July i, 1891.] 
iHF TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST^ 
77 
which tho priistB declared to Herodotua to be 
emerald, were a gigantic impoaturo ; but it is not 
unlikely that tho historian deceived himself. Of 
jewellers’ frauds, the chief waa iho making of a 
“doublet." a paste backed with a real stone of 
greater hardness, but poor colour. The tsio materials 
were joined by an invisible cement, the line of 
j^unction at the girdle of the gem being concealed 
by me mounting. The alteration and socenluation 
of tho colour of natural stones, pirticularlyi of the 
onyx, by moans of various chemicals, is a com- 
paratively recent invention ; but the ancients were 
adepts in the art of changing the original hue 
by means of strong heat. 
Professor Middleton devotes much space to another 
class of fraud, the modern imitations of ancient 
gems, imitations aomolimes so clover that they 
puzzle even the export. Again and agaiu wo 
u<l meution of specimens which it is necessary to 
eave donlitful. One curious sub-variety of this 
unjact relates to the Iraudulent signatures. It 
s Obvious that a signed gem has a special interest, 
aonoe many gems realiy anoient have had falee 
signatures added in them. Here, again, experts 
"VI at a loss. The famous Carlisle 
doroury" ia quoted a.s a case in point. It bears 
e name of Dioakoundes, and, whether anoient 
modern, it ia a line work of art. Unhappily. 
tha°"°i belonged to Baron Btosoh, who waa in 
a of gemamuoh thesame as the notorious 
‘ inidea waa in the matter of raanusoripts. 
tie/?' Middleton oorapletcs a singularly in- 
“ deaonptivo catalogue of the 
illustrat^ H ® Filzwilliain Museum, 
cuoiiona nf autotype repro- 
‘'^pectator of the principal Koman gems. — 
I’HH spread op COTTON CULTIVATION- 
INDIA, EGYPT 
CEYLON, AFRICA, &c. 
^ signifiaant fact that, in spite of the 
oir prognostications shadowed forth in cotton 
pessimistic views enunciated by 
oulf".**^* spread of cotton 
oontinues. The enormous American crop 
millm'^*'k ,"'*’‘0.*^ expected to touch close upon 9 
in nrinn ““ ®®> i® hold accountable for the stagnation 
laree ® theory has bean advanced tuat the 
the ornn have so exhausted the soil that 
far this *’® ® small one. How 
thouoh "’*** provo true time alone can show, 
faith* in Poople, we suspeot, will not put much 
an AniAki ®o many years ago that 
abnormal°\"h°'^°** one million bales was oonsidere I 
and nine’ fold increased seven, eight 
is apparei t • same rapid advance in ouiturn 
and jet the ^^yptian end East Indian cotton, 
ory for more onn?***^ yearly taken up, and tho 
off. to some exC"®?' 
this may bo rsoaM a “P quantity, and 
of the decline in n • ®°'® “'® “'“® '®a 80 u 
This hvonthooia P’’*®®® than exeessive production. • 
«nadVt?“dltTer“Ch‘fl '“I"' 
opening an nfT« ' ‘ho Pronch the 
rapidly An aiTttno*^°^''y '’y ’’ailways is prooeodiiig 
between the fin i ®®'“,®“^ has been entered into 
Gove?" , ® I."! ‘ °«Paoy and tho Egyptian 
^ernr^nt the jonstruotion of a light narrow 
aod by“ the"ln?'M,‘rnf“- /■'.“iair oirtion-wi h Tlirt 
has erenilv d.v ” r? ,°f with superior kinds 
“ » greatly discredited ttio Jiroduot.— En. T. A. 
gauge railway from Ismailia to Port Said to be worked 
exclusively by tho former ; and the qujstioii of settl- 
ing the constru.tiou of a line between Port Said 
and the D-imiotta branch of the Nile is under 
discussion, and will no doubt be rapidly pushed 
through. As such a line would tap one of tho 
priueipal cotton centres it is only reasonable to 
suppose that a stimulus will be given to the trade 
and that this will result in an increased area being 
cultivated 
More ground ia being planted with cotton in India 
year by year ; and that the business should continue 
to flourish in spite of the serious obargea of adulter- 
ation proved against the sellers, is suffioient evi- 
dence that, thus far at loast.il has not been overdone. 
Csyh n has of late years been endeavouring to grow 
cotton, but until Captain Gwaikin, a plautor, took 
to Its cultivatiou and pieparation iu a careful manner 
tho experiment did not meet with much success. 
His original idea in planting cotton buabes was that 
they should aot as a shelter lor cocoa plants, but 
it is expected that ho will, iu common with other 
planters, now go iu for the cultivation more for its 
own sake. Most of his cotton was grown from Now 
Orleans seed, and about 210 acres were sown with 
it. It was sown in iSeptombor last, and picked in 
Febiuaiy. The yield was not very large, being 
only about 85 lb. of seed cotton per acre, or say 
about BO lb. of cleaned cotton ; but as a teoond 
picking, and even possibly a third is expected 
the outturn will oonipare very favourably with the 
average yield in India, The cotton was cleaned 
by ste im, in Maoarlhy gins, which Captain Qwatkin 
obtained fur the purpose and personally supervised. 
The seed is reaoiiy bought in the District at Rs. 3 
per cwt, and the whole of the cotton was taken 
eagerly by the Colombo Spinning Mills. It is said 
to be beautifully white and free from stain, with 
a lung and silky staple. As it grows rapidly and 
gives a quick return, a ready market being always 
obtainable, the industry of cotton growing in 
Ceylon, especially as it can be grown as a sub- 
sidiary and “shade ’’ crop, is likely to make rapid 
progress. But the extension the cotton cultivation 
ia by no means oonflned to India, F-gypt and 
Ceylon, One of the principal sources of revenue 
that the British East Africa Company counts upon 
is cotton. Tho country is said in parts to bo 
eminently adapted to its cultivation, and an in- 
digenous wild variety already exists in considerable 
quantities. It is estimated that by the introduction 
of imported seed, for which th*o conditions are 
favourable, a valuable and superior kiud of cotton 
oan be produced. Land and labour are cheap 
and plentiful and the difficulty in the matter 
of transport will speedily be rectified. Turkey and 
Greece are also both extending their cotton 
cultivation, and half the cotton used by the local 
mills iu the latter country ia locally produced. 
The glowing reports lately published as to the 
suitability of the soil in Central Asia are also 
bearing fruit, and Russia is determined to make 
the most of her occupation of that country. 
M. Qougon, a Russian of high official position, 
went to America last year and, with tho approval 
of the Czar, boaghl a cotton plantation in Louisiana, 
in order to make a practical study of cotton 
growing. Having mastered tho business in all its 
delails he has now gone to Central Asia to 
inaugurate tho oultivaiiou of cotton there on the 
most approved principles. Ho asserts that the choicest 
qaaliiias con be grown at prices which will drive 
American cotton out of the markets of Europe I How 
far ho has permitted his enthusiasm to out- 
weigh his experienoe a few years will show. 
There is, however, no doubt that it equally good 
cotton can bo grown in Central Asia a very sever® 
