312 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[No Vl'MBER 2, 1891, 
81. Pdlea fiexuosa, Link.— In Fournier's Mexirana- 
mm Vlantarum Kuumeratio, it is stated tliat the fronds 
a*re used as tea in Mexico. — .John R. Jackhun, Museum, 
Kew. — GardieneYa' ( 'hronicle. 
(To ho continued.) 
^ 
THE .EOUEST IHIOHUCTS OF AIADACIASCAII. 
Amon^; the forest products of Aladagascav, caout- 
chouc is found all over the island, hut, says the 
Chancellor of the Frcucli Residency at Antauaimvlvo, 
in those places which are easy of access, it is begin- 
ning to be scarce, and the prices have conKiderahly 
increased, particularly on the markets of tlie east 
coast. On the west coast, where buHinesHis loss brisk, 
and where the population is sparser, it is still low 
priced and abundant. The diminution in the supply 
IS to be attributed, among otlier causes, to the neg- 
ligence and indolence of the natives, who, regarcl- 
less of tho future, cut the trees at the foot, in order 
to more easily arrive at tho milk. It Ls prenared in 
different waysi and, in those places where there are 
Europeans, it is possible to obtain it treated with acid, 
butin many places, either because the cost of sulphuric 
acid is too great or on account of the fact that numerous 
accidents in the manipulation of this substanco luisren 
dered it unpopular, tea, salt, absinthe, citric acid, or 
an extract of tamarinds are substituted. The prices 
vary according to the locality, and also according to 
the system adopted and tlio care taken in its pre- 
paration. Caoutchouc enters, to a very groat extent, 
into tho exports of the country, and, in order to en- 
courage this industry, the Govorniiient ought, in M. 
Anthouavd’s opinion, to look carefully after tho pre- 
servation of the forests, endeavour to prevent fires, 
and to^ induce the natives to abandon their habit 
of cutting down the trees bodily. In these circum- 
stances, Madagascar caoutchouc might realise high 
prices upon European markets, and Hucccssfully com- 
pete with tho I'ara product. Gum cojial is exported 
in considerable quantitios from the ports on the cast 
coast of Madagascar, and, up to the present, it is 
only on this coast tliat the product has been obtain- 
ed, although there appoaj-s to bo no reason why tlie 
west coast should not furnish its quota. A far more 
important business might, it is said, bo done in this 
article if greater care wore only taken l)y the natives 
in its prepai-ation, and if it could be cleansed of its 
impurities; the quality would then be equal to the 
Netherlands East Indies. Similar reasons to tliosc which 
bane brouglit about 11 reduction in tho prices of 
caoutchouc, have caused a diminution in tbo vohnuc 
of business carried on in honey and wax. This pro- 
duct, gathered witliout any care, and full of foreign 
substances which have the effect of deprecating 
it, is novorthless quoted on the European markets 
at tho same rates as tlie Senegal product. The natives, 
to obtain a few pounds of honey or wax, frequently 
destroy an entire hive, and consequently the HW'arius 
of bees are becoming mucli scarcer. It will bo ne- 
cessary to introduce considerable improvements in 
the method of gathoring this product in Madagascar 
before auynse lu prices can reasonably he lioped 
for. There is a con.siderablc export of rah'a fibre from 
tho ports of Tamatave, Vatomandry, and Mainnga 
The principal centres of production “aro on the east 
coast, between Tamatave and Vatomandry, and in tho 
interior, towards the west of the route,' from An- 
tananarivo to Majunga. Tho exports of ’this article 
from the latter district, w'hich, somo fow years ago 
were almost nil, have of recent years largely increased* 
I’he principal markets in Europe for ruiia fibre are 
London, Haver, and Marseilles. The fibro is largely 
used by wine growers in tying up their vines, and it 
is also employed for many other piu’poses. Attempts 
have been made to W'cave it. Ebony, at one time, 
was exported in considerable quantities from tlm north- 
east coast, but at tlie present day tho ti-adc oppesrs 
to be entirely confined to the west coast. The forests 
of Madagascar aboundwith timber, eminently adapted 
for building purposes, furniture and cabinet making. 
— Journal of the tSociety of Arts, 1 
The Teak Trade of Burma, — With regard to the 
teak trade of Burma during 1800-91, Bangoon again 
takes the lead. There were exported from Bangoon 
during (ho year 110,656 tons and from Moulmein 
b-l.lC? tons, as compared with 108,459 and 80,706 
respootivfly the preceding 3eBr.— F/o«rcr, Sept. 15. 
