July  r,  1895.]  TFIE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTUKIST. 
all  take  to  the  shirt  or  loin  cloth;  those  who  can  afford 
it  take  kindly  to  a jacket  and  trousers. 
They  are  very  fond  of  tobacco,  and  in  all  dis- 
tricts where  it  is  known  they  prefer  the  imported 
American  t)ade  article  to  the  home-grown  variety, 
which  is  simply  dried  in  single  leaves,  and 
is  not  nearly  so  powerful  as  the  manufactured  trade 
tobacco.  No  doubt  this  will  for  along  time  to  come 
continue  to  be  a growing  import  as  we  approach 
new  tribes. 
The  use  of  hardware  is  steadily  e.xtending,  but 
there  are  probably  hundreds  of  tribes  in  the  in- 
terior who  do  not  yet  know  the  use  of  iron,  but 
who  will  use  it  in  a few  years. 
The  native  has  only  a small  share  in  the  beverages 
and  building  materials  imported. 
rOTENTIAL  CArABILITIES. 
To  you,  perhaps  the  most  interesting,  because  the 
most  practical,  question  is.  What  are  the  potential 
capabilities  of  the  country  Gan  capital  be  ad- 
vantageously laid  out  there  ? 
i believe  that  money  could  be  employed  there  to  the 
benefit  of  the  capitalist  and  to  the  advantage  of 
the  people. 
In  the  fishery  this  could  probably  best  be  done 
by  combining  the  ordinary  diving  operations  for  pearl 
shell  with  the  farming  of  leased  areas  of  sea  bottom 
for  the  cultivation  of  sponges,  pearl  shell,  and  the 
pearl-bearing  shell  of  Kiriwina.  The  ordinary 
fishing  grounds  have  not  been  prospected  with  any 
care,  but  there  certainly  are  many  places  where 
these  cultivations  could  be  favourably  carried  on. 
The  Sponge  used  by  the  natives  of  Yela  Island  in  the 
Louisiades  for  washing  the  face  is  a good  one,  and 
there  is  a great  lagoon  therefor  the  location  of  sites 
for  cultivation.  The  men  engaged  in  looking  after 
these  establishments  could  be  employed  also  in  the 
ordinary  pearl  shell  fishery  when  not  required  at 
the  stations.  The  Go  .ernment  would  be  prepared  to 
lease  areas  for  this  purpose  on  very  easy  terms. 
The  search  for  goll  is  a matter  that  each  person 
must  decide  for  himsdf.  The  probabilities  are  that 
there  are  other  districts  than  Misima  and  T gula  that 
would  yield  payable  gold,  but  it  is  at  best  an 
uncertain  and  usually  short-lived  industry,  best 
worked  by  tnose  having  local  experience.  Capital 
should  be  put  into  it  only  on  the  deliberate  advice 
of  men  thoroughly  competent  to  express  an  opinion 
in  each  given  case. 
The  search  for  gutta-percha  and  allied  products 
seems  to  show  that  a profitable  industry  could  be 
opened  up  in  that  line.  Some  examples  that  have 
been  tested  have  been  pronounced  of  superior  quality. 
These  articles  are  obf  a ned  from  a number  of  different 
trees  that  are  found  over  a widely  extended  area. 
The  great  want  hithe.to  has  been  the  presence  of 
skilled  labour  to  start  the  industry.  A few  hands 
would  have  to  be  brought  from  some  country  where 
this  work  is  already  e ;tablished.  Alluvial  land  could 
be  obtained  that  woull  be  suitable  for  the  cultivation 
of  rubber  trees.  The  introduced  variety  is  tliriving 
splendidly  at  Port  Moresby. 
A cultivation  that  could  in  all  probability  be  ad- 
vantageously cultivated  there  would  be  sisal  hemp. 
For  tnree  or  four  years  efforts  had  been  made  to 
obtain  this  plant  from  the  Bahamas  ; but  this  could 
not  be  done,  as  that  colony  apparently  wished  to 
retain  a monopoly  of  this  cultivation.  The  Govern- 
ment of  Queensland  has,  however,  recently  succeeded 
ill  obtaining  a large  number  of  the  jilants,  from 
which  New  Guinea  is  being  supplied.  Plants  very 
nearly  related  to  this  one,  if  they  are  not  indeed 
indentical,  already  flourish  at  Port  Moresby.  With 
rich  soil,  land  at  two  shillings  and  six  pence  an 
acre,  and  with  cheap  local  labour,  this  cultivation 
could  be  made  profitable  in  the  colony,  if  it  can  be 
nmde  so  anywhere.  It  is  not  likely  tliatit  could  be 
advantageously  grown  in  Australia,  unless  there  is  a 
great  fall  of  w'ages  there.  It  would  seem  to  be  well 
adapted,  however,  in  every  w.ay  for  British  New  Guinea. 
