A telegram from New York in the Australian papers states that a machine for the purpose of making a rough paper pulp out of the megase, which as we all know is the fibre of the sugar-cane after the juice has been expressed, is now in course of construction at New Orleans, and that it will cost £250,000 and is destined for Queensland. If one may assume that 250,000 dollars is really meant, the matter does not seem so extraordinary. For a long time past the management of the great Olaa plantation and factory in the Hawaiian Islands has been experimenting with the idea of mulching the ground between the young cane plants with a paper pulp made from the surplus megase. The result, in conserving, moisture, checking the growth. weeds in the stages of the early growth of the young cane, was so satisfactory that a plant was installed to make the pulp. A machine has now been put into use which Jays the pulp, which is in rolls something like very rough packing paper.
Mr. H. C. Armstrong, one of the British_ members of the Cotton Committee which has visited Australia, is impressed with what he saw in Hawaii on his way back to England vid America, and it is due to him, apparently, that the matter has been telegraphed from New York.. In Queensland every acre of cane produces about two tons of fibre, and this would cover note than an acre of land, being applied only between the rows of young canes. If all thie magass were used in Queensland it would be necessary to use oil as fuel in the The definite statement that a plant to make the pulp is actually in course of manufacture in New Orleans suggests that the Colonial Sugar Refining Company is probably thinking of testing the system on a big scale. If it increases the yield by 25 per cent. and reduces the. cost of pro-
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