July i, 1897 ,] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
13 
MOLLENUO RUBBER IN LIVERPOOL. 
The grade of crude rubber indicated here derives 
its name from the port of Molleiido, on the Peru- 
vian coast, whence it is brought by rail from Lake 
Titicaca, its original source being the section of 
Bolivia which lies above navigable portions of the 
river Beni and the streams running parallel to it. 
It is only a year or two since flollendo rubber began 
to make its appeal ance in the Liverpool market, 
yet in their latest annual review Messrs. Krainrisch 
& Co. say : — “ An important feature during 1896 
was the increase in the imports of Mollendo sheets 
and biscuits. The inquiry was only moderate during 
the first few months, in keeping with the supply, 
which was then only small. It was during the latter 
half of the year that the imports increased consider- 
ably. The lots brought to market were quickly bought 
up, so that the increase in the supply did not de- 
press the value of this rubber; on the contrary, 
the margin between Mollendo and the ordinary soft- 
brown-cure fine decreased ; and we see as much as 
3s ojd paid for Mollendo fine in July, at a time 
when the same price was quoted for soft-brown- 
cure fine, and 3s 4|d to 3s 5id in November, when 
the value of soft-brown-cure was barely |d more. 
About 1,500 bales have changed hands during the 
past six months, 3s 2Jd being the lowest and 3s 5|d 
the highest prices realized.” A recent report by 
the British consul at La Paz, Mr. Alfred St. 
John, states that rubber trees are abundant through- 
out the Bolivian forests, but every port of the re- 
public is difficult of access. La Paz is reached by 
four days travel from Mollendo, by roil and lake 
steamer, after which twenty-two more are required 
to reach the, Beni rubber region. The amount of 
rubber exported via Mollendo in 1894 is stated at 
85,000 pounds.— /rarfut Buhher World, April 10. 
NATAL BARROWGREEN TEA. 
It will be remembered that, about three months ago, 
a successful Ceylon tea-grower (Mr. John Fraser) 
visited Natal, and inspected all our tea estates. He 
readily recognised that Natal was favourably situated 
for the growth of tea, and suggested points for im- 
provement in manufacture. He little thought at the 
time that he would himself be connected with the 
industry in this Colony, but, just before he left, after 
arranging to send a practical man from Ceylon, he 
was prevailed upon to promise to return himself and 
take over the management of the Barrow Green 
Estate. He returned from Ceylon a few weeks »go, 
and at once set to work in putting that estate in order, 
and manufacturing a tea that he felt would recom- 
mend itself. Lesirous of proving the quality of the 
tea by the first public test, he determined to exliibit 
at the Johannesburg Agricultural Show, and he did 
this with tea that was only picked at the beginning 
of March, a fortnight or so before the date of the show. 
Despite the “ newness ” of the tea, he has had the 
satisfaction of returning from the show with three 
first prizes and also a gold medal for the best ex- 
hibit of tea, and the samples he took were readily 
purchased at good prices. If so much can be accom- 
plished in so short a time, it is evident the experience 
and knowledge of men like Mr. Fraser should have 
valuable effect on the tea industry of this Colony. 
Calling upon us the other day, he pointedly asked 
how it was that Natal, with two years’ start of Ceylon, 
had not yet turned out a million pounds’ weight of 
tea per annum, while last year Ceylon’s output was 
100,000,000 lb. and this year it would be 115,000,000 
lb. Answers to that question might elicit 
useful information. Mr. Fraser brought us samples 
of the prize-', vinumg teas, which we put to practical 
test by trial on the domestic table. With the excep- 
tion of the “ newness ” referred to, and which, of 
course, w'as to be expected, the teas were exceedingly 
good. The Pekoe Souchong is the one > of common 
demand, and properly a»ed (as Mr. Fraser says all 
the Company’s teas will be before being permitted 
to leave tbe estate), it is sure to be in much favour. 
The Orange Pekoe and Golden Pekoe are, of course, 
higher grade teas, and they ate decidedly real good 
teas to drink. Of nice colour, there is body and 
flavour in them without harshness. While Natal tea 
as a whole has undoubtedly improved, there is still 
room for progress, and the time is not far distant 
when the yield and sale should be considerably in- 
creased. Competition will certainly do good . — Natal 
Mercury, April 9. 
CATTLE PLAGUE (RINDERPEST;. 
Rinderpest, commonly referred to as “ mur- 
rain ” (a term which i.s unfortunately .some- 
times confused with foot-and-mouth disease) 
has been one of the chief subjects with which 
agricultural and veterinary jrapers have been oc- 
cupied, since it began to be the cause of so 
much devastation in South Africa, where the 
loss of cattle by this epizootic has been something 
appalling. Here, in Ceylon, eattle plague m.ay be 
said — like the poor — to be alv-ays with us, and 
it is a question whether the aggregate of our 
annual losses from this plague (say for 25 years) 
-tloes not exceed the loss caused by a visitation 
such as has occurred at the Cape. It is well- 
known that the Government of Cape Colony en- 
gaged the services of Ur. Koch, the eminent 
Berlin scientist, to investigate the cause 
of rinderpest and, if possible, discover a means 
of cure, and later on we were informed by tele- 
gratn from Reutei that Dr. Koch — who is now 
in India— had discovered a preventative against 
tlie plague. 
Hitherto, the only effectual method of dealing 
with rinderpest has been by slaughtering both the 
infected animals and those which have been in con- 
tact with them, combining with this the strictest 
quarantine regulations. In this way rinderpest 
was once and for all stamped out of Britain, 
and in those districts in which the same treat- 
ment was adopted at tbe Cape, the losses were 
considerably less. For instance, in the district 
of Mafeking where cattle were not shot down, 
there were no less than 80,008 deaths from 
the plague, while in Barkly West, where 12,000 
di.seased animals and animals in contact with them 
had been shot and the disease so prevented from 
spreading, only 600 died of plague, making a 
total loss of 12,600 head of stock. It is not eVery 
country, however, that can adopt such drastic but 
effectual measures ; but where they can be enforced, 
as in India, very energetic action in enforcing 
quai'antine rules is necessary to localize and cheek 
the spread of cattle plague. It has been truly said 
that to attempt anything like medical treatment is 
only “ playing with fire.” 
'The local Agricultural Magazine included in 
our monthly T. A. — has been reprinting the 
interesting reports made by Dr. Koch on his 
investigations at the Cape, and those who 
have read tliese reports will have some idea of 
the delicate nature of the work which the great 
scientist has had to face. The details certainly- 
afford most interesting reading. We would, there- 
fore, wish to refer, not to the various trials which 
had to be carried out before the .successful 
attempts to prevent lialrility to the infection of 
rindei'pe.st were arrived at, but to the successful 
results thcm.selves. 'The following extracts from 
Dr, Koch’s fourth and most important Report 
will speak for themselves : — 
“In my last report I was already in a position to 
inform you that blood-serum of cattle which have 
recovered from Rinderpest had a certain immunising 
