January i, i88y] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
435 
that collisions between them have hepn frequent. The 
Chinese will in consequence ho sent back to Singapore. 
TOBACCO. 
At Rotterdam, recently, parcels of North Borneo 
ami Deli tobacco were put up for sale by auction at 
the same time. The latter realised prices higher !>> 
one-iiflh. The brokers expressed tho opinion that the 
Borneo tobacco was too dry and broken in leaf from 
late planting. They were convinced, from the glossi 
ness and elasticity of tho loaf, that should tho other 
shortcomings be remedio 1, tho Borneo tobacco would 
soon distance the Sumatra article. This is nothing 
surprising. The soil of East Sumatra has become 
exhausted. Borneo is only just beiug opened out. 
JAVA SUOAH FOB CHINA. 
A little while ago, a Ohinaraan came to East Java 
to buy sugar. Tho consoqueuco ia that large quanti- 
ties of this year's crop have buen forwardod to China. 
It is expected that the export thither will increase still 
more largely next jear. A p j.verful Chine.so syndicate 
has set to work for that purpose at Surabaya. 
THE NEW COTTON SEASON. 
Inspecting the prospects for the new seasou, Messrs. 
Ellison and Co. say: — '"Although it does not appear as 
if cousumptiou will materially exceed that of last 
season, neither does it appear that there will be any 
increase in supplies, unless the American crop sliould 
turn out to bo larger than the current estimate of 
7,1)00,000 biles. On the basis of this estimate the im- 
port into Europe may reach 4,t>70,000 bales. From 
India it would not at present be safe to reckou upon 
more than 1, 250,000 bales, and it may not reach this 
liirure, as the recent accounts of tho crop are unfavour- 
able. Egypt may send 400,000, bales, though theio are 
cm unites as low as 370,000 bales, owing to tho season 
beine; unfavourable for the healthy development of the 
plant. Bast year's Smyrna crop was a failure, owing to 
drought, but at least 50,000 bales are expected this 
season. The Brazils, Peru, itc, may send 500,000 balos. 
(Good authorities think that not more than 400,000 
bales will he receive 1 ; but tho South American move- 
ments nre always very uncertain.) These, with 
1,070,000 from America, compare as follows with last 
season's import and last season's deliveries to con- 
sumers : — 
Estimated Actual Deliveries to 
Import, Import, Spinners, 
ISSN SO. 1SS7 SS. lsSr-NS. 
America ... 
But ln liau 
Egyptian ... 
Smyrna 
Braids and E. I. 
1 070.00.1 
1,250,0(10 
400,000 
.->U,IK)I> 
500.00J 
1,656,000 
1,1 12,1 it I 
•llO.UUO 
21,000 
501.U00 
4,liol,(H)0 
(^98,0 0 
419,000 
21,000 
540,000 
Total ... ... 6,870,000 0,073,000 7 ,"30,000 
Avurage weight ... 436 1b. 136 21b. 4311b. 
Bales ot 400 lb. ... 7,488,000 7,277,000 7,036,000 
It will be observed that, though the estimated import 
in larger than the actual import of tho previous season, 
it is [80,000 biles smaller than tho deliveries to spin- 
QBTS. It is obvious, therefore, that prices are not 
likely to bo below the avorago of last season, unless the 
American crop materially exceed V ,0> M).- >< »• > to 7 M),ui)0 
bates. It is equally cloar that an American crop of 
7,l || (',i ,, H) bib's h ivante I tn keep up list season's i ite 
of consumption, especially a- the st •<•'.< in Europe is, 
in proportion to tho rate of consumption, tho smallest 
in the history of tho trade — I It!, ill! p against StL'.llOO 
Inst year, or barely threc-and-a-balf week's require- 
ments. At the present momeut it looks ns if tho yield 
Would not come out more than 7,000,000 ; but it in too 
early yet to hold very confident views on this pin', 
especially as the season, is so Ute that the date of kd- 
ling frost is more imp irlimt than Usual Meanwhilo we 
tnmjr observe that, though 7"00,i)00 is the favourite 
Biu-vi, Ma-re. are i',tiiii i'.-H ^ |..w /is ii, -n v „ m i llUl | „ . 
high m 7.300,000."-Ow/ 1 i/iol Mail, Nov. 2nd. 
