758 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [May 2, '.SgS. 
The Planting Rbsoueces op Cuba. — Although it 
ig three years since the standaidof revolt was raised 
ia Cuba against Spanish authority, and the planta- 
tions have suffered severely, there is sufficient evi- 
dence of the splendid resources of the island. Eoth 
the sugar and tobacco crops will be larger than last 
year. Sjme people estim.te the total yield of sugar 
for tlie season as likely to be some 300, COO tons. 
The yield of tobacco will certainly considerably exceed 
last year’s crop, and it is calculated at some 70,000 
to 80,000 bales for the Vuclta Aba jo and 120,000 or 
130,000 for the rest of the island — in all about 30 per 
cent of an ordinary crop in times of peace. — H. and C. 
Mail, March 25. 
Tobacco. —There i.s a great falling-off in the 
export of leaf tobacco from Eangalore thi.s year, 
comijared with that of previous years, writes a 
Bangalore paper. Formerly, the octroi duty re- 
alised in one week was something like Rl, 800 and 
K'2,000, but for last week it was only R120. 
Ow'in'T to failure of the crops in the tobacco- 
cTfowing districts of the Madras Presidency, the 
merchants in Bangalore have to pay a high price, 
besides paying duty and income-tax for their 
goods. The stock taken fiom the Bonded Ware- 
house for sale to constituents is less than one- 
half to what it usually ivas. 
Thk Fik.st Snu’MENT of the season’s fruit wa,s 
gent away from Port Melbourne on Saturday last. 
The consignor is an agent who deals extensively 
with Ceylon, and he has already sent away 150 
cases of early apples for sale ia that island. The 
examination of the fruit prior to .storing on board 
ship is placed in the hands of Mr. C. B. Luffmann, 
and that gentleman finds that the samples so far 
have been small. As only about 10 jier cent, of 
the cases are oiiened, however, this must not 
be taken as proof of inferiority throughout. Yet 
to judge from the special articles now appearing 
in “The Leader,” it i.s, unfortunately, most 
likely that this is the case. — Melbourne Leader, 
Feb. 5. 
Cardamom Husks— W hat is done with carda- 
mom husks ? asks the Chemist and Druggist of 
March 12th, and adds':— “ Parcels appear in 
Mincin" Lane occasionally and .seldom fail to find a 
buyer n't a penny or so per lb., but much more of 
them is bought on the Continent, w here the husks 
have a distinct marketable value, and are now 
sent regularly there from Ceylon. In grading 
the cardamoms the splits are utilised for this 
purpo.se after see ling them, Fortnerly the husks 
were thrown aw'ay, but for some time back there 
has been a demand for them What for?” Just 
tlie same use as for cacao or cocoa husks which 
are sold for 2d to 4d a lb and a delicious drink 
made therefrom. 
Coffer in tue Straii'.s. — WT ites the District 
Officer, Ulu Selangor, for February, 1898 :— I am 
sorry to say that, owing to the lo.v price of coffee, 
many of the Malay planters are allowing their 
gardens to relapse into jungle, and I have no 
doubt that W'e shall find some difficulty in get- 
ting in these rents. This is particularly the case 
in Bawang, where the general depression is causing 
much disU’ess and the Assistant District Officer 
has received a petition from the “ raiat” asking 
that Government will forego the collection of their 
rents. Discretion will, of course, he used in deal- 
ing wdth such cases. The District Officer, Kuala 
BeTan'mr, for February, 1898, writes :— The Ban- 
jarese"^ coffee on Bukit ’Panjang is improving. They 
iiave cleared oif most of their garden crojis, and 
the coffee planted on Bukit Cheraka last year was 
even better looked after, and has no pisang.s and 
tapioca planted ampiigst it ; I have now hope.s 
that they yvill perhaps do some good here with 
(jotfee, 
“Tea Planting in Fiji”— is the fubject of a 
letter from a resident planter whicii contains a 
good deal of interesting information— as to the 
suitableness of Fiji for the cultivation of 
our staple. An admirable lay of land and rich 
Soil are great advantages ; but if, through “ over- 
production,” there is the risk of tea not paying in 
India and Ceylon later on, how much more liable 
to be unprofitable in a distant Colony which looks 
to India for its labour supply? 
The Olive Oil Tf,eatment of Enteric.— The 
“ Times of India” says: — It may interest Surgeon- 
Major Rennie, who is making encouraging ex- 
periments at Meerut to establish the curative 
effect of olive oil in enteric fever, to know that 
the oil in question is in many parts of Spani.^h 
America considered the only remedy of much use 
in yellow fever. The usual jiractice is to make at 
patient drink half-a-pint of olive oil — not always 
an easy thing to do— and then send for a doctor, 
who, if he is well advised, repeats the dose. 
The remedy, real or supposed, is well known to 
the captains of merchant vessels trading with 
Havana the Brazils, and Pernambuco. They 
prescribe it for sailors under their charge who 
may be attacked by that deadly form of fever. 
Fine Teas at Last Public Sale. — The amount 
of fine teas offered at public sale was not so large 
as was the case a few days before, but one or 
t VO invoices of excellent tea were nevertheless offered 
The following prices were realized for some of the 
flavory teas :— 
Pedro. Agraouvah. 
cts. 
cts 
47 
hf-chs 
B. 0. 
P. 87 
1 53 
hf-chs 
B. 
0. P. 
66 
18 
chs 
P. 
72 
1 21 
hf-chs 
0. 
P. 
55 
22 
chs 
P. S. 
53 bid 
7 
chs 
21 
hf-clas 
F. 
38 
Glasgow. 
42 chs B. O. P. 60 cts. 
14 chs O. P. 67 ,, 
12 chs P. 47 ,, 
These teas were again, we understand, mostly 
bnught for shipment to Russia, and, looking to the 
high rate of exchange, and the terribly bad prices 
brought out by the last mail from home, the ad- 
vantages of the Colombo market for sellers are 
becoming increasingly evident. 
The Cambridge Expedition to Torres 
Strait-!.— Yesterday (says the London 'limes 
of March 11th) an expedition of peculiar 
interest left England. Travellicg .scholars are 
often enough sent out both by Oxford and 
Cambridge ; but this is probably the first time 
that a real exploring expedition has been sent 
out by either University. Tlie expedition is 
under the command of Dr. A. Haddon, Profes.sor 
of Zoology in the Royal College of Science, Dub- 
lin, and Lecturer on Anthropology at Cambridge 
University.^ Tlie expedition is bound first for 
Torres Straits, between Australia and New Guinea 
and afterwards to the province of Barrani, in 
Central Borneo, in the territory ruled over by 
the R.ajali of Sarawak. The cliief object of the 
expeilition will be to investigate the native.®, their 
physical characteristics, their mental condition 
their folklore, their customs, their amusements’ 
their songs, tlieir language, and their condition 
generally, as affected by tlieir geographical en- 
vironment. A phonograph will from an important 
part of the equipment of the expedition for tlie 
record of language and of native music. By 
means of a cinematograph, dances and other 
native ceremonies will be fixed for reproduction 
at home. The expedition will be away from 
England for 15 months. 
