1 Apri, 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 301 
the fruits of the Malay Archipelago. Breadfruit is very nice, even very good 
indeed, particularly to a half-famished European who may chance on some 
just cooked after a long pull or sail in a boat, but it bears no comparison to 
the potato or green peas with gravy furnishings. This same Mr. Wallace, in 
the same book, tells us that the durian is the “emperor of fruits,’ and calls 
the mangosteen the “king of fruits.” Certainly tastes differ, and with the 
taste opinions, but how so excellent a writer as Wallace could think of giving 
such a high place to “ durian” passes my comprehension. We have to deal, 
however, with what he says regarding the dArtocarpus incisa fruit. 
According to Von Mueller, who gives R. and J. Foster’s name to this tree— 
yiz., Artocarpus communis and Artocarpus icisa (linn. fil.): “It stretches 
in the Sandwich Islands through cultivation almost beyond the tropics, ripening 
fruit also in Florida.’ According to Dr. Seeman’s excellent account, seeding: 
varieties exist, and others with entire leaves and with smooth and variously 
shaped and sized fruits; some ripening earlier, others later, so that ripe bread- 
fruit is obtainable more or less abundantly throughout the year. The fruit is 
simply boiled or baked, or converted into more complicated kinds of food. 
Starch in quantity is obtainable from the breadfruit. The very fibrous bark 
can be beaten into a sort of rough cloth. The light wood serves for canoes; 
the exudation issuing from cuts made into the stem is in use for closing the 
seams of canoes, and could be turned to technic account. Messrs. J. P. 
Williams and Brothers, of Henaratgoda, Ceylon, offer to supply plants of 
Artocarpus incisa by the wardian case of fifty plants for the sum of £10, so 
it would seem that the breadfruit has found its way to the west of us, and is 
being turned into capital. One cannot help comparing what it must have cost 
the British Government to send Bligh twice to the South Sea Islands and back 
tothe West Indies, 100 years ago—probably returning with not more than 500 
plants after an absence of years—with the facilities of the present day, 
when we are able to send a telegram to Ceylon and have the same description — 
of plants packed in fine wardian cases and shipped by steamer to arrive in a 
few weeks, and all to cost probably one-hundredth part of the sum spent in 
the “ Bounty”’ affair. 
The breadfruit-tree, requires some shelter, as its wood is soft and milky. 
In a sheltered spot it forms a most delightful object, and never fails to attract 
attention of the temperate zone visitor, particularly when its large fruits 
(which are terminals on long peduncles) are in evidence. The recent gale 
experienced at Kamerunga destroyed most of the trees, and caused most of the 
fruit to fall.. The fruit of its congener, Artocarpus integrifolia, differs as it 
evolves from the main stem, and so is in a measure protected by its branches. 
Most of the leaves of A. incisa fall at the commencement of summer; but it 
has not been noted entirely deciduous. It should be deemed a tender tree, 
and suitable protection provided for it. With us, it will scarcely ever become 
an article of considerable abundance, but the caretul housewife of the Northern 
farmer, when she gets to know its value as a vegetable, will not let her 
husband rest until she has at least half-a-dozen trees in some sheltered nook ; 
not only willa most delightful shade be thus established, but an excellent 
yegetable will be secured, which will always be welcome on the dining-tables of 
the rich and poor. we 
COFEEE-LEAT DISEASE. 
By PHILIP MAC MAHON, 
Curator, Botanic Gardens. 
Tue Ceylon coffee-leaf disease is a plant growing upon a plant. The first 
botanist who noticed it and reported upon it was Dr. ‘Thwaites, the Curator of 
the Government Botanic Gardens in Ceylon. He soon saw that he had found 
a fungus which he had never previously seen, and he sent specimens to his 
