594 
THE  TROPICAL  ACRICIU/I URIST.  [March  2,  1896. 
(JocoNi'i's. — This  cultivation  lias  only  liocn  seriously 
coniinencocl  hy  Europeans  during  ‘ the  last  four 
years,  ljut  now  at  a great  many  dilfeient  places 
round  the  coast,  coconut  plantations  have  been 
started  and  fresh  ones  on  an  increasing  scale  arc 
contemplated.  As  yet  but  very  few  of  the  trees  are 
in  bearing  but  when  they  once  commence,  the  cut- 
turn  otjiuts  will  be  continuous,  and  will  increase 
until  it  becomes  of  large  consequence  to  the  country. 
Every  month,  at  a rough  estimate,  something  like 
a thousand  fresh  trees  are  planted  at  one  ijlace  or 
another. 
The  dwarf  luds  that  bear  in  three  years  are  being 
watched  with  interest. 
Manila  lliiJir — The  satisfactory  growth  of  the  plant 
producing  this  fibre  has  been  fully  proved,  and  in  two 
or  three  places  there  are  considerable  patches  of 
it,  but  so  far  difficulty  has  been  experienced  in  getting 
a sufficient  supply  of  skilled  labour;  several  gangs  of 
Sooloos  th.at  know  something  about  it  have  been 
brought  over,  but  alter  a short  time  they  have  always 
gone  off  to  more  attractive  fornrs  of  work.  Three 
hundred  acres  are  being  opened  on  home  account  op- 
posite Eoong  I’iasow  and,  at  worst,  natives  easily  learn 
rhe  processor  extraction  by  hand. 
SnoAU  (’ask.  has  been  cx|)erinrented  withinoneor 
two  places  with  satisfactory  results  so  far  as  jrroving 
the,  exti(-mely  low  pi'ice  at  which  the  raw  material,  the 
caire,can  be  produced,  and  its  high  quality  and  sugar- 
yii'lding  capabilities,  but  up  to  the  present  the 
crushers  used  have  la'cn  on  altogether  too  small  a scale; 
one  is  now  at  work  on  the  Suan  iianilia.  It  is  urged 
that  where  the  r.aw  material  is  chea[)cst  that  is  the 
place  to  erect  factories  for  whatever  the  prodirct  may 
be,  and  nowhere  Ls  cane  cheaper  if  so  choap  as  in  North 
I’ornco  ; and  at  tlie  end  of  the  year  we  hear  ihat  ne- 
gociations  are  in  progress  for  the  erection  o.  a crusher 
on  a larger  scale. 
(.'oTi'o.N  i.s  on  trial  in  one  or  two  places  and  pro- 
mises well.  Some  of  the  earlier  planted  patches 
were  in  rather  lonely  ilisLricts  and  were  almost 
entirely  eaten  up  by  deer  and  wild  cattle  which 
seem  to  have  a great  fondness  for  it.  The  later 
plantings  an'  in  places  where  these  animals  will  not 
come.  The  Park  lleserve  trees  are  in  good  bearing. 
Cocoa,  Saco,  Nirmi'.c.s  and  other  products  have 
been  planted  by  Europeans  in  several  places  and 
in  all  instances  promise  well.  Samples  of  cocoa 
have  already  been  obtained. 
ToiiAcco. — The  prices  realized  in  the  latter  portion 
of  the  year  did  not  fulfil  the  hopes  based  on  the 
previous  sales.  Messrs.  Binger  ct  Herschell’s  “ lleview 
of  the  IS'.M  Borneo  Crop  “ gives  the  average 
price  all  round  of  100  Dutch  cents,  the  London 
and  Amsterdam  Borneo  Co.  again  heading  the 
list  with  138  cents.  Koyah  commanded  129 
cents  or  Avith  Lamag  an  average  of  99  ceius 
and  Lahad  Datu  111  cents.  The  average  of  the  1 
south  Maruda  Bay  plantations  was  99  cents,  Benkuka 
fetching  91  cents  ; the  other  plantations  varied  from 
81  to  5.")  cents.  The  total  arrivals  at  Dutch  ports  were 
9,791  bales,  approximately  valued  at  f-588,000.  The 
present  crops  however  are  looking  well  and  consider- 
able progress  had  been  made  in  cutting  before  the 
rainy  season  set  in.  At  Bilit  (130  piculs  will  be 
harvested  and  at  Koj'ah  900.  Lamag  and  Batu  Putih 
arc  well  advanced,  the  former  averaging  .5  piculs 
oi-  a little  more  pc'r  field.  Details  from  Lahat  Datu 
and  Maruda  Bay  are  unfortunately  wanting  beyond 
the  genertil  assurance  that  the  plantations  are  cioing 
well. 
PLANTING  IN  BURMA. 
A planting  contemporary  points  out  the  grand 
cupubilities  for  planting  enterprise  offered  by  the 
Kachin  Hills  nml  the  neighbouring  immense  tracts 
of  jirimcval  forc'd,  but  observes  that  the  extreme 
Kcarccncss  and  dearness  tracts  of  labour  in  the 
district  stands  in  the  way.  A correspondent  who 
knows  th('  iiarts  in  question  believes  “the  whole 
country  would  h('  an  ideal  planting  district  especiallv 
for  tea.  TIk'  (dimafe  is  suitable,  and  the  soil  good, 
but  labour  is  most  expensive.  There  will  shortly 
bo  a railway,  however,  to  Myitliynia,  and  produce 
would  in  no  case  he  more  than  10  miles  away.  During 
tlie  cold  weather  there  is  a steamer  service  on  the 
Irawaddy,  and  country-boats,  which  are  fairly  cheap, 
are  to  be  had  all  the  year  round.”  The  tea-growing 
region  he  believes  to  be  one  of  the  best  in  the  world. 
