6i2 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST.  [March  r,  1897. 
trees  portions  of  which  had  been  destroyed  by  bush- 
fires,  and  it  is  considered  fiuile  feasible  that  in 
this  way  the  trunk  of  one  tiee  and  the  crown  of 
another  supplied  the  data,  the  intervening  portion 
being  added  and  destroyed  by  fire. 
The  fact  remains  that,  so  far  as  I am  aware,  the 
extreme  proportions  quoted  have  never  been  found 
to  exist  by  Forest  officers  of  the  Colonial  Govern- 
ments who  examined  the  forests,  though  some  of  the 
mightiest  kings  of  the  forest  have  been  carefully 
preserved  by  them.  The  measurements  of  Big  Ben, 
or  Big  Bog,  I am  not  sure  which,  is  growing  in 
the  Melbourne  water-supply  reservoir,  and  whicli  is 
considered  the  king  amoiigst  the  loids  of  the  forests, 
are  well  known.  1 forget  what  they  are  said  to  be, 
but  as  given  to  me  tliey  fall  far  short  in  length 
of  those  quoted  in  your  extract,  which  failing  further, 
verifications  of  their  accuracy,  cannot  be  accepted 
as  authoritative. 
10th  December  1896.  A FonnsTEK. 
— Indian  Forestev,  for  Januray. 
INDIAN  PATENTS. 
Specifications  of  the  undermentioned  inventions 
have  been  filed  under  the  provisions  of  the  Inven- 
tions and  Designs  Act  of  1888  : — 
Drying  and  warming  oil-seeds  by  steam-power. — 
No.  118  of  1896. — Temulji  Dhanjibhai,  mill  manager, 
of  No.  125,  Hurrogunge  road,  Sulkea,  Howrah,  lor 
drying  and  warming  oil-seeds  by  steam-power, 
(Specification  filed  31st  October  1896.) 
Packing  Tea. — No.  169  of  1896, — Henry  Sabow  (the 
late),  some  time  engineer  at  Kurseong,  Darjeeling, 
for  packing  tea,  the  invention  being  called  “ Sabow's 
Patent  Vibrating  Tea  Packer.”  (Specification  filed 
16th  January  1897.) — Indian  and  Eastern  Engineer, 
Feb.  6. 

PKOGIiESS  IN  B.  C.  AFRICA. 
DEPUTATION  FROM  THE  BRITISH  CEN- 
TRAL AFRICA  CHAMBER  OF  COMMERCE. 
On  the  23rd  November  a deputation  from  the  B.G.A. 
Chamber  of  Agriculture  and  Commerce  interviewed 
Mr.  Sharpe,  the  Acting  Commissioner,  at  the  Court 
House,  Blantyre.  There  were  present  : — Messrs. 
Israel  (planter  and  merchant),  Duncan  (representing 
Messrs.  Gardiner  & Co.,  coffee  brokers,  merchants, 
&c.,  London,  and  sDo  the  firm  of  Buchanan  Brothers;, 
Beaton  (acting  manager  of  the  African  Lakes  Cor- 
poration), Macrone  (Civil  Engineer),  Hastings  (planter), 
and  Paolucci  (planter  and  merchant). 
SHADE  TREES  FOR  COFFEE. 
Mr.  Israel  also  stated  that  a misunderstan- 
ding had  arisen  with  regard  to  their  letter 
to  the  Acting  Commissioner  referring  to  the 
importation  of  shade  trees  from  India.  They  had 
no  wish  to  import  trees  from  districts  infected  with 
coffee  leaf  disease,  but  wished  the  Commissioner  to 
enquire  of  the  Government  of  India  whether  there 
would  be  any  risk  in  imyiorting  shade  tree  seeds 
from  certain  districts  of  India. 
ANALYST  OF  SOILS. 
He  also  stated,  in  speaking  of  the  appointment  of  a 
Government  Analyst,  of  soils,  that  Sir  Henry  John- 
ston had  expressed  himself  favourably  about  it.  He 
spoke  of  the  advantages  which  would  accrue 
from  the  appointment  of  a Government  Ana- 
lyst, and  of  the  possibility  of  the  dis- 
covery of  phosphates,  Ac.,  and  trusted  that  a 
sum  might  be  set  aside  for  the  appointment  of  a 
Government  Analyst.  Ho  thought  the  expense  might 
even  be  met  by  the  fees  charged. 
RAILWAY. 
Mr.  I.srael  said,  it  had  been  proposed  by  the 
Chamber  to  call  a meeting  on  the  4th  December 
and  pas.s  certain  lesolutions  which  they  would  ask 
the  Commissioner  to  forward  to  the  Home  Govern- 
ment with  reference  to  the  proposed  r.iilway. 
