4o8 
THE TROPICAL AQRJCULTU R!ST 
[Dfxember I, 1890. 
oranges, &c.), cumquotR, or little oranges, were expor- 
ted to the extent of over three million pounds, valued 
at £41137. In the interest of little boys at home, 
the Consul thinks it could be wished the ex- 
port were larger, for, although the ginger may 
not he as pungent as that of the West Indies, the pre- 
serves are wholesome, agreeable, cheap, and, as far as 
the leading firm of Chyloong is concerned, cleanly made. 
As to Chinese medicines, peppermint oil and rhubarb 
have established their fame abroad, and when better 
known Pu-erh tea will probably take the place of senna, 
as it is equally effective and far more agreeable. Of 
general medicines 2,992,633 lb. were exported last year, 
exclusive of special drugs, and 2,088 cwt. of ]iills. 
Another Canton speciality is teapots enclosed in wadded 
rattan cases. “They are not particularly handsome, 
but fora traveller, who wants to take a warm cup of tea 
to solace him during a long railway journey, they are 
invaluable, as they keep the tea warm for a considerable 
time, and keep the teapot from upsetting or getting 
broken.” Woollen blankets, as an article of import, are 
increasing ; white blankets are naturally not greatly in 
demand in a country where scap and water are rarities, 
and blue, being suggestive of a funeral pall, are not in 
favour; hut every passenger by night boats seems to 
have a red blanket. Otherwise woolh ns are used 
chiefly for uniforms and table and chair covers. Gloves 
are not in demand, for the long nails are endangered by 
them . — Times ITeeldu Edition. 
EATS DRIVEN INTO COCONUT TREES 
BY MONGOOSES. 
Under this heading Jamaica Gleaner reports evi- 
dence taken which goes to prove that the mongoose, 
introduced to destroy the cane rats, has become ulmo.st 
as great a plague in Jamaica as the rabbit is in 
Australia. As a Sample of the statements made, we 
quote BS follows : — 
The Commissioners met at Headquarter House 
yesterday at 11 o’clock. The first evidence taken was 
that of Inspector H. Thomas of St. Thomas: — He said 
that the raongoofe had destroyed all the quails in the 
district, all the poultry, and had destroyed the booby 
duck in the high mountains and blue dove- They 
killed the black crabs which were always to be found 
in the swampy lauds. They had driven rats into the 
coconut trees, but be could not say if they were the 
cane piece rats. It was common to see the rats eating 
the coconuts. He has seen the mongcoio climb trees 
like a cat. They were fond of fruit, especially the 
naseberry and mango. The small settlers were anxious 
to get rid of the mongoose. He had recent cause to 
believe they devoured their own species and had proved 
this by trying a dead one and watching and seeing 
a mongoose come for it and cut the cord to drag the 
dead one away. He believed they colonized, at one 
time you would see large numbers, and if per.sisteut 
efforts were made to destroy them they would go 
away and come back again. He thought the male 
forraged while the female remained at home. He 
had been assured by penkeepers in Hanover that newly 
born calves had been attacked and killed. At Shettle- 
wood Pen the overseer had told him that more than 
one newly born calf had been found wilh his throat 
cut and this was attributed to the mongoose. Pi.gs 
were destroyed in the same w’ay. He never heard 
of them attacking infanis. The peasantry could not 
pre.serve their poidtry frr.m them. He had 80 cliickcns 
dcitroyed in three weeks by the mongoose. He had 
known one to attack a rooster in the lush. The 
mongoose was averse to cross an open apace. They 
bred in hollows of stone wall and penguin fences. 
•Sharp dogs would keep them away. He knew a 
gentleman at Yallahs who caught 150 in a mouth. 
Jdjr a fair amount 1000 could be trapped in a month 
in liis pari-li. He thought to get them trapped it 
would be better to give Id per head or tail rather 
than only accepting them at that rate in exchange 
for taxes. He did not think people had more rats in 
the :ir homes now tlian formerly, ami had not noticed 
any diminution in the number of jolin-crows. 