The  height  of  the  hills  ranges  from  1,000  to  (5,000 
feet,  and  the  rainfall  is  abundant — or,  as  he  puts 
it,  there  is,  “ a fertile  soil  and  heaps  of 
rain.”  Opinion  asks  for  particirlars  as 
to  lire  possibilities  of  introducing  Chinese  labour  in 
that  part  of  Burma,  and  points  out  that  the  district 
in  question  being  center  ruinous  with  the  Chirrese 
frontier  no  insuperable  difficulties  should  exist.  We 
may  observe,  in  this  matter,  that  the  Chinaman, 
though  a steady  and  hard-working  fellow  as  a rule, 
as  soon  as  he  leaves  the  Celestial  country  has  a 
somewhat  e.vaggerated  idea  of  his  own  value,  usually 
demanding  ana  receiving  wages  that  w'ould  make  plam- 
ing  unprofitable  if  Chinese  labour  were  largely  utilised. 
It  is  a common  thing  in  Dar  jiling  to  see  Chinese  carpen- 
ters who  receive  as  much  as  R2-8  0 a day,  whereas  an 
equally  skilful  carpenter  in  Northerrr  India  would  get 
ouly  eight  annas  a day,  especially  in  Behar.  If 
coolies,  therefore,  and  carpenters  could  be  imported 
from  Bohar,  as  also  from  Diuapore,  Patna,  arrd 
other  stations,  it  would  be  well.  Coolies  irr  Behar 
get  no  more  than  from  two  to  three  annas  a day, 
and  are  glad  to  get  tliat.  TJufortirnately,  however, 
the  coolie  agent,  in  spite  of  all  Ins  blandishir  cuts, 
finds  it  diflicult  to  persuade  the  average  Behari  to 
omigrate,  even  llioiigh  his  beloved  country  lias 
notliing  but  semi-starvation  to  offer  liim  at  bonie. 
— Jhulnin  'I’iniCK,  Peb.  .■>. 
^ 
THE  RKV.  (’HAS.  McLEAN  ON  TEA 
IN  APSI'RALTA. 
'I’lio  Hex',  (’has.  .Mclman  writes  from  (leeloiig 
on  l.lfli  .lamiary  : 
”1  write  to  ask  if  you  can  send  to  me  by  the  first 
mail  a jiackage  of  your  leaflets  about  Uui,  liow  to  in- 
fuse it  Ac.,  and  also  a list  of  those  who  sell  /nire 
Ceylon  tea  in  the  towns  in  Australia.  I liave  beeir 
a good  deal  about  since  landing  in  Australia,  and  so 
far  those  1 have  met  are  in  dense  ignorance  about 
Ceylon  tea.  They  do  not  know  where  to  get  it,  arrd 
even  those  few  who  have  bad  samples,  do  not  know 
bow  to  infuse  it.  The  way  here  is  to  put  the  tea 
in  a /ill  can  and  boil  it  for  half  an  hour  on  the  fire. 
You  can  imagine  the  result! 
“ We  had  a very  tine  voyage  fronr  Ctylon  to 
Adelaide,  where  we  landed,  arrd  since  then  have  beerr 
travelling  about  a good  deal  principally  in  the 
Malice  country  which  is  rroted  for  its  growth  of 
wheat,  and  the  manufacture  of  eucalyptus  oil.” 
BRITISH  CENTRAL  AFRICA. 
From  .0,  private  letter  jn.st  receiveil  from  .Mr. 
A.  Whyte,  formerly  well-known  in  Ceylon, 
we  extract  as  follows  : — 
Via  Chinde,  Tlie  Ro.sidency,  Zomba,  B.C.A., 
21st  Nov.  ]89.'5. 
I have  often  wished  that  I could  write  you  from 
time  to  time,  with  some  notes  about  this"  interest- 
ing country,  but  my  duties  are  so  numerous  as  to 
leave  me  no  spare  time  for  correspondence.  I see, 
however,  by  the  Obaenrr,  which  I continue  to  (’w/cw 
vmch,  that  you  are  well  pos;cd  up  on  what  is  going 
on  here.  By  this  mail  1 send  3011  a report  I drew 
up  as  to  what  we  are  doing  towards  establishing  ex- 
perimental gardens,  and  from  it  you  may  get  a few 
hints  as  to  the  eapabilities  of  our  soil  amt  climate. 
I should  be  sorry  to  jironounce  tlio  couiurv 
/or  J'Juro/ieanr,  as  our  death-rate  has  bt'Cn  very  high 
this  season,  yet  it  is  not  worse  than,  say,  Ijower 
Dikoya  was  when  being  opened  np,  and  1 have  no 
doubt  it  will  become  aninmllv  move  healthy.  .As  to 
coffee,  1 do  not  hesitate  fo  say,  1 think  it  is  a safe 
investment  here,  and  tlicie  is  scarcely  a tropical  pro- 
duct which  wo  could  not  grow  witli  succe.ss,  'Die 
country  is  still  in  some  jiarts  unsettled  and  insecuie 
