increase its leakage over what the casks lose when they have not
been filled with water, but left altogether alone, as water expands the
wood, while oil causes it to shrink. By attention to the preparation of
the casks at Colombo in Ceylon in this manner, they are able to send
home oil in old beer casks, &c., which, of course, enables them to
avoid a great deal of unnecessary expense. Perhaps a small quantity
of boiling hot oil poured into a cask, which should then be rolled
about so that the oil might wet every part of it, would cause it to
shrink more speedily than by exposing it to the sun for about six
weeks. I am not aware, however, of this having ever been tried.

Cocoa is grown among plaintain-trees, which afford it some shade,
and protect it from the excessive slow heat, which kills it.

Although the growth of cocoa is at present very small, did any one take
the trouble to bestow the necessary care and attention it demands, the
crop might be very greatly augmented. The best is now grown in Cebu,
although, from Samar, Misamis, and Batangas, the Manilla market is
also supplied, but it is only saleable at about twenty-three dollars
per pecul, while the Cebu grown fetches about twenty-seven dollars
per pecul.

Very little is exported, and the chocolate made in Manilla is nearly
all consumed there. Supplies occasionally come from Guayaquil of a
quality very similar to that of Cebu.

All the efforts hitherto made to send cocoa to Spain, without
its deteriorating in quality, by getting spotted, &c., have been
unsuccessful.

_Coffee._--Although there have been efforts made at various times to
promote this valuable branch of agricultural industry, by holding out
to the natives rewards in money for a certain number of plants in a
state of bearing, it has not as yet had the effect of greatly promoting
its growth. Tayabas and Laguna are provinces from which most of it
comes to Manilla, but this it does by very small lots at a time, and
generally uncleaned, which the provincial traders have to do here. The
quality of most of that grown at these places is fully equal to that
of Java, from which, however, it differs a good deal in flavour. The
French, who take off the bulk of the crop, are fonder of its peculiar
taste than most other people, and prefer it to other descriptions.

Pepper is grown to a very limited extent in Tayabas, and is all
consumed in the country, although in former years some has been
exported from