October i, 1885.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



2f^3 



Exports. 

 Sugar. — The crop was au abundant one, being 

 generally eslimateil at. about 0,000,000 picuils, 

 again-st about 5,000,000 4,500,000 and 1,000,000 

 in the previous three seasons respectively ; the 

 quality too was all that could be desired, but 

 owing to the exceedingly low value of the article iu the 

 consuming countries of the world, the result to planters 

 has boeu on the whole disastrous. Js'early two-thirds 

 of the crop was shipped to Europe on planters' ac- 

 c:iunt. tShould the present low value of sugtr con- 

 tinue, mai.y plantations will be unable even to pay ex- 

 pen.ses, while others, already in difficulties, will be 

 compelled to stop working altogi'ther. On the other 

 hand, there is no doubt that owiuijf to improved machin- 

 ery now used on most estates, a more scientific sys- 

 tem of working generally, and the yearly increi.siug 

 facilities of transport, the cost of production of Java 

 sugar has of late been very materially reduced, and 

 estates well situated and well managed may still be 

 worked without loss. Some mills are indeed able to 

 produce sugar at a profit even on present rates, but 

 this is quite exceptional. On tiie whole Java, owing 

 to its favourable soil and climate, and last but not 

 least its unlimited supply of cheap native labour, will 

 always compare favourably with any other cane sugar- 

 producing country, and it is to be hoped that some 

 improvement in the value of the article may soon again 

 restore the industry to its former prosperous condition. 

 COFFKE. — This year's crop has generally been unsatis- 

 factory, both iu quantity and quality, which may be 

 attributed in a great measure to the ravages caused 

 by the leaf-disease in the early months of the year, 

 in the plantations situated in the central and eastward 

 districts of the island. Should this disease not show 

 itself during the wet monsoon months in the begin- 

 ning of 1885 a considerably better yield may be looked 

 for next season ; but it must not "be overlooked that 

 the late frequent attacks of this disease have greatly 

 exhausted the trees, and it must take some time be- 

 fore they again recover their normal produciug power. 

 The Government Java crop shows a decrease, viz. : 

 1,011,767 piculs, against 1,072,402 in 1883. 



The tobacco crop has been above the average of late 

 years, and tlte quality has proved snpeiior ; the cult- 

 ivation of the leaf has not, however, much increased, 

 and bears no comparison to what it was formerly. 



Tea. — This industry is continuing to make rapid 

 strides, but it is doubtful whether, with the low prices 

 ruling in Europe, the returns to pLanters are very re- 

 munerative ; the opening- up of the new gardens points, 

 however, to the probability of the estates being worked 

 without loss. The total exports in l.-^n-l were 2,fi04.567 

 kih-s., of which it is worthy of note that more than 

 two-thirds went to the London majket. 



Cinchona.— The cultivation of this tree is being 

 pushed with energy, and though the exports from the 

 Government gardens show a falling off, those from 

 private estates show an increase. Prices in Europe, 

 although considerably lower than in past year.-^, are 

 still at a pa3;ing level, and enable planters to extend 

 operations with vigour. 



GOVERN.MKNT RAILWAYS.— During the past year great 

 progress has been made with these railways, and several 

 liues have been completed. The main line from Soura- 

 bays to Soerakarta, via I'aron, Modjo, and Sr.igon, 

 has been finished, so that there is now rail connec- 

 tion between the principal coast ports, Sourabaya and 

 Samaraug. The rail between Toeloenagoeng and'Blitar 

 is finished, thus completing the branch from Kerto- 

 sono to Blitar. Passoeroean and Probolingo have also 

 been connected during the past year. The western 

 line was completed as far as Tjitjalenlia last Sejitember. 

 Batavia Harbole Works.— Operations during the 

 past year have been confined to completing the per- 

 manent way and constructing sundry Government oflices 

 in the immediate vicinity of the harbour. Thonmr.shes 

 surrounding theharbour are being tilled up by degrees 

 and the albi/zia and sunflowers which have been planted 

 there have produced good results. Fever does not ap- 

 pear to have been nearly so prevalent at the harbour 

 during the past twelve months as in the previous year, 



and the complaints of ship captains regarding tlie 

 health of their crews whilst there are considerably less 

 than formerly. 



