INTKODUCTION 



THE tropics include an immense area of land in every 

 continent but Europe. Their agriculture, however, was until 

 lately only of serious importance to the world at large in 

 Southern Asia, Brazil, Mexico, Central America and the West 

 Indies, West Africa, North Australia, and a few groups of 

 islands in the Pacific. The following rough figures, giving in 

 round numbers the value or bulk of the chief exports from 

 some of the principal exporting countries, will give some idea 

 of the enormous trade that now goes on, and which is increasing 

 year by year. 



INDIA, 191213. 



Coffee 1,043,000 



Cotton 18,741,000 



Dyes and Tans 787,000 



Jute .. 18,034,000 



Lac 1,409,000 



Opium 7,481,000 



Rice 21,705,000 



Other grains (wheat, etc.) 5,982,000 



Seeds (oils, etc.) 15,167,000 



Spices 622,000 



Tea 8,863,000 



CEYLON, 191011. 



Tea, 184 million Ibs Rs84,100,000 



Rubber, 48,500 cwts 24,500,000 



Coconut products ... 36,100,000 



Arecanuts 2,800,000 



Cacao 2,700,000 



Citronella oil , 1,100,000 



Tobacco ... 800,000 



Cardamoms 700,000 



