686 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
[April i, 1981 . 
the large number o£ seed pods disseminated l! 
by hia department for the use of the natives. 
Sanguine expectations are entertained of the suc- 
cess of the Fard rubber tree, if grown by the Forest 
Department on a large scale. As a result of 
Dr. Trimen’s visit to Java, we may expect the 
medicinal pepper known as “ cubebs ” to be added 
to our economical products, together with other 
useful plants. Nutmegs are noticed as likely to be 
profitably grown in the lowcountry. Our own ex- 
periments have proved that they are not happy in 
tlie ordinary conditions which suit tea and coconuts. 
They evidently require deep soil or very careful 
culture. From the information given. New Zealand 
flax would seem to be tlte fibre plant to which 
attention ought to be directed by planters. An 
experiment by Mr. Nook on a plant grown under 
favourable conditions showed that an acre of similar 
plants would yield 54 tons of leaves. Say that 40 
tons were the average and that the result in clean 
fibre was 10 tons, it looks as if this ought to pay ? 
There is a plant of Phormium tenax in flower and seed 
on Abbotsford, just now, and the resemblance to 
“Indian shot” isstriking. Theplantgrowsluxurianlly 
at high altitudes ; and by mere separation of the 
leaves, good fibre string is obtained. We should 
like to see an experiment made with the long tough 
leaves of the “hot ]poket ” {Tritoma revaria). The 
details of the partially successful attempt to grow 
apples at Hakgala and the most encouraging trials 
of potatoes are interesting and ought to be useful. 
The successful growth of “ blackbeiries” (such a 
favourite fruit in the United States) from English 
seed is also interesting, and planters ought to have 
soma of these plants in their gardens for dessert 
and tart fruits. We are glad to see that Dr. Trimen 
has been aiding to the Fiora of Oeylon, and that 
materials are being got ready for the loug-promieed 
Botanical Handbook. When it does appear, we 
trust it may contain or be accompanied by coloured 
portraits of some of our most characteristic, 
beautiful and peculiar plants, — such as the doons, 
kumbuks, balsams and nilus. The Museum is ex- 
tending, and the Laboratory is occupied by a fresh 
student from England. The sales of plants and 
seeds, which have been decreasing, realized B2,280, 
while the total cost of the establishments has 
been E41,535. The money is well spent, and the 
colony is repaid by the presence and advice of so 
eminent a scientific expert as the Direc;or; while 
the Gardens, besides affording means of humanizing 
recreation to the local inhabitants, add largely to 
the attractions of scenery and of tropical and sub- 
tropical vegetation which the island offers to visitors 
from Europe, America, Australia, India and othec 
countries, 
^ 
Kakwana Gem.ming Opehations— Sale ov Gems.— 
Jan. 14th : — Mr. Ju -lice Dias has been on a visit to his 
estutcB, and wiil see the new factory for them which 
has been erected since his last visit and fitted up with 
machinery With the best and latest improvement. 
Mr. Biddeley proceeded to Colombo a few days ago 
with a quantity of gems. Fine sapphires are still 
found on Kangwallatenue estate. Mr. F. L. Shaud 
also wont to Colombo with Mr. Baildoley. The natives 
Hropushingou with gemming, but are cot lioing much. 
The plumbago pit on Barra estate i,s beiug woiked 
vigorously, and a large (juantity of plumbago was des- 
p.'itched to Colombo on the 10th itist. Illicit gemming 
iH etill going ou on ffacdopauu and the Crown lands. Mr. 
.John Brown of the Cninitjorcial Company paid a visit 
till! other day to Ilatlierleigh os' ate. On Wednesday 
last there was a sale of germ on Bolliatemio. The 
utoii'H were not very valuable iind (hero were only 
thrcolots. The first lot fetched J1235 ; the second lot 
U80 ; and the third lot liOU, Most of the gems sold 
wore Bupphires. — Local “ Timoe.” 
The AECHffiOLOGicAL Surveyor, Maubab, during 
a recent visit to Idamesvaram gained some interest- 
ing information on the ceremonies performed by 
pilgrims while on their journey to and at that 
shrine. He inspected the sacred bathing place of 
Dhanishkod), at present situated at the end of a 
long strip of sand about 16 miles south east from 
Ramesvarain. It is 'Considered sacred as being the 
meeting place of the waters of the two seas — 
Mahothathi (north) and Bathnakaram ('south). 
There are no ancient tuildings at the present 
bathing place ; and on inquiry he learned that the 
sea is receding at this point and the land has 
advanced at the rate of about 5 miles in the last 
40 years. A narrow strip of shallow water separates 
Dhanishkodi from an island about 15 miles long, 
and when this strip silts up, as it is steadily doing, 
the pilgrims will have to travel other 15 miles to 
the meeting of the waters . — Madras Mail, Deo. 6th. 
Sib Charles Bruce, k. c. h. a., writes in the 
current number of the English Illustrated Magazint 
on British Guiana — its history, its present condition 
and its prospects. After briefly referring to the 
discovery of Guiana by Sir Walter Ealeigh and the 
subsequent visits to the country of other enterpris- 
ing spirits of the Elizabethan era. Sir Charles pro- 
ceeds to recount its cessions and retrocessions and 
conquests, its boundaries, and the physical features 
of the Colony as it is at the present day. The 
legislative machinery is also briefly described, 
together with tho people, the fauna, and the 
religious and educational systems. Sir Charles 
commends the absence of prejudice Bgainet the 
coloured inhabitants of the Colony, and remarks 
that the African race is rapidly coming forward in 
the mansgement of plantations and other com- 
mercial enterprise. He thinks that great credit is 
due to the Dutch for the admirable soier.tifio and 
technical skill with which they planned and ac- 
complished the settlement of Guiana, and describes 
tho methods of the Hollanders at some length. In 
the opinion of Sir Charles, the prosperity of 
British Guiana is the offspring of sugar, and it is 
only the enterprises and monetary resouroes of tho 
planters that have saved the Colony from the de- 
pression of the sugar industry which has seriously 
affected the West Indian islands. Among those who 
liave been ohiefl_, instrumenlal in enabling British 
Guiana to struggle against tlie menacing increase 
in the beet crop, “ a prominent place will be 
universally conceded to Mr. Quinton Hogg, who has 
spared neither money nor his own intelligent 
energy in introducing and perfecting the new pro- 
cess by which sugar is extracted from the cane by 
diffusion." Sir Charles adds that the Government 
are making persistent and strenuous efforts to develop 
the vast dormant resouroes of the Colony, and the 
low rate at which land can be brought is certainly 
calculated to encourage the agricultural industry. 
The discovery of gold gave British Guiana hopes as 
to its mineral wealth, and mining for the metal is 
now pursued to some extent, while some regions 
have but recently (.'.'’en proved diamondiffrous. “At 
a time when much Sf'tish capital is^ seeking in- 
vestment in the sphere British influence in 
South Africa, and elsewhere t,J.^°S6ther outside the 
sphere of British influence, it maj" adrnitted to 
be the duty of all concerned in the 
of the outlying provinces of our own 
invite attention to fields for the investmenv 
capital within its limits.” The Colony at present 
is too deficient in labour and capital to take 
advantage of its unquestionable natural wealth, 
and a more venal motive, as well as jiatriotism, 
should lead B.-itish investors to turn their millions 
into West Indian channels instead of persistently 
ignoring them for foreign republiqs . — Colonies and 
