Nov. T, 1893.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
347 
in Union Road, Slave Island. Now that 
Mr. Lipton is eBtabUshed in India, and hie 
bueinees in the East generally and Australia 
is growing so rapidly, it has beecme a matter of 
great importance that he bhould have a rcoognised 
headquartpre in this part of the world. Mr. Lipton's 
interests in Ceylon are eo large and Colombo is 
po centrally situated, that very naturally it 
has been selected as the best centre from which 
to work both in India and Australia. The possi- 
bilities of building up a big business here and there 
sometimes, are very great and we understand Mr, 
Lipton means to do it. But our extraordinary 
Customs Tariff is a big drawback : the duty on 
imported tea (25 cents per lb) for instance is the 
only hindrance in the way of Mr. Lipton doing all 
his Australian business from here, instead of doing 
it partly from London and partly from Oaloutta, 
Is it not abeurd that this big tea dealer and dis- 
tributer should be sending tea to Calcutta, in 
order that it should be blended with Indians and 
sent thence to Australia?! A very oonsiderable 
amount of occupation which might be given to the 
native population in Colombo is in consequence 
given to the Bangalis and much valuable time, 
and opportunities of steady shipments are lost. 
Freight from Calcutta to Australia is very irregular, 
while from here it is constant even though 
difficult at times to get. It