BTA: QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 May, 1902. 
ment running quite satisfactory, and the percentage of black being limited to 
a very small proportion. The estate is 80 acres mature coffee, now all brought 
under the new system, and 80 acres of young clearings planted 650 to the 
acre ; the crop last year was 60 tons, and the promise for next year is very 
fair. Denuded of half of its trees, it has never given such a big crop or been 
worked so cheaply. On another estate worked by Mr. Leeming results are 
even more satisfactory. The owner left the Shevaroys in disgust, and was 
manager of an estate near mine for some time, as he was unable to make the 
place pay him; under the new system, he is at home in receipt of an income, 
although prices have fallen 60 per cent.!_ The main factor in favour of Mr. 
Leeming’s system is the very appreciable reduction in working expenses, 
yielding a maximum crop on a minimum outlay, and although it does not 
appear to find favour with every planter on the Shevaroys, I am quite con- 
verted to it, provided conditions are in harmony with Scotforth, namely— 
elevation 3,000 to 4,000 feet, with sheltered aspect and fertile soil, especially in 
the face of present depression and possible low prices for many years to 
come, it being apparently the only method by which coffee cultivation may be 
made remunerative at £40 per ton. 
I wish to record further, partly in response to inquiries, that the elevation 
of Scotforth averages 3,500 feet and the rainfall in normal seasons is 65 inches. 
Crop last season was practically 3-ton per acre, 80 acres. Old coffee all 
brought under the new system yielded 40 tons; 18 acres young coffee planted 
8 feet x 8 feet gave 10 tons. Total crop just picked = 50 tons, which on half 
the number of trees is almost double of any previous one.” 
Another Sheyaroy planter (Mr. Gompertz) said that, as regarded cutting 
-down the whole estate, he did not think Mr. Leeming would like to advise 
-everybody to do that. It was no use cutting down the trees on poor soil, 
where they are planted 6 feet apart and do not touch each other. ‘“ But,” he said, 
“in your best fields it is worth while to harden your hearts and cut down 
-every other tree. I did that, and found that the trees to be cut out were 
always the best; but, if you want a good crop, you must harden your hearts, 
and cut down every other tree.” 
& 
CINNAMON AND COCOANUTS ON THE DAINTREE. 
As cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) is a native of many warm countries, 
notably of Ceylon, Java, Sumatra, Malabar, parts of India, and has. been 
introduced and successfully cultivated in other countries where it is not 
indigenous, it would naturally be supposed that in the tropical parts of Queens- 
Jand some attempt would have been made to form small plantations. Many 
years ago hundreds of cinnamon plants were distributed to gardens along the 
coast, but one never sees or even hears of a cinnamon tree. 
On dry, sandy soil, success is almost assured in the cultivation of this tree, 
which will yield its first product in five years. The trees should never be 
planted in wet or heavy soils, for they will be much longer in maturing, and the 
-quality of the bark is never so good. 
W orn-out coffee and sugar lands, if dry and sandy, would be admirabl 
adapted for cinnamon growing. North of Mackay there is no lack of wage 
suitable land, yet we have only heard of its attempted cultivation on the 
Daintree 
Like most other, if not all, industrial products of the soil, however, 
-cinnamon has its deadly enemy in the shape of a black beetle, described by Mr. 
T. T. Pentzcke as being of the size and shape of a duck shot cut in two. There 
is a light bronze hue mixed with the black colour. It only attacks the plants 
when the latter are quite young and tender, and before they have either taste 
or smell. Our informant planted out twenty young cinnamon plants and they 
were all destroyed during this season. This confirms the late Mr. Cowley’s 
