November i, 18S9.] THE TROPICA!. AGRltHJLTURIST* 3" 
, 1 11 iii - -■- " 1 - -- ^ ■ -1 m, 
down on you, your coolies are stirred into a mild 
kind of mutiny and try the effects of sarcasm on 
your sense of duty. As the wind and wet make 
themselves disagreeably felt, on yourself and your 
labourers, the sneaking inclination to return under 
cover is apt to be unlawfully strengthened by the 
murmuriDgs of those around. " Are we men or 
cattle that we should have to work in this rain?" 
is the indignant question commonly asked from 
behind acumbly; and when you try to ignore the 
query, and look as if you regarded it as an imperti- 
nence offered to the dignity of authority, someone 
else has a protest to add, addressed as it were to 
the world at large. This morning at muster when 
the rain was coming down thick and fast and the 
damp mist whirling about, a voice said, as if there 
had been a public debate on for some time : 
" Why you can't even see the town, and he expects 
us to be able to see the flush 1" We will be all glad 
of a change of weather, just to get things to work 
sweetly. As it is at present the wet offers all kinds of 
obstacles, and hitches are constant. Your bungalow 
doors in a way represent how things are ; some 
of them will hardly work at all, and even the 
best show a tendency to swell, and give trouble. 
The high price of rice which has of late obtained 
affects the coolies in various ways. One of my 
fellows who got leave to go away for a week to 
arrange for his marriage tells me he won't go 
now, until the price of rice has fallen. There is 
not much of the ardent lover there. It is how- 
ever rather curious to note here in the East, the 
same tendency as has been marked in the West. 
The prica of wheat there has its effects on 
marriages, as the price of rice evidently has here. 
Coffee is beginning to ripen up a little here, and 
this wet weather should help somewhat to 
mitigate the effects of the leaf-disease on the out- 
turn of light. But after all it is precious little 
of the Old King that is about, although we 
would all like to see more. 
In the villages the little coffee that remains is 
a sad temptation to the needy. To be out coffee 
stealing, even although all the spoil that can be 
got won't amount to more than naif a cooty-sack 
of green, has the same effect on the old Sinhalese 
estate marauder as a sea-song has on an ancient 
mariner. How it wakes him up, giving birth 
as it were to energy, point to his purposeless 
life, and an object to his thriftlessness. And 
when he gets caught, and appears at Court, as 
he is beginning to do now, you wonder why he 
should have risked his liberty for the few hand- 
fuls of green rubbish, which tied up in the corner 
of a dirty cloth are evidence against him, Not 
that he stole all that is brought in — more than 
likely not the half of it, for it is wonderful how 
the Sinhalese will help his brother — to a conviction 
— when the opportunity oilers— and add, even though 
it be at his own oost, to the weight of evidence. 
Tea is flushing nere, all things considered, in a 
fair kind of way, but we sadly want some more 
sun. A real hot day would be a godsend. 
The borer in the Cacao still gives a lot of trouble. 
Perhaps this damp season has been more than 
usually favourable to their propagation, for hunt 
as you may they seem hard to exterminate, and 
the tale of the slain rises in a moderate acreage 
to many thousands every round. All the same the 
cacao crop is very promising, but how much may 
turn out damaged through this wretched plague, 
will be known later. Peppercobn. 
♦ 
THE CINCHONA SYNDICATE. 
The " Circular " appended will show to all 
interested the outcome of the recent correspond- 
ence in the columns of the Observer and Tropical 
Agriculturist, and of the discussion which fol- 
lowed. We think whatever be the result of the 
present appeal, that all holders of cinchona bark 
should feel indebted to the gentlemen who have 
come forward with a practical proposal to meet 
an admittedly unsatisfactory and we would almost 
say, unjustifiable state of affairs. Ceylon Cinchona 
planters cannot fail to have confidence in Messrs. 
Bois, Mitchell and Grinlinton as reliable men of 
business and of standing equal to the amplest 
guarantee that they will carry out what they 
propose, if they but get sufficient support. We 
havo previously stated that this sufficiency might 
be found in the adherence and support of all who 
still own the equivalent of 25 acres and upwards 
of cinchona. The owners of smaller areas might, 
we think, be left out of consideration, and seeing 
how largely Ceylon still governs the bark market, 
an Association of such owners as we refer to, could 
not fail to be of much importance. At this 
moment he would be a bold man who would ven- 
ture to say that Ceylon is not to send 8 million lb. 
of bark away next season. We are aware that 
estimates are as low as 6 millions, but who in 
Europe will believe them in view of past ex- 
perience. On the other hand, through the existence 
of a controlling Syndicate if it were made clear 
that not more than 5 to 6 million lb. would be 
shipped, it is very certain that the aggregate return 
for this quantity would be in excess of the price 
likely to be paid for the larger shipments of 8 
million lb. The circular has been sent to all in- 
terested and the promoters think that with reason- 
able support the scheme should succeed ; for if a 
stop can be put to the time bargaining in quinine, 
and the "bearing" of the cinchona market by 
quinine manufacturers, the Syndicate would largely 
reinstate the bark market in its proper position. 
{Circular.) 
Colombo, Sept. 20th. 
Dear Sir, — It is contemplated to form the " Ceylon 
Cinchona Syndicate," for the purpose of receiving, 
pressing and storing Cinchona in Colombo, until ship- 
ment, and the undersigned will be glad to know whether 
in the event of the Syndicate being fully constituted, 
you would be willing to give it your support by send- 
ing your Cinchona to it. 
The terms upon which business would be done are as 
follows : — 
Advances would be made to growers, of 50 per cent 
of Colombo values on ascertained analyses. It would 
be stored free of rent for 4 months, after which a 
moderate rent would be charged till time of shipment. 
Interest would be charged at 8 per cent per annum. 
Pressing charges including shipping would be 2c. per lb. 
Shipments would be made in the same rotation as 
that in which the Cinchona was received, but only at 
such times as the Syndicate might deem to be desirable. 
Owners of Oincuona might have shipment when 
made, consigned to their order, in which case advances 
would have to be repaid at the time of shipment, but if 
the sale of the Cinchona in Loudon were left in the 
hands of the Syndicate, the advances need not be re- 
paid until proceeds are accounted for. Arrangements 
could also be made for the holding of Cinchona longer 
than the time at which, in rotation, its turn would come 
round for shipment. 
Your reply at your earliest convenience will much 
oblige. — Yours faithfully, Fjred. Wm. Bois, 
W. W. Mitchell, 
J. J. Geinlinton. 
♦ 
TOBACCO IN DELI. 
The Deli Courant of the 31st August states that 
during the mouth the tobacco crop had been cut on 
inoat of the estates. Owing to the heavy rains in the 
provious thrco months, the yield will bo much smaller 
thau had been hoped and expected at fir6t. 
