20 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
[July 2, 1888. 
boxed right in on the outer, and over half of the 
inner side, runs down in the furrow or on the 
floor of the cutting. Iron plates are fixed at regular 
intervals all around the inner surface, which act 
as carriers for the soil. An ordinary plough- 
coulter and share run beside the wheel, and turn 
the furrow into it. It is raised then on the steps 
through the completely enclosed portion, and dropped 
into a truck or hopper fixed above the axle. The 
outer wheel is small, similar to that of a reaping 
machine, and the hopper takes a position similar 
to that of the machine board. The larger wheel 
is about 8ft. in diameter, and the hopper or truck 
is constructed to hold about a yard of earth. The 
discharging process is very simple. The whole 
machine is dragged out to the spot where it is 
desired to deposit the earth, and then a couple of 
turns of a screw lets the bottom fall, and the load 
is discharged instantly. The trial yesterday was 
with a couple of good horses on hard ground, and 
was very successful. Some slight modifications were 
suggested, and more power would be required for 
continuous work, but there is little doubt that the 
machine has been produced here for which Aus- 
tralia has long waited, and will gladly welcome. 
Working steadily it is estimated to cut and take 
out a yard of earth per minute, requiring only two 
men to attend it. Indeed it is quite possible that 
a skilful driver with a well educated team could 
manage it alone. — Australasian, 
DELI NEWS. 
(Translated for the Straits Times.) 
The Deli Courant of the 28th March takes note 
of the starting of a company in London for mining 
enterprise on the East Coast of Sumatra. The 
company will be conducted uuder the style of the 
" Siak Tin and Planting Company." The capital has 
been fixed at two hundred thousand pounds sterling. 
The Company has been started for buying and work- 
ing a concession which had been granted by the 
Sultan of Siak to one of the directors, under sanction 
of the Netherlands India Government, It takes in 
in area estimated at three quarters of a million of 
acres. A German geologist, Dr. Seelhorst, has reported 
from personal examination, that the company's se- 
lection abounds with tin, which may be put out at 
less expense than is incurred in Banka andBilliton, 
the chief seats of mining for that metal in this part 
of the world. In his opinion the Company may rest 
assured of realising handsome profits from this branch 
of enterprise at no distant date. He is confident 
that all will go well with the Company, and has 
offered to enter its service as manager. The Company 
also is hopeful of making a good thing out of tobacco 
cultivation, owing to the land it has secured being 
admirably adapted for that purpose. The Company 
is domiciled at Amsterdam, but has the ight to 
establish a branch office in London. 
A map of the tobacco districts from Siak to 
Langkat on the east coast of Sumatra, has seen the 
light at Amsterdam. The explanatory memoir attached 
shows that there are no less than 193 tobacco estates 
in th« tract mapped out, the area taken up being 
estimated at 600,000 acres. The yield from them in 
1886 reached thirty two millions of guilders in 
value. 
There is now a great demand for "old hands" 
from Deli to open up tobacco estates in other neighbour- 
ing tobacco growing colonies. Planters in Deli seem 
mostly to be unmindful of the detrimental effect 
on their own interests, of this emigration of old 
}]'<nd8. The local Courant urges them to retain the ser- 
vices of these experienced assistants, by allowing the 
latter a share in the estate profits. This course is 
held advisable, on the ground that mere increase in 
f.ilaiy would hardly benefit the employees. Atpresent, 
owing to the expensive style of living indulged 
in, only a tew of them live within their means. 
So that they are not satisfied with their lot, and 
readily cast about for situations abroad. To fill up 
vacancies arising from resignations, the planters have 
mainly to rely on new hands who have every thing 
to learn. 
: ♦ 
THE RUSSIAN TEA TEADE. 
As regards the Russian tea trade from Tientsin the 
Commissioner at that port notes that a British firm 
has entered it, that the " trade was conducted in the 
usual way and by the customary means. Camels were 
plentiful, and Chinese and Mongols carried off the 
million of taels which the transportation of tea over- 
land yields nearly every year to the people engaged in 
it. How loDg this source of revenue is going to bene- 
fit them depends on the progress which the construc- 
tion of railways in Siberia will make. It is reported that 
the ground for laying rails between Vladivostock and 
Stretensk on the Amoor has been surveyed already, and 
that before the end of 1888 the construccion of the road 
will be commenced. Another danger to the Transit 
trade of the port is the growing consumption of Indian 
teas in Russia. These teas are imported into Russia 
from London and direct by way of Odessa, and are 
mixed by retailers with Chinese teas. Already the 
leading Russian firm at Tieutsin in anticipation of the 
further deterioration of Chinese teas and the tendency 
to improve the same by mixing them with Assam or 
Ceylon tea, has despatched an agent to India to par- 
ticipate in the purchases of the commodity for which 
Russia affords, next to England, the greatest market." 
It is obvious that if Russian taste in tea drinking is 
turning to Indian teas, another and a very serious 
danger threatens our trade.— iV.-C Herald, May 18th. 
INDIAN VERSUS CHINESE TEA. 
We have received in the printed documents upon 
the decline of the China tea trade issued by the 
Foochow Chamber of Commerce, a comprehensive, 
clear, and conclusive series of reports that throw 
full iight upon questions whose issues threaten the 
virtual extinction of the Chinese export trade in tea at 
no distant date. 
In a letter of 3rd November, 1887, Mr. Wood, 
Chairman of the Chamber, addressed to Mr. Hannen, 
Commissioner of Imperial Customs at Foochow, one of 
the principal hindrances to any improvement in the 
now waning trade is dealt with. The average value 
of tea exported during that season from Foochow was 
estimated as Tls. 14 per picul. But the tea had to pay 
out of this price Tls. 2-75 for export daty, and for 
likin and various taxes Tls. 1"75, or in all Tls. 4-50, 
equal to '62 per cent, on the value. This levy is 
now intolerable, since Chinese teas have to compete 
with Indian teas that are exempt from all local, provin- 
cial, or Imperial taxes, and, besides, pay no export duty 
whatever. 
About twelve years ago the competition of the 
strong and well-flavoured Indian teas began to 
press heavily upon the inferior and ill-cured teas 
from China, and the Foochow Chamber of Com- 
merce, foreseeing the inevitable consequences of 
the gradual deterioration of quality, the avoidance 
of scientific processes of manuring the plants, the 
refusal to adopt mechanical and chemical improve- 
ments in the preparation of tea for shipment, and the 
excessive admixture of dust, stalks, and sittings for 
adulteration, endeavoured to move the Chinese authori- 
ties to consider the matter, and in 1876 a full report 
was laid before the provincial officials pointing out 
the degradation of the trade and the right measures 
that should be taken to reform it. But to this report 
no attention was paid ; on the contrary, tea has since 
been burdened with additional levies of taxation; in 
consequence of which the trade has fallen away, 
and seems likely in a few years to become insigni- 
ficant, if not to cease altogether. 
In former years, certainly up to 1866, the Foo 
chow teas were of fine quality. The plants were 
well mauured with fresh grass, the trees were des 
