Jan. I, 1887,] 



'THE TROPICAL Agriculturist. 



48^ 



do not want Chioory, onght not to be supplied with 

 it without tlieir knowledge, a-ul under the protection 

 of the law. 



In ilealing with this an^l similar matters, the puMic 

 press is too apt to p\it down abuses to tlie retail 

 Grocers, and with great injustice. In the present 

 case, the excessive admixture with Chicory, which is 

 doina: so much harm, is not due to the (Jrocers at 

 all, but to the pickers, who introduced a substance 

 with a taking t/tle at a time when Coffee was very 

 high in price. The Grocers had no knowledge or 

 means of knowing the constituents of the mixture 

 and the demand for it has since been endorsed by a 

 special Government stamp, in cases where constituents 

 besides Coflfee and Chicory are used. The further 

 step of obtaining a similar profit from the use of 

 Chicory for themselves, instead of for the packers, 

 is not one to be wondered at, but the Grocer* if 

 asked for Coffee free from Chicory will ol« nys supply 

 it, whether whole or ground. It is, indeed, quite a 

 mistake to suppose that the retail Grocers, as a bodj', 

 would object to a stringent law dealing with Coffee 

 adulteration, for they see as plainly as anyone else, 

 that, at the pitch which things have reached, the 

 destruction of the Coffee trade is a question of time. 



Nor can those who vaunt the superiority of their 

 compounds to Coffee, as the latter is given us by 

 nature, object to their merits being no longer 

 hidden, under the vague general declaration of 

 of admixture with "improving" ingredients. On the 

 contrary, the philanthropic packers who improve upon 

 nature, should be thankful for any bw, which com- 

 pels them to emerge from their modest reticence, 

 and to say how much per cent the " Coffee " in 

 question is kindly "improved."' If, on the other hand, 

 they do object to sucli added fame, the public might 

 doubt the truth of the alleged improvement, and 

 insist-, on its own arcount, on the proportion of 

 admixture being declared. So far as the true home 

 Coifee trade are concerned, that is, the Importers, 

 Brokers, and wholesale and ret.iil Dealers, who sell 

 Coffee and not Chicory, they have for many years 

 past desired a stringment change in the law, which 

 may, perhaps, be carried now that our Indian and 

 Colonial Planters have taken the matter up, especially 

 as the question has a material bearing on the revenue 

 of the country. — Produce Markets' He view. 



CEYLON PRODUCE IN 1880. 



The different articles exported from Ceylon 

 to the various markets of the world have been 

 fairly remunerative to producers during the j^ast 

 year and Ave make the following netes regarding 

 the movements of them, and prospects for the 

 coming year. 



Coffee.- — The high prices now prevailing in 

 Europe consequent upon the short supply from 

 Brazil have caused a similar advance here and 

 planters who still have coffee left, ought to be 

 congratulated on the prices obtainable. It is not 

 likely that more coffee will be planted but, what 

 there is, is being cultivated with more than ordi- 

 nary care, and, as the ravages of leaf -disease, 

 grub and bug, are now more modified, a fair 

 average export may be looked for. 



Tea cultivation has been rapidly extended dur- 

 ing the past year and in 1887 we shall probably 

 see more than double the quantity exported that 

 was produced in 188(3. Towards the close of the 

 year quality improved very much, and there was 

 good competition at home for all fine teas possess- 

 ing point and good liquor. As the China Tea 

 Season will not commence till May and as the 

 Indian Export Season is about over, supplies will 

 not be brought into the London market in such 

 Vglume as they have been for some time. It may 

 therefore be fairly expected that prices for desir- 

 able qualities will be maintained during the next 

 few months, A number of Indian Tea Companies' 

 jiyer^gQ^ baye beeo very low this year, and this 



must be regarded as a somewhat unfavourable 

 feature for Ceylon Planters, inasmuch as it may 

 result in the collapse of many companies, and the 

 acquirement of their concerns by others at ruinously 

 low prices, and fresh competition. 



Coconut Oil.— The year 1885 having been a 

 comparatively dry one, the yield of coconuts in 

 188ti has in consequence been limited and the 

 production of copra and oil has been on a moderate 

 Bcalo. In the early part of the year the price 

 in Europe fell to an unprecedentedly low level ow- 

 ing chiefly to larger supplies of tallow, palm oil 

 and palm-nut kernels ; it has now however some- 

 what recovered, although it is still much below 

 the average of former years. There has been a 

 good Indian demand throughout the year for oil 

 and copra, but this has fallen off owing to the 

 larger supplies of copra to Indian ports from Zan- 

 zibar and the Straits. The manufacture of white 

 oil IS a new departure to be noted. It resembles 

 Cochin oil and fetches about E20 more than ordin- 

 ary Ceylon. As the rainfall in 1886 has been more 

 abundant than usual, the crops of coconuts in 1887 

 ought to be good after the hot months of the year 

 have been passed. 



CiNcuoNA.— The large export of last year has 

 weighed heavily on the London market, but during 

 the last few months there has been a distinct 

 curtailment in the quantities sent forward, and 

 if this continues a recovery in the price of bark 

 will be brought about. It is to be feared however 

 that when the price improves shipments will be 

 again rushed home and the improvement will be 

 again lost. The quantity still in the country is 

 large; although not increasing, but in the course of 

 another year a great deal must come out to make 

 room for tea, and after that there will probably be 

 a marked falling-off in the production of cinchona 

 in Ceylon. 



Cinnamon.— This article still suffers from over- 

 production, and there is more in the markets of 

 the world than can be freely disposed of 

 even at the low range of prices now ruling. The 

 reverting to quarterly sales has helped the market 

 m some degree, but what is required is curtail- 

 ment of export of the low common qualities 

 and chips which drag down the value of good 

 cinnamon. Arbitration as to the quality and allow- 

 ances have been very frequent latterly in the mar- 

 kets of Europe, indicating a want of sufficient care 

 in the making of cinnamon and the sorting of it. 



Plumbago.— The demand for London has fallen 

 off during the past year to a remarkable extent, 

 but this has in some measure been made up by 

 the export to Continental perts. The enquiry for 

 America has been good as there has been a con- 

 eiderable revival in the steel trade there. Pricea 

 have been fairly remunerative to native producers, 

 but their endeavours are, as usual, hampered by 

 insufScient means of communication in the absence 

 of roads, which the Government do but little to 

 provide. 



CoiJ! Yarn.— The home markets are borne down 

 by enormous stocks, and losses in the article have 

 been during the past year tolerably widespread; 

 nothing but the curtailment of production will restore 

 the nominal value. A good trade was done with 

 the Australian ports for a time in coir stuffs, but 

 it was overdone, and latterly seems to have been 

 almost snuffed out. 



Kapok.— Ill this article for a time there was a 

 good business with Australia, but. whether owing to 

 a substitute having been found or some other 

 cause the trade has fallen away and this branch of 

 native industry has suddenly cea3od to yield a 

 profitable return, 



Hip£s, HoK.Ns, Uoon, A'C— A more extensive bvjsj. 



