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^U^ 'TROPiCAL AGRICULTURIST. [March i, i88; 



The planters in bringing the brokers to put up with 

 a fixed maximum amount for coolies engaged through 

 them, met with cordial co-operation from the Protector 

 of Chinese in the Straits, on that official finding that 

 it was indeed high time to check the r^ipaci^y of the 

 Chinese recruitf-rs. The Protector in an annual re- 

 port announced his readiness to back up employers 

 against the exorbitant demands of the broke s, but he 

 warned the planters that it was only by the clost-st 

 co-operation, and the strictest observance of the agree- 

 ment come to, that they could make head against 

 the crafty Chinese who earn a living by the coolie 

 trade. In Deli, too, there was no lack of voices 

 raised to urge the planters to stick together and 

 present an unbroken front to the brokers as their only 

 chance of bearing up against them, and that, rather 

 than yield, they should strive to bring about direct 

 immigration from China. It was too evident that the 

 powerful brokers' ring would never rest until it had 

 brought the planters upon their knees, unless the 

 latter remained firm and united. As usual, European 

 disunion proved no match for Chinese crat'tiness and 

 artfulness. The final result was a call for a meet- 

 ing of planters in Deli to be held on the 14ih in- 

 st:int. The object of holding the meeting was to 

 regi-ter submission to the demands of the brokers. 

 That is the outcome of a contest begun with 

 such a flourish of trumpets and determination 

 never to give way to rapacious monopolists. The plan- 

 ters had, however, no other alternative. Those among 

 them who had made up their minds to resist, were 

 boycotted by the brokers, and could get no ccolies. 

 Their less scrupulous fellows got as many as they 

 wanted. Xo doubt self-preservation prompted them 

 to this step. Still had they stood out unitedly and 

 braved the wr.nth of the brokers, the triumph of 

 the monopolists might have been less assured. As 

 Lord Randolph Churchill puts it they " have chucked 

 up the sponge," for the same reason that brought 

 on the break down here of every combination among 

 European firms to check adulteration and fraud among 

 Asiatic dealers. The lesson, hard as it is, will doubt- 

 less be thrown away and prove barren of beneficial 

 results, — Sii'aits Timts. 



DELI. NEWS. 



(Tra7idated for the Stj'aits Times.) 

 The Deli Courant in its retrospect for 18S6, calls 

 attention to the striking circumstance of that colony's 

 steady prosperity throughout last year. Elsewhere in 

 IJfetherlfnids India, in Java especially, the past year 

 has proved to be a period of unbroken disaster and 

 adv'ersity to the commercial and planning interests. 

 In Deli, on the contrary tobacco cultivation spread 

 ■wellbeing and contentment abundantly. Although the 

 crop of 1885 estimated at 12-5,000 bales did not prove 

 superior to preceding ones in unusual fineness of qua- 

 lity, and though there was no immediate prospect 

 of prices rising, confidence in the future of Sumatra 

 tobacco continued as great as ever both among 

 planters aud cigar makers. Prices, especially for the 

 finer and better cured kind, rose materially. But, far 

 too much of inferior qualities have been brought to 

 market to arouse complaint iu Hollatul and (Germany, 

 The best testimony to the iudifpeu'ablen' -ss of Sumatra 

 leaf notwithstanding this drawback; arises from the 

 fact of the average prices continuing so high in lySG. 

 Satisfactory as is the outlook, f.ir-secing people find 

 ample grounds for uneasiness in the distant future. 

 The principle that the price of every article hangs 

 upon the supply, works undeviatingly enough to admit 

 of the anticipation that, as sooa as the supply of 

 leaf tobacco exceeds the demand, prices will assuredly 

 fall. At present. Deli has no formidable competitor 

 iu the European market. The yield of tobacco from 

 other districts under cultivation brought forward 

 during the year, did not turn out encouraging enough 

 to justify basing any alarming forecast of the future 

 upon the result of experimental planting there. A 

 better outcome befell a consignment of tobacco from 

 North Borneo where, by last advices, this satisfactory 

 ei'sult had led to a larger area of land being put 



under crop "ith the utmost vigour. Next season, 

 that colony will probably yield a larger quantity of 

 tobacco. Another quarter where competition looms 

 iu the distance is the island of Bacham in the Moluccas. 