^ The Planters in British North Borneo aro loud 
in their praise of their Governor, who has just 
srranged, among other things, for t''o importation 
of coolie labour (0 that Colony. The Governor’s 
strenuous and unremitting rfforts to secure this 
boon for the planting community around Sandakan 
have now been crowned with sucoesp, and Hia 
Excellency’s thoughtful policy is much appreciated.— 
Goloniea and India. 
Dr. .loHN DdNCiALi., of StMuiigo's College, Glasgow, 
iias a letter in a reoeiit issueoftho Glasgow iltrald 
nutho banaiifii, in which ho quotes from Stanley’s ‘’In 
Darkest Africa ” to show tliat “ for infants, persons 
m delicate digestion, dyspeptics, and those sulTering 
from temporary derangomeiUs of tlio slomach. Llio 
flour, properly prepared, would lie of universal dc- 
niiuid. During Stanley's two attacks of gastritis a 
slight gruel of this flour, mixed with milk, was Uio 
only material that could be digested. It is odd, also, 
as pomtod out in Stanley’s book, tliat in most Banana 
lands-— Ciiba, Brazil, West-Indies — the valuable proper- 
ties of this fruit as an easily digested and nourishing 
food have been mucli overlooked. Dr. Dougall lias 
made some exporimouts in making banana flour. lie 
concludcH that it should be made from the ripe fruit 
at its place of production. In trying to make it from 
bananas purchased in (ilasgow, he obtained on drying 
the pulp a tough sweet mass like toasted figs, an 
aiipeartuice probably due to the conversion of starcli 
into sugar. Bananas contain only about fifty per 
cent, of pulp, and of this about seventy-five per cent. 
18 water. They would yield, therefore, only one- 
eiglith part of flour . — Garden and Forest. 
In an article called the “Evolution of Patent Medi- 
pubJisfied in the I‘vpuIov Fcimre Monthiu for 
May, Mr. Leo J. Viuioe traces that l;elief in the 
emacy ot sncli nostriuns liack to those ancient tinieB 
When no distinction was drawn between the physician 
and tho magician, and when all remedies w'ere looked 
upon as charms — a condition whicli prevails, of course, 
among savage and half-civilized trOjes- in our ow-n 
tiines. 1 ho uanios of plants, Mr. Vance explains, 
shows how general was tho belief in their inexplicable 
virtues. “ borne plants have animal prolixee, as, Dog- 
e der, Dog-roso, (Jot'H-tail, Cow-hnne, etc. Other 
plants derive tlieir name from religious sources Tluis 
they are aHsuciated witlithe Virgin Mary, Saint John 
the Baptist, bamt James. Likow'ise the latter-day 
Saint have particular jJants dcdicatedto their memory. 
Most of the plants With mystio names were siippoHcM 
to have nmgical virtues, and so they were largely 
used 111 lolk-modieine. Tlie weired usHOciiUions clus- 
toring around piany roots and herlm wore enough In 
invest them witli great vepte," end in {olk-meifiuino 
even at the prasontday, fierhs are used not so much 
for their inherent iiiedical properties as for their re- 
pnted magical virtues . . .Another stage in tlio 
evolution of patent medicine is typified in the thova- 
peutios of medieval mystics and ahdicmists. 'I’ho 
meat pkuit m their pharmaoopteia was the Mandrake. 
\Vhyy Simply because tho roots of this plant were 
shaped hke the human body. . . . 'I’ho magical 
olenient in pMcnt medicines actually won seiontifio 
repute in the docti ine of signatures’- -a doctri no whicli 
held that plants and minerals, by tlioir oxtornal char- 
actor, indicated tho particular diseaBe for which Nature 
had mteiidod tliom as remedies. Thus the JOuphraKia 
or Eyohright.was goodtortlie eyes; tlie Wood-son-el, 
being Blianed hke a heart, far the heart; tho Jdver- 
wort for the liver, and soon. Fettigi-ew, in his history 
of inedical siiporstition, says that this fanciful and 
magical notion led to serious errors in practice’ and 
often to fatal results. Observe that at this stage of 
Its evolution patent medicine is herb medicine, and so 
t romaiiiod for a long time. Tlie materials of the 
hea hug art were all vegetable. The patont-medicino 
man was a dealer m herbs.”— 6'«, Forest. 
