THE SUPPLEMENT TO THE 



Tropical Agriculturist and Magazine of the C. A. 8. 



Compiled and Edited by A. M. & J. FERGUSON. 

 No. 5,] NOVEMBER, 1910. [Vol. VII. 



COFFEE ADVANCING IN DEMAND 

 AND PRICES. 



DECREASED CHOP IN BRAZIL. 

 Although our old staple is but a negligible 

 quantity dow in the island's exports, only a few 

 hundreds of acres being in cultivation, yet it is 

 of interest to learn of the better times arrived, 

 and in prospect, for the long-tried planters in 

 Brazil, Central America, India, Java and other 

 coffee-growing countries. Among these are a 

 few well-known ex-Ceylon colonists, who, with 

 rare courage and enterprise, ventured to put cap- 

 ital and " new blood " into a section of Brazil 

 in the hope of improving cultivation, and especi- 

 ally the preparation of the local coffee. We 

 fear a financial success for a number of years 

 was not achieved ; but there may be a fair re- 

 ward if the latest news from Europe, of an in- 

 crease of 30 per cent and more, in the price of 

 coffee, is maintained. During August, it seems, 

 strong, active demand and advancing prices were 

 experienced in the London, Havre, Hamburg 

 and New York markets, for "good average San- 

 tos " (as well as coffee generally) and the prices 

 rose from 31s 6d on June 30th, to 43s on Sept. 

 23rd, with free sales. The immediate cause is 

 found in a smalle Brazilian crop now coming 

 forward than came last year; the comparison 

 is between 11 to 12 and 15 million bags, and the 

 crop of 191112 will also be a small one—below 

 12 million bags. But a greater encouragement 

 lies in an increasing demand, due to steadily 

 advancing consumption in Europe and America. 

 Perhaps this may not be welcomed by tea pro- 

 ducers ; but in a year when there is also a keen 

 demand — and, perhaps, short supplies — of tea, no 

 one need grudge a turn of good fortune for those 

 interested in coffee. But another cause of the 

 rise of Brazil coffee— which, of course, rules the 

 markets of the world — is the great advance of 

 exchange between Rio and London from 15 J in 

 January to 18| in September ! No one can be 



5S 



sure of this continuing, or the demand and price 

 being maintained ; but statistically, the posi- 

 tion of coffee is expected by good authorities 

 to improve for some months to come, and the 

 world's visible supply is undoubtedly a good 

 deal less than it was a year ago, while " coffee 

 contracts " have become fashionable in London 

 even outside the usual business circles. 



ROOT DISEASE OF TEA. 



The R. B. Gardens Circular for October (Vol. 

 V. No. 11), just published, is on the Root Disea- 

 ses of Tea by Mr T Petch, b.a., b.sc, who tells us 

 that five of these have now been to some extent 

 investigated. These diseases, in order of preva- 

 lence, are caused by (1) Ustulina zonata, Lev.; (2) 

 Hymenochaste noxia, Berk. ; (3) Poria hypolate- 

 ritia, Berk. ; (4) Botryodiplodia thoobromse, Pat. 

 and (5) Rosellinia bothrina, B. and Br. Thedistin- 

 guishing marks of these five diseases are : — In the 

 2nd, 3rd and 5th cases oxternal mycelium is pre- 

 sent on the root ; in the other two there is no ex- 

 ternal mycelium. In the 2nd disease, tho mycelium 

 is tawny brown, cementing stones and sand to 

 the root in a thick crust ; in the 3rd it is red 

 and white, in solid patches and strands closely 

 adhering to the root ; in the 5th the mycelium 

 is at first cob-webby and gray, then forming 

 black strands on the root, with white stars be- 

 tween the wood and the cortex ; in the 1st the 

 mycelium is running between the wood and the 

 cortex in white fan-shaped patches ; and in the 

 4th no mycelium is evident between the wood 

 and the cortex, and if kept a few days the root 

 is covered with a black powder. Mr Petch 

 thinks it probable that there are other root dis- 

 eases of tea, in addition to the five mentioned 

 above. For example, there has just been 

 brought to his notice a case in which several 

 bushes have been killed round a jak stump by a 

 root disease which does not appear to be one of 

 these five. 



