6 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[July i, 1889. 
paid to the manufacture of otto of rose in other 
districts. And although the quantities which are gained 
in Northern Bulgaria, in the neighbourhood of Broussa, 
as well as in the Caucasus, cannot as yet compete with 
a production of 2,400 kilos., such as we may calculate 
to be obtained in Eoumelia, still they are sufficient to 
compel some caution in the pretentions of the Rou- 
melians. [The Broussa plantations are not, as far as 
we are aware, situated in Northern Bulgaria, but near 
Broussa, on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. — 
Ed. 0. & D.l 
Vanilla. — According to all reports a complete failure 
of the vanilla crop has succeeded last year's abundant 
yield. In Mexico the crop has been entirely destroyed 
by rain, and the news of this fact caused prices to 
advance a dollar per lb. in one single day on the New 
York market. It is true that Mexican vanilla has 
ceased to play a part on the European markets for 
many years, but the varieties here current, such as 
Mauritius, Reunion, and Seychelles, have also shown 
a considerable deficiency. The 1888 crop in Mauritius 
is estimated at only 34,000 lb., against three times that 
quantity in 1887, and in Reunion at 11,650 kilos against 
41,000 kilos, while in the Seychelles, the bulk of the 
crop having been shipped already, not over 5,000 lb. 
are said to remain in the hands of the growers. The 
aggregate of these figures is not at all sufficient for 
the annual consumption, which hitherto required from 
the London market alone 400 tins, or, say 5,000 lb per 
month. The stocks also have been lightened consi- 
derably. In the middle of January, 1889, the first 
and second hands together in Paris and Bordeaux 
owned only about 22,000 kilos, while in London 
there were 300 tins, against 1,500 tins in 1888, and 
400 tins in 1887. The London quotation for me- 
dium lengths was : 1889 = 12s 6d, 1888 = 16s, 1887 — 
21s per lb. Under the above-pictured circumstances 
speculators have seized upon the article. The advanc- 
ing tendency which has become strongly marked since 
January has developed itself further and will con- 
tinue to progress, and low prices must not be expected 
again this year. It is reported that the prospects for 
the 1889 crop also leave much to be desired. The 
quality of the 1888 has been a very good one, the long 
beans which were so scarce last year are very well 
represented this season, and even beans 9 to 10 
inches in length are frequent. But there is a noticeable 
lack of short beans from 4J to 5£ inches long, and for 
this variety prices are paid which are, perhaps, out of 
proportion to the others.— Chemist and Druggist. 
♦ 
BENGAL PATENT STONE. 
The experiment narrated in the following extract 
from the Indian Engineer, seems to have been more 
successful than was an attempt made in Ceylon 
in Major Skinner's time to manufacture artificial 
stone, a gentleman connected with an English Firm 
being got out for the purpose. The local experiments 
were conducted at the Government Factory and the 
publication of details would be interesting. We 
quote as follows : — 
From time to time various materials have been 
combined with cement with the object of making a 
solid mass or concrete for building and engineering 
purposes, the most important point in this amalga- 
mation being to use, with cement, such materials 
as do not possess a regular surface, and are also 
slightly honey-combed and very hard. They have all 
however, been found defective in one or other of these 
essentials, as, either, owing to the nature of the 
material used, they have scaled like ordinary stone, 
or, owing to its not being porous, there has been 
nothing for the cement to key ; and the whole after 
very little wear has crumbled away like sand and 
become perfectly useless. 
The main feature of the Patent Stone, introduced 
by MesBrs. Garlic Bros., of Calcutta, is that the chief 
ingredient used is harder than flint, and in Bhape 
most irregular, and in addition, slightly honey-combed, 
ho that the cement finds opportunities for grasping 
and keying the aggregate, and forming one solid and 
allmoat iudostructiblo mass. 
