November, 1909,1 



415 



Edible Products. 



been shown as exported from the Upper 

 Assam block to Chittagong Port during 

 the year under review. 



Prices, 



The average prices of tea obtained in 

 Calcutta and London, and the statistics 

 of production, as furnished by the 

 Secretary to the India Tea Association 

 for the year under report, compared 

 with the figures of the previous year, 

 are given in the following statement :— 



YEAR. 



Brahmaputra 

 Valley. 



Surma Valley. 



Number 

 o£ pack- 

 ages. 



Price 

 per 

 lb. 



Number 

 of pack- 

 ages. 



Price 

 per 

 lb. 



1 



2 



3 



4 



5 



From 1st April, 1907, to 

 31st March, 1908 



From 1st April, 1908, to 

 31st March, 1909 



From 1st April, 1907, to 

 31st March, 1908 



From 1st April, 1908, to 

 31st March, 1909 



From 1st April, 1907, to 

 31st March, 1908 



From 1st April, 190S, to 

 31st March, 1909 



From 1st April, 1907, to 

 31st March, 1908 



From 1st April, 1908, to 

 31st March, 1909 



L 



696,601 

 720,692 



CI 

 181,464 

 184,161 



ONDON 

 8-79(7. 

 8'83(7. 



lLCUTT 

 7a. 6p. 

 6a. lip. 



SALES 

 271,360 

 276,971 

 A SALE 

 273,196 

 254,095 



23t7. 

 6-2'(7. 

 S. 



6a. 3p. 

 4a, lip. 



Jalpaiguri. 



Chittagong. 



Number 

 of pack- 

 ages. 



Price 

 per 

 lb. 



Number 

 of pack- 

 ages. 



Price 

 per 

 lb. 



6 



7 



8 



9 



L 



201,094 

 181,902 



CI 

 180,795 

 185,766 



ONDON 



TIM. 



6-91(1. 

 LLCUTT 

 6a. 102?. 

 6a, Op. 



SALES 



6,057 

 5,519 

 A SALE 

 8,7c7 

 7,878 



1 7-26(7. 

 6-05(7. 



S. 



6a. 3p. 



la. lip. 



It is understood that the figures in 

 the above statement relate to teas manu- 

 factured in calender years, as practi- 

 cally no tea is manufactured between the 

 1st January and the 31st March in any 

 year, the amount manufactured during 

 that period being in any case so small 

 that it may be neglected. 



Except for London sales of the Braha- 

 maputra Valley teas, which fetched '04d. 

 more per lb., the prices of tea grown in 

 all parts of the province fell off both in 

 London and Calcutta in comparison with 

 the previous year. The decline in values 

 was no doubt dueto shrinkage in demand 

 for low grade teas, the price of which 

 was considerably forced up during the 

 closing months of 1907 and at the 



beginning of 1908, owing to exceptional 

 demand from all markets of the world. 



Condition of Industry. 

 The beneficial results of the increased 

 labour force are apparent this year. 

 Despite a season which was far from 

 favourable in the beginning, and the 

 increased expenditure involved by re- 

 cruiting, there has been a substantial 

 increase in acreage under the crop, and 

 in the number of new gardens opened. 



Prices at the close of the year com- 

 pare favourably with last year's, al- 

 though the quality of leaf generally was 

 rather inferior. But over the whole 

 year the prices are reported to have 

 declined. The cause is no doubt partly 

 shrinkage in demand for lower grades, 

 but also is partly due to depreciation in 

 quality, especially for the Assam dis- 

 tricts due to unfavourable conditions. 

 These are temporary, while it is hoped 

 that the improvement in labour condi- 

 tions is permanent, and future prospects 

 are certainly brighter for the tea in- 

 dustry. 



RICE GROWING. 



(Prom the Queensland Agricxdtural 

 Journal, Vol. XXIIL, Pt. 3, 

 September, 1909.) 



We have lately had several inquiries 

 from farmers concerning the possibilities 

 of rice-growing in Queensland. Most of 

 our correspondents are possessed with 

 the idea that rice can only be grown in 

 tropical swamps, under conditions which 

 could not lead to the establishment of 

 the production of this cereal in a com- 

 munity of European farmers. This is a 

 too common error. Many portions of 

 this State are eminently adapted to rice 

 culture, and very paying returns have 

 been received, especially in the Southern 

 coast districts, by those who have 

 cultivated what is generally known as 

 mountain rice. The swamp rice of 

 Japan, Java, and other tropical countries 

 has never been attempted in Queens- 

 land, and would, certainly, prove a 

 disastrous speculation to any one who 

 tried it. The following exhaustive article 

 on the cultivation of this cereal was 

 written in 1901, by Mr. F. W. Peek, of 

 Loganholme, at a time when rice was 

 largely grown at Pimpama, at Cairns, 

 and in some other localities. There is no 

 more trouble in growing rice than in 

 growing wheat. Swamps and irrigation 

 canals are not needed. The land can be 

 ploughed and prepared as for wheat, 

 and the crop harvested iu the same 

 manner. We reprint Mr. Peek's paper. 



