1 May, 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 375 
recommendation, which was to plant them under glass and get them beyond the 
tender and dangerous stage. It is possible that when the scrub is all cleared 
there will be no danger from this pest, because they are persistent scrub 
dwellers, frequenting from preference the so-called hickory which is really a 
Flindersia, of which there are several varieties in the Daintree scrubs, some 
of gigantic dimensions. 
One of the great troubles of cocoanut growers on the river has hitherto 
been the destruction caused by the natives, who cut steps in the trees to reach 
the nuts. The tree never bears after this mutilation. They have, however, had 
it explained to them that they are “ killing the goose that lays the ege”’ by this 
proceeding, and that furthermore it is very displeasing to the white~ residents. 
hey have consequently promised not to do this for the future, and will not 
allow their picaninnies to do it, so that there is now very little danger of loss 
by cocoanut planters. 
When planting the nuts, all the protection they get is three stakes driven 
into the ground round the spot, to keep off horses. In cases where there is 
danger of fire, sweet potato vines are planted about the young trees, which are 
thus quite protected from that element. Once the trees have made wood, 
cattle, and even goats, may be allowed amongst them, as they never touch them, 
and trees under which cattle camp thrive better than others. 
In planting cocoanuts, Mr. Pentzcke says, ‘‘I shall in future always plant 
them in an upright position with the eyes uppermost. The reason is that when 
a tree is sheltered, the nuts will remain in tees place till the germ pushes the 
nut off (unless it is forced off from some extraneous cause), and if, in falling, it 
strikes the sand or soft earth it will stand upright and grow into a straight, 
upright tree. The nuts only turn on their side when they fall on hard ground. 
When the nut stands in the natural upright position, the gases or volatile oils 
float on the top of the contained liquid near the embryo, which liquid and oils 
serve the purpose of lubricating the kernel near the seed, and supply the germ 
with its first food and continue to do so till the young plant makes its 
appearance on top. Crooked growing plants should be removed, as they indicate 
the first stage in degeneration.” 
THE LARGEST SUGAR PLANT IN THE WORLD. 
We have some of the best and most up-to-date sugar-mills in Queensland, 
capable of turning out from 6,000 to 7,000 tons of sugar in the season, as witness 
the Mulgrave and Mosman mills, but Cuba is to possess such a plant as has 
hitherto not been seen in any sugar-growing country in the world. This plant 
is thus described by the Mew Orleans Picayune :— 
“Mr. R. B. Hawley, of Louisiana, an ex-Congressman, and sugar-planter 
in the Southern States, has become interested in a large enterprise in Cuba. 
A private syndicate, of which he is the head, has secured 64,000 acres of the 
finest land in Cuba, which they intend to plant in sugar-canes for export to 
the States. This has caused something of a sensation in planting circles, and 
the opinion has been expressed that the competition which will result will 
seriously affect the Louisiana sugar industry. According to the Picayune, Mr. 
Hawley has shipped to Cuba the largest sugar manufacturing plant that has 
been made in America, or, for that part, in the world. The name of the 
company is the Chapparra Sugar Company, its domicile New York, and the 
plantation is situated at Puerto Padre, Cuba, extending over many miles of 
‘territory, and embracing 100 square miles of the finest sugar lands on the 
island. The crushing plant was built by the Whitney Iron Works, New 
Orleans, and consists of six Corliss engines of 150, 250, and 80 horse-power, 
two of each size. Two sets of nine-roller mills, with Marshall crushers in 
- each, the rollers 7 feet by 34 inches, fitted with hollow steel shafts, built at 
Bethlehem, Pa. This is only the crushing plant, and that alone was built here 
26 
