226 
THE  TROPICAL  AGIUCULTUKISI . 
[Oct.  1,  1895. 
one  to  believe  in  ultimate  fuccess,  for  if  suoli  fruit 
reached  New  York,  in  good  or  even  faY  condition, 
aa  it  is  known  to  have  done,  it  is  easy  to  see,  that 
it  is  practicable  to  get  it  there  in  much  better  order 
on  a live  days’  steamer-,  than  on  one  uhicli  takes 
ten  or  twelve  days. 
Moreover,  sufficient  fruit  was  not  forthcoming  at 
the  time.  It  was  not  to  be  had  in  the  Island ; and 
we  have  practically  now,  (even  after  the  importation 
of  such  a large  number  of  plants  by  the  Government) 
only  the  nucleus,  for  commencing  the  growth  of 
the  banana  on  a scale  suitable  for  export. 
Abandoned  sugar  estates  lauds  are  not  always 
the  best  lands  for  bananas,  though  much  availai  le 
land  of  this  kind  may  be  well  suited  for  the  purpose 
To  ensure  success  in  banana  growing  and  shipping, 
several  points  are  necessary  : 1st — Suitable  land.  2nd 
— Easy  access  to  Kailway  of  Port.  3rd — Quick  dis- 
patch, and  fast  ships,  and  Lastly — Interested  persons  ; 
not  competing  against  formidable  rings,  to  sell  them 
for  you  in  the  American  market. 
Ohange,  Lemon,  Ac. — t'ih-iis,  spu. — Oranges  of 
several  varieties  grow  well  in  Trinidad  especially  in 
the  valleys  of  the  Northern  range  of  hills. 
The  Tangerine  and  St.  Michaels  varieties  both 
produce  highly  flavoured  fruic  equal  to  any  in  the 
world.  The  St.  Michael  Orange  could  be  exported 
if  the  supply  were  sufficient,  but  it  is  as  yet  hardly 
equal  to  the  local  demand  except  perhaps  in  some 
few  districts 
I consider  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  growing 
oranges  in  Trinidad  for  the  American  Marlcet  pro- 
vided that  proper  arrangements  are  made  for  their 
shipment  and  sale. 
To  make  it  pay,  the  proprietors  must  allow  the 
New  York  Ring  to  obtain  an  interest  in  the  matter, 
and  to  see  that  it  doe.s  not  militate  against  New 
York  trade,  on  the  lines  already  established. 
The  same  remark  applies  to  lemons,  which  are 
grown  here  from  European  seed  of  excellent  quality. 
I apprehend  no  speciul  difficuty  in  sending  oranges 
or  lemons  to  the  American  market  in  good  condition. 
Parcels  have,  we  are  fully  aware,  arrived  i-i  bad 
condition.  That  does  not  prove  that  the  Trinidad 
orange  cannot  be  carried  safely,  but  simply  proves 
that  the  shippers  did  not  know  enough  of  the  busi- 
ness. To  pack  fresh  gathered  oranges  in  barrels  or 
boxes  in  damp  weather  without  drying  is  certainly 
not  the  means  to  adopt  to  get  them  safe  to  market. 
Oranges  to  go  safely,  must  be  gathered  and  packed 
in  dry  weather  ; must  be  handled  as  if  they  were 
eijgs,  and  must  be  well  dried  before  packing,  in 
chambers  where  they  can  be  placed  in  single  layers. 
In  our  dry  season  from  January  to  April,  excellent 
oranges  can  be  had,  and  oranges  too  of  a flavour 
quite  equal  if  not  superior  to  the  well  known  Jamaica 
orange. 
Section  7. — SPICES. 
Vanilla. — I'unilla  ii(ani/olia  has  been  successfully 
grown  in  Trinidad,  and  the  native  species  give  a 
saleable  product.  'I’he  cultivation  of  this  product 
has  not  yet  assumed  proportions  to  place  the  article 
upon  the  export  list. 
Clove. — CanjoplajUus  aromatic ik. — This  tree  grows 
well  but  does  not  pay  for  harvesting  the  crop  in 
Trinidad. 
Ginger. — Ziitifiber  officinalia. — Has  been  successfully 
grown  of  excellent  quality. 
Nutmeg. — Mijnstica  monchata — Nutmegs  when 
planted  in  suitable  situations,  produce  regularly 
good  crops,  and  realize  good  prices. 
Trees  in  the  Botanic  Gardens,  yield  crops  valued 
at  £'i  each,  annually. 
CiNN.VMON. — Cinitamoinmi  /.ciilanicvm. — Grows  well, 
none  exported. 
Section  8. — RUBBERS. 
Rubber. — Rubbers  of  several  kinds  have  been 
planted,  but  preference  is  given  to  Oastilloa  clastira 
or  Central  American  Rubber.  This  has  succeeded 
admirably  in  several  places,  and  a systematic  outlay 
would  probably  give  ample  return.  No  export  of 
produce  has  yet  been  made,  but  our  trees  have  no-.v 
reached  a size  when  it  will  soon  be  practicable  to 
trqp  regular!/.  'J,’b9UBiudi?  pf  Uccb  liav^  been  Bold, 
and  I learn  good  success  has  attended  planting  in 
nearly  every  case,  this  is  corroborated  by  the  demands 
for  more  p'auts. 
