Oct.  V 1895.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
227 
Section  11. — MISCELLiANEOUS. 
Cinchona  Barks  cannot  be  grown  to  advantage  in 
Trinidad  as  there  is  very  little  suitable  land  I'or  the 
purpose.  On  the  hill  areas,  Succirubra  or  lied  Bark 
would  thrive. 
Tobacco. — A.  good  qualitj'  of  Tobacco  has  been 
successfully  produced  in  districts  where  “ vega”  lands 
ai'ri  available 
S.\rsapahillA  has  been  successfully  grown  of  ex- 
cellent quality. 
General  Kemarks. 
No  one  can,  or  wishes  to  deny,  the  importance 
of  the  Sugar  interest  to  the  West  Indies,  but  its 
maintenance  appears  to  depend  a great  deal  upon 
how  long  European  Governments  will  maintain  the 
bounty  upon  ttio  production  of  sugar  from  the  Beet- 
root. In  a fair  fight  there  appears  to  bo  not  the 
slightest  doubt  but  that  cane  sugar  can  hold  its  own ; 
but  if  the  bounties  are  continued  which  cive  beet 
an  advantage,  the  cane  sugar  industry  (unless  some- 
thing wonderful  intervenes)  appears  doomed,  and 
what  can  replace  it '?  This  alas ! is  a question 
which  has  been  often  asked,  and  perhaps,  never  yet 
satisfactorily  answered.  Something  new  is  requited, 
but  it  is  quite  certain  that  no  one  can  miraculouslv 
devise  a “branspan"’  new  article  of  export  which 
Avill  at  once  step  in  and  take  the  place  of  the 
Sugar  cane,  or  it  would  have  been  done  long  ago. 
People  engaged  upon  prominent  industries  seldom 
find  time  to  do  more  than  to  look  well  after  the 
immediate  work  they  have  in  hand,  and  considera- 
tions for  the  future,  practically  have  but  little  place, 
until  disaster  is  clearly  foreshadowed.  While  all 
goes  well,  they  “ blow  cold  ” on  experiments  under- 
taken in  any  other  direction  but  their  own,  but  as 
soon  as  difficulty  comes,  they  are  quite  willing  to 
“blow  hot”  upon  anything  advanced,  in  the  hope 
of  a solution  of  their  troubles 
The  Botanical  Establishments  of  the  West  Indies, 
have,  for  many  years  past  taken  up  the  economic 
question  of  substitutes  for  current  cultures,  in  view 
of  their  possible  failure ; and  careful  examination 
has  been  made  into  the  various  suggested  means. 
Numerous  importations  of  plants  have  been  made 
from  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  cultivations  hitherto 
carried  on  in  the  East,  have  been  tried  in  the  West. 
There  does  not,  however,  appear  much  likelihood 
of  our  taking  up  the  growth  of  any  special  Eastern 
produce,  for  the  simple  reason  that  we  are  at  once 
placed  in  competition  with  East  Indian  cultures, 
and  we  know  by  comparison  that  the  labour  supply 
in  thd  Bast  and  West  favours  production  in  the 
East,  and  unless  disaster  or  disease  sets  in  Eastward, 
there  is  little  hope  for  the  West  successfully  enter- 
ing into  competition,  in  the  cultivation  of  the  various 
products  which  can  be  grown  equally  well  in  both 
quarters  of  the  Globe.  This  being  so,  the  cnltivator 
turns  to  the  products  of  the  West  itself,  in  the  hope 
of  finding  suitable  ones  for  his  purpose,  and  it  is 
probable  that  his  search  in  this  direction  has  more 
hope  of  success;  for  it  will  be  seen  that  our  most 
promising  substitutes  are  really  Western  products. 
To  fix  upon  articles'in  regular  demand  he  first  turns 
to  ‘‘Food  snypUes”  and  secondly  10  “ d/rtjm/’rtcfitres.” 
Now  the  greater  number  of  articles  of  tropical 
production  are  not  “ Food  sxipplies  ” and  failing  Sugar, 
Cacao,  and  a few  others,  he  can  only  rely  upon 
the  demand  for  the  supplies  of  raw  material,  for 
supporting  “Manufactures..”  The  demand  for  manu- 
factuiing  material  is  neither  so  constant  or  so  re- 
gular, as  the  demand  for  Dietary  articles,  and  careful 
examination  is  needed  in  selecting  an  industrial  pro- 
duct that  gives  the  producer  the  greatest  security. 