As  already  mentioned,  there  is  great  sco]ic  for 
the  cultivation  of  the  coconut.  It  is  one  of  the 
slowest,  but  one  of  the  surest  form  of  tropical 
ciUtivatioji,  prgvide^  that  it  js  iq  ^ country  which, 
like  British  New  Guinea,  is  outside  the  hurricane 
zone.  No  doubt  the  most  profitable  way  of  working 
copra  will  be  by  direct  shipment  to  Europe.  Hitherto 
it  has  been  sent  to  Australia,  to  be  carried  thence  to 
Europe  by  reshipment,  usually  by  steamer.  But 
the  quantity  obtainable  will  soon  be  sufficient  to 
allow  of  direct  shipment  by  sailing  vessel,  which 
would  greatly  reduce  expenses  connected  with 
freight.  Lhe  copra  trade  of  the  Solomon  Islands 
could  probably'  be  brought  by  way  of  Samarai  for  the 
same  direct  transport.  There  are  a few  unoccupied 
islands  in  the  east  end  which  are  adapted  for  small 
plantations  of  this  kind,  and  land  suited  for  it  is 
obtainable  at  many  places  on  the  other  islands  and 
on  the  mainland.  Very  favourable  sites  could  be  had 
lor  converting  the  coconut  into  oil,  butter,  and  coir 
yarn.  There  is  undoubtedly  in  this  industry  a good 
field  for  the  investment  of  capital.  It  is  a cultivation 
that  can  be  well  combined  with  others. 
For  growing  tea  and  coffee,  land  in  large  quantity 
is  procurable  at  any  altitude  that  may  be  desired,  and 
oil  almost  any  kind  of  soil.  Tea  and  coffee,  both  of 
Arabian  and  Liberian  kinds,  are  already  in  bearing  in 
the  Possession,  and  both  free  of  coffee  leaf  disease 
The  introduction  of  further  coffee  seeds  and  plants  has 
been  prohibited  by  taw  in  order  to  prevent  the  importa- 
tion of  disease  Healthy  seeds  and  plants  can  be  ob- 
tained by  the  planter  on  the  spot. 
Vanilla  grows  luxuriantly,  and  suitable  land  can  be 
had  for  its  cultivation  in  abundance. 
Few  things  would  seem  to  offer  a more  inviting 
outlet  than  the  cultivation  of  tobacco  in  New  Guinea. 
The  plant  that  has  long  been  domesticated  is, 
though  small,  perhaps  one  of  the  finest  that  can 
be  grown.  It  has  probably  come  from  the 
Malayan  archipelago,  as  it  has  certainly  reached  the 
very  heart  of  the  island,  from  5°  of  South  Latitude 
on  the  Fly  River  to  as  far  east  as  the  Owen  Stanley 
Range  ; but  it  is  still  unknown  to  the  north-east 
coast,  and  was,  until  quite  lately,  not  grown  on  the 
islands.  Very  high  rates  have  been  offered  in  the 
market  for  the  unmanufactured  loaf.  Like  the  coco- 
nut, it  is  a cultivation  well  known  to  the  great  ma- 
jority of  the  natives,  and  it  is  a healthy  and  long 
established  production  of  the  country.  It  presents 
a very  favourable  opening  for  enterprise. 
Rice  has  been  grown  by  the  Sacred  Heart  Mission 
on  a small  scale,  but  sufficient  to  show  that  it  thrives 
and  bears  admirably.  For  swamp  rice,  or  for  any 
other  wet  growing  crop,  there  is  a great  field  in  the 
colony,  for  it  contains  more  than  enough  of  swamDv 
land  of  all  kinds. 
JLu  oCUIXlo 
nufactured  profitably  by  estabhshm’euts  erected 
on  the  Likekamu,  Mamb.are,  and  Kumusi,  and 
perhaps  at  other  places.  Native-made  sago  would 
would  not  be  suitable  for  refining,  because  it  is  often 
prepared  with  bracki.sh  water,  and  is  never  rewashed 
Sago-making  apparatus  w'ould  have  to  be  erected  as  far 
up  the  river  as  possible,  on  account  of  the  supply  of 
fresh  water.  This  also  would  be  an  industry  that 
would  bo  readily  understood  by  natives. 
Land  suitable  for  growing  sugar-cane  on  a lao-e  scale 
could  certanily  be  had  at  several  places.  As  V 'very 
great  v.ariety  of  sugar-canes  has  been  cultivated 
trom  tune  imniemorial  by  the  natives,  all  over  the 
Possession,  this  plant  is  thoroughly  at  home  there 
and  clearly  grows  to  perfection.  As  the  country  is  not 
troubled  by  hurricanes  the  chief  danger  to  guard 
against  would  be  from  floods,  a contingency  that 
should  be  borne  in  mind  in  selecting  land.  No 
doubt  a considerable  amount  of  local  labour  could  be 
obtained  for  growing  cane  and  manufacturing  sugar 
but  probably  it  would  be  advantageous  to 
h.ave  a permanent  nucleus  of  more  skilled 
labour  in  such  an  establishment,  from  India  or 
elsewhere.  There  are  strong  racial  and  economic 
reasons  against  the  introduction  of  those  peoples 
mto  xiustralia,^  but  these  do  not  apply  to  British  New 
Cruiu0;^,  M-hich  IS  uot,  *ind  never  Cixu  be,  a "white  nicin’a 
colony  in  the  same  sense  as  Australia. 
It  IS  said,  however,  that  the  sugar  to"  be  grown  iff 
Austmlayiix  this  or  next  year  will  sai’licc  for  Austra* 
lasiaii  wants.  If  this  is  so  a furthe'r  e?xXension  of  the 
sugar-cane  industry  ii^  that  part  th$  world  peceg, 
