December r, 1887.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
387 
of pounds in tho London stock of China tea 
has apparently had no other effect on the London 
tea market, but to enhance the value of Indian 
and Ceylon teas, especially the lower grades. 
This is of great importance to Ceylon 
planters, as indicating how easily the public 
taste has adapted itself to the use of 
the better qualities of British made tea. 
That the deorease in the supply of China tea has 
had so little effect on the prices of this descrip- 
tion is, no doubt, chiefly owing to this and to the 
fact that the supply of Indian tea, until the begin- 
ning of next year, will be large enough to meet 
all the demands mado upon it without seriously 
diminishing the stock. In the beginning of next 
year, when tho usual pause in the London im- 
portations takes place, and the consumption until 
tho end of Juno is, with the exception of the 
Ceylon supply, out of stock, we shall probably see 
some further improvement in prices of all teas, 
especially tho lower grades of British made. The 
important question for Ceylon planters is, whether 
the deorease in the supply of China tea is permanent 
or temporary ? At present judging from the fact that 
fluctuations in prices have not during recent years 
affected tho export to Great Britain, we aro inolined 
to the belief that the decrease is only tempor- 
ary, oauaed, as the Chinese maintain it was, by 
unfavourable we-ither during cropping time. This 
point cannot be settled however until next June and 
July. Whoever attempts to forecast the future 
course of tho tea market on this year's experience 
would make a great mistake if he omitted from 
his calculation tho effect on consumption which 
the increased use of British made tea would cause — 
two pounds of this probably goes as far as three 
pounds of China tea : he may, therefore, see a de- 
crease in the deliveries, which will in some de- 
gree counteract the effect of tho diminished supply 
from China. — We will postpone the further con- 
sideration of this view of the subject until we 
write again upon it. It will be noticed that 
tho export to America is 10 million pounds 
deficient. This is important in eo far as a sup- 
ply of Indian and Ceylon tea may be re- 
quired to make.it gon.l. The deoroase oan, how- 
ever, bo partly met out of the stook of Formosa tea 
hold at Amoy for an improvement iu the Amorican 
demand. The Chinese have, in expectation of its 
taking place, hold to their stook with groat per- 
tinacity. The stock of this description at Amoy 
is just double what it was at the same time last 
year. England does not take moro than a million 
pounds annually from Amoy — out of a total of 18 
millions of pounds. 
Exports from China ami Japan to lb. 
England ...1887-8 90,67(5,023 
„ 1886-7 120,088,784 
„ „ „ „ ...1885-6 116,7-14 60!) 
America ...1SS7-8 37,7*0,845 
„ ...1886-7 47,9*3,674 
„ ...1885-6 41,171.013 
„ Australian 
Colonies ...1887-8 20,516,371 
1886-7 18,627,300 
ii „ ...1885-6 20,817,817 
h it •< Continent 
of Europo... 1887-8 12.820,667 
.. .. „ ...1886-7 8,216,613 
1885-0 8,502,331 
♦ 
PiTHOLlTrM nonrso in Java.— A company with a 
share capital of £12,500 has boon fonnod at 
Dordrecht (Holland) for tho working of petroleum 
springs in Java. The shares were not offered to 
the public, but have all been taken up by a few 
private capitalists, among whom is Mr. B. W. 
Blydenstein, of tho wellknown London banking 
firm. Mr. A. Stoop, jun., who is now in treaty 
with the Dutch Indian Government for the con- 
cession of petroleum springs in Java, will be the 
managing director of the concern in the iJutcli 
Indies. — Chemist and Drurjijist. 
Dry Floors.— The Java ' Bode is assured by a 
correspondent that the most effective way to keep the 
ground floors of dwellings and storehouses dry is, 
whou building, to spread over the spot a layer of 
fine coal dust stamped compactly. A layer of sand 
of equal thickness is then laid over it, and upon that 
the floor. When so constructed, the floor will, it is 
said, always remain dry from tho coal dust absorbing 
the moisture of the soil. The sand layer and hence 
the floor are secured from dampness and continue 
dry. To keep away white ants, the laying of a layer 
of coal dust under ground floors, has proved highly 
serviceable owing to the inability of these destructive 
insects to make their way ti rough it. — Straits Times. 
Coconut Oil in the Seychelles.— The manufacture 
of coconut oil is carried on in the Seychclle Islands 
on a very extensive scale. A large portion of the 
oil sold in England as "Mauritius" comes from 
Seychelles. Nearly all the mills in the colony are 
of the most primitive description— a hollow tree 
trunk, a spar, an ox, and a boy with a stick, 
and the apparatus is complete. One or two improved 
mills wore introduced some years ago, but they 
failed for two reasons— they easily got out of 
order, and " they did their work too well." In 
these parts the poonac is nearly as valuable as 
the oil itself; but if all the latter is extracted, 
the residue becomes almost valueless for feeding 
cattle, pigs, &c, and it was in this respect that 
the improved machinery utterly failed. Seychelles 
is the only place where the double coconut, specimens 
of which were shown at the Colonial and Indian 
Exhibition, is to be met with, and even here there 
is only one island, that of Peaslin, where it grows 
in profusion. The nut when cut in two and pro- 
perly polished makes a first-rate and very ornamental 
bread-dish or flowerstand.— Chemist and Driujgist. 
Manufacture of Chocolate in Germany.— The 
chocolate manufactures of Germany have in a com- 
paratively short time attained a position of great 
importance iu foreign markets. It is not long since 
foreign chocolate— especially Italian, French, and 
Swiss— was exclusively consumed in Germany, and no 
slight exertion aud sacrifice was required before German 
chocolate manufacturers secured recognition in their 
own country. Today a high degree of perfection bus 
been reached in the manufacture of chocolate, this 
being duo to tho fixed determination that only a pure 
artiole should be sent into the market. As to the 
method of manufacture it is instructive to observe 
tho various treatments which the cocoa bean has to 
undergo. Cocoa beans on shipment are as a rule shot 
into the vessels without packing of any kind, aud 
aro only put in sacks on arrival at European ports 
In order to prepare the beans for use they are first 
roasted over the firo in tin drums like coffee, tho 
hull cracking, and an oil having a burnt taste being 
formed as with colTee, which has the pcouliar smell 
of the beau. Tho bean is now crisp and of light 
brown colour. The sharp taste is removed and a 
mild aud bitter taste takes its place. After cooling, 
the bcaus are passed into an apparatus where the 
hull is separated aud the kernels broken iuto largo 
piecos, the root germs |having been broken off. The 
whole inns, falls through a sieve, the husks being blown 
away by a winnowing machine. The onooa is now 
crushed by rollers and made liquid by means of 
warmth (tho fat of tho beans molts at 30 degrees), 
and in this condition it is ground as fine ns possible 
by means of a series of rollers, being finally cast in 
moulds, when it is alluwed to harden. This is the 
cocoa which is used for the makiug of chocolate — 
KuIiIok'j Gcrmm Trade Itnitw, 
