January i, 1885.] 



TUT. TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



543 



pure tea, there is not sufficient of it upon the market to 

 supply the wants and the requirements of the trade. 



it is argued by some that the reason that the Chinese 

 and Japanese adulterate their tea is that it pays to do 

 it. We doubt this very much, for in the long run this 

 adulteration of tea must eventually tell against the growers 

 and shippers. If proof is wanted that this is already the 

 case, it can be found in the gradual decrease iu the ship- 

 ments of tea from both of these countries and a com- 

 parative increase of shipments of lea from India, Ceylon 

 and Java. "While the exports from China and Japan have 

 declined, particularly from the former country, the aver- 

 age price has also been materially lowered, the increasing 

 popularity of India teas and the pure teas shipped from 

 the two countries in question, ought to be convincing proof 

 that if they were to raise the standard of quality, the 

 tea trade of China and Japan would not be in its present 

 depressed condition. 



The Indian, Ceylon and Java tea producers have resol- 

 utely refused to manipulate the tea, even though such a 

 refusal at the commencement of their operations was 

 the source of considerable loss ; but through the honest, 

 active and energetic policy of making pure tea it has at 

 length had the desired effect, for the consumption of these 

 teas is increasing, and the prices realized for them are 

 above those of their Chinese and Japanese competitors. 

 As an indication of tho ultimate triumph of pure teas, 

 we may call attention to the curious fact that Ceylon 

 teas have been shipped to Yokohama, and, further, that 

 they are being sold at retail in that they are being sold 

 at retail in that city. This instance of taking coals to 

 Newcastle is a very forcible illustration of what the Chinese 

 and Japanese may expect if they do not alter their present 

 damaging practices. — American Grocer. 



SUGAR PLANTING IN OUR COLONIES. 



The controversies which have appeared in the Times on 

 "The Labour Question in the Pacific" and "The Condition 

 of theWest Indies" should be read together, and if the various 

 arguments which have been advanced are well weighed, they 

 should serve to place the planting interest, not only in 

 the West Indies, but in Mauritius, Australia, and Natal, 

 on a far better footing than it has been for years past. 

 Planters are new beginning to know— if, indeed, they are 

 not already aware — with what they will have to contend in 

 the future. The beet-sugar industry still thrives, and will 

 continue to thrive while continental Governments are will- 

 ing to place a bounty, not only on the export but on 

 the manufacture; and'it has been pretty well demonstrated 

 of late that ro Liberal or Conservative administration would 

 dare to put on a duty to countervail that bounty. But 

 because English statesmen are not prepared to alter the 

 Free Trade policy to which this country is pledged, is 

 that any reason why the planters in our outlying tropical 

 possessions should be brought to ruin? The answer given 

 by all those who know the enterprising character of our 

 colonists and the vast resources of our Colonial Empire 

 is— decidedly not. The West Indies undoubtedly feel the 

 present depression in the siurar trade more than any other 

 of our tropical colonies. But this is because the planters, 

 hitherto enjoying every luxury, never anticipated such a 

 decline, and have up to the present hardly been able to 

 adapt themselves to the altered circumstances. But we 

 are glad to say that many are beginning to see a silver 

 lining to the dark cloud which has for some time past 

 been hovering over them. Instead of sitting with their 

 arms folded, they have determined to take every means 

 to uphold the reputation of cane sugar in the London 

 market. That it can be so upheld is evidenced by the 

 fact that Demerara crystals still obtain the highest price 

 here, and that a tiny consignment of 14 packets of Aus- 

 tralian sugar from Sydney realised in the London market, on 

 August 22, 18s. pe"r cwt. This, we believe, is the first 

 consignment of sugar received from New South Wales. 

 Queensland has occasionally sent a few bags to Mincing 

 Lane, but we believe the highest price hitherto obtainable 

 for Australian sugar in Loudon has been lis. per cwt. 

 "We often hear people say that the times for making 

 money out of sugar in the colonies are over. There never 

 was a greater fallacy. The consumption of sugar is now 

 treble what it was a few years ago, and it is bound to 



go on increasing. In Mauritius, in Australia, and in Natal, 

 increased attention has of late years been paid to the 

 cultivation of sugar, with the result that all three have 

 been largely benefited. In Queensland, in fact, sugar has 

 risen to be the third industry of the colony, and is the 

 only one which has induced to any extent a permanent 

 settlement on the land. Over 20,000 tons were produced 

 last year, the average gross value of which was taken at 

 £25 per ton, including freight, insurance, storage, com- 

 mission, and charges, while the average net value to the 

 planter — including all classes of sugars, and the average 

 cost of production, taking good and bad seasons iuto 

 account, and good, bad and indifferent plantations — was 

 £15 ]>er ton. The yield in Natal for 1882 was 8,007 tons, 

 valued at £200,000. Iu both countries the returns, it is 

 believed, would have been still greater if moro coloured 

 labour had been available. Especially is this the case in 

 regard to Queensland, and it is hoped that the letters 

 which have been published on the coloured labour question 

 will lead to the establishment in that colony of an effective 

 and well-controlled system of coolie labour from India. 

 In 1882 — the last return to hand — 454,753 acres were taken 

 up on the northern coast for tropical agriculture. These 

 Lands are fit for no other purpose, and planters are anx- 

 iously awating to develop them by means of coloured labour 

 and the introduction of the most modern machinery. 

 Looking at the sugar interest iu our colonies as a whole, 

 it is evident that the planters do not intend to hand 

 over the sugar trade voluntarily to the beet manufacturers, 

 but mean to do all iu their power to fight them in the 

 different markets of the world. And they are right. There 

 is pleuty of money, if not large fortunes, to be made out 

 of the sugar industry yet, and in the failure of one of 

 the largest Austrian beetroot firms, and the improve- 

 ment which has set in in the London market, we believe 

 we see the dawn of a new era of prosperity for our sugar- 

 producing colonies. — European Mail. 



CINCHONA IN MAURITIUS. 



Royal Society of Arts and Sciences, LOth Nov. 



Dr. Chauvin read an interesting paper on the quinine 

 mado from Hie cinchona trees at "Clnny." Mr. 

 Home, remarking the dampness of the locality had 

 advised Mr. MePherson to plant ciuchoma plants. 

 They at first gn w splendidly, hut having been nfter- 

 wai s abandoned they became choked up with wild 

 raspberries and weeds, avid the greater part of those 

 plaited on the mountain perished. The rest would 

 have followed, but Mr. Aoffray, an employe of the 

 estate, called Dr. Chauvin's attention to them, and 

 and on the advice of the latter geutleman, the 

 proprietor had them cleaned and taken cure of. They 

 are now iu tine condition. These plants are subject 

 to a disease caused by an insect, but unless they are 

 very far gone the diseased part may be removed and 

 the insect taken out. The cavity is then covered 

 with moss, and has to be kept damp for some days. 

 These experiments prove that cinchona trees can be 

 cultivated with advantage in Mauritius. Those of 

 Cluny produced 18 grammes of .Sulphate of Quinine 

 and 4 giammes of Cinchonidine per kilogram of bark. 

 This quinine is chemically pure, and Dr. Chauvin 

 intends making experiment? with it, of which he will 

 give an account at a future meeting. 



Acclimatisation Society, 21at Nov. 



Mr. Potier congratulated Mr. Vankeirsbilk on his 

 success with gynocardiaodorata (chaulmoogra). This 

 is a success which procures not only pleasure but 

 profit, for each tree brings in from 200 to 240 

 francs annually. The president drew the attention 

 of the members to an article in one of the local papers 

 on the banana in Mauritius. He was of opinion that 

 new species should be imported from Madagascar and 

 India. Mr. Lemiure lud on the table apaper on Cassia 

 fistula. 



