274 



The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



Consequent value of 

 each day's labour of 



one man (say) .. U 16 15 16 9 11 



Exclusive of cost of buf- 

 faloes at Rl per pair 9 03 9 00 8 00 9 00 11 00 10 00 



And Government tax 

 per pela • ■ 1 46 1 33 1 41 1 30 78 1 18 



Total ..R10 46 10 33 9 41 10 30 11 7S 1118 



If hire of buffaloes and 

 Government tax is 

 included, the value of 

 each day's labour 



comes to (say) ... 5 6 C 6 3 ,-101 



Notes. - (1)— There is scarcely any sale for 

 straw in the Four Korales and Lower Bulatgama 

 and only a very limited sale in the Three Kora- 

 les where a pela's production of straw can some- 

 times be sold for from R150 to R2-00. 



(2) The percentage of fields cultivated for 

 the Yala is as follows :— Beligal Korale, 20 per 

 cent ; Paranakuru Korale, 10 per cent ; Galboda 

 Korale, 25 per cent ; Kinigoda Korale, 25 per 

 cent ; Three Korales, 10 per cent ; Lower Bulat- 

 gama, 5 per cent. 



(3) And the yield in folds :— 8 fold in Beli 

 gal Korale, 8 fold in Paranakuru Korale, 9 fold 

 ;n Galboda Korale, 9 fold in Kinigoda Korale, 

 4 fold in Three Korales, 5 fold in Lower Bulat- 

 gama. 



(4) The native rice is sold for from R252 to 

 R2'75 per bushel. 



(5) The cost of making two bushels of padd 

 into one of rice is from 25 to 37| cents. 



(6) Buffaloes when hired are almost always 

 paid for and so of course is the Government tax. 



The " labour " is generally that of the family; 

 when it is hired, it is paid for in food, i.e., three 

 full meals a day for a day's labour. 



CEYLON'S TRADE REPORT. 



(From the Chamber of Commerce Report on the 

 half-year ended 31st December, 1907.) 

 TEA.— Total exports for the year of both Black and 

 Green Tea amount to 182,023,732 lb ,— an increase of 

 12,114,397 lb., compared with the quantity exported in 



1906 ! ~ 1907. 1906. 



Black Tea .. 176,117,016 1b. 165,899,399 1b. 



Green Tea .. 5,906,716 1b. 4,009,936 lb. 



182,023,732 lb. 169,909,335 lb. 



The increase is principally noticeable in shipments to 

 Russia and the United Kingdom which have exceeded 

 those for 1906 by 6} and 4,} million lb. respectively. Exports 

 to Australia have increased by nearly \ million lb., and 

 those to China, the larger proportion of which is destined 

 for Russia and America, by rather over If million lb. as 

 compared with the previous year's shipments. On the 

 other hand direct shipments to America show a decrease of 

 i million lb., and those toother countries collectively of 

 I million lb. as against 1906 exports. The last half-year 

 has seen the gradual general improvement in quality pre. 

 viously noted well maintained, though latterly the good 

 price obtainable for low grade teas has encouraged the 



offering of red leaf and such kinds. Finest fiavoury teas 

 have been well represented, and included some very desir- 

 able invoices from the Badulla side. Care in plucking and 

 manufacture has been noticeable in spite of the temptation 

 for a more liberal output, consequent on the very remuner- 

 ative rates realised for lowcountry Teas. Prices have 

 continued on a high level for the commoner and low 

 medium growths, and also for Dusts and Fannings, the 

 tinost of these occasionally reaching almost record rates. 

 Fine fiavoury invoices have been in fair demand with 

 prices on a comparatively moderate basis. The demand 

 for Green Teas has been good, and the limited quantity 

 obtainable has shown a very good average of quality, 

 prices have been satisfactory, though without much change. 

 The average price obtained at local auction was 41 cents 

 against 35 cents iu 1906. 



Rubber.— Shipments of Ceylon rubber during 1907 

 amount to 556,08) lb., as against 327,661 lb. exported in 

 1906, an increase of '.'28,419 lb. Of the total exports 

 about 60 per cent has been shipped to the United King- 

 dom and 33 per cent to America, Germany and Austra- 

 lia being the next best customers. The market during 

 the early part of the year was firm with buyers at R3'80 

 per lb., and then gradually declined to B3'25 per lb. 

 towards the end of November. The chief feature notice- 

 able was the price realised on the local market during 

 the latter part of the year, as much as 6d to 9d over 

 the rate ruling in London being paid in order to fulfil 

 forward contracts. With the completion of these, 

 prices dropped to a level with London. Medium and 

 low qualities were in poor demand all through the year 

 and difficult of sale. '; 



Plumbago. — A very marked decrease of rather over 

 S,C00 tons is noticeable in the total exports of this 

 mineral as compared with those in 1906, in which year 

 it must be remembered shipments reached a record 

 figure, the shortage being principally in shipments to 

 Germany and America, while those to the United Kingdom 

 have also been on a reduced scale. The following are the 

 actual figures and'their distribution :— . 



1907. 190'. 

 Cwt. Cwt. 

 To United Kingdom 170,133 187,672 



,, America 283,393 3 9,898 



„ Germany 97,689 127,253 



,, Belgium 75,209 61,024 



,, Other Countries 14,097 14,819 



G40,521 703,666 

 The market ruled firm and steady, with a gradual 

 hardening tendency until the latter part of the period 

 under review, when the effects of the financial crisis 

 in America began to be felt and caused a set back in 

 prices. 



Products of the Coconut Palm. --The following 

 are the shipments for the second six months of 1907 

 compared with those for the corresponding period in 

 1906, viz. :— 



1907. 1906. 

 .lulyto July to 



December. December. 

 Coconut Oil cwt. 314,712 cwt. 315,369 



Copra „ 250,537 „ 282,085 



Coconut Poonac „ 154,8 3 ,, 159,861) 



Desiccated Coconut lb. 13,413,884 lb. 11,513,167 

 Coconuts nuts 8,082,171 nuts 7,143,419 



The comparison for the whole of 1E07 wiiii 19)6 stands 

 thus: — 



1907. 1906. 

 January to January to 

 December. December. 

 Coconut Oil cwt. 477,996 cwt. 539,070 



Copra ;, 385,15G ,, 451.1S4 



Coconut Poonac „ 228,199 „ 25J.125 



Desiccated Coconut lb. 23,30 ',497 lb. 20,21J,570 

 Coconuts nuts 13,813,147 nuts 11,013,510 



