416 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Ocr., 1901, 
over the Louisiana and Texas rice fields. The result is the acreage is cut dowy, 
scarcely any attention is paid to the crop, and the vast development which 
appeared assured in the cultivation of rice He come to nothing. 
The rice planters of Queensland, now that they are assured that a rica 
crop pays, should make every exertion to increase the area under this cereaj, 
There is, as has been shown, a ready market for all that can be grown in thjg 
State, and those who have suitable land will be wise if they devote a portion of 
it to ricegrowing. 
The first discovery of oil in Texas is thus described in the Australian 
Field :—A remarkable oil well has been discovered near Beaumont, in Texag, 
Tt claims the distinction of being the largest oil well in the world. For months 
past it has been spouting 25,000 barrels of oil a day—quite a phenomenal output 
for an oil well. Indeed, few wells have caused so much comment in the new 
world as the one under notice. So great was. the flow from the day it wag 
discovered that its owner offered a reward for a method of stopping it. The 
volume of oil was so great that it ran into a neighbouring river, and gaye con- 
siderable anxiety to the inhabitants of neighbouring towns. At last a huge 
embankment was thrown up around the gusher, and a lake of oil was the result, 
The petroleum is thrown up with such force that the stream often rises to g 
height of 200 feet in the air. So far the flow has been an entirely natural one 
—that is to say, the well has not been shot with dynamite to effect an outlet foy 
the oil. The well was discovered by Captain Lucas, after whom it is named, and 
there is no doubt that he will make a huge fortune out of his lucky find. 
COCOANUTS. 
From the Agricultural Magazine, Colombo, we take the following useful 
notes on cocoanut planting. All along the Northern coast of Queensland there 
are hundreds of islands well adapted for cocoanut plantations, but with the 
exception of the efforts of the Agricultural Department, very little has been 
done in this direction, yet few countries have such advantages as Queensland 
in the tropical features so necessary for success in establishing plantations. 
We would not suggest that anyone take up the business to the exclusion of 
agriculture in other forms. That would mean the expenditure of much capital 
before any return could be expected, but as an adjunct to tropical agriculture 
on the coast, cocoanuts would prove a valuable and lasting heirloom to the 
rising generation. Plantations in Ceylon have changed hands at 660 rupees 
(about £50) an acre. One property of 865 acres, of which 220 acres were 
planted with cocoanut trees, sold for 48,000 rupees (£4,200). As an adjunct, 
therefore, to sugar, rice, or coffee growing, 100 acres of cocoanut trees 
would form a little property not to be despised. To plant such an area 3,500 
nuts would be required, allowing them to be planted at distances of 35 feet by 
35 feet. 
The Benefits of Mulching.—My. J.T. Last, F.R.C.S., writes as follows 
upon the benefits of cultivation as he has found them at Mangapwani:— 
There are at Mangapwani about 300 bearing palms, from which the nuts are 
gaunsret every three months. About three years ago I had the ground well 
ug up for some 6 feet round the base of each tree, and then packed round the 
tree any manure, grass, or vegetable matter I could get, covering the same y 
with soil. This has been repeated every year. The result of these operations 
is that the number of nuts gathered has greatly increased. 
Yield of Nuts.—Formerly the three-monthly gathering would average about 
3,000 nuts; now more than double that amount is obtained. The last gathering 
reached the number of 7,038. Since I started mulching the trees there 
have always been one or more trees at each three-monthly gathering from 
which I obtained 100 nuts. At this gathering 110 nuts were gathered from 
one tree, 100 from two, 91 from one, 89 from one, 86 from one, and 80 from 
one, making a total of 656 nuts from seven trees. 
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