624 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[March t, 1898. 
PLANTING NOTES. 
Fibrij Industry. — W e tlirecb ;itfcention to an 
interesting extract from the Indian Forester 
in our issue in continuation of what has 
already appeared about the fibre got from different 
species of (Jalotroids. It will he observed tliat Mr. 
MacDonald (of llamie fame) reports very favour- 
ably of C. gigantca—i\\e “Warra” of the Sinhalese. 
We must watcli the further development pro- 
mised in India. 
“ The Queensland Ageicultueal Journal, ” for Jan' 
1898 — Contents : — Students at Agricultural Colleges — 
The Queensland Agricultural College — Wagga Ex- 
eriment Farm — Agriculture : Green Manuring a.nd 
arm Drainage — Dairying — J'he Orchard— EiAomo- 
logy — Bo tan y- — Econcniie I u tai y — d'l epical Indus- 
tries : Ramie Cultivation, Coffee prospects in 
Queensland, On Fibres, and The Coconut (Cocos 
nucifera) — Bacteriology — Chem istiy • — I’iscicultnrc — 
Forestry — General Notes— Tire Markets — Farm and 
Garden— Notes for January— Orchard Notes for 
January — Tropical Farm and Gard, n Notes for 
January — Publication Received — List ef Errata in 
“Insect Friends and Insect Foes " — Public An- 
nouncements. 
Some Rare and Expensive Drug.s.— A writer- 
in the January number of Chambers' Journal 
throws some interesting light on rare and peculiar 
diugs. Saffron, he points out, would strike an 
ordinary observer as decidedly expensive at 56s 
a pound, until told that it is composed of the 
central small portions only of the llowers of a 
Crocus, 70,000 of which it takes to yield the 
material lor oue pound. Otto of Rose.s sells as 
£28 odd per pound, and it takes 10,000 pounds — 
or nearly five tons — of Roses to obtain one pound 
of the oil. Aconitine, extracted from the root 
of Monkshood, is said to be the very strongest 
poison extant, the dose being l-600lh of a grain. 
It is sold at the rate of £27 per ounce ! 
Ci'EFEE Prospects. — 'The year is notable, says the 
American Grocer, Jan. 5, for a heavy decline in prices, 
di e to an enormous increase in the crops of the 
world, only partially oSset by an iucicase in the de- 
liveries, which are reckoned as consumption. The 
latter shows an increase of over 7 per cent, over 1896. 
The decline in prices has been most marked in Brazil 
it sorts and lower grades of mild coffee' On J anuary 1, 
1897, the W'orlds visible supply was 4,024,968 bags, 
since increased to about 6,500,000 bags, notwithstand- 
ing the gain noted in consumption. We have re- 
cently so fully outlined the position of coffee, and 
noted each month in detail the movement, that a fur- 
ther review at this time would be a needless repeti- 
tion. The outlook is for a period of heavy supplies and 
low prices for at least two years to come. The aggre- 
gate of the world’s crop is over 2,500,000 bags above 
present annual requirements. 
The “ Indian Foeestee,” a monthly magazine of 
Forestry, Agriculture, Shikar and Travel. Edited by 
J. S. Gamble, m.a., f.l.s.. Conservator of Forests 
and Director of the I’orest School, Dehra Dun. 
Contents. No. 1 — January, 1898 '.—Original Arti- 
cles and Translations. The Fixation of atmospheric 
Nitrogen by dead leaves ; Imports by Quebracho 
wood into Germauy. Correspondence.' — Tlic After- 
trainir.g of Coopers Hill men, letter from Dr. W. 
Schlich, c.i.E. ; India Rubber, letter from J. R, 
Jackson; Calotropis procera and gigantia. letter from 
G. M. R. Official Papers and Intelligence. — 
Cacao and India Rubber in Mexico (Extract from 
Foreign Office Report No. .885, of 1895, Miscella- 
neous Series, by Mr. H. N. Dering). Extracts, 
Notes, a' d Queries. Experiineulal Morphology ; 
British Woods and Forests; Pine Wood at the Cape. 
