Copra is made from old coco-nuts only. The husks are removed and thrown away as rubbish. The shells are then placed in a smoke-house and kiln-dried, or, when possible, sun-dried. The nuts or kernels are smashed up and then bagged. It takes fully seven thousand nuts to make a ton, and the value in the London market is L13 to L14 for kiln-dried, and L14 to L15 for sun-dried. The margin for profit is small, but if a sufficient quantity be obtainable (say twenty-five tons per month) the industry becomes profitable. The natives value their coco-nut plantations, and attend to their cultivation. At certain seasons numbers of the trees have the trunks covered with a network of rattan cane. This is a sign that such trees are "tabu" or sacred. Woe betide the man who violates the mandate until the symbol has been removed. In this manner the trees are preserved. Did we take the same trouble with our forest timber, we should not be obliged to spend vast sums of money every year in importing timber from America and other foreign countries. Many natives are employed in the copra industry, the work always being done on shore, for which they are paid in "trade." Of course in these undertakings, you are always in a certain amount of danger from the hostility of the natives, but as I have previously remarked, "You must exercise caution and not give them a chance." A fair amount of trade is done in tortoise-shell, but, as a rule, the natives are loth to part with any large quantity, and are rather exorbitant in their demands. Tortoise-shell fetches in Sydney from 5_s._ 0_d._ to 10_s._ 6_d._ per lb., according to quality. I have no doubt, with some trouble, the trade in tortoise-shell could be increased. The soil and climate of New Guinea are well adapted for the cultivation of coffee, tea, indigo, india-rubber, cotton, sugar, rice, tobacco, sago, etc. A coffee plantation has already been started on the mainland. The natives inland grow very good tobacco. They have also plantations of sugar-cane on many of the islands and mainland. The cane seems to thrive well, and from all appearances is of good quality. They do not manufacture sugar from it, but simply chew the cane, of which they are inordinately fond. They manufacture sago, but do not granulate it. Oranges and lemons grow to perfection. There is a plantation of them at Su-au (South Cape), and on Wari (Teste Island). This industry, if undertaken by Europeans, on a large scale, would, I have no doubt, pay handsomely. In Queensland it pays, and why should it not in New Guinea?