^62 
THE  TKOFICAI.  AG  RICUf/IURIST. 
(Jan.  t.  1896. 
Indian  c;ovki:nmhnt  Cinchona  Tj.anta- 
tioNS.— From  the  lleviscil  Eslimale  for  1895-9(5 
\vo  notice  {says  the  Madras  Mail)  that  tlie  Co- 
verameut  Cinchona  Flantations  will  show  a [irolit 
on  the  current  year’s  working  of  U17,7UU,  receii)ts 
being  set  down  at  one  lakh  and  expenditure  at 
1182,300.  It  is  ])o.s.sible  that  when  the  accounts 
for  the  year  are  made  up,  the  prolits  will  l)e  even 
larger,  owing  to  the  constant  daily  increasing 
demand  for  (quinine  and  febrifuge.  The  ihulget 
Estimate  for  189(5-97  provides  for  a profit  of  over 
K12,500,  that  is  if  the  sales  continue  stationary. 
In  view  of  this  consitlerable  prolit,  Covernment 
should  at  once  reconsider  its  decision  to  jilant  up 
new  acreage.  These  increased  sales  of  (luinine 
are  satisfactory,  but  if  they  go  on  and  Govern- 
ment runs  its  factory  on  commercial  principles, 
it  must  expect  to  hear  shortly  from  the  trade  on 
t'le  subiect. 
Fruit-Ghowinc  in  America.—  Some  idea 
may  be  gained  of  the  .scale  on  which  fruit- 
farming is  carried  on  in  Ameiica  say.s  the 
London  LWiO— from  the  oi>erations  of  one 
establishment  alone,  the  Hale  Orchard  Com- 
pany, which,  in  1891,  planted  100,000  Peach 
trees  in  Georgia;-- 
During  April  and  May  tins  year  50  men  were  oc- 
cupied all  day  in  removing  excess  liuits  in  order 
to^allow  the  rest  to  have  room  to  develop.  They 
began  to  come  to  maturity  in  .Tune,  and  from  the 
20th  of  that  month  ;i50  men,  aided  by  50  mules, 
were  engaged  every  day  gathering  and  carting  awiiy, 
filling  4 000  baskets  in  the  24  hours.  Imperfect,  bruised 
and  scratched  fruits,  separated  from  that  in  prime  con- 
dition amounted  to  300  bushels  a day.  It  took  from 
505  to’  600  baskets  to  fill  a railway  refrigerator  van, 
and  each  van  load  represented  a va  ue,  including 
coast  of  gathering,  packing,  and  transport  of  £100. 
From  this  single  orchard  80  van-loads  were  sent  away 
this  year  In  Houston  County  the  cultivation  of  the 
Peach  alone  gives  employment  to  3,000  people. 
Coconut  Puanting  in  ki.ji.— Ihe  Editor  of 
the  L'iji  Times  is  a strong  believer  in  the  coco- 
nut |>tdm  and  urges  his  depres.scd  fcUow-coloiiist.s 
^'’to  owners,  who  possess  land  lying  idle,  situated 
other  than  on  Yiti  Levu,  where  from  some  unex- 
tilainable  cause  the  coconut  does  not  thrive  to  the 
Lme  degree  as  in  other  islands  of  the  group,  we 
would  suggest  the  planting  of  such  lands  with  coco- 
t=  As  they  stand  at  present  they  arc  compara- 
tivelV  valueless,  but  once  planted  Nvith  the  coconut 
nalni  from  the  mere  fact  of  their  being  so  planted, 
their’  increment  for  the  succeeding  ten  years  at  least 
would  be  an  increasing  one  year  by  year,  and  so  by 
some  such  iiractical  means  our  waste  lands  would 
recain  their  wonted  value  once  ngaiu,  and  with  some- 
tbiuLT  on  boot.  Once  in  full  bearing  the  produce 
f om  an  acre  of  coconuts  should  be  worth  two  pounds 
«tpHing  plus  10s  for  reducing  the  nuts  into  copra. 
At  this  estimate  it  will  readily  be  seen  at  a five 
rTpv  cent  interest  on  capital-the  days  of  10  per  cent 
r for  ever — the  value  of  an  acre  of 
have  gone 
V 
warranty  , - r n . * 
ouly  to  turn  to  Ceylon,  where,  for  the  past  two 
•.  ..  -evival  m coconut  ]ilanting  has  set 
As 
coconuts  would  be  worth  about  thirty  pounds. 
» „ warranty  for  so  planting  we  have 
, wher 
years,  quite  a revival  in  cncoi 
fraud  is  being  pushed  ahead  with  some  vigor 
Av’  like  to  see  our  unoccupied  lands  which 
fux%uUable  for  the  production  of  the  pain.,  put  to 
1 ?ike  use  and  the  ordinance  lately  passed  to  facili- 
tate contracts  being  entered  into  between  Europeans 
taie  cony  laiixly  assist  to  this  end,  as  no 
and  nativ  • 1 . pe  necessary,  beyond  what 
European  0 native,  at  any  rate 
rrr'w  bo  capable  of  planting  and  tending  the  nut 
mr  thr first  yLr  or  so,  after  which  it  may  be  left 
n take  care  of  itself,  ami  he  owner  of  so  iiiiich 
. anti  land  will  know  that  his  possessions  are  m- 
plaiiieu  lai  „ .vhilc  he  is  hleepmg  his  nuts 
‘^^r^hrm-owing  ’We  hope,  therefore,  that  soiiio  at- 
tention will  be 'given  to  this  suggestion  by  a largo 
iumber  pTovvhers  and  agents  of  unproductive  areas. 
