4^2 
THR  TKOl’ICAl.  AGRICULTURIST. 
roi'FKE  LAND  r\  1>.UIT[S1I  ('EXTUA!. 
AI’HK'A. 
All  iiil\ ertiseiiient  slm\v.s  tliilL  IjukI  in  the  Shire 
Liiiuls  suitable  for  coifee  eultivation  is  hein^  (rllereil 
for  sale  in  larj^e  and  small  hlochs.  In  “ The  Central 
Atrican  Planter”  to  hand  hy  the  Cerinan  mail 
we  notice  an  artiide  hy  Mr.  J.'  Jhudianan, 
on  the  ijosition  and  prospects  of  cori'es  in  whicdi 
he  mentions  that  rouj^hly  speaking  there  are  at 
present  acres  under  eoll'ee  in  Nyssaland 
spread  over  something'  like  lUd  plantations. 
(,)f  these  the  j^reater  nniiiher  are  in  their 
first  and  second  year,  so  that  lSi)7  is  looked 
forward  to  with  considerable  satisfaction,  it  heinjf 
very  itrohahle  that  the  export  of  coffee  in  parch- 
ment for  that  year  will  reach  an  ay<rregate  of 
•24,001)  cwt.  Land,  he  says,  is  yet  available  in 
((Uantity.  Notwithstanding  a very  marked  in- 
crease in  value  within  the  last  few  years  there 
is  yet  good  coffee  land  obtainable  at  from  os  to 
20s  per  acre. 
NEWS  FROM  RRITISH  CENTRA).  AFRICA. 
On  i>ages  4S3-84  will  he  found  some  interest- 
ing and,  "alas  ! some  very  sad  news  from  thisquarter 
of^Afriea,  so  closely  connected  with  Ceylon  now, 
hy  planting  and'  other  ties.  Pioneering  as 
planters  in  a new  country  is,  an«l  must  always 
he,  a trying  business  and  it  is  not  surprising 
therefore,  to  learn  of  sickness  and  even  deaths. 
Among  the  rest,  Mr.  J.  P.  0\ven  who  left  Ceylon 
some  months  ago  in  the  service  of  the  Nyassa- 
land  Coffee  Co.  has  had  a had  attack  of  fever, 
and  has  left  Blantyre  on  his  return  to  Ceylon  ; 
hut  we  trust  Mr.  C.  M.  Crabhe  will  he  able  to 
persevere  and  get  acclimatised  like  Mr.  Ruchanan, 
.Nfr.  Moir,  and  Mr.  Henry  IJrown  (an  old  ('eyhm 
planter).  In  the  monthly  “Central  African 
1‘l'anter”  for  October,  it  is  interesting  to  note 
the  register  of  arrivals  and  departures  from  the 
infant ”Colony  for  a month  as  follows; — 
■Vuuiv’Av.s : — Mr.  .Tenldus  arrive!  with  Mr.  Brown 
at  Mlanje  to  assist  in  carrying  on  business  under 
•‘Brown  and  Jenkins.”  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomson  for 
F.  C.  Mission  Nyasa. 
I’er  “James  Stevenson  ” — Air.  G.  M.  Brable,  for 
■Nvasaland  Coffee  Co.,  Ld..  Captain  Bradshaw,  of 
3',th  Sikhs  oil  furlough  from  India,  to  hunt,  Mr.  and 
Mrs  Armstrong,  Air.  Lovell,  Mr.  Burnet,  Mr.  Steb- 
iecici  (a  younger  brother  of  Messr.s.  K.  S Steblecki), 
Mr.  Donaldson,  Mr,  Ij.  A.  Wallace  and  Mr.  Clifton 
for'chiromo  ; Mr  Lindsay  and  Mr.  Fleet  of  Baptist 
Mission  of  Scotland. 
Per  ‘‘  Henry  Henderson” — Miss  Bell  for  Church  of 
Scotland  Mission. 
Departures;— Air.  J.  P.  Owen  for  Ceylon,  Air.  and 
Airs.  Thomson  for  Nj’assa. 
This  monthly— conducted  on  much  the  same 
lines  .as  the  Troptml  AgvicuItuviHi an 
article' on  “Coffee:  its  position  .and  jirospects” 
i)V  .lohn  Buchanan,  Esii.,  C.M.c.,  the  pioneer 
nianter  which  we  shall  transfer  to  the  ji.ages  of 
!;uTpei’iodie.al.  The  one  chief  .Irawhack  to  colfee- 
nlamims  the  writer  says,  is  want  of  proper 
|„,.,uis'of  transport:  hut  .several  schemes  are  mi 
the  tmm  to  remeily  this  An  article  oii  Alt 
Moir’s  Lauderdale  estate  is  also  ot  interest:  it 
was  originally  opeue.l.  by  Mr.  Henry  brown  ; 
Imt  the  energetic  proprietor  h.as  since  done  much 
f„r  it  and  Mrs.  Moir  is  evidently  the  right 
•onsort  for  a pioneer  tropical  i-  anter,  introdn.'iug 
fruit  trees  from  Algiers,  Ac.  Mr.  Moir  h.as  cacao 
..s  well  as  colfee  and  is  also  intercste.  in  cattle 
k„d  other  stock.  A third  article  from  this 
ionrnal  as  well  as  current  notes  we  give  on  onr 
[Jan.  I,  1896. 
