November i, 1888.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
327 
trees and other plants. Miss Campbell's view of the 
Government appointing an entomologist is that he 
should be a biologist, or ratlin- vegetable pathologist. 
Mr. Robert Lucas went fully into the culture and 
management of hops. 
Much valuable matter is contained in the appendices, 
including tables showing the quantities and values of 
articles impurtod into the colony during 1886 to 1887 
which can be produced or manufactured in Victoria, 
affording a valuable study for all interested iu agri- 
culture or horticulture. Also the report of the Wattle- 
bark Board of Inquiry, 187ts\ Papers by Mr. A. N, 
Pearson, chemist to the Agricultural department. In 
a paper by I\lr. C'ureton (Uhalfey Bros.), ou the Tillage 
and Products ou Irrigated Land, may be found a quan- 
tity of information of great value to irrigators as well 
as other cultivators. Dairy Farming in Italy is from 
Mr, A, Dekin's Memorandum on "Water Supply. Mr. 
George Neilson, curator of the garden of the Royal 
Horticultural Society, furnishes a short paper on the 
Registration of Seedling Fruits raised in Victoria. It 
is to be hoped that every farmer in Victoria will bo 
put in possession of a copy of the report, to read and 
study during the long winter evenings.— Leader. 
♦ 
FOOC1IOVV IE A GUILD AGREEMENT. 
The following is a translation of an agreement with 
regaidto tea dra\ui up by theKung Yih Tong Tea Guild, 
Kooehow, and sigrol by all the bougie e i of that place: — 
In the ease of any 'treaded t rouble or calamity, men 
an- accustomed to tain: precautionary measures before- 
hand, and guard against the dreaded evil. This should 
be mi in all circumstances. Especially necessary is it 
to tak i! precautionary steps with r ferenco to our tea 
brade. We must not adhere obstinately to old ways of 
doing business, but change our tractics and adopt new 
modes of proecdui e. 
Now in former years the amount of Autumn teas 
brought down hore was much too large, and conse- 
quently the prices were exceedingly low, indeed so 
low, that words cannot bo found to express it. This 
jreai however we hope by carefulness and forethought 
lo mend n atters and render them more profitable to 
ourselves. In order to do this let us, the heads of all 
tin- tea bungs, meet together in our public meeting- 
place and discuss together and agree as to what reguia- 
ti.'i s should be adopti d. In the first place, it is desir- 
able that all teas ot the ;>rd picking whatever descrip- 
tion should, from the 15th day of the 7th moon, be 
(topped ( I rom coming to Fooehow), but for 10 days 
however after this date, viz., to tho 25th of the 7th 
moon, indulgence may be granted and tea may come 
down, In the 2nd place let all the tea hongs all over 
Ihu country in every place, at once, and without delay, 
OOllect I rem the teamen (traders) the Lekin permits 
so that DO tea shall pass the Lekin houses. But should 
the teamen refuse to surrcuder their Lekin permits 
•nd 'lure to bringdown the tea (to Fooehow) then the 
ten hongs (at Fooehow) are not to receive the tea 
thus brought but to refuse it absolutely. Should any- 
one be bold enough to break these regulations he 
shall be held as having transgressed the guild rules, 
and shall he punished accordingly, fortunately the 
bends of nil the ten hongs hnve agreed earnestly and 
zealously to see that these regulations nre carried out, 
and SO protect our interest and trade, drdly. — It is 
decided that after tho 30th day of the 7th moon (each 
year) none of tho black ten plantations shall nuuiu- 
EaOtuxe or sell nny toa, and nuy one doing so alter 
the above ilute, shall be punished for having broken 
tho regulations. -Uhly. — With reference to the teas 
already in the tea-hongs, in days after the above date 
w ill he allowed for packing &c., kc viz., to the Kith of 
Ihe s tli inooij. after which no packing &e. will ho 
allowed. Shoud any one disregard these regulations, 
strict examination shall at once bo made, mid it shall 
he decided by the hoorS • f the various ten-hongs what 
pu .i-bini nt halt be n, tinted on tho transgressor*. 
