly similar, which is donbtfui, have had abundance 
of time to bocomo differentiated in character ; and 
if they were originally different, they have been kept, 
by the existence of the mountain barrier, distinct to 
the present day.” 
— — 
TEA. CULTURE TO BE ABANDONED IN 
CHINA ? 
The following is from the Foochow Echo : — 
On account of the distressed condition of numerous 
tea garden owres-s in the tea districts, the authorities 
are advising them to do away wi'li the tea plant and 
replace it witheiiher rice or potatoes, as these two 
articles of necessity will not in any way so fatally 
injure then. Wo learn that many owners of land 
at the' foot of the inountsiu, where wa'er is to be 
had, have readily taken the advice. Opiinn, we sre 
told, ■will also bo exten«-ivoly planted. Soinethjng 
must be done no doubt, as toi will never again bo 
able to offer tliousaiids of men the liberal support 
they derived from the trade years ago. 
THE NEW CUSTOM.S ORDER. 
The announcement by the Board of Cu toms that 
tea is to be weighed and tared to the h If pound is 
strongly resented by the tea trade. The Grocer says 
The iuiended change will eu'ail a s-^rious loss up in 
grocers, who can ill aff <rd ii in the present time 
of extreme competition, and particularly of opposition 
from civil servants themselve.s, and we cannot too 
strongly impress upon our readers the necessity of 
taking immediate steps of ps'it ouiug the Board of 
Customs an I the Treasury against the proposed change. 
One thing is cert in if the trade are to bo harassed 
by the paltry chaigo of two-pence upon half-pounds 
of tea, the sooner the duty is abolished the better, 
and the Customs Department merged with the Inland 
Revenue, as this will save expenses and loss all 
round. Ihe large wholesale dealers are stirring in 
the waiter, but the weight of evid nee to be br mght 
before the authorities rests with the grocers, who 
distribute the tea, and they must individually and 
collectively take an immediate interest in the matter 
to prevent the change taking effect. Euch an ahera- 
tion should not have been contemplated when Parlia- 
ment was not sitting, and no opportunity can be 
taken of bringing the subject before the members of 
the House of Commons, who p.sssed the Act which 
imposes the duty ot 4d peril)., and does not mention 
or foutemplate ti e pat merit upon any fraction ihereof. 
The Produce Markets' Review says; — With re'e erce 
to the second portion of the boards’ order, the system 
of sell ng India teas on average weight has been tried 
and has been found to be altogolher unsatisfactory. It 
is evidently quite useless for Her Majesty’s Commis- 
sioner to wa.ste the pubde time, or order systems to be 
kept up or altered, wbmh the trade ha“s aV.solutely 
refused to buy upcin. What is the use of weighing 
tea by ret weights to nominally oblige the importers, 
when no fiuG will buy it, after it is weighed? Here, 
again, the boa-d acts without consulting those, who 
are interos'ed, aud wha understand the subject. — U. 
and C. Mail. 

FISH-CURING IN THE MADRAS PRESIDENCY. 
i'he fi-b-cumig opera’ions ’ during the i flBc al year 
1889-90 show the usual upward tendei cy of the in- 
dustry from the period it was taken under Government 
management. The following figures for the past five 
official years show the increase from year to year 
ot the fish brought to the fish-curing yards to' be 
salted : — 
1885 86 27,396 
1886- 87 30,373 
1887- 88 37,495 
1888- 89 41,611 
1889 90 43,496 
At the beginning of the year there were 149 yards 
under 'ipi-ratiiui, a new one was sanctioned but not 
opened during the year, and seyen yards which did not 
turn out enough work were close i, leaving 142 yards 
open at the close of the year. 11,84,058 maunds oi 
43,496 tons of fish were taken to the yards to be 
cured, against 11,32,756 maunds or 41,611 tons in the 
previous year, showing an increase of 51,302 maunds 
or 1,885 ton- 1 , being 4'5 per cent., which is highly 
satisfactory. The quantity of salt used in the 
operations was 1,75,111 maunds, valued at Rl,16,278 
being at the rate of 1216 lb. of salt par maund oi 
fish. The quantity used in the previous year being 
12 55 lb. per maund of fish. There have been great 
variations in the quantity of salt used in the various 
yards, aiul as no satisfactory explanation can be 
obtained, an intelligent Sub-Inspector has been or- 
deied to be placed for a time in charge of each 
yard, to watch the operations carefully. Tbe results 
of this step will probably elucidate the reason ol 
the variation in the various yards. The total ex- 
pendiuire by Government under all heads in conueefior 
with fi.sb-curing operations during the year, was 
111,08,149-4-9, while the receipts amounted tc 
R1 16,278-4-2, exbibiiing a gain to Government oi 
118,128-16-5. Since these opereatious were taker 
