and Magazine of the Ceylon Agricultural Society, 



275 



(torn which figures it is at once seen that the exports 

 of the produce of the coconut palm in 1907 were in every 

 case, with the single exception of desiccated coconut, 

 considerably below the quantities sent from the Island 

 in 190'. This shortage in out-put is undoubtedly the 

 result of a poor crop consequent on unfavourabl 

 weather conditions in the preceding year. During th 

 closing months of 1907 a good deal has been heard of - 

 coconut stem disease affecting principally young trees. 

 It does not appear, however, that short crops are in any 

 way due to this pest, and it seems as if the short rain- 

 fall in 190(3 was practically the sole cause of the smaller 

 production. Early in 1907 coconut oil touched RE85 per 

 ton f. o. b., a record price for the article as far at least 

 as the present generation is concerned, but from 

 that point there has been a gradual decline in values, 

 the year closing with the quotation ofR375 per ton and a 

 falling market. 



Poonac— has been in steady demand during the year at 

 from R80 to 1190 per ton. 



Copra.— The demand for export has not been strong 

 owing partly to other Copra-producing countries having 

 had big crops, and partly to financial depression outside 

 the Island, particularly in the closing months of the year. 



Cinnamon.— The quantity of Quills exported during 1907 

 is rather under that of the previous year, but this slight de- 

 crease has been more than compensated for by the out-put 

 of Chips, the total exports of both desciiptions showing an 

 advance of 295,078 lb over those of 1906, and exceeding those 

 of all pievious years. Germany continues to offer the 

 largest market for both Quills and Chips, America being 

 the next best customer for Quills and the United Kingdom 

 for Chips. The market has not been subject to any great 

 fluctuations. The rate for Quills in ordinary assortment at 

 the commencement of the year was quoted at 48 cents per 

 lb, and gradually advanced to 52 cents towards the end of 

 June, declining towards the close of the year to about 47 

 cents. The market for Chips followed much the same course 

 and after advancing to R65 per candy about the middle Of 

 the year gradually declined, and the rate quoted at the 

 close of the period under review was R54 per candy. 



Cocoa.— Though Exports for the six months under 

 review have been on a very much lower scale than those 

 for the first six months of the year, they shew a material 

 increase compared with the corresponding period in 1906, 

 Total exports for the year were 92,511 cwts. as against 

 54,020 cwts. in 1906, an increase of 38,491 cwts. The United 

 Kingdom continues to be by far the largest market, and 

 has taken over 70 per cent of the total shipments. The 

 year opened with a strong market, the demand being in 

 excess of supplies, with the result that local values 

 steadily advanced. Common native descriptions were 

 practically exhausted by the middle of March, but arrivals 

 of estate qualities continued to come forward into May 

 and found ready buyers. The New Season's crop came 

 in early in October, but the high prices prevailing rendered 

 business difficult, as local values were still above home 

 quotations. This position remained unaltered until late in 

 the year, when producers were more inclined to meet the 

 fall in the home markets. 



Cardamoms. — Notwithstanding the reported reduced ac- 

 reage of estate kinds, the exports of this article for the 

 whole of 1907 have exceeded those for the previous year by 

 57,359 lb. A heavy increase is noticeable in shipments to 

 India as compare! with 1906, while those to the United 

 Kingdom have also been on a moderately increased scale. 

 Exports to all other countries, however, show a decline. 

 The supply during the first half of the year was scarcely 



sufficient to meet the demand, and as a consequence the 

 local market ruled firm. With the arrival of 

 son's crop towards the end of the year prices receded s owly, 

 though they did not respond to the falls experienced n 

 Europe and America, and business was consequently ren- 

 dered speculative. 



Citronei.la Oil.— The exports for the year amount to 

 1,312,192 lb as compared ;with 1,212.771 lb shipped during 

 1906, but the difference is hardly sufficient to account for 

 the extraordinary fluctuations in prices that have 

 prevailed during the year. On referring to the 

 Chamber's Report for the first half of the year, it will 

 be noticed that from Rl'05 per lb in January the 

 market rose steadily till as much as Rl-20 to 1*24 was 

 quoted in April, after which it declined to Rl -02 to U05 in 

 June. At the end of August the price had fallen to 90 to 95 

 cents, and each month shewed a further decline, the 

 market closing at the end of December at 50 to 54 cents. It 

 is probable that the financial difficulties experienced in 

 the United Wtates and America assisted towards the 

 rapid deeline, as the exports to America which wore as 

 much as 623,9991b. in 1905 and 563,030 in 1906 have fallen 

 to 479,024 for the year. 



The following is the distribution of exports for the two 

 years :— 



19U6. 1907. 

 United Kingdom .. 483,533 520. 31 



France .. 18,975 32,900 



Germany .. 97,396 198,109 



64,1 65 68,402 

 541,030 479.024 

 7,772 13,426 



Australia 

 America 

 Other Countries 



lb. 1,212,771 



1,312,192 



The Comparative Statement of Exports. 



1907. 19u7. 1907. 1906. 



Jan, co July to 



June. Dec. Total, Total. 



94,210,493 81,906,523 176,117,016 165,889,301 



2,655,944 3,250,772 5,906,716 4,009,939 



24 ,37 > 313,710 556.080 327,«66 



Black tea 



lb. 



G reen tea 



lb. 



Rubber 



lb. 



Coffee 



cwt. 



Cocoa 





Cardamoms lb. 



Cinnamon 





bales 



lb. 



Cinnamon 





chips 



lb. 



Coconuts 



nuts 



Desicca ted 





coconuts 



lb. 



Coconut 





poonac 



cwt. 



Copra 





Coconut oil 





Citronella 





oil 



lb. 



Cinchona 





Plumbago 



cwt. 



1 ,635 

 60,661 

 433,159 



214 

 31,850 

 346,336 



1,819 

 92,511 

 789,495 



7,472 

 54,1.20 

 732,136 



1,261,391 2,093,557 3,358,448 3,367 



1.410,3'3 

 5,730,976 



1,425,61 3 

 8,082,171 



2,835,936 

 13,813,147 



2,531,614 

 16,013,610 



9,8S9,613 13,413,881 23,303,497 20,213,570 



73,376 

 134,619 

 153,2S4 



682,540 

 150,287 

 369.0S7 



154,823 

 2oli,537 

 314,712 



629,652 

 84,212 

 271,434 



228,199 

 38S156 

 477,996 



1,312,192 

 234,499 

 640,521 



259,125 

 451,134 

 539,070 



1,212,771 

 297,613 

 703,666 



Imports. 



Piece Goods.— A fair trade has been done during the 

 past six months, although it has been difficult to work up 

 prices sufficiently to show a margin on the high level of 

 prices current in the Home markets. The trade would ap- 

 pear to be in a healthy condition, though towards the end 

 of the year the forced realization of stocks in certain 

 quarters has had a tendency to depress prices. A feature 

 of the trade has beeu the absence of demand for Dhooties, 

 for which there is usually a strong inquiry during the last 

 six months of the year. The grade of cotton known as 

 <' Mid Uplands" was quoced on the 1st July at 7'22d per 

 pound, and on the 31st December stood at 6'18d per pound. 



Rice.— Imports for the six months ended 31st December, 

 1907, shew a decrease of 133,488 bags, as compared with 

 the corresponding period in 1906. Arrivals during the first 