George Nethersole said : They did m:ich miscliief; 
He could not raise fowls. 'I’hey drag cocoa from tho 
grounds and eat the corn, bteadfruii and red peas. 
green corn and plantains. Had never seen them eat 
Cannes. The rats were as numerous as ever. They 
eat coconuts. Had never heard of a mongoose at- 
tacking children. They had destroyed the .snakes. 
Mr. J. P. Walsh thought the ticks should be attri- 
buted to tho mongoose as they had destroyed the 
blackbird, the great tick eater. He had seen mongoose 
among tlie crows on the beach eating fish offal but 
had never seen a black head crow — the.se were the 
young ones. Had seen john-crows eggs broken and 
thought it probable they had been eaten by mongoose. 
In a short time he believed there would be no crows 
left as scavengers. The poor people complained they 
could not pay their taxes because, the mongoose ate 
their poultry. Fowls that used to be 4Jd per lb. were 
so scarce that people had to pay now 91 to Is. 
Mr. E. S. Salmon said the mongoose destroyed poultry, 
climbed banana trees and atorine bananas and pint.s. 
♦ — ^ 
Wynaad Planters’ Associatton. — At the 
general annual meeting held at Meppadi Reading- 
room ; on 1st Oct. 1890, there were present, Messrs. 
Abbott, Alzenwiler, Hoekin, Jowitt, Lamb, Mac- 
kinlay Malcolm, Morres, Powell, Puedzieux, Taylor, 
B. Trollope and G. Eomilly, Hen, Secy. Mr, J. 
R. Malcolm in the chair, and the Hon, Secretary 
read the annual report, from which wo make 
extacts showing how the Wynaad planters com- 
plain of want of labour and how they deem their 
prospects not very bright : — 
The great question or the year has been the want 
of labor. Many Mysore maistries and coolies have 
not come in, owing it was said to the prevalence of 
influenza in their villages. The same reason ha.s 
been given for the desertion of the Tamils, but in 
this case it is without doubt the fact that many 
maistries under advance to planters in this District 
hp.ve taken their coolies wholesale to Coorg. They 
unfortunately realise that owing to the rulings of the 
High Court with regard to Act XIII. of 1859, they 
can do this with impunity. Unless the miisiry can 
be caught before the expiration of the term of his 
contract, (which he takes good care to prevent) he 
escapes without any punishment. If he is canght, 
be is merely ordered to fulfil his contract and thus 
given another chance of escape. We have appointed 
a committee to inquire into the grievances of the 
district owing to this useless Act and wo hope that 
by' a combined represen'ation on the subject from nil 
planting associations, we shall get Government to 
acknowledge the disabilities under which we are work- 
ing and to grant u3 redress. Last January we re- 
quested Govtrjiment to send an expert to report on 
the great mcrtality of Cinchonas throughout the 
district. Mr. Lawson the Director of Government 
Cinchona plantations was at once sent. He has re- 
ported that there is no specific or infectious disease, 
but that in his opinion the mortality is due to star- 
vation. Unfortunately the mortality continues even 
in well-manured fields. As to our prospects I fear 
that notwithstanding the present high prices, the 
outlook is not bright. A terrible attack of leaf- 
disease has succeeded a very short crop, and Cinohonas 
in many parts of tho district are still dying whole- 
sale. N'otvvilhstauciing the letters that periodically 
recur in the nowspnper.s, everything that science can 
do to dofermine the character of the Hemilia Vasta- 
trix and everything that science could suggest to 
arrest its progress, was tried years ago in Ceylon, 
and yet in the face of science the disease has 
practically driven cofl'ee out of the island. Now for 
the fir.st lime we, here, are realizing the possibility 
of such a danger. In Ceylon they turned their 
abandoned coffee lands into tea and pro.-perity re- 
turned. Here though wo have abundant proof that 
tea will thrive luxuriantly, where both coffee and 
cinchona f.ail, owing to an apathetic Government we 
cannot command the labor. We have net sulEcient 
even for our coffee; and lea requires doub'e the 
quantity. So that unless we can get legislation to 
as.'*ist us without delay in enforcing our labour con- 
traets, the end will be that we shall have to re- 
linquish tho land, in which we have sunk many lacs of 
rupees into the hands of a short-sighted Governmout 
with diiuiuishcd royeuuo, 
