8i8 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[June  i,  1896. 
NEW  PR(.)DUCTN  IN  ELOKIDA. 
CHAMPIONSHIP  TO  BE  WEE8TEU  EUOM  CEYLON. 
The  irrepressible  Yankee  is  not  easily  llcored.  The 
effects  of  the  freeze  have  been  more  disastrous  than  ■ 
anticipated  on  orangecultiYatiou,bm  with  praiseworthy 
pluck  he  looks  around  him  for  other  strings  to  his 
bow’.  With  e\ery  conadence  in  himself  and  every 
faith  in  his  matchless  countryj  tliere  is  nothing  pos- 
sible on  earth  but  what  he  thinks  he  is  capable  of,  and 
nothing  his  soil  cannot  produce.  True,  no  portion  of 
the  United  Slates  is  altogether  within  the  tropics, 
and  to  any  other  planter  this  would  be  a slight  diffi- 
culty in  dealing  with  puiely  tropical  products.  Not 
so  to  the  Florida  farmer.  If  his  agricultiual  organs 
can  be  trusted  even  coliee  of  the  first  quality  can 
be  raised  in  any  required  quantity  in  a lew  months 
rendering  them  quite  independent  of  Ikazil  or  any 
foreign  'supply.  Another  “ nevv  product  ” much  be- 
lauded of  late  is  called  the  casnctbaita)ia\nuiny  have 
been  the  columrs  devoted  to  its  pnaise  and  again 
and  again  the  Floiida  Farmer  returns  to  the  sub- 
ject saying  “ really  the  half  has  not  been  told  p>arti- 
cularly  in  regard  to  its  usefulness.”  The  writer  com- 
pares it  to  a “Bologna  sausage,”  but  half  repent- 
ing of  the  odious  simile  hastens  to  explain  that  the 
resemblance  is  only  in  shape.  “ The  odour  is  indes- 
cribable—quince,  aiiricol  all  combined,  are 
quickly  referred  to  when  the  almost  over-powerir:g 
fragrance  of  a ripe  easiabaiiana  first  greets  the  olfac- 
tories.” 
In  this  surprising  fruit— the  seeds  of  which  are 
advertised  at  a premium — we  recognise  an  olcl 
friend  of  the  cucumber  family,  known  to  botanists  as 
tSicana  oAorifera,  specimens  of  which  may  be  seen  in 
the  Museum  of  Economic  Botany,  Kew. 
The  next  new  product  recommended  by  the  “Florida 
Agriculturist”  is  even  better  known  in  Ceylon,  viz. 
the  coconut',  which,  according  to  this  unquestionable 
authority,  can  be  grown  in  Florida  in  such  abundance 
as  to  wipe  out  any  hope  of  Ceylon  coiitiiiuing  to 
successfully  compete  with  this  well  advertised  Eldo- 
rado. Quite  a mistake  to  suppose  that  fro.st  will 
harm  the  coconut  tree ; it  rather  seems  to  increase  its 
luxuriance  and  productiveness  tenfold  more  than 
over  sve  saw  in  this  poor  bleak  isle,  or  than  ever 
was  heard  of  out  of  an  American  paper. 
But  let  the  “Agriculturist”  speak  for  itself; — 
“the  industry  remunerative.” 
“ That  the  coconut  is  a purely  ornamental  tree  in 
Florida,  with  little  or  no  commercial  value,  is  the 
general  opinion.  That  its  cultivation  may  be  and 
will  be  made  a remunerative  industry  is  a certainty 
in  the  minds  of  many  who  have  set  out  trees  with 
its  commercial  value  in  view.  In  course  of  time 
these  will  be  a source  of  considerable  revenue.  The 
grower  quoted  above  says  that  he  has  never  been 
able  to  supply  the  demand  for  sprouted  nuts  at 
from  |10  to  #15  per  100.  Trees  bear  from  200  to 
GOO  nuts  yearly,  and  80  per  cent  of  the  nuts  will 
sprout  and  grow.  The  remainder  may  be  marketed, 
dessicated,  or  preserved  at  home,  prepared  in  various 
ways.” 
Think  of  this  ye  poor  plodding  coconut  planters  of 
Ceylon,  content  as  you  have  to  be  with  your  20  to 
50  nuts  per  tree  ! “ The  trees  have  been  imovvn  to 
bear  for  200  years.  In  this  climate,  where  they 
have  never  been  hurt  by  cold,  where  c^-erything  is 
conducive  to  growth  and  bearing,  and  where  choice 
lands  are  to  be  had  at  reasonable  rates,  the  industry 
should  thrive  and  pay'.  In  addition  to  the  citrus 
fruits,  pineapples,  guavas,  truck,  and  sponges,  the 
Biscayne  Bay  region  may  yet  become  the  great 
coconut-producing  center  of  the  world,  wresting  from 
Ceylon  its  long-time  championship. 