VANILLA.. 
Tirn Bobdhvux Vanilla Traih:. 
Bordeaux is one of the principal cen'res of tho trade 
in vanilla, which is imported there to the extent of 
over 50,000 lb. annually, the exact figures for the last 
seven years being as follows for that port and for the 
wholo of Frauce : — 
isso 
1881 
1862 
1883 
Bordeaux 
France 
Kilos. 
20,910 
90,102 
Kilos. 
23,900 
. 72,139 
Kilos. 
22,700 
88,594 
Kilos. 
19,000 
78,041 
1884 
1885 
1886 
Bordeaux 
Trance 
Kilos. 
25,200 
71,877 
Kilos. 
22,(300 
93,201 
Kilos. 
26,100 
120,010 
Most of the vanilla now comes from theFrnnch colony 
of Reuuiou, where the culture is of comparatively 
recent, date, the annual exportation from that islam! 
prior to 1845 beiug only some G or 8 kilos, per annum, 
while during the seven years from 1880 to 1880 the 
Fronch colonies exported the following quantities: — 
1880 
1881 
1882 
18s3 
Kilos. 
Kilos. 
Kilos. 
Kilos. 
Reunion 
74,077 
62,047 
60,510 
90,530 
Mayotto 
996 
1,100 
Tahiti 
350 
520 
St. Marie, 
Madagascar 
265 
Guadeloupe 
3,566 
5,102 
6,106 
5,605 
Total 
78,243 
07,119 
68,022 
98,020 
1884 
1885 
1886 
Kilos. 
Kilos. 
Kilos. 
Reuuion 
61,7ii5 
985 
8 1.310 
101,358 
Mayotto 
1,200 
1,180 
Tahiti 
1,875 
8,341 
2,500 
St. Marie, 
Madagascar 
178 
4.000 
8,300 
Guadeloupe 
0,166 
6,192 
4,333 
Total 
70,969 
101,373 
180,671 
Vanilla is classified in four qualities by the local 
dealors. The pods of the primeira or first quality are 
from 7 to 9 in. in length, and proportionally large. 
Thoy poj-ses in greater duct its value. The chici- 
punia is loss fine ; the saccate and abundance the 
characteristic perfume which gives to the probnsura 
are the smallest. The vanilla sine is at times covered 
with efflorescence of silvery brilliance, produciug a 
erysttallisation similar to that found in the ped, and 
which is diffuse I on the outside of the capsule, ibis is 
called vanilla rime, aud is in great demand on the 
Bordeaux market. 
There are two different measures in vogue for pre- 
paring vanilla for the market. The first consists in 
harvesting the capsules al ter they have lost their green 
tint. Woollen sheets are spread upon the ground, and 
when thoroughly heat< d by the sun the pods aro spread 
upon the sheets and exposed to tho ouu for a certain 
period. The pods arc then put i to boxes coverod by 
a cloth, and again exposed to the sun. The fruit 
should assume a coffoe-likc colour twelve or fifteen 
hours after this last exposure. If this colour is not 
obtained, the void la is again submitted to the heat of 
the sun. This prdbeai occupies ab mt two months, at 
tho expiratiou of which the vanilla is packed in tin 
b u It containing about titty pols ench, an I securely 
packed. 
The second process consists in tii'ig together about 
a thousand pods and plunging them into boiling n n. 
to bleich them, aftor whiou they are exposed to tho 
sun for several hours, and then coated with oil or 
wrapped in oiled cotton to prevent the po I from 
bursting. Domic; tho drying the pi 1 e valve sticky 
liquid, which is expedited tu tlowiii„* by gentle pri -s an 
of the pods two or three times per day. Is preparing 
tho oaptule for market it loses about one quitter its 
original size — fluntiit and Drujvis'-- 
