a 
1 Sepr., 1897. QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 243 
eo) 
specimens are in small cakes, and have a very presentable appearance, each 
cake weighing about 4 oz.,a very handy size. In his letter on the subject, 
Mr. Musgrave says :— 
“The greater part of the rubber now being exported from this posses- 
sion is collected in the eastern division, and I will endeavour to obtain 
any statistics I can for you. The industry, as you are aware, is still in 
a nascent state; we are not unmindful here, by any means, of the great 
demand for this product in the world’s markets, but with our small population, 
and the almost total absence of capital, the advancement of this, as well as of 
other highly important resources we possess, is distressingly slow. 
“TJ am forwarding to you, per parcel post, seeds of one of the best rubber 
plants known, from the Rigo district, or about forty miles east of Port 
Moresby. It is called there the ‘Maki,’ but I am not sure whether its 
scientific title has been positively fixed. In fair soil, I am informed, it grows 
in the Rigo district with exceptional rapidity,” &c. 
The plant specimens Mr. Musgrave so kindly forwarded have been 
sent to our Colonial Botanist for determination. From a layman’s point of 
view, it seemed to be a Ficus; but Mr. Bailey will decide, and should his 
decision be forthcoming before writing next month’s concluding article it will 
be included. 
