324. QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Sepr., 1899. 
for the Government of India with satisfactory results. In fact, nearly all 
tropical products are capable of being grown in the Possession of British New 
Guinea. In no tropical country with which I am acquainted have I seen so 
many varieties of sugar-cane, and so many indigenous varieties of banana. 
Tobacco of very fine quality is grown, and there is a native ginger superior to 
any grown even in the Western tropics. The cotton, also, is very fine, and 
there are some fibre plants of excellent quality. These things indicate the 
nature of the country and the climate, and its more promising prospective 
sources of revenue. specially would I most strongly urge those in administra- 
tion to offer every possible facility and inducement for the introduction of the 
Hevea (or Para) indiarubber, which could now be readily brought down by 
short passages through uniformly warm latitudes. A short time since, passing 
through the Straits Settlements, I saw trees in the second and third generations 
from my originals from the valley of the Amazon, looking thoroughly well 
and at home, and loaded with ripe seed. The Castilloa of Mexico and Honduras, 
and the Ceara and the Ficus rubbers would find suitable localities ; but why use 
other than the best as now to be obtained ? 
THE BELGIAN RUBBER MARKET. 
From the London Zimes we gather the following report on the condition of the 
rubber market at Antwerp on 16th June:—Since our report of 5th instant 
the rubber market has been fairly steady, and various small parcels, amounting 
together to 10 to 15 tons, have been taken off the market for consumption at 
about the prices fixed at the sale of 38rd June. The large users of rubbers, and 
notably those of the United States, have, however, largely held aloof, notwith- 
standing which prices have about held their ground, and the general tone of 
the market is at present, if anything, less depressed than at the beginning of 
the month. Yesterday another public sale took place, the chief offerings in 
which were about 245 tons of Congolese rubber, of which 136 tons were sold 
at still irregular, but on an average about unchanged, prices. Kassai still holds 
the lead, of course, fine red realising 10 f. 023 c. down to 9 f. 85 ¢.; a parcel of 
about 20 tons of Upper Congo started at 8 f. 77} ¢., and finished at 8 f. 474 ¢. 
Other parcels went off slowly, and at about the same basis. The remaining 110 
tons are now looking for bids at reasonable limits. The total stock here now 
amounts to about 210 tons, and advised as afloat there are 400 tons per steamers 
“Teopoldville” and “Goya.” The Government returns of the country’s foreign 
trade, issued a few days ago, give the following remarkable figures, which show 
how important Antwerp is rapidly becoming as a rubber market :—Imports of 
raw rubber during the five months, January-May, 1,839 tons, against 1,101 last 
year, and 834 in 1897. Of these 1,333 tons came from the Belgian Congo, 185 
tons from Hamburg, 81 tons from France, and 74 tons from England, against, 
last year, 787, 76, 46, and 90 tons respectively. Exports of raw rubber in the 
same five months, 1,203 tons, against 660 last year and 463 in 1897. Of these 
the United States took 355, Hamburg 249, Holland 116, France 103, and 
England 92 tons, against, last year, 233, 63, 100, 99, and 43 tons respectively. 
Besides which it imported 498 tons of manufactured rubber, and exported or 
re-exported 280 tons of the same. Since writing the above, further 123 tons 
have been sold, including Sierra Leone at 7 f. 15c., and Mongalla at 7 f. 85 ¢. 
per kilo. 
TRANSPLANTING MINT. 
No one who has a perch or two of vegetable garden should be without mint. 
Tt is one of the easist herbs to propagate. 
In transplanting mint, a morsel of stem, with a fragment of root or fibre 
attached, makes a fair plant, and, with a little moisture, will soon seize a strong 
hold of the soil. Space the plantlets about 1 foot from row to row, and 10 
inches from each other; they will shoot up in the autumn, and there will be a 
slight gathering ; but it is the spring pullings that are more valuable. 