“The  Iki.sT  Art:  Tkamakino A.s  we 
expected,  “ Fpcoiuitry  ” has  drawn  forth  a 
]iroinpt  rejily,  and  he  as  well  as  others  of  tlie 
jdanters  will  he  ]deased  to  see  such  recog- 
nised authorities  as  Mr.  A.  II.  Thoinp.son 
(Broker)  and  IMr.  Lanipard  (Buyer)  giving  the 
needful  exjilanations  called  for  hy  that 
letter.  Now,  in  (he  f.acc  of  siudi  answer- 
ing letters  as  we  piihlish,  it  will  surely 
he  aclnhtteil  that  we  acted  very  wisely  in  allow- 
ing “ Uiicountry  ” (o  have  his  grou  1 (even 
inchuling  his  iMsinii.-itions)  fully  out.  li'ar  better 
that  any  unconifortahle  feelings  or  snsj.icions  enter- 
tained in  iijicoiintry  factories  should  he  brought 
into  the  light  of  day,  and  so  he  met,  and  di.spclled, 
rather  than  that  they  sliould  he  denied  publi- 
cation, and  so  allowed  to  pass  from  one  dis- 
trict to  another  and  gather  more  and  more 
force  as  tliey  became  common  talk.  Mr.  Lain- 
jiard  must  reineinber  that  many  jilanters  lead  <a 
lonely  life,  they  cannot  meet  on  ’change,  or  find 
a hnsinessinan  among  their  accessible  neiglihours 
to  ex[)lain  Col  Miiho  matters  that  they  do  not  under- 
stand, and  therefore  we  feel  .a  cerlain  latitude 
should  wisely  be  allowed,  when  those  competent 
to  clear  away  unfounded  suspicions  are  avail- 
able. So  again,  in  respect  of  “anony- 
mous letters.”  Many  Estate  Managei's  do  not 
feel  at  li  erty  to  sign  their  names  w'itliout  the 
permission  of  absent  proprietors,  and  yet  it  is 
often  in  the  interests  of  such  that  they  feel 
bound  to  criticize  Colombo  husinessnien.  It  is 
now  for  “Upconntry”  to  say  how  far  he  is 
satisfied  with  the  letters  of  Messrs.  Thompson 
and  Lampard  and  whether  he  thinks  any  further 
explanations  necessary?  To  our  mind,  the  informa- 
tion given  is  satisfactory,  if  not  conclusive. 
Vjeget.\ble  Phoducts  in  Porto  Rico, — Besides 
sugar  and  coffee,  both  of  which  are  iutimately  asso- 
ciated with  Porto  Rico,  tobacco  also  holds  an  impor- 
tant position,  but  though  already  cultivated  to  a very 
large  extent,  it  is  stated  that  its  growth  might  be 
extended  almost  indefinitely  if  it  were  not  for  the 
old  question  of  excessive  taxation.  The  soil  is  of  the 
very  best  for  tobacco  growing,  and  quite  equal  to  the 
bc*3t  of  the  Cuban  plantations,  but  as  a rule,  there  is 
some  carelessness  in  the  process  of  curing.  Good 
tobacco  requires  no  groat  labour  in  its  cultivation, 
but  considerable  care  and  attention,  e.specially  as 
regards  insect  pests,  and  when  tlio  leaf  is  stripped, 
selected  and  dried.  In  all  these  matters  the  native 
of  Porto  Rico  is  exccediiiglj'  careless,  .and  this  it  is 
that  prevents  so  good  a final  product  being  obtained 
as  in  Havana.  Still,  a considerable  quantity  of 
I’orto  Rico  cigars  find  their  way  to  the  States,  Spain, 
France,  and  England;  but  the  tobacco  trade  i.s  one 
which  ought  to  be  largely  extended,  if  ouly  proper 
facilities  were  given  by  the  Government.  Eargc 
quantities  of  tobacco-leaf  are  exported  to  Cuba,  to  bo 
made  up  there  into  tlie  world-famed  Havana  cigars. 
On  the  subject  of  fruits,  it  is  said  that,  though  the 
plantain,  banana,  Ac.,  arc  grown  everywhere,  and  are 
much  used  as  fruit  in  the  country,  the  export  trade 
is  not  large  nor  yet  of  the  pine-apple,  which  grows 
to  perfection  when  any  care  is  taken  of  it.  It  is 
remark.able  that  the  jiiiic-apple  is  not  exjiortod  in 
larger  .piantitics  than  is  actually  the  case,  seeing 
that  it  is  a fruit  that  could  easily  be  sbipi.ed  and 
carried  the  sliort  distance  to  the  United  Statc.s,  where 
it  call  comuiaiid  good  prices.  The  coconut  grows  in 
immense  quantities  all  around  the  coasts  of  the  island, 
and  to  a considerable  distance  inland,  but  little  or  no 
use  is  made  of  it,  and  exports  aie  few  and  far  belwocn. 
The  contents  of  the  green  nut  arc  much  used  as  a 
beverage,  but  the  great  bulk  of  the  crop,  which  lias 
a coiitiiuious  growth,  is  allowed  to  go  to  waste.  Tlio 
mango,  covered  with  its  green  and  golden  fruit,  is 
coimnon  everywhere,  ami  lines  the  roadsides  in  many 
jiarts  for  niilcs  and  miles.  Tlio  Se\illc,  or  Ritter 
orange,  grows  wild  in  tlie  woods,  but  none  of  tlie 
fruit  is  exported,  and  by  far  the  greater  part  goes  to 
absolute  waste.— j('4c  Ganiencra’  Chronicle, 
