January i, 1891.] 
THE TROPlOAsiL AGR!OULTUR8ST, 
was held on Saturday (Doc. 13tb) at 2-30 p. vi. in ttie 
rooms of the Ceylon Association. Mr. W. Jardins was 
in the chair, and there were also present Meesr.s. S. It. 
De Fonseka, J. W. C. uo Soysa, Hi. D. Cockburn, C. F. 
Foirseka and Jacob D« Bio!. 
The Chairman said that the objeot with which he 
had convened the meeting was to enable them to^deoide 
as to whether the agroemenc that was signed by 6 
large number of cinnamon proprietoi s should continue in 
force or be declared oencelled, d here was a widespread 
feeling of suspicion and dissatisfaction abroad that a 
great many who had signed the agreement upon 
honour had not kept to their word — in fact their word 
of honor was to 1 hem a matter of far less value than 
the few rupees they got by .selling chips, Ha had 
received letters from some, and in the course of his 
personal communications with others, he was assured 
that the majority of tbo.-e who signed the agreement 
upon honour had not kept to it. In the face of this and 
of the fact also that the export of chips had not 
decreased but was quite equal to that of other years he 
thought it neoessary to convene this meeting : o that a 
decision might be arrived »t as to what was to be done. 
Mr. Tudor Rajapakso’s cinnamon estates had been 
leased, and there was no olauso in the lease to rofrAiu 
from exporting chips. Since that lease he had bewd 
that several owners of oinnamou eslates had commenced 
to scrape chips, and only the other day he received 
an enquiry as to whether ’t was a fact that the 
agreement was cancelled. He bad certainly expected 
to have seen a larger attendance of those interested in 
this question than were present that evening. Th.e small 
attendance showed a great lack of interest in the 
question and it also led one to believe that very many 
cinnamon proprietors had determined upon the course 
they had intended to pursue. When the question was 
fir.st mooted end the agreement was enters d into there 
was an impression prevailing in the minds of many that 
quite a quarter of a million !b. would be suppressed, 
but in that they had been disappointed, for they ^aw by 
the returns that there was no diminution whatever. It 
was now a question for the meeting to decide as to 
what course ihey intended to adopt in the matter, and 
in conclusion he invited the meeting for au expression 
of their views. 
Mr. S. R- De Fonseka rose and said he h.ad no doubt 
that the meeting would agree with what had been 
urgod by the Chairman. It was a fact that many 
who had signed the compact hr.d not kept to it, and 
tho fact of their nhsence from the meeting showed 
that they took no interest vrhatever in the matter and' 
that they were determined to scrape chips, for if they 
did take au interest in the cinnemou trade they would 
use their v.’ry utmost to increase the price of the 
spice. He bolii ved that all interested in the spice 
would be thankful to Mr. Jardine for the interest he 
had taken in the matter, and for his part he was sorry 
to find the majority of their friends not inclined to 
Buppoit such a ifcndable object. He thought now 
that there wp«s no other alternative for them but to 
scrape chips, for it would not do well for u few cin- 
namon proprietors only to rOi'raiii fr.>m scraping whiir-t 
tho majority of them sersped away to their heart’s 
content. 
Mr. M. D. CocKBURN followed, end said that it 
was quite clear to him that oiniiamon chips should 
he placed in tho same cati gory as cassis. It was 
apparent to him that cinnamon chips did not go in 
opposition to ordinary quill hark, and that the 
two qualities were put to totally different purposes. 
This oould be insta ieed by ths range of prices at 
the August sah-s, v/hnn, notw.thsiandiug iho Urge 
export.ation of cinnamon chips, the price of quill bark 
went np, so that it was quiSo cli sr that the chips 
did not at all ,.o in opposition in the London mar- 
ket to the nrdiunry quill cinurtinoii. Hut the only 
quality that bsnefitod and would benefit by 
tho suppression of ciunatnen chips was tho 
puperior quality. Tho price, of that superior 
quality wont up at Tie February sales and al-.o at 
tho Auginst sales, iuit it only wont dew. a triile 
at the last .sales. Leoviii',', tliii'., out of e.o;,..;.i..raui u 
ho saw no reason why only a puriioii of Ih proprieto.s 
t);iould refrain from scraping chips whilst tho uia- 
si; 
jority had not adhered to tho compact. It was quite 
clear that they dotemuned not to keep to the compact, 
and therefore he thought the rcmRinder should also 
be allowed to scrape away to their heart.^’ content. 
