Oct. 
TH1-:  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
271 
^orrospondcnco. 
To  (he  Ediior. 
COFFEE  IN  SUMATRA. 
Aug.  16. 
[To  the  Editor  of  the  Deli  “ CoiivantT] 
Sir, — 111  a recent  Issue  you  stated  that  the  rush 
for  coll'ee  in  Scrdaiig  existed  only  in  tlie  imagi- 
nation of  the  writer  of  tlie  articles  which  have 
recently  appeared  in  the  Ocy/oa  Observer. 
Permit  me  to  inform  you  of  the  following  facts. 
Six  months  ago  there  were  in  Serdang  seven  con- 
tracts going  begging,  aggregating  25,000  bouws  * 
All  these  have  now  been  taken  up  for  the 
‘cultivation  of  Liberian  Coffee. 
I enclose  my  card,  and  am, 
THE  SUMATRA  CORRESPONDENT  OF  THE 
CEYLON  OBSERVER." 
THE  CACAO,  COCOA  OK  CHOCOLATE 
TKEE-“THEOBROMA  C.ACAO  IN  ITS 
NATIVE  COUNTRY. 
Victor  Park,  Cor.storphine,  near  Edinburgh,  N.R. 
Sir, — This  remarkable  tree  the  beans  of  which  yield 
the  most  valuable  beverage  known,  is  a native  of 
the  hottest  parts  of  tropical  America,  being  found 
growing  wild  in  the  Republics  of  Ecuador,  Colombia, 
Venezuela  and  Brazil.  When  travelling  in  those 
regions  I observed  that  two  distinct  sorts  of  trees 
which  might  be  regarded  as  separate  species  pro- 
duced the  Cocoa  of  commerce.  One  of  these  of  low 
habit  from  15  to  20  feet  in  height  is  the  variety 
cultivated  to  the  greatest  extent  in  the  Spanish 
Republics,  the  West  Indian  islands  and  Ceylon.  It 
appears,  at  least  in  its  native  habitat,  to  bear  most 
abundantly  on  the  more  slender  boughs  and  branches 
which  crown  the  trees ; with  some  fruits,  however,  on 
the  trunks  also.  The  fruits  are  moderate  in  size 
but  the  beans  they  contain,  although  not  numerous, 
are  often  large  and  fine.  This  variety  is  considered 
richest  in  quality  and  may  be  seen  growing  up  to  an 
elevation  of  3,000  feet.  Contrary  to  the  statements 
of  various  persons  the  tree  thrives  well  by  irriga- 
tion. Some  of  the  finest  cocoa  grown  in  South  America 
is  obtained  from  plantations  cultivated  by  this 
method.  I have  seen  in  Colombia  several  aque- 
ducts for  irrigating  cocoa  plantations  which  had  been 
originally  constructed  by  the  Indians  before  the 
discovei’y  of  America. 
The  other  variety  which  sometimes  shoots  up 
to  a height  of  thirty  to  forty  feet  is  of 
far  more  robust  growth  and  dense  vigorous  habit 
and  yields  twice  or  more  the  number  of  beans. 
This  is  the  sort  for  planting  in  India,  Ceylon,  and 
the  East  generally,  but  only  in  the  low-lying  and 
hottest  situations.  The  fruit  which  is  dispersed  on 
the  trunk  and  larger  and  smaller  boughs  is  at  first 
streaked  with  yellow  and  purple,  finally  becoming 
totally  a pale  golden  colour  when  perfectly  ripe. 
The  mature  fruit  much  resembles  in  appearance  a 
frame  melon.  There  is  an  extensive  coast  region 
of  India  and  Ceylon  bordering  on  the  brim  of  the 
ocean  in  groat  part  overgrown  with  wild  forest 
which  would  bo  found  well  adapted  for  the  culti- 
vation of  this  superb  variety  of  cacao  tteo.  The 
same  remark  applies  to  many  portions  of  land 
on  the  banks  of  the  Irrawaddy  and  Southern 
Burmah. 
It  is  singular  that  this  large  1‘obust  and  prolific 
sort  of  cacao  has  not  been  identified  by  any  of  the 
botanical  writei-s  on  the  flora  of  South  America. 
This  is  explained  by  the  fact  that  botanical  collectors 
invariably  aim  at  the  acquisition  of  the  greatest 
possible  number  of  species  without  devoting  inucli 
inquiry  about  the  plants  cultivated  by  the  natives 
of  the  countries  in  which  they  travel. 
« 25,000  Bouws-- 43,750  acres, 
34 
Of  the  value  of  cocoa  as  a beverage  when  pre- 
pared pure,  it  might  almost  be  difficult  to  say  too 
much  in  its  f.avour.  In  the  densely  humid  debilita- 
ting hot  regions  no  other  description  of  food  is 
found  so  supporting  and  nutritive  as  the  native 
prepared  chocolate. 