The want of a moderately-priced, and thoroughly 
durable, stone is greatly felt in India, more especi- 
ally in lower Bengal, where stone is amost non- 
existent ; and the Patent Stone, will be found 
valuable for many purposes. It is being extensively 
used by the Bengal Public Works Department, the 
Calcutta Municipality, the Military Authorities, and 
the Calcutta Tramways Co. — for stable-floors, surface- 
drains, boundary posts, etc., — and by private firms, 
and others. 
Street's foot-paths, floors, godowns, mills and houses 
are all paved in the same manner. The surface is 
perfectly smooth and even, and there are no joints. 
Floors are perfecty damp-proof, fire-proof, and vermin- 
proof ; almost indestructahle, clean and even ; they 
are said to wear better than stone, and require no 
repairs, as in the case of asphalte or cement ; and 
be unaffeoted by the greatest heat. 
THE DUTCH MARKET. 
Amsterdam, April 24th. 
Cinchona Bark. — The sales in Amsterdam on May 
2nd will consist of 2,244 bales and 95 cases, about 
1,865 tons, viz.: — Java Bark from Covernment planta- 
tions, 410 bales and 31 cases, about 35 tons; private 
1834 bales and 64 cases, about 148 tons. East Indian 
bark 37 bales, about 3 tons 5 c.vt. This quantity is 
made up as follows : Druggists' Bark : Succnuora 
quills 62 cases ; broken quills and chips 348 bales 2± 
cases ; root 57 bales 2 caaes ; C. Schuhkraft quills 7 
cases ; broken quills and chips 41 bales ; root 6 bales; 
Lancifolia broken and chips 6 bales ; root 2 bales ; 
Manufacturers' Bark (about 147J tons): O. Officinalis 
broken quills and chips 35 bales ; C. Ledgeriaua broken 
quills and chips 1,402 bales; root 261 Dales ; Hybrid 
broken quills and chips 67 bales ; root 19 bales. Ma- 
nutacturerers' barks contain about 6 tons of sulphate 
of quinine or 4-1 per cent on the average. About llg 
tons contain 1-2 per cent of sulphate or quinine ; 35£ 
tons 2-3 per cent ; 47j tons 3-4 per cent ; lb\ tons 
4-5 per cent ; 7 tons 5-6 per cent ; 21 tons 6-7 per cent; 
3J tons 7-8 per cent ; 6 tons 8-9 per cent. — Chemist and 
Druggist. 
ALL ABOUT TEA PROSPECTS: NOTES 
ON PRODUCE AND FINANCE. 
The Chinese tea merchants, especially those at Kin- 
kiaug, are quite elated at the success of Chinese 
teas last season, and they already think that a re- 
action in their favour has set in. Contracts lor the 
ensuing season to the amount of from 700,000 to 800,000 
taels have already been settled with the up-country 
growers. It is quite clear that the supply of tea is 
not likely to diminish, and that prices will not be 
in the ascendant. It will be a keen competitive strug- 
gle in which the fittest gardens will survive. But 
new markets must be opened. It is an imperative 
necessity. The Ceylon planters have recognised this 
from the first, and have been more active than Indian 
planters in practical work iu this direction. There is 
the European Continent to be won, and no time should 
be lost before organising. 
That which enterprise in combination has pondered 
long over and recently undertaken — viz., the opening 
ud of new markets for Indian and Ceylon tea — has 
been taken in hand very vigorously by Mr. S. Davidson, 
of Belfast. Not content with opening the campaign 
in the United States, Mr. Davidson, with his usual 
pluck and pursuance, is, we hear, laying siege to Con- 
tinental markets, and his famous Sirocco teas will be 
heard of in_France aud other countries before long. 
The Statist, referring to the position of tea and the 
fall in prices, says :— " While in the Mincing Lane 
markets there has lately been a good deal of specu- 
lative activity in some directions, notably in sugar, 
there is one department which has been extremely 
depressed. Where the tea trade, as in past years, 
dependent on the statistical position of China tea alone, 
we should probably have had prices going up by 
eaps and bounds ; but, as we have on moreanh it 