He therefore begged to move the following resolution, 
viz.; — That in view o£ tho widespread feeling exist- 
ing that a largo number of those proprietors who 
signed tho agreement upon honor, not to scrape chips 
for two years, had not kept to the compact, it is con- 
sidered expedient by thci.se present at this meeting that 
the agreement should be cancelled.” 
Mr. S. R. Db Fonseka seconded the motion, and it 
was carried. 
A vote of thanks to the chair terminated the pro- 
ceedings 
^ 
CASSAVA m FLORIHA. 
{Editor, “Louisiana Flatiter.”) 
I see an arlicle from a gentleman of your state 
on this plant, in one of our Florida papers. It is a 
plant in which I feel a deep interest — au interest 
which has no depreciAtion in my estimation after 
twenty years of cultivation and use. For stock of 
all kinds, in domestic use, that will eat the 
sweet or Irish potatoe, or any other root, nothing, I 
am s=t:sfifd, will compare with it for relish and 
nourishment; and as a teed for fowls no root can 
possibly equal it. In fact, the finest fowl yards 
imsginable can 'oe made with the cassava plant. I 
have a stalk nearly three years old which has not been 
killed by frost, and could have had acres of such, as 
the frost does net kill here on my sand hill. The 
idea lor a fowl yard is to plant an intended spot of 
any desired dimensions with iho stallis which are used 
in short sticks for seed, and let it grow eight or nine 
month;, at least, heforo turiiing in the iowls. The 
spreading boeghs of the iilant suiiply shade and pro- 
tection from hawks, and the roots, as soon as the 
fowls learn where they are, will furnish half their 
feed. The roots usually grow at a slight angle — seldom 
perpendicular — and can be exposed to view by remov- 
ing a little soil. If chipped a little, they are so white 
that the fowls will not be long in sampling them, after 
which they will do their own grubbing, and in doing 
so will get meat with their bread, es many worms 
E-nd insects will bo unearthed in securing the roots. 
It is half feed for horses, mules, oxen, and milch 
cows. No beast ever showed more desire for corn or 
anything else than cows do for cafsava roots, once 
accustomed to eating it; audit is the handiest thin" 
to feed them on you could well imagine. A horse’s 
eppetite, if delicate, can be improved on it sooner 
than on anything else. I have made the finest bacon 
and lard largely on it and sweet potatoes that I have 
ever used. Corn and peas will do no better. It 
makes a fine reminder of oyster fritter if grated, 
seasoned well with salt and a little soda, and fried 
nicely. Fine pudding, custards, and bread can be 
made of it, and with fresh meats, as a stew, it is hard 
to excel when sliced thin and well cooked. No root 
is healthier as a diet. For siarch it can hardly be 
excelled. As a feed simply for cattle and Imrses we 
would not On any account do without it. Florida, of 
coiuso, is best adapted to this plant, except further 
south, but I believe the day will come when it will 
bo found to be profit.vble anywhere that sugar cane 
will pay. I have an intended manual for farmers 
yot in manascript, on cane, cassava, peas, and sxveet 
potatoes, which, if I were able to get into print, 
would give all the instruction ou cassava thst need' 
to bo known in all its cardinal leatures. I wish some 
pretty fellow would take pity on me and print a few 
thousand copies of it; possibly ho and I, too, would 
clei.r expt uses ;;u ir, and somehorly else make a pro- 
fit growing crops by its instruction. As to the j-ield 
of a casBi.va crop planted correctly and fertilized highly 
it is something incredible. A gentleman in this 
county grew ono root which weighed something over 
fifty pounds at about one ye.ar from planting ihe seed 
hlalk. On a calculation of fifty pound.s to the Idll 
caeh (ccnpyiug a square of four feet, which ayes’ 
2,/00 l ill.- p r aero, 1 get 13?, 2o0 pounds, which gives 
a ftao'iou over sixty-seven nnd one-half tons peracrp 
