January 2, 1882.] 
625 
failing streams afford facil 
Company for the beni lit 1 
The forests in Baohan nbou 
descriptions Its minerals 
exists, and gold has long b 
too, has been found of ; 
class Welsh. Other proc 
Company intend to set to w 
operations by sago manufa 
piculs of flour per day, 1 
Singapore being 3 to 4 doll 
then be collected and g"0' 
sale or baiter, and cattle 
readily supplied bj 
able ae labourers, t 
ou imported Chinesi 
present insigniheau 
Letter management 
The islands are f 
seldom see fruit 
that anything nc 
the 
rket 
profitab! 
I shell. The 
nd commence 
of 200 to 400 
: its value at 
>ns of the C 
itid for trade 
n is at 
iso by 
npany. 
THE TRADE OF WESTERN INDIA IN 
COFFEE AND PEPPER. 
On the fair assumption that during the year ended 
30th June 1S81 there was no special diversion of 
produce from shipment ut the ports of Western India, 
the figures furnished by Messrs. Alstons & Co., and 
which we published on Monday, represent deficiencies 
in the staple of Malabar (the Wynand), Travau- 
corc and Cochin compn-ablo to that shewn in our 
own great staple for the season ended 30th Septem- 
iber. Only 257,745 cwts. of coffee exported from 
Western India ports' in 1SS0-81 against 392,5SS in 
1879-80. The decrease on the previous season is no 
I less than 135,000 cwts., or over 33 per cent. Of 
• course leaf disease, and probably grub and abnormal 
weather, affect.'d the c >ffee of the Wynaad and Tra- 
I vancore as adversely as lileo causes operated to re- 
duce our Coylon out-turn. But pepper has risen 
I from 36,955 to 00,034 cwts., the increase being 
23,679 cwts., or equal to 05 per cent. There has 
) evidently been no diminution of demxnd for the fin 0 
I popper of Western India, and Achin eortainly has 
I recovered from tin effects of tho war which, 
While it desolated the best cultivated portion of 
Sumatra, lms exhausted the resources of Java and 
embarassod tho finances of Holland. 
I'm MADRAS Tea T^ade.— Tho tea trade in Madras 
continues steady and thoshipmonts mndo toOroat Britain 
Melbourne and other parts nhow that great attcution 
continues to bo given to tho manufacture of tea on 
the Nilgiris. From tho published returns of the Sea 
Custom House we learn that 11,568 1b., of to.i wore 
•hipped from this port last month valued at I: \ ■','.'< 
Dm -t amor " Duko of Devonshire," which loft this 
port on the 5th instant, took away 211 cases of toa, 
tho produce (if tl\e I'lMspect mid Scaforth estates, lthe 
property, we liliovo, of Mr. W. I; Arlmthnot, ate 
of tho linn of Arhu'.hnot an I Co. -.!/■< 'r ' . .1 
167 
is exposed. 
.Last market clay, however, s >me mulberries were for 
sale for the first time. We believe tho fruit was 
brought from the Billicul farm. It was in good form 
sipid and sickly. Cultivation will doubtless supply 
this defect. — South of India Observer. 
Bain and Leaf Disease in the Dumbarv Valley. — 
For a couple of years at le ist, there has nut. been 
such rain in this " happy valley " as during the present 
week : 3j inches iell in one day. There are good 
prospects thereto; e for proprietors; and the result of 
a visit by some planting authorities to the scene of 
Mr. Schrottky's operations on Gangapitia is reported 
Cardamom Cultivation in Ceylon.— A planter 
writes: — "That Indian information about cardamoms the 
other day was misleading. It spoke of one picking 
of ripe fruit, and then cutting off the racemes ! Why, 
one has 12 or 15 pickings at the very leas each crop, 
which lasts for 8 to 9 mouths!" The fact is that 
Ceylon planters of cardamoms will be able to ins ruct 
their Indian brethren bow properly and systematically 
to deal with the plants. 
Tue "Bobust" Cinchona — A cultivator of cin- 
chona on the Nilgiris, writing on the 9th insfant, 
reports : — " Pubescens seems likely to turn up a trump 
card, although Col. Beddome ha* condemnf-d it. The 
last analysis of natural bark gives nearly 13 % of 
alkaloids, of which 7'70 x jer cellt is sul. ol quinine. 
Mr. Cross is still here with his new pets, Calisaya 
de Santa Fu ; I do not hear very promising accouwts 
of them. 
Sulphate of Quinine is reported to have fallen 
from 8s to 7s per ounce and there is even a report 
current that the price is now quoted at 6s. That will 
send the supply of " Cuprea " and other South Ameri- 
can bark out of the market, for a time at least, and 
will also we trust tend lo the opening of new means 
and chaunels for consumption — so that although Cey- 
lon bark may fall in price for a time, in the end 
there may be a distinct gain to our plauters. 
A Cure for Phylloxera.— Messrs. W. & A. Gilbey 
writing to the London Times on the subject of the 
French vintage, say with regard to Phylloxera : — 
"Wo may add here, in conclusion, that the latest 
remedy suggested is sulpho-carbouute, which is applied 
to the roots of the vines, which a considerable quantity 
of water, and which it is stated has not only the 
effect of killing the insect, but as a manure serves to 
fertilize and strengthen the viue. Suffice it to say 
that during a visit this morning to a very beautiful 
and well-managed estate at St. Estephe, we were shown 
vines which, only 12 months ago, had all the appear- 
ance of being shortly dead now fresh and verdant, 
aup npparjntly in a fair way to recover all their vig- 
our and fertility." 
Ploughs and Harrows for the Outlaw Disthiot, 
— A correspondent writes: — " What did you do when 
you wero a member of the Agricultural Society in 
respect to tho introduction of ploughs and harrows 
for such plots as thoso near Kaduwella, and e-p< cially 
for the thousands of acres of tobacco and oth r laud 
at Chilaw and other places? I am convinced that 
ploughs and harrows of a kind suitable for thi c miry 
bullocks would be a great success. The land could 
b eridgod and fallowed— a thing never done apparently 
in Ceylon," The "Agricultural So-ict\" .;i.»cusscd 
iho subject of unproved implements, over a paper 
Bontributod by us, but never got further. The ploughs 
ffiA barrows that came out for the Alfred Model Farm 
' could bo utilized. They have been lying idle long 
novgh. 
