278 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Oct. r, 1897 . 
took in tlie matter. Although all the rioters had 
at first got away, he had a shrewd suspicion of 
the koiigsi to whicli they l)elonged, ard proceed- 
ing there very early (he next morning with a body 
of police, he arrested all the inmates. Though 
only four could be convicted there is little doubt 
tliat the wdiole party took part in the disturbance. 
Small lights in the village have been very frequent 
of late and it is to be hoped that tiiis will have 
.some effect in stopping thein. 
Un the 28th I went with Mr. Edmonds to 
Kuang, where we met several Malay [ladi-planters, 
under the Fenghulu, Kaja Tsa, w ho are anxious 
to start padi planting on a larte scale there and 
are desirous of asking the. Government to liclir 
them to dam up the Sungei Kuang and divert it 
into some Imndreds of acres of low lying land at 
Kuang. I have already reported on this suliject 
On the 29th, early in the morning, we walked 
over Mr. Pasqual’s coffee estate with him. Mr. 
Fasqual has done very good work on the estate 
in a very short time, but he has been put to much 
inconvenienceowing to thedelay in thesurvey of his 
estate . — Selangor Government Gazette, Aug. 27th. 
JAVA CINCHONA-ROCK-BOTTOM 
REACHED. 
The annual report of the Society of the Java 
Cinchona Cuftivaling Company, “ Garoet,” of Anistei- 
dam, states that the year 1896 has resulted in a net 
loss of 582 florins (about 50?.), which, added to the 
loss of the iirevious year, makes a total loss since 
1894, of 16.351 florins. The total expenses during the 
year amounted to 16,269 florins, and the revenue 
of the 54,690 kilos, of bark, sold at auction in 
Amsterdam during the year to 15,687 florins. The 
prospects are considered fairly satisfactory, but the 
dii'eotors propose to harvest only so much hark as is 
absolutely necessary, in order to allow their plantations 
to mature. — Chemist, and Drugcjist. 
B. C. AFRICA. 
(Central African Planter, July 10.) 
Mr. Israel is to be congratulated on having obtained 
a maiden crop of 20 tons of coffee from an acreage of 
about 48 acres. This output is an encouraging pros- 
pect for the future industry of Coffee in B. C. A. 
We understand that Mr. Crabbe will not return to 
the management of the Nyasaland Coffee Company’s 
estates. Mr. BJoggridge has been appointed Manager. 
The Company is to clear 150 acres this season, 
which will make a total of 400 acres odd and this 
having been undertaken in two years shows there 
is no lack of labour. 
Several other clearings are being opened in the 
Mlanje (district w’hich will add a few more hundred 
acres to the area now under cultivation. Mr. Boyd 
has assumed chaige of Mr. Bradshaw’s Estates. 
“THE AGRICULTURAL LEDGER.” 
1897—lSlo. 5 is the value of Silt as a manure. A note 
on some experiments which have been made to test 
the value of Canal Silt. By Dr. J. W. Leather, Agri- 
cultural Chemist to the Government of India. 
jg97 — No. 6 is the tinctorial properties of Kaiphal 
Bark and an analysis of the colouring principle. By 
professor John James Hummel and Mr. Arthur George 
Perkin. With an introduction by Mr. David Hooper. 
7397 — No. 7. Reclamation of Reh or Usar Land. 
Note by Dr J. W. Leather, Agricultural Chemist to 
the Government of India, on certain experiments 
which have been carried out for that purpose. 
A TRIP ON THE BOUNDERIES OF 
UVA. 
Having passed Buttala where there is a Dispensary 
which dfstrihutes the much-needed and beneficial 
(Quinine, — we reached 
KUIIBUKANA 
w'here there is another resthouse. Not the usual type but 
an ‘'upstairs’ bungalow.” Just in front the hill of 
Moneragala towers up, and looked quite imposing after 
the long level sketch of feverish country we had come 
through. At its base near the village of Mupane Messrs. 
Walker and Greig, Haputale, are building a large 
TEA I'ArTOltr 
for Walton Estate. It is near the cart-road 
and the tea is to be sent down fi-om the hill above, 
by the usual method of wire-shoots. 
This picttiresque factory, situated in the midst of 
palm-trtes, was only begun in the end of May and 
was to be completed by the 1st September. When 
one considers the tremendous difficulty of getting 
heavy materials and machinery over such a road, the 
feverish district, and many other obstacles, it says 
a great deal for the enterprise of the firm, that their 
engineer has been able to do it in such a short 
space of time. It seems to be the beginning of open- 
ing up a new district, and when (he two rivers be- 
tween these and Wellaya are bridged, there will be 
a passable outlet for the produce — right up to Hapu- 
tale station. 
ECHOES OF SCIENCE. 
Catching Iii.sects by Electricity. — In these long 
suininer days thousands of aniatenr natiiralisls are 
enjoying the fresh air of the woods and liehls in 
huntingfor S]ieciiiien.s of insects, hut ]irobably few 
are aware that the electric light e, an render them 
a great service in this respect. Light is a fascin- 
ating lure to insects, fish, and wild creatures. 
Entomology has lately utilised this fascinating 
ell'ect of light on insects, by emplcying it to draw 
them into a i)oud, net or tra)i. A i electric glow- 
lamp of three or four candle-i)ower, fed by a small 
battery such as cyclists u.se for lighting their 
machines, is fixed to the trap, which is^jowered into 
I he water. The current is switched on, and the 
light shines out. Ere long, insects, frogs, newts, 
and fishes gather round the strange light, and are 
easily caught . — Public Opinion. 

ABYSSINIAN COFFEE. 
It is interesting to note in Mr. Rennell Rodd’s 
report on the trade of Abyssinia, just issued, he 
refers to — as if the matter were of no importance 
— to the fact coffee grown there is lar-gely con- 
signed to Blocha, whence it is exported as the 
genuine product of the place. It matters little, 
perhaps, now that Mocha figures so lightly in our im- 
ports, but it would have grievously affected Dr. John- 
son and the wits who assembled in the first coffee-houses 
of the City to learn that the “heavenly decoction” came 
not from Arabia Felix but from the Dervish country. 
And yet coffee which is indigenous to Abyssinia, takes 
its name from Kaffa, where fronr time immemorial 
it has been cultivated where now the greater part of 
the product of the country is raised. Were it not 
for the peculiar customs of the country which retard 
commerce instead of fostering it, we should get 
a quantity from King Menelik’s dominions, for the 
finest berries in the world are grown there. — Grocers’ 
Journal, Aug. 21. 
— 
CoFFiiK Planting in Nfav South Walks.— 
It is rather curious that Reuter should telegraph 
from- London this piece of news of the premier 
Au.stralasian colony encouraging coffee planting 1 
Our information goes to .sliow that Northern 
Queensland offer.s a far better field for coffee than 
even the rich lands in the N.-E. portion ot N. S. 
Wales ; for one thing we should fear frost in the 
latter, 