h.aidc  p.age  today  as  of  .special  interest  to  Ceylon 
planter.s. — Tlie  return  of  Mr.  11.  Brown  shews 
he  has  faith  in  (In;  fiilure  of  Nyassaland.  Tlic 
total  colfee  crop  id’  this  year  is  expected  to  equal 
.1,01)0  cwt.,  the  average  yield  so  far  3 to  4 cwt. 
per  acre.  A Chamber  of  Agriculture  and  Coni- 
nierce  had  been  formed,  rates  being  regulated 
hy  acreage  of  land  planted  or  closed,  or  by 
niimhcr  of  European  Assistants  enqdoyed  ! The 
office-hearers  elected  for  the  year,  are  : — 
President,  Air.  .Tohii  Buchanan  ; Conimitteej  Alessrs  , 
It.  S.  Hunter,  Alackinon,  T.  AI.  Hastings,  John  Gibbs, 
.Jon.ithan  Duncan,  and  Robert  Buchanan  ; Secretary 
Air.  W.  J.  Dow. 
VARIOCS  PLANTING  NOTES. 
CoFEEE  Guowino  AT  IIoME. — We  notice  that  at  a 
recent  meeting  of  the  Royal  Botanic  Society  some- 
thing was  said  about  the  possibility  of  coffee  culti- 
vation in  England.  Air.  Soweiby,  the  Secretary, 
had  gathered  some,  of  the  beans  grown  by  the 
Society  under  glass,  which  he  had  carefully  roasted, 
ground,  and  made  into  coffee.  This  decoction  w.is 
submitted  for  the  opinion  of  certain  of  the  mem- 
bers reported  to  be  connoisseurs  ot  the  beverage, 
.and  their  opinions  agreed  that  it  was  “ excellent 
in  every  respect.”  A reference  was  made  to  the 
cultivation  of  a plant  which  “ may  rltimalely  help 
in  some  degree  to  cbesr  and  brighten  the  existing 
depressed  state  of  agriculture.”  Possibly  this  was 
meant  for  poetry.  We  feel  sorry  for  the  poor  agri- 
culturist in  England  who  thinks  he  can  cultivate 
coffee  successfully.  The  Ceylon  planters  could  give 
sime  useful  information  on  the  subject. — //.  and  ('. 
Mail,  Dec.  0. 
I’BSSI'U.l.AWA  Pl.ANTKKS’  A.S.SOCIATIDK.  —The 
mimite.s  of  committee  and  general  meetings 
which  we  publish  elsewhere  show  that  the  affairs 
of  the  district  are  being  very  clo.sely  looked 
after  hy  the  Association.  The  hnsine.ss  transacted 
h.ad  reference  to  roads,  bridges,  tolls,  liospital  aocoiii- 
niodatioii,  and  )»ostal  and  telegrapliic  commniiica- 
tion.  It  is  to  he  hojied  that  tlie  P.C.M  <).  will 
see  his  way  to  accede  to  the  request  of  the  .\s- 
sjciation  in  respect  of  a conveiiieiitly-sitnated  ami 
snitahle  ImihUng  .as  an  hospital.  The  resolution  of 
the  Dikoya  Association  with  rcg.ard  to  the  labour 
iliiestion  was  disapproved,  and  we  think  there 
will  be  very  genera!  concurrence  in  the  opinion 
of  the  .Association  that  any  further  interference 
on  the  jiart  of  Government  in  this  matter  is 
itudesirahle.  T'he  estimated  tea  cro|i  for  lS!)d  is 
o,Sf!),0U0  lb  which,  deducting  the  crop  of  three 
eTites  not  included  last  year,  is  an  increase  of 
3fS,-2.')0  III. 
Cevi.o.x  Notes  from  Nvassilaxu. — Ooffeo  appear.s 
to  he  doi  g well  in  Ni'assaland,  an  I crop’  have  so 
far  come  up  to  expectations.  I note  of  late  .se- 
veral men  have  come  into  the  cenuti-y,  though 
more  so  for  the  purpo.se  of  prospecting  for  gold 
than  for  planting  coffee,  Air.  Henry  Br  iwii.  formerly 
of  Ceylon,  has  lately  arrived,  having  heeii  home  for 
the  pnrpoie  of  lioating  a large  company  in  Portu- 
guese territory.  Mr.  Percy  Owen,  whom  doubtles.s 
yonr  readers  will  remember  as  liaving  left  Ceylon 
of  late  has,  I am  sorry  to  record,  hem  exceedingly 
ill  with  black  water  fever,  and,  in  consequence,  had 
to  letive  the  country  to  I’econp  his  health,  and  has. 
I believe,  gone  South.  Black-water  fever  seems  pre- 
valent thronghont  this  part  of  Africa,  Air.  Fotiior- 
ingliain,  the  manager  of  the  African  Ijakes  Com- 
pany, and  another  gentleman  in  .similar  employ, 
having  died  from  it  lately;  also  Air.  Miller,  late  of 
the  Agr.as.  Mr.  Idoyd,  formerly  of  Ceylon,  and  now 
Surveyor-General  to  the  Administration,  is,  1 hear, 
leaving  shortly  for  England  for  a trip.  Mr.  Alorti- 
mor  Crabhe  has  just  arrive  I from  Ceylon  to  take 
up  the  appointment  as  manager  of  the  Nyassaland 
Colfee  Company,  and  starts  for  Milange  almost  im- 
mediately.—Cor. 