Timber and Produce Trade ; Extracts from Official 
Gazettes. 
The Kalutara Planting District— to judge 
by the annual report w’e give elsewhere — is in 
a very happy way as regards cheap transport, 
and a plentiful contented supply of coolies — 
this latter due to a District Federation. There 
is encouragement therefore to Federate all round. 
But in tlie state of the roads, the Kalutara 
planter has abundant cause for grumbling, 
apparently. It would never do for a planting 
di.strict to exist without a grievance ! 
North Borneo Ramie Fibre Co., Ld. (3,704). 
— Regd. at Edinburgh, Dec. 20th, with cap. 
£15,000, in £1 shs, to purchase and acquire from 
Malcolm C. Thomson, of 25, Hope St. Glasgow, a 
concession of 5,000 acres of waste land in B. N. 
Borneo, for the cultivation of Rhea or Ramie and 
other fibrous plants. The subs, are; — 
III. Thomson. 25, Hope St. Glasgow, incht .. 1 
A. McRay, 25, Hope St. Glasgow, cashier .. 1 
M.B. Thomson, 25, Hope St. Glasgow, mfr .. 1 
M. B. Thomson, 25, Hope St. Glasgow, elk . . 1 
W. Carswell, 25, Hope St. Glasgow, mngr .. 1 
J. Murray, 82, W. Regent St. Glasgow, C.A. .. I 
A. Mitchell, 82, W. Regent St. Glasgow, C. A. .. 1 
First directors are M. Thomson, B. King, andR.Pater- 
son ; qualu, 100 shs. Regd. office, 82, W. Regent St. 
Glasgow — Investors' Guardian, Jan. 1st. 
Tea Chests. — A notice has been received in Cal- 
cutta from the Secretary of the Liners’ Conference 
to the effect that “ in consequence of the insuffici- 
ency of metal chests in practical use" the Confer- 
ence has decided that no claims for ullage will be 
paid on metal packages by steamers proceeding from 
Calcutta on and after February 1, next. A copy of 
this notice having been sent to the London Associa- 
tion the Secretary applied for information regarding 
any claims that had been made. The Secretary of the 
Calcutta Conference states in leply that ho regrets 
he is not in possession of the particulars asked for. 
The only information furnished by the Liners respect- 
ing the matter was that seieral claims of the class 
referred to had been made, and as they were consider- 
p.bly on the increase it was decided to carry out the 
resolution referred to. We understand that a pro- 
test has been lodged against the action of the Confer- 
ence in this matter, and that a request has again been 
made for full particulars of claims. — H. and C. Mail, 
Jan. 14. 
Gold and Plumbago in Ceylon.— A great 
mistake will be made if the experienced Mining 
Engineer (Gapt. Tregay) who is now open to en- 
gagements, is allowed to leave the island 
without advantage being taken both by the 
Government and private proprietors to get reports 
on likely plumbago land or likely gold-yieldintr 
quartz reefs. The Government Agent of the 
North-Western Province must know how much 
Crown Laud is enhanced in value if it is pro- 
nounced to yield plumbago, and he ought to 
point out to Government the great benefit of 
getting Capt. Tregay to examine and report in 
likely divisions where land is to be sold. We 
mulerstaud that native proprietors of land are 
heginniiig to ask Capt. Tregay for reports. Then 
as to gold, surely proprietors in the neigh- 
bourhood of streams known (by their native 
names) to yield gold : — Ruainvella, Kangalla, 
Rauihoda, Ranwelle, &c.— will not lose the chance 
of an expert like Capt. 1 regay tracing the 
liiatn.x quartz from the stream. In the case of 
the Kelani Valley above Ruanwella, we would 
advise the District or at least a group of pro- 
i rietoi s to a.ssociate in employing Capt. Tregay. 
We know tiie old objections oU'ered -by planters 
to a gold-vush ; but a gold-yielding quartz reef 
can he worked just to suit the convenience of 
the owner ; no rush can well take place on 
such a reef. 
