October i, 1887.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
225 
TEA IN JAPAN. 
From the British Consular Report for 1886 we 
quote as follows : — 
The export of tea from Japau during the last seven 
years has been. — 
Lb. 
In 1880 40,436,877 
1881 ... 38 483,854 
1882 37 734,845 
1883 37,146,914 
1881 35,766,600 
1885 41,244,718 
1886 47,595,651 
These figures show that the export for 188b' exceeded 
that of any previous year in the current decade by 
over 6,000,000 lb. and the average export during the 
period of 1880-85 by over 9,000,000 lb. The only market 
for Japanese teas is found in the United States and 
Canada, and practically the whole export of 1886 was 
to those two couutries. In the United States, the 
rate of consumption of tea is calculated to be about 
l j lb. per head of the population. Taking the same 
low rate for Canada, the total anuual consumption by 
the two countries amounts to nearly 70,00,000 lb., two- 
thirds of which may bo said to consist of green teas, 
and large, therefore, as was the export from Japan 
during 1886, there is no reason why it should not be 
maintained or even extended in the future, if the 
Japanese producers are careful to consult the American 
taste for quality and flavour, not, as has been done 
in the past, ruthlessly sacrificing both in the expect- 
ation of proiitably rushing excessive quantities upon 
the markets. At present the tea trade of Japan 
directly interests Great Britain only in so far as it 
affords employment for British capital and British 
shipping. Au extension of the trade will bring about 
a proportionate increase in both these cases, and, in 
another point, it may afford an opening for British 
trade in supplying machinery that might profitably be 
used in the operations that are now done by hand. 
The export of rice in 188(5 showed au increase of 
63,732 tons in quantity, and of £416,142 in value over 
that of 1885 ; and, with the exception of 1878, it was 
the largest export that has ever hitherto taken place 
in any one year from Japan. Silk, tea, and rice are 
the most valuable and extensive productions of Japan, 
but an increase has taken place in the export of 
coal, copper, dried fish, and sea-weed. For copper 
there is a large demand in China, and a practically 
limitless one for the two latter staples. In these, it 
may be hoped that the demaud will, to a consider- 
able oxtent, be met from Japan, as the Hokkaido, 
the principal seat of the fisheries, has lately been 
freed from the crushing burden of taxation formerly 
imposed upon it, to which reference was made in the 
report on the trade of 1884. — L. $ C. Express, Aug. 12th 
PLANTING IN NORTH BORNEO. 
(British North Borneo Herald, Aug. 21st.) 
The British Borneo Trading and Planting Co.'s man" 
llr. A. Walker burnt off a clearing of 60 acress 
on the 22nd July at Boccara in Saudakan Bay. This 
□g is the proposed commencement of a lilire 
lautation and arrangements have been made for the 
olivery of over 100,000 pine-apple plants. Ouo of 
Death's fibre cleaning machines has been erected 
aud some pine-apple leaves put through with very 
favourable r. nits. 
Mr. Walker's pepper clearing on the Sogaliud is 
ready for planting and vines from Singapore are ex- 
pected in a few days. 
Mr. A. Walker finds that he can get all the labour 
lit requires at $s per mouth. 
Mr. Jour Uayman one of Baron Stein's represent- 
atives in British North Borneo loft Saudakan on 
tlie 21st July in the S. S. " Paknain " with 22 coolies 
from Labium for Lahad Onto, whoro Mr. Voorwyk 
the manager is pushing on his preparationsfor next 
vear i crop. Tho S. 3. " Royalist " which loft Sau- 
dakan on the lsth July took down B8 Javauoso 
coolies aud an assistant mauagor Mr. Brown for tho 
same estate. We are glad to think that Mr. Voor- 
wyk's preparations are made in such good time as 
may enablo him to plant his tobacco fields in May 
or perhaps before. Hitherto although the quality 
of the tobacco grown in British North Borneo 
has been generally praised the quantity has 
not been satisfactory and this has been due to 
late planting, for it is in our knowledge that a 
good deal of the tobacco planting in the last two 
years has been done in July and August. If three 
crops are to be expected the planting must not be 
later than May. 
A correspondent who has lately visited Marudu Bay 
writes very hopefully of the prospects of planting 
in that neighbourhood. At the Gormau Borneo Co.'s 
Estate, Banguey, 500,000 tobacco plants were already 
in tho ground, growing as regularly as a regiment of 
soldiers ; and 500,000 more were to be planted out 
in a week or two, making in all 100 fields, from 
which Mr. Lind hopes to obtain at least BOO piculs 
prepared tobacco by the end of the year, 
The estate belonging to the Borneo Tabac Maatschap- 
py is situated about an hours pull up the small river 
llanow at the southern end of Marudu Bay. The land 
on either side of the bay is composed chiefly of low roll- 
ing hills, but there is a considerable amount of flat land 
in the bottom of the bay just between high water mark 
between the nipah and where the hills commence, which 
rise range after range culminating in Mount Tamboyu- 
kong9,OUO feet high. This land is considered by ex- 
perts to be admirably adapted for tobacco growing. We 
hear 34,000 acres have already been selected for that 
purpose, and we must congratulate Count Geloes on his 
foresight in securing such a valuable concession as 26,000 
acres in such a favourable situation. 
At Ranow the manager Mr. Persyn is doing his work 
economically and well, a good road 30 feet wide with 
four feet ditches on either side has been constructed 
from the landing place to the estate, about one mile 
distaut. Mr. Persyu has had the usual pioneer difficult- 
ies to contend with which has thrown his work back 
somewhat but he is pushiugon, and hopeB to have 65 
fields planted out in a few weeks. 
Messrs. Persyn aud Lind have had considerable ex- 
perience in tobacco tho latter three years in Banguey 
and therefore it is satisfactory to hear that both these 
gentlemen are convinced that Borneo must become a 
tobacco producing country. 
Mr. Christian's Liberiau Coffee estate which is situ- 
ated about two miles from Kudat, was also visited aud 
was fouud to be looking very promising. The young 
plants on a 36 acre block appeared dark, glossy, and 
healthy. In view of the late rise in the price of coffee, 
aud of the possible abolition of slavery iu Brazil in the 
uear future Mr. Christian is sanguine of success, and 
we believe after tho satisfactory results from Silam 
coffee estate this year, that Liberiau coffee can now be 
added to tho list of products which will pay to plant in 
British North Borneo.!' Mr. Christian is a strong advoc- 
ate for Indian Immigration aud we hope the Govern- 
ment will secure this as it will be of immense advaut- 
age both to planters aud the country. 
FORESTRY. 
In May of the present year a Select Committee 
of the House of Commons was appointed to con- 
sider whether, by the establishment of a Forest 
School or otherwise, our woodlands could be 
rendered more remunerative. Eighteen members 
were appointed of the Committee, with the usual 
powers, and at the first meeting, on June 8th, Sir 
E. Lechmere was called to the chair. In all eight 
meetings were held, the last on August 3rd ; and 
twelve persons, representing various professions, 
occupations, and interests conneoted with woodlands 
and forest management in England, Scotland and 
Ireland were examined as witnesses. 
Tho report, which was agreod to unanimously, 
was published yesterday, and is, with very slight 
amondmonts, the draft report of tho ohairniau. It 
should be mentioned that the Couiuiittoo was 