 Trial plmting there has resulted satisfactorily, judg- 

 ing from the samples produced. These circumstances 

 prove that the success attending tobacco growing in 

 Deli, has stirred up competing enterprise in the same 

 direction elsewhere. Deli planters have every reason 

 to keep awake and look out sharp. They would do 

 well not to depend upon the high reputation of their 

 produce, but to strain every nerve to improve still 

 more both the quantity and the quality of the out- 

 turn they send to market. On the spot, high ex- 

 pectations are entertained regarding this year's crop. 

 Its outturn is estimated at about 140,000 bales. Should 

 the rainy season not set in too early and damage 

 the crop, which usudly looks its best in June and 

 July the quantity may prt)ve to be 15,000 bales more. 

 From the coast estate*, the imformation to hand is 

 less satisfactory. On the average, the results attained 

 there have fallen far below the mark. New comers 

 in that quarter have still to plod along to reach the 

 goal. To them, the struggle is the harder from 

 too many of them starting rashly with an insufficient 

 command of capital. It is very doubtful whether 

 these pioneers can stand one or two more bad sea- 

 sons. Other articles of produce have not come under 

 cultivation in any way worth particular mention. 

 Several planters did not experiment wiih coffee, cocoa, 

 and rameh but their praiseworthy efforts did not result 

 in proving that any of these articles would thrive there. 

 Their cultivation indeed cannot make any appreciable 

 headway owing to scarcity of labour. Even for the to- 

 bacco estates, it was bard to get labourers throughout 

 the year. Towards the close of the year it became almost 

 impossible to secure the required number of Chinese 

 coolies from the Straits. As matters now stand un- 

 less a remedy for this evil be found, resort will be 

 had to foul means to get hold of latjourers at any 

 cost as used to be the case in bygone years. Jav- 

 anese coolies were obtainable iu sufficient numbers, 

 the only objection to them being their unsaHsfactory 

 quality. Trade and navigation during 1886 were brisk 

 and lively enough. The chief port, Labuan by name, 

 lies under the disadvantage of an inadequate supply 

 of good drinking water. The Government looks upon 

 the privations of the unfortunate inhabitants with 

 indifference, although the Sultan of Deli had offered 

 to meet the want in some measure by sinking artesian 

 wells at his own expense. 



The beaconing of the entrances into that port under- 

 went no improvement. Communication on land was 

 materially facilitated bj^ the opening of the first sec- 

 tion of the Deli Eailway, which has indeed been 

 worked at a high profit. 



A meeting of planters was announced to be held on 

 the 14th January to take into consideration the diffi- 

 culties in the way of engaging coolies in the Straits, 

 at rates fixed by the Deli planters mutually. The 

 Straits coolie brokers refuse to abide by these rates. 



PLANTS THAT EAT. 

 Among the many rare aud interesting plants form- 

 ing the collection in the Botanical Garden at Washing- 

 ton 1', S, there has recently been got together an 

 almost complete set of insectivorous plants, so called 

 from their being so constructed as to attract insects, 

 capture them in various ways aud feed upon them, 

 A few of these plants have been gathered from their 

 native habitats in the swamps of North Carolina and 

 California, and others have been sent from India, 

 Australia and Madagascar. Perhaps the best known 

 of the group, and certainly the most wonderful plant 

 in the whole^vegetable kingdom, is Dionao. i/ii'.scipula, 

 commonly known as "N'euus Flytrap. The leaves vary 

 from one to six inches long, and at the extremities 

 are placed two blades or claspers, the shape of which 

 may be said to resemble two hands placed together 

 between the jialms and the wrists, and the fingers 

 held backward. The palms of the hands represent the 

 ^ iuner walls of the trap, while the fingers represent 



