1 June, 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 429 
Here is another industry which could be carried on in the North, especially by 
farmers who have an abundant supply of water. The necessary machinery is 
not expensive, and could, in numberless localities, be driven by water-power. 
This plant thrives best on the slopes of volcanic hills under partial shade. 
It does not do well on open plains, and will not grow at all on ill-drained 
lands. There is immense scope on the hillsides towards Kuranda for the 
cultivation of the plant. The suckers might be planted 10 feet apart, and they 
would require no attention beyond keeping the undergrowth in check, and even 
that work is scarcely necessary in a humid, warm climate. The fibre is at its 
best when the plant is just about to flower. After flowering the fibre is weaker 
and more difficult to clean. 
Cacao is also growing at Kamerunga, and has reached the bearing stage. It 
appears, however, that some sort of mildew attacks the trees and destroys 
them. The trees under notice had not received any attention, but grew any- 
how, until Mr. Newport pruned some. One was left unpruned, and the 
difference between the two is remarkable, the pruned trees showing vigorous 
growth, the other being almost at a standstill and sickly. 
There is a varied assortment of trees and plants of economic value in the 
nursery, which are yearly being reproduced in quantity for distribution in the 
form of either plants, seeds, or roots, and applications come in from all parts of 
the surrounding districts for supplies. Paspalum dilatatum is in great demand 
just now. This excellent grass does very well in the North, and its cultivation 
is fast spreading. A walk through the nursery in the early morning or evening 
is most enjoyable. The delicious scent of the Divi-divi flower pervades the 
whole atmosphere. The weather in March is delightfully cool in the morning 
and evening, and up to September is said to be far pleasanter than during the 
corresponding month in the South. 
Visitors to the nursery have the opportunity of seeing at close quarters a 
cassowary, with which the scrubs abound. This bird, although young, is a 
dangerous animal. It dislikes strangers, and will attack them viciously, flying 
at them and striking at them with its powerful leg, armed with strong horny 
toes. Cassowaries are doubtless very interesting birds, but the stranger rapidly 
loses all interest in them when he finds an animal as big as an ostrich rushing at 
him, hissing and shrieking out defiance. I always kept a sharp lookout for the 
bird, which has a nasty habit of lying in wait behind a big croton and suddenly 
rushing out at the passer-by. 
Crotons grow magnificently in this district. There are many varieties 
planted, and the blaze of red, blue, yellow, and green is most dazzling. 
I had a long and interesting conversation on coffee with Mr. Newport. 
Several farmers had told me that until his arrival they had allowed their coffee- 
trees to grow without any care, and many of them became disgusted and were 
about to throw up the industry, when. Mr. Newport set to work to put them in 
the right way. The change was, they said, remarkable, and the yield much 
increased. Consequently, they held on, and even increased the area under 
coffee. 
Respecting the area planted as given in the statistical returns of the 
Registrar-General—viz., 537 acres—there is considerable difficulty in getting at 
the exact area, for the reason that several farmers having only an acre or two do 
not return these areas under the head of coffee, but under general cultivation. 
Then, again, there is a large quantity of trees from one to three years old not 
in bearing at the time the returns are made out; hence the actual output is 
credited as the return of the whole area under coffee, whereas in reality it is 
_ the yield on less than one-half of the planted area, as thousands of trees have not 
yet come into bearing. 
Coffee-growers have not so far had any difficulty in getting in the crop. 
As I said before, white pickers can be obtained either on contract or on weekly 
wages. The wages are about 30s. a week, and 3 1b. for 1d. is the contract 
rice. In some cases aboriginals are employed, and they make very quick pickers, 
eka in 100 Ib. or more for a day’s picking. 
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