Turning  to  a list  of  Tropical  productions,  (well  seen 
in  the  pages  of  the  “ Public  Ledger,”)  we  find  them 
very  numerous  indeed,  and  at  first  sight,  it  appears 
that  it  would  not  be  difficult  to  find  a substitute 
for  any  failing  Industry,  but  planters  know  to  their 
cost  how  mucli  disappointment  meets  them  at  every 
turn  in  their  attempt  to  do  so.  It  thus  appears 
that  the  only  course  left  is  to  find  out,  vdiat  can 
reallp  be  iccll  (iioivii,  and  whether  such  is  likely  to 
have  a steady  market  in  the  future,  and  whether  the 
Remand  is  froiu  any  cause  increasing  or  diminishing, 
^ u**'  products,  many  of  which  might 
possibly  bo  grown  at  a profit ; but  it  must  be  clearlv 
understood,  that  I do  not  for  a moment  suggest 
leni,  as  in  any  way  capable  of  at  once  becoming 
substitutes  for  the  Major  Industries;  but  simply 
nien  ion  them  with  a view  cf  pointinr/  out  the  possibilitii 
of  turning  attention  to  them  in  a profitable  manner, 
should  our  present  cultures  fail.  It  will  be  noted 
that  possib.e  productions  other  than  those  legiti- 
mately belonging  to  Tropical  Agriculture  are  not 
montioned,  viz. : Mining  produce.  Manufactures,  Ac. 
liisfc  of  Products. 
Arroto/'oot.  . . Ciiu  be  well  grown. 
nulata.  . . A native  product.  A Balata  forest 
.50  years  hence  would  be  a mine  of 
wealth,  both  for  gum,  and  for  wood. 
What  is  done  with  waste  bones? 
Bamboo  cane  can  be  grown  in  un- 
limited quantity  here. 
Large  supplies  can  be  produced  from 
our  Limes. 
Would  grow  at  3,000  feet,  but  we  have 
little  land  at  that  height. 
Easily  produced. 
. . Trinidad  is  in  the  front  rank  with 
this  product. 
..  Can  be  well  grown  of  first  class  quality. 
Coconut.  No  attempt  made  to  utilize  it  to 
advantage. 
Worth  £13  per  ton.  Coconuts  sell 
at  20  te  30/-  per  1000. 
Thousands  of  tons  could  be  easily 
grown.  .£'6  to  £9  per  ton. 
Grows  well,  difficult  to  compete 
with  old  established  countries. 
Fii.e  cutch  can  be  made  from 
our  Mangrove  bark. 
. Grows  well,  worth  8 '- to  11/- per  cwt. 
Drayou  a blood.  Aw  indigenous  tree  produces  this, 
growing  in  our  swamps,  worth  £6 
to  £12  10  per  cw;. 
Jiufies. 
Caneis— 
Hamboo 
Citric  Acid 
VinchoHa 
JJarh. 
Cochineal. 
Cacao. 
Coffee 
Cotr. 
Copra. 
Coconut. 
Corono.i. 
ivory  Xut.i. 
Cotton. 
Cutch. 
Itivi-  Itiri 
Drugs  : 
Aloes. 
Can  be  well  grown  and  manufactured 
here,  worth  from  15/-  to  95/6  per  cwt. 
Grow,  well,  but  waste  on  the  ground 
8/6  to  12/.  per  cwt.  ’ 
Balsam  Lapioi.  A native  tree,  produce  worth  1'- to 
1/7  per  lb. 
Grows  well  here,  worth  9,'-  per  lb. 
Glows  well,  cannot  compete  with 
forests  of  Venezuela. 
Grows  well,  and  produce  freelv 
worth  1/4  to  3/9  per  lb. 
Kola  or  C./a.  Worth  I/5  per  lb.  Grows  freely. 
Au.o  I omica.  Worth  5/-  to  8/-  per  ewq  ^ 
Oils  Essential — • 
Can  be  well  produced. 
Can  be  as  well  grown  here  as  any- 
where in  the  world,  1 2 to  1/5  per  Iffi 
Arcca  Xuts. 
JSalsain  Peru. 
Jleaiis. 
Tomiuin 
Cardamons. 
various. 
Sarsaparilla 
Fibres ; 
Abutilon 
Sisal 
Fruit  : 
Bananas 
Oranyes 
Jjemons 
Gambier 
Gu.h  Kino 
India  Rubber  ; 
Caslilloa 
Columbian 
. . A first  class  fibre,  easily  manipulated 
and  promises  best  of  all 
. . Can  be  grown  of  first  class  quality. 
^Already  discussed. 
..  .Just  introduced,  production  would 
have  to  compete  with  East  Indian. 
..  This  tree  does  well  here,  and  sam- 
ples  of  good  gum  have  been  pro- 
duced, at  present  quoted  at  £20 
to  .£2a  per  cwt. 
Ii9  to  2/lli') 
1/6  to  2/8  [.per  lb. 
Jievea  or  Para  .3/-  to  .3,'IJ  j 
-Uyrabolans  . . Trees  pow  large  and  very  quickly 
worth  i),6  to  8,'-  per  cwt. 