Should any of this tea require repacking, tin- tael 
iiui-t Brat be dearly notified to tho heads of the ten- 
b inn, before it is nllowcd. The two sorts ot ten ralle I 
Jitmhiop,/ niiil I'.tltlw, do not comu under any of (In to 
restrictions or prohibitions. The teamen of the western 
and nothern districts shall on the date above fixed, 
give up their Lekin permits to the heads of the vaiiou 
tea-hongs, but if these teamen themstlvLS should 
secretly give money to the manager of the tea-hong 
for the purpose of paying the Lekin dues, and thus 
evading these regulations, enquiries shall be at once set 
on foot to discover which of the managers received 
such money and the head of the tea-bong to which he 
belong shall be mulct in accordance with the regulation 
already fixed, or should the teamen secretly go to any 
other house of business .and contiive to dispose of his 
tea to said house, and it comes to the knowledge of 
this guild, thoy will at once write a letter to the Foreign 
Chamber of Commerce and inform them of the circum- 
stance and let them decide what is to be done in such 
a case. This guild because of the very weighty and 
important matter, of protecting our tea business, have 
taken these unavoidable measures, and now make it 
known to all concerned with the earnest hope that 
the head of each tea-hong, and the teamen will to- 
gether and with one consent abide by this agreement 
and not break these regulations. This is of the utmost 
importance. Done at the. Tea Guild Hall &c. 
Referring to the above, tho Fooehow Echo says : — 
We publish today a literal translation of the Agree- 
ment drawn up by the Kung Yih Tong and signed by 
all the Efongmen in this place. It corresponds pretty- 
closely with tho ideas formed regarding it ou hearsay, 
but there is one important particular in which it does 
not agree- We refer to the penalty clause. It was 
generally understood that a hue of a dollar a package 
would be imposed on any Hong or Tea-men violating 
its terms, and now we find that any discovered in- 
fringement is to be referred to the general Chamber of 
Commerce, for the purpose, we presume, of getting 
that body to award a punishment. Opinions will differ 
as to the rightness of this course. Some will no doubt 
think that such cases should be referred to a tribunal of 
their own countrymen. Next, we may notice the 
great indulgence that has been extended to the local 
packers, in giving them until the 10th of the Sth moon 
(15th Sept.) to complete their season, though the 
reasons for this are no doubt considered fair. And 
then we would draw attention lo what was not, we 
think, previously undeistood, namely that these regu- 
lations do not apply to this year only, but to an inde- 
finite number of future years. 
We are impressed at first sight with the genuine 
tone of bona fides that runs through this document, 
and so long as the price of comon tea in London 
remains at 3i per lb., and nothing occurs to interrupt 
the steady increase of production in India and Ceylon, 
we believe that the agreement will be faithfully carried 
out. But such things do happen as unforeseen interrup- 
tions to steady production. Droughts sometimes occur 
in the East, and such things as strikes amongst labour- 
ers are not wholly unknown. We do not say that 
such catastrophes are likely ; on tho coutrary they are 
improbable Supposing, however, something were to 
occur to remove the gloom at present hanging over 
Fooehow tea, how would the Chinese act in regard to 
this arrangment? Wo aro not parties to it in any way. 
The terms of it have certainly been mentioned to 
buyers in a casual sort of way, but only for the purpose 
of ondavouring to give support to prices. As fas as we 
cnu see,] there is nothing to prevent their calling 
another meeting of the Kung Yih Tong and annulling 
the agreement oil hunt if they saw il to their advan- 
tage to do so. Such a course would not be altogether 
without precedent. Thoy would lie accountable to 
nobody. Far be it from us to throw doubt on their 
keeping good faith with themselves and with US in l ho 
present instance. Wr trust that tho compact \\\'\ be 
carried out in its integrity, and that it will ben. lit nil 
interested in tho trade.— Overland China Hail, 
OlMOHOHA UuowiNii in INDIA, — Home chemists 
in their criticisms of Mr. II •: i-r'a paper are most 
unjust to tho Indian Government It went in for 
Iiodgcriana. But it won't grow everywhere, us I 
know to my cost.— Com. 
