6o2 
?H£ f ftd^lCAL AGftl6ULtURI§f. [March i, 1890. 
'' second man," whose presence would be at ono 
a means of fuller supervision and an assurano 
against the costly neglect which would aris 
from the illness or absence of the manager in 
Chief. — Strain Times. 
UNIFORM WEIGHTS FOR INDIA. 
The Government of India have addressed the 
Local Governments regarding the practicability of 
scouring a uniform system of weights in all India. 
That which appears the best solution, according 
to the Government, is the tolah of 180 grains, 
which is the exact weight of the rupee ; the seer 
of 80 tolahs; and the maund of 40 seers. All 
railways have adopted these weights, and the ten- 
dency of trade will naturally be to follow this 
example. The Local Governments are asked to 
take the opinions of the principal trading Asso- 
ciations before forwarding their replies. — Pioneer. 
NOTES ON PRODUCE AND FINANCE. 
The paper on the " Tea, Coffee, and Cocoa 
Industries of Ceylon," read by Mr. Shand before the 
Colonial Seotion of the Society of Arts on Tuesday, 
did not attract a large audience. There were about 
twenty people present, but this was no doubt due 
to the bad weather of Tuesday evening. 
According to an Indian contemporary Russian 
trade with India is improving, and the Russians 
are endeavouring to develop a direct trade with 
Indian ports instead of through London. If this 
be so there is some prospect of a direct trade in 
Indian tea with Odessa, and this enterprise will no 
doubt be pushed forward. 
The letter of " S. N. S." in the Financial News, 
which we referred to last week, has called forth a 
reply from Mr. George JSeaton. Final results of 
the season 1889 cannot be known till the closing 
of accounts, which is usually done about May, by 
which date it is anticipated that the larger pro- 
portion of -the companies will, in spite of low prices, 
a not particularly favourable season, and the sharp 
competition of Ceylon tea, show very fairly satis- 
factory results. The shareholders of Indian tea 
companies and owners of tea estates are undoubtedly 
a very scattered body, and greatly lacking in the 
necessary cohesion ; but they have latterly come 
a good deal more together, and show an increasing 
desire to work together for mutual interest under 
the auspices of their representative body, viz., the 
Indian Tea Districts Association, of St. Mary Axe," 
In a second letter Mr. Seton gives the investments 
in tea as the following : — English registered com- 
panies, capital £5,000,000 ; Calcutta registered com- 
panies, capital £2,000,000 ; Private ownerships, 
capital probably £2,000,000; say, nearly £10,000,000. 
— H. and C. Mail. 
REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF INDIAN 
TEA. 
To the Editor of the Home and Colonial Mail. 
Sir, — As we have now for some time past had the 
benefit of an influential committee regularly sitting as 
a feed-regulator to the machinery of the Indian tea 
market, it may prove interesting to compare results 
with last year, when the automatio principle of every 
man for himself waB in force. Your columns have 
contained various references to the supposed merits of 
the new and improved plan ; the brokers' circulars are 
alike laudatory and congratulatory ; so that a com- 
parison of figures oannot fail to interest, if not amuse 
those who tuivo regulated minds. The quantity i 
publio sale since Jan. 1st to date was as follows :— 
1889. 1890. 
First week . . 10,100 packages 13,137 packages 
Second week.. 33,751 ,, 35,354 „ 
Third week .. 31,463 „ 37,384 „ 
Fourth week . . 30,185 „ 32,432 „ 
Total .. 105,499 ■„ 118,307 „ 
It therefore appears that whilst under the old system 
the variation (omitting the first week) was under 10 
per cent, from the highest to the lowest, it rose under 
the "regulation system" to a variation of 15 per oent.; 
and, furthermore, the market has had to absorb about 
30 per cent in excess of the ordinary consumption. I 
am Dot by any means objecting to the principle of 
regulating supplies, but I think it is desirable that 
amid muoh trumpeting the above facts should not 
escape notice. — lam, &c, D. F. Shillington. 
[Our correspondent's figures point to the necessity 
for exercising some control over the supplies. If 
the quantity of tea placed upon the market during 
the first three weeks of the present month is 
so great notwithstanding the control, it is reasonable 
to assume that without any restriction the quantity 
would have been much heavier. Our correspondent, 
however, views in quite a different light to ourselves 
the object which, as we understand it, tea growers 
have had in view. This is, we believe, not necessarily 
to reduce materially the quantity of tea at auction 
in any one week, but to endeavour to feed the mar- 
ket according to the varying requirements of buyers. 
At one time, from various contributing causes, very 
large sales have a less depressing effect on the market 
than at other times, when much smaller quantities 
are offered at auction. We believe, moreover, that 
importers, before deciding on the present step, came 
to the conclusion that it would oe favoured by buyers 
as well as sellers, as they believe that nothing dis- 
turbed the confidence of buyers so much as an un- 
certain market, brought about by large and small 
supplies offered alternately, often without any con- 
sideration as to the requirements of the trade. — Ed. 
H. & C. M.] -H. and C. Mail. 
COCONUT MILK : A NEW TRADE IN INDIA 
Within the last few months a new trade ha B 
arisen in India and has attained extraordinary dimen- 
sions. About two years ago, a German chemist, 
Dr. Schlunk, discovered that excellent butter could 
be made from coconut milk. It is (according to a 
Bombay newspaper) pleasant to taste and smell, of a 
dear whitish colour, singularly free from acids, 
easily digestible, and an incomparably healthier and 
better article of diet than the cheap poor butters and 
oleomargarines of European markets. The manu- 
facture is carried on in Germany, where one firm 
turns out from 3,000 to 4,000 kilogrammes daily. 
The ooconuts required are imported from India, 
chiefly Bombay, in large and increasing numbers, 
and the trade seems likely to attain still greater 
importance. — P. M. Budget, Jan. 23rd. 
SUPERSTITIONS ABOUT PRECIOUS STONES. 
Agate quenches thirst, and if held in the 
mouth allays fever. It is supposed, at least in fable, 
to render the wearer invisible and to turn the 
sword of foes against themselves. It is the emblem 
of health and long life, and is dedicated to June. 
In the Zodiac it stands for Scorpio. Amber is a 
cure for sore throat and all glandular swellings, 
It is said to be a concretion of birds' tears. Ihe 
birds which wept amber were the sisters of Me- 
leagor, called Meleagrides, who never ceased 
weeping for their brother's death. Amethyst 
banishes the desire for drink and promotes chast ity 