The  Indian  tribes  inhabiting  the  vast  forest  domain 
of  the  eastern  Cordillera  of  Colombia  and  Ecuador 
will  travel  long  fatiguing  journeys  for  several  days 
in  succession  with  no  other  support  than  a 
moderate  sized  bag  of  cocoa  be.ans.  Those  beans  are, 
of  course,  in  a raw  state,  the  shell  being  removed  by 
the  hand  and  eaten  while  travelling.  In  the  Spanisli 
Republics  the  successful  leaders  of  oueriullas  who 
have  often  overturned  and  replaced  Governments 
in  those  countries  frequently  owed  as  much  of 
their  success  to  a good  supply  of  chocolate  in 
their  undertakings,  as  they  did  to  their  shrewd  stra- 
tegy and  knowledge  of  mountain  paths  and  local 
influences. 
Since  1860  the  use  of  cocoa  in  the  United  States 
has  increased  more  than  six-fold  while  that  of  tea 
and  coffee  within  the  same  period  has  not  quite 
doubled.  The  annual  consumption  in  France  amounts 
to  26,000,000  lb.,  Spain  16,000,000  lb..  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland  11,000,000  lb.  Apart  from  the  consumption 
of  this  product  by  the  different  countries  of  Europe 
we  have  that  of  the  whole  of  the  Central  and  South 
American  Republics — from  Mexico  to  Paraguay — more 
than  half  a continent — whose  chief  beverage  is  un- 
doubtedly chocolate. 
In  cmclusion  I trust  that  these  remarks  regard- 
ing the  large  growing  prolific  variety  of  cacao  tree  of 
South  America  as  yet  unknown  to  cultivators  or 
planters  of  this  tree  in  either  Ceylon,  Africa  or  the 
West  Indian  islands  may  not  bo  without  interest  to 
your  readers. — I am,  sir,  yours  obediently, 
ROBERT  CROSS. 
HYDRAULIC  LIMESTONE  AT  JAFFNA. 
Jaffna,  Aug.  20. 
Sir, — The  article  on  the  above  subject  ou 
page  132  attracted  much  attention  here.  If 
it  is  the  same  stone  from  which  lime  was 
prepared  some  time  ago,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Government  Agent  at  the  Ivalumunai  point, 
for  use  at  the  reclamation  road  at  the  Jaffna  lagoon, 
off  Karioor,  it  certainly  abounds  in  several  places  in 
the  .Jaffna  Peninsula.  The  stone  varies  in  consistency 
in  different  places,  from  the  hard  stone  fit  for  build- 
ing purposes,  to  the  fine  gravel  dust  used  in  levelling 
and  smoothing  of  our  roads.  However  stones  exactly 
similar  to  that  found  at  Kalumuuai  Point  are  mot  with 
in  several  parts  of  Jaffna,  along  the  sea  coast  as  well 
in  the  interior,  almost  to  an  unlimited  extent,  andoUr 
Workmen  would  be  able  to  supply  the  stone  at  very 
low  jirices,  at  a cent  a bushel,  as  they  would  cal- 
culate upon  converting  the  ground  into  good  garden 
land,  by  filling  up  the  hollow  places  with  earth  after 
the  stone  is  removed. 
The  chief  item  of  expense  in  the  preparation  of 
lime  with  this  atone  would  be  that  of  firewood.  There 
is  har  Uy  any  wood  fit  to  be  used  as  firewood  worth 
mentioning  in  Jaffna.  However  a forest  officer  of  some 
standing  in  Jaffna  lately  said  that  the  Wanny  part 
which  is  estimated  to  bo  of  some  500  square  miles 
in  extent,  abounds  with  decaying  firewood  timber 
which  can  advantageously  be  cut  and  removed,  and 
the  undergrowth  allowed  to  attain  maturity  and 
expansion ; c.an  this  firewood  bo  availed  of  ? 
and  even  if  it  can  be,  bow  can  the  firewood 
and  stone  be  placed  in  proximity  to  each  other. 
They  are  now  lying  at  a considerable  distance 
from  each  other.  Can  the  contemplated  railway  or 
even  the  tramway  be  made  to  do  service  either 
to  convey  the  firewood  to  a convenient  pla  ce  at 
.Jaffna,  or  the  stone  to  a similar  place  at  the  Wanny. 
If  this  is  done,  cheap  lime  can  be  had  in  any  quan- 
tity for  building  purposes  or  for  making  cement. 
The  Government  .\gent  of  the  Province  is  just  now 
in  Colombo,  on  his  annual  visit  to  the  metropolis, 
and  there  is  not  another  man  in  all  .Jaffna  whether 
native  or  European  who  knows  more  about  these 
two  points  of  firewood  and  stone,  than  ho  •, 