“A  Chicago  fiim  operates  large  coconut  farms  in 
Ceylon  for  the  purpose  of  utilizing  the  nuts  for 
butter,  and  where  the  natives  j)ut  it  to  almost  every 
use  under  the  sun.  making  houses,  clothing,  armor, 
weapons  of  warfare,  utensils  for  househohl  use  and 
cookery,  and  even  boats  of  it.  About  twenty  live 
gallons'  of  oil  come  from  every  1,000  nuts.  This 
is  made  into  butter.  The  residue  is  a lallow-lika 
substance,  25,000,000  pounds  of  which  was  imported 
here  last  year  for  the  use  of  .'^f.sp  and  candle  maker. 
Raw  coconut  oil  sells  for  53  cents  per  pound.  A 
factory  is  now  in  operation  that  turns  out  20,000 
pounds  of  butter  daily.” 
Boor  Ceylon  ! who  is  to  be  her  next  competitor  ? 
It  IS  scarcely  magnanimous  of  a great  country  like 
America  to,  all  at  once,  crush  out  one  of  the  most 
important  and  most  ancient  industries  of  the  East. 
SALE  OF  A COCONUT  ESTATE. 
iMessns.  Finlay,  Muir  & Co.  we  under.stan(l  liave 
pnrcliased  an  extensive  coconut  estate  in  the  Cliilaw 
district  for  1B)0,UOU.  It  is  in  extent  500  acres  and 
is  said  to  be  a pioi)erty  tliat  i.s  full  of  promise. 
MORE  CEYLON  TEA  IS  USED. 
IIKAVV  INCUKA.Si:  IN  IMPOKTS  OF  THF,  M.VCMINK 
MADK  ARTICLE. 
Good  India  and  Ceylon  teas,  grown  on  a large 
scale  and  manufactured  by  steam-driven  machinery, 
while  commanding  a higher  price  than  the  many 
inferior  and  unclean  teas  of  China  and  .lapan,  are 
fast  making  their  way  in  the  world.  From  Ceylon 
13  years  ago  1,000,000  pounds  were  shipped.  In  1896 
the  export  footed  up  to  93,000,000  pounds,  of  which 
78.000. 000  pounds  were  consigned  to  England  and 
20.000. 000  pouuds  to  other  countries.  Indian  teas 
entered  in  Great  Britain  increased  from  18,000,000 
pounds  in  1871  to  118,000,000,  while  the  importation 
of  China  teas  decreased  from  126,000,000  pounds  in 
1879  to  2!), 000,000  pounds.  In  the  United  States  and 
C.uiada  the  following  figures  show  that  the  people 
arc  beginning  to  discriminate,  and  to  follow  the  lead 
of  other  countries:  1802,  3,200  000  iiounds;  1893, 
•1,200,000 pounds;  1894,  5,380,000  pounds;  1895,9,280,000 
pounds. 
People  accustomed  to  China  and  .lapan  teas  may 
not  like  the  first  cup  of  pure  machine  made  tea, 
liecause  of  its  novelty,  but  the  second  they  will  find 
tolerable  and  after  the  third  they  will  want  it  and 
there  will  he  no  more  relapse  into  the  habit  of  using 
the  other  kinds.  * * * — Boston  Herald,  March  28c 
THE  TAX  ON  TE.\. 
We  all  must  admit  that  much  of  the  time  of  our 
legislators  at  Washington  is  worse  than  wasted  in 
the  discussion  of  measures  largely  intended  to  servo 
persona!  or  partisan  ends.  Occasionally,  however,  a 
realizing  sense  of  their  duty  toward  the  public  seems 
ti  impel  the  Representatives  in  Congress  to  take 
action  upon  some  measures  of  real  importance.  In 
the  “merry  war”  caused  by  the  discussion  of  such 
measiu'es,  especially  if  they  are  contested  vigorously, 
it  frequently  liappens  that  valuable  information  is 
obtained  that  had  previously  been  regarded  some- 
what as  trade  secrets.  This  aplilios  particularly  to 
industries  desiring  special  protection  and  other  con- 
cessions. Generally  such  advantages  are  wanted  be- 
cause of  strong  competition,  and  this  same  force 
exerts  itself  before  the  legislative  committees,  for 
there  are  alw.iys  two  sides  to  such  questions. 
The  most  interesting  subject  of  tlaat  kind  before 
the  present  Congress  is  the  proposed  imposition  of 
a duty  on  tea.  The  various  interests  involved  have 
sought  to  substantiate  their  claims  with  the  usual 
mass  of  figures  and  so-cailled  facts,  until  the  law- 
makers, especially  the  committee  and  others  having 
this  particular  measure  immediatody  under  consider- 
ation, have  found  the  matter  not  merely  a “ tempest 
in  a teapot,”  but  far  more  seriou.«,  involving  as  it 
does  the  healthfulness  of  a bevemge  daily  con- 
sumed by  almost  every  person  in  the  land.  It  is 
])ractically  nflmitted  by  tlie  importers  that  it  is  im- 
possible to  supply  Ibis  country  with  clean,  unoolorcd 
tea  fiom  China  and  Japan.  ’’I'lie  conditions  under 
which  it  is  raised  on  .small  holding.^,  manufactured 
and  packed  by  hand  in  the  primitive  way,  do  not 
admit  of  favorable  comparison  witli  tlie  iirodml  of 
Ceylon,  cultivated  on  extensive  plantations  ol  com- 
paratively fresh  soil  that  requires  no  fertilizing,  and 