Tra.mways. — Two steam tramways have been com- 

 pleted during the past year- one between Samaraug 

 and Joaua, liii Demak, Koedocs, and Pali ; and the 

 other between Batavia and Meester-Coruciis. The for- 

 mer line has a length of sixty miles, whilst the latter 

 is about seven and a half miles long. 



SuMATltA. 



The report by Consul H. G. Kennedy on the trade 

 and commerce of Acheen during the year lba4, with 

 a notice of the Deli tobacco districts issued iu the 

 same volume, states : — 



The total quautity of pepper exported from Acheen 

 (Olehleh and Edie together) in lSa4 was about 73,000 

 piouls, of which nearly US.OOO piculs were sent from 

 Edie. Comparing tliis total with the quantities for 

 the preceding five years the result shows as follows — 

 18S4, 73,0uo piculs; 1SS3, 122,579 ; 1S»2, 10e,255 : IBSl 

 107, ISO piculs. > . . , 



The average price of pepper ruling iu the Penang 

 market during the past jear has exceeded ,§17 and 

 for a considerable period there was none at all oiier. 

 ing for sale. The average price iu 1SS2 was §14.71; 

 in fact, pepper has continued to rise steadily in value since 

 1S7S, when a picul of Acheen pepper fetch §(5-82 iu Penang. 

 Deli. 



The Deli district is about 4° north of the equator, iu 

 longitude 98' —00" E., and is made up of three States : 

 Deli, the jidcst, in the centre, under a Sultan ; Eangkat, 

 to the uorih, under a native chief, called a Panghoran; 

 and Sirdang on the south, also ruled by a Sultan. 



As is weli-knowu, tho main cause of the prosperity 

 iu Deli is the tobacco,thotirstcrop of which was shipped, 

 as I am informed, in 1809. 



Tho crop for 1884 will turn out about 122,000 bales 

 (each bale equals 170 lb. English), valued at £2,080,000, 

 Prices for Deli tobacco have ruled on the whole fairly 

 high, the special quality of the leaf lying iu the fact 

 of its being light and elastic iu texture, with thin fibres. 

 The tobacco estates cousist of grants of land taken out 

 by individualsor companies, and are, as a rule, of such 

 an extent that every year a new district cau be cleared 

 and used for the coming crop, and this state of things 

 will continue for many years to come. The planters 

 consist of three or four large companies, principally 

 Dutch— such as the Deli Company, the Amsterdam 

 Deli, and the Batavia Deli, — a'i well as of individual 

 planters of many nationalities, Germany and Switzerland 

 being strongly represented, while there are al.so a good 

 sprinkling of Englishmen, the principal English firm 

 being the Laugkat Plantations Company, with its head- 

 quarters in London. Tlie grants of land are taken 

 direct from the chiefs beforementioned, and are only 

 valid after confirmation at Bengkalis. The term is for 

 seventy-five years, and tor such a grant a sum of money, 

 amounting to from jglto §2 per bouw (equal to an acre 

 and two-thirds), is paid in cash, while an annual rent 

 of c. 4()a bouw, payable at the expiration of the fifth 

 year, is also reserved. It is estimated that at least 

 £2,000,000 sterling is now invested in the tobacco in- 

 dustry iu the Deli district.s. The tobacco wheu ready 

 for shipment is all sent toClambiaou the Langkat river, 

 to the Deli river, or the Sirdang river (as the case may 

 be), and is dispatched thence via Penang or yinga))ore 

 to Amsterdam. 11 is worth remarking that the wiiole 

 of the carrying trade in connection with the Deli 

 tobaccos is in the hands of Messrs. Holt's line, the rate 

 of freight from Deli to Amsterdam being about £3 2s (id 

 per ton. The shipping season may be said to last 

 from January to June. The tobacco crop of 1884 i.s 

 estimated to yield about 20,000 bales in excess of that 

 of 1883, but the crop in 18S3 was a short one, owing to 

 unfavourable weather. Tlie 1884 crop is the best one 

 ever obtained, both as regards quantity and quality. 

 The forests when cleared for tobacco |)laiitations af- 

 ford siilenilid timber, aud this is utilised for con- 

 structing drying sheds and coolies' quarters, buta good 

 deal of tlio wood which might be exported for build- 

 ing or fuel is wasted for want of conveyance and burnt 

 on tho ground. As a compensation there can be no 



