1 June, 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 423 
full bearing, which will come about in between two or three years, it will be a 
most valuable property, without any further expense being incurred. Coffee 
once planted will last for fifty years, and it is in full bearing in the sixth year. 
Three-year-old trees, however, always bear a certain quantity. Suppose a crop 
to reach only 10 ewt. per acre, selling at £80 per ton, the crop from 118 acres 
would be worth over £4,720 each season, so that a well-grown plantation of 
healthy trees in full bearing provides a handsome income, without entailing 
the enormous expenses attached to a sugar plantation and sugar-mill. 
For many miles round this estate there are vast tropical scrubs, with a 
rich soil such as is rarely seen in the Southern serubs. The road to Aloomba, 
which is merely a track cut through the scrub, is intersected at frequent 
intervals by rippling streams of ice-cold, clear water, broken by miniature 
cascades, reminding the traveller of the mountain streams of Switzerland and 
Germany. ‘The timber is much like that of the Atherton scrubs, and, although 
it is very tall and of large girth, yet it does not inspire the beholder with the 
idea of immensity and magnificence imparted by the vast trees of the Herberton 
district. The scrub verdure is, however, very varied and beautiful, every tree 
being clothed from top to bottom with splendid creeping ferns and flowering 
vines of such varied form that none but a botanist could pretend to name a 
thousandth part of them. On the way to Hillville 1 was sea the proposed. 
sites for a new central mill, the building of which, however, has been indefinitely 
postponed. I spent the better part of two days at the delightful and hospitable 
plantation, and rode back on the second day to Aloomba, getting a thorough 
good drenching from a rain storm, which suddenly came up and caught us in 
the scrub. For a considerable portion of the latter part of the track to 
Aloomba the work of building a continuation of the Cairns Tramway is being 
carried on, the rails being already laid to some distance. Everything going to 
Hillville has at present to be packed on horses or mules, the track being 
impassable for wheeled traflic, so that the tramway, even though reaching 
within only 12 miles or so of the plantation, will prove a great boon to the 
residents. 
Arrived at Aloomba, I took the tram for Nelson, and delivered a lecture 
on cotton-growing to a number of farmers who met in the public hall. At the 
close of the meeting a tremendous downfall of rain occurred. This has been no 
uncommon occurrence all through the drought, which has so disastrously 
affected the Western and Southern districts, and fully accounted for the rich 
green appearance of the abundant grass in the open, the rich foliage and 
vegetation in the scrub, the healthy-looking crops, and the fat dairy cattle, 
where there were any. 
Next day and night were spent at Hambledon, the property of the Colonial 
Sugar Refining Company, under the management of Dr. Reid. That gentleman 
rovided me with a horse, and, under the guidance of, Mr. Clark, who has charge 
of the important experiments being made with seedling canes, I visited several 
of the farms in the district. Cane, corn, and sweet potatoes were the staple 
crops. On our return we called at the Messrs. De Moleyns Sugar Plantation, 
which is under the management of Mr. Swallow. 
' Here we again had evidence of the damage done by the cane grub, many 
acres showing the russet brown indicative of its labours. In marked contrast 
to the damaged cane were several rows of New Guinea canes which stood 
perfectly upright and green without a sign of any attack from the grub. The 
explanation was, that these canes produced such masses of roots that there was 
an ample supply to feed both the plants and the grubs without damage to the 
former. If it is proved that these new canes contain as high a percentage of 
crystallisable sugar as the varieties usually planted, it may be that the grub 
will cease to be such a great source of loss to the planter as at present. 
_ Efforts have for years been made to produce new varieties of cane-plants 
from seed without success. But after several. years of vain experiments, Mr, 
Clark has been successful, and thousands of plants have been raised by very 
simple means. One thing Mr. Clark noticed was. that, when he took the seeds 