Mr.  Macrone  produced  plans  of  the  alternative 
route  and  explained  that  although  the  gradients 
were  steej)er  than  by  the  first  proposed  loute,  the 
line  was  four  miles  shorter  and  would  save  about 
.t'2,000  in  construction,  but  he  would  recommend  the 
original  capital  to  be  adhered  to  (£200,000).  He  said 
that  w'hat  they  hoped  Government  might  do  was 
to  guarantee  a dividend  of  3 per  cent  for  a few 
years.  Mr.  Macrone  had  estimated  the  lino  would 
produce  per  cent  at  first,  and  they  wanted  the 
Home  Government  to  guarantee  the  remaining  IJ 
per  cent  probably  amounting  to  a sum  of  about 
£3,000  per  annum.  This  was  a very  small  sum,  while 
the  benefits  to  the  colonists  would  he  very  large. 
They  considere  1 that  in  the  face  of  the  large  Uganda 
vote,  the  settlers  in  British  Central  Africa  who  had 
exploited  a new  country,  established  a new  in- 
dustry, and  proved  its  success,  were  entitled  to  ask 
for  some  small  assistance  in  the  railway  question. 
The  trade  for  a railway  in  British  Central  Africa 
already  axisted,  and  would  pay  a dividend  now  and 
would  largely  increase  with  railway  facilities. 
LABOUR  REGULATIONS. 
Mr.  Paolucci  stated  that  in  his  opinion  there  was 
not  sufficient  safeguard  in  the  Labour  Regulations 
against  labourers  deserting  their  work  before  their 
time  was  finished. 
Mr.  Hastings  said  that  planters  object  to  the  Labour 
Regulations  fee  of  Is. 
After  some  discussion  about  the  cash  2iaymeat  of  taxes 
Mr.  Israel  mentioned  Sir  Harry  Johnston’s  last  offi- 
cial Report  on  B.C.A.  taking  exception  to  certain 
Iiaragrap'hs  concerning  the  payment  of  labourers. 
In  replying  to  the  foregoing  observations  made 
by  the  various  g(  ntlemen  on  the  depmtation,  Mr. 
Shaiqie  said  that  Lord  Salisbury  had  not  definitely 
declined  to  do  anything  in  the  way  of  helping  a 
railway,  but  that  he  had  stated  that  the  Foreign 
Office  could  not  consider  the  jiroposals  until  a definite 
scheme  was  placed  before  them. 
He  2>roposed  to  get  all  inforixation  possible  from 
the  Government  of  India  with  regard  to  shade  trees, 
and  asked  the  Chamber  to  formulate  their  wishes  in 
this  respect  in  a letter. 
With  regard  to  an  analyst,  he  recognised  the  im- 
portance of  the  agiicultural  interests  in  the  future 
of  this  country,  and  would  convey  to  the  Home  Go- 
vernment the  feeling  of  the  Chamber  in  this  matter. 
He  would  endeavour  t o make  some  provisions  for 
a Government  Analyst  coining  out,  and  if,  as  he 
was  informed.  Sir  Harry  .Johnston  had  expressed  a 
favourable  opinion,  he  had  little  doubt  the  matter 
could  be  arranged,  but  not  till  next  year. 
It  was  true  that  the  Ocean  mail  service  was  not 
satisfactory.  The  Home  Government  was  aware  of 
the  facts  and  recognised  our  difficulties  in  this  res- 
pect out  here.  The  question  had  also  arisen  at  home 
in  the  beginning  of  the  present  year.  We  required 
a fixed  service  at  regular  dates  to  Chinde ; and  he 
had  some  hojies  that  before  long  something  might 
be  done  in  this  direction. 
With  regard  to  the  Shire  Highland  proposed  rail- 
way, Mr.  Sharpe  said  there  would  be  little  gained 
by  his  forwarding  indefinite  resolutions.  The  Home 
Government  had  already  stated  that  it  would  be 
impossible  to  consider  the  matter  until  a definite 
scheme  was  submitted.  They  should  meet  and  form  a 
committee  to  go  into  details,  prepare  careful  plans 
and  estimates,  and  make  the  whole  thing  as  com- 
plete as  possible.  Government  would  want  to  know 
to  whom  it  was  proposed  that  such  guarantee  should 
be  made.  Their  best  policy  would  be  to  form  a 
definite  scheme  and  he  would  submit  it  to  the  Foreign 
Office.  He  had  heard  that,  with  regard  to  the  exist- 
ing schemes,  some  amalgamated  arrangement  had 
been  come  to  by  theiiromoters  at  home. 
Regarding  the  Labour  Regulations,  these  were 
drawn  up  with  the  view  of  instituting  a formal  agree- 
ment between  the  employe  and  the  employer,  and 
there  was  no  doubt  that  the  act  of  registration  was 
now  looked  upon  by  the  labourers  as  a necessary 
formal  preliminary.  The  registration  fee  of  one 
shilling  was  small.  In  some  countries  it  was  as  high 
as  10  shillings.  Collectors  were  aluaya  ready  tg 
