Jvus J, 1887.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



7«7 



tie down in a certain locality and remain there 

 though they may have their paddy fields at a dis- 

 tance. I would recommend in the event of the 

 station of Balmoral being given up the two police- 

 men be transferred to Galagan. From Galagan 

 we proceeded up the river as far as Limantic, 

 Mr. Henry Walker being anxious to survey the 

 river as far as lie could m the launch. Limantic 

 is only a small village consisting of two houses. 

 Eelurning from here we proceeded down the river 

 to Kolapis a small Bajow village on a river of that 

 name. There are only two houses. I was in hopes 

 ai one time that this race might have settled at 

 Balmoral but the term sea-gipsies is a very appli- 

 cable term for them as they are always roving 

 about the sea and have not as a rule 

 any settled abode. From Galagan to Balmoral 

 two hours. From Galagan we proceeded to the 

 village of Tetabuan situated in the Labuk 

 Bay. I made this visit especially for the purpose 

 of gaining information concerning the pearl beds 

 that exist here — and which with your approval it 

 is intended to farm out to Panglima Butu the 

 Bajow chief in that district and who with his men 

 have been in the habit of collecting them no col- 

 lectmg has yet been begun but I am informed the 

 collection will shortly commence, I enquired from 

 the chief the reason he did not migrate to a better 

 position where he could have a plantation, he in- 

 formed me in reply that he was afraid to leave as 

 if he did somebody might come and claim the 

 pearl beds. The Panglima arranged to be at 

 Sandakan in a week's time to sign an Agreement 

 concerning the custody of the Pearl beds. These 

 people have nothing to do with the pearl beds 

 at the Maroap river which will be farmed out to 

 others. While at Tetabuan I received information 

 of the wreck of a "Prahu" with a cargo of rattans 

 from Sisip. Out of the 8 people on board two were 

 drowned. In reply the Panglima informed me the 

 reason he had not sent me information to Sanda- 

 kan on the subject was that there was a heavy 

 sea on at the time. From Tetabuan I paid a visit 

 to Lincabo a small Sulu village and from there 

 proceeded back to Sandakan. — North Borneo Herald. 



Coconut Eeftjse is thus alluded to in an article in 

 Forestry on the Resuscitation of Choice Trees by top- 

 dressiu^: — Failiug loam, the uext best top-dresser is, on 

 the wholf, coco-fibre retu»J. It is less feeding, and 

 perhaps almost more conservative alike of heat and 

 moisture, also free from offensive odour, decomposes 

 very slowly, and finally forms a fine mould of which the 

 roots of all trees seem specially fond. [This is rather 

 a different verdict to that delivered by Mr. Symons. — 

 Ed.] 



Floods in Demeraka. — Disastrous floods of an 

 unprecedented kind have been experienced on the 

 east coast of this Colony, by which the poor in- 

 habitants of the district are suffering severe losses 

 and indescribable privations. The following des- 

 cription of the scenes is taken from the Argosy : — 

 Many villages with their provision and pasture 

 ground annexes are (or were, for we are glad to 

 be able to say the rains are abating) from two to 

 four feet under water, the villagers' huts looking 

 like bathing machines in a placid sea, water up to 

 the doorstep, frequently above it. no road to be 

 seen, not a blade of grass for cow or mule, or a 

 dry foot of ground for the smaller stock. The 

 people were helpless and no hf Ip could be extended 

 to them in the way of relieving their lands of the 

 deluge ; they had simply to sit and suffer, to awake 

 in tlie morning with nothing to do, their farms 

 all lost to sight, crops ruined, and all attempts 

 at cultivation impossible. — Colonies and India. 



The Noeth Borneo Land and Saw Mills Com- 

 pany (Limited), referred to in our last issue, has 

 been registered. The first subscribers are : — Major- 

 General Sir A. Anson, St. Leonards ; Mr. E. Lucas, 

 Kensington-square ; Mr. F. K. Barclay, Crucifixlane, 

 Bermondsey ; Mr. T. L. Jeyes, C. E., 9, Victoria- 

 chambers : Mr. J. E. Boulter, engineer, Blackfriars- 

 road, and Mr. J. S. H. Drake, solicitor, 50, Old 

 Broad-street. The first three named are to be 

 directors of the company, in conjunction with 

 Messrs. Walmisley Stanley and W. J. Tanner. The 

 board of directors is to number not less than five 

 nor more than nine, the qualification being £300 

 in shares or stock of the company. The director's 

 remuneration is to be £(500 per annum each. — L. 

 <& C. Express, 



Ceylon Tea in America. — Of the venture of 

 Messrs. Pineo & MacCombie Murray we have re- 

 ceived some particulars : — " Office of the Ceylon 

 Pure Tea and Coffee Company, Philadelphia, 10th 

 March 1887. I send you by this mail our Circular 

 through which we endeavour to make known our 

 brand of Ceylon tea. The label is also enclosed, 

 and I hope it will meet your approval. We have 

 done what we can to advertise our pamphlets, 

 of which 20,000 will be distributed shortly, and 

 more when these are given away. We have been 

 at great expense in this line and can only hope 

 that our endeavours will meet with success. The 

 tea is not liked generally at first, but by talking 

 over the matter with people we may accustom 

 them to the new fiavour, and get the thin end 

 of the wedge in. Our business is conducted me- 

 thodically, and we hope to reach every respectable 

 family in Philadelphia through canvassers. I am 

 afraid the Ceylon Syndicate may be likened to a 

 wheel without a nave. If they had a little 

 capital they could boom some of the large cities 

 in this country with every chance of success, but 

 I fear there is a want of a spirit of unanimity 

 among planters which will always stand in the 

 way of any great enterprise in this line. You 

 will perceive by our prices that we sell teas from 

 50 cents to 11-10 the ruling prices of teas sold. 

 The profits are not so large as they would appear, 

 as '60 per cent commission must be given to 

 canvassers or retailers in any way. The |riO 

 is a fancy tea sent us from London of which 

 the sales are limited. Then we have 10 cents per 

 lb. to pay for delivery and packing expenses in 

 tin foil inside boxes, — reduce our profits to a 

 minimum. I may mention that even by allowing 

 a retailer 30 per cent, commission on sales, we 

 are unable as yet to do much through the trade, 

 as retailers make more profit out of Japans than 

 we can make at these prices as importers. Teas 

 bought by retailers at 20 cents to 80 cents sell 

 at 50 or 60 cents, and sometimes they will con- 

 sider it proper to sell the same tea to one who 

 can pay for it at 75 cents. There is no rule in 

 the retailer's business. Although they have only 

 one tea, they sell it for all kinds of tea and charge 

 according to the general appearance of the customer. 

 Sad, but true ! These practices are very much 

 against the introduction of our teas, especially as 

 we have to make demand, before any one will 

 handle them. We are prepared for uphill work, 

 and it is well that we are so. We are both very 

 thankful to you for remarks you have from time 

 to time made in your columns with reference to 

 us. We are much encouraged thereby, and we 

 can assure you that every encouragement given 

 us by you and others in Ceylon is greatly ap- 

 preciated by us." The pamphlet and circulars 

 prepared by Messrs. Pineo and Murray are very 

 neat and attractive and show a good deal of 

 enterprise on their part. We wish them all success. 