I look  for.vard  to  a great  future  for  this  Rubber 
in  Trinidad. 
Hecea  hraziHams,  or  the  tree  producing  Bara 
Rubber,  also  grows  well  in  Trinidad  and  niiglit  be 
useful,  but  it  does  not  come  into  crop  so  early  as 
the  Castilloa  and  does  not,  so  far  as  i have  seen, 
give  an  equal  yield,  until  it  beco  ne.s  of  very  largo  size. 
Castilloa  Rubber  can  he  phinted  2iX)  trees  to  the 
acre.  These  will  yield  on  good  land  at  the  7th  or 
8th  year  some  two  to  three  pounds  of  Rubber  per 
tree:  and  will  give  an  increased  annual  yield. 
Tlu-ee  pound.s  at  2/-  x 200  - t'60.  Present  price — 
1,0  to  21  n\. 
The  planter  can  decide  for  himself  whether  this 
would  be  profitable  or  not.  The  visible  sources 
of  supply  shoA'  a decrease,  and  prices  rule  hit;h 
aud  regular.  Hfvea  or  Para  Rubber  takes  longer 
to  bear,  but  the  quality  is  said  to  be  better,  and 
prices  rule  higher  than  for  the  product  of  the 
Castilloa. — 3 - to  3/1. 
Section  0. — FIBRES. 
Fibres. — The  best  kind  of  plants  for  producing 
fibre  have  been  successfully  iiitrodiuel,  aud  are 
now  growing  well  in  many  places  in  tlie  Is'and. 
Several  machines  have  been  tried,  but  we  yet  want 
a machine  of  economic  character.  IVs  have  a native 
fibre,  Ahutilon  periplocifoliinii,  which  can  be  most 
successfully  grown.  It  strips  easily,  and  the  raw 
material  can  be  baled  and  sent  to  Europe;  I believe 
therrs  is  a great  future  for  this  fibre  ; 1st  from  the 
ease  with  which  it  can  be  grown,  2udly  from  the 
facility  with  which  it  can  be  prepared  for  shipment 
without  machinery,  aud  thirdly,  from  the  ease  with 
which  it  can  be  shipped  as  raw  materisl  to  be 
prepared  at  home  by  fl-ix  machinery.  It  is  to  be 
compared  with  the  best  Jute. 
Cotton  can  bo  very  successfully  grown,  but  it 
gives  such  a poor  return  in  comparison  with  other 
crops  that  no  one  grows  it. 
Hemp. — At/ave  rigida  var  Sisalana. — Sisal  hemp 
plants  of  the  true  kind  are  growing  well  in  many 
places  throughout  the  Colony  aud  we  cannot  doubt 
the  possibility  of  producing  large  quantities  of 
material  if  the  success  of  the  culture  in  other 
colonies  would  warrant  extension  of  the  area. 
Section  10. — TIiMP>EKS. 
Many  people  think  it  ridiculous  to  p'ant  timber 
trees,  but  wlion  we  know  that  the  visible  supplies 
of  many  kinds  are  yearly  decieasm.',  it  would  appear 
to  be  a safe  inves  iiieut  to  spend  money  on  the 
cultivation  of  forest  trees  of  the  best  kinds.  lu 
Trinidad,  wherever  planted,  the  cultivation  of  timber 
has  proved  a success,  but  it  is  the  absence  of  a 
quick  return,  which  at  present,  (and  wo  fear  will 
contiinio  to)  militate  against  any  proposal  to  cul- 
tivate timbers  011  a large  scale. 
Oil  estates  however  where  other  cultivations  are 
in  progress,  it  would  be  easy  and  inexpensive  to 
start  groves  of  quick  growing  timbers,  whose  growth 
in  a few  years  would  pay  the  proprietor  a hundred- 
fold for  his  outlay.  It  is  iudeed  sad  to  witness  the 
desolate  look  of  some  estates,  on  whose  broad  ex- 
panse not  a tree  is  to  bo  found,  except  perhaps 
round  the  homestead,  where  they  serve  the  purpose 
of  wind-breaks,  and  like 
“Imperial  Ciesar,  dead,  and  turned  to  clay, 
“ May  stop  a hole,  to  keep  the  wind  away.  ’’ 
An  estate  planted  with  Mahouaioj  and  Cedar,  would 
pay  bettor,  once  established,  than  the  best  forest 
land  of  Europe;  Cedar  may  be  taken  to  grow  li 
inches  m diameter  per  annum,  Mahoriaug  1 inch.  I 
can  show  trees  planted  eight  years  ago  giving  these 
measurements.  After  twenty  years  they  will  probab'y 
make  an  average  of  half  an  inch  per  annum  for 
Mahogany  and  three  quarters  of  aii  inch  for  Cedar. 
Tne  supply  of  Furniture  woods  to  European  markets 
is  daily  becoming  smaller,  and  there  would  be  a 
iiiiue  of  wealth  in  a well  established  area  covered 
with  such  woods  as  I'mide  Heart,  Mahoijanj,  Cedar. 
aud  plhers. 
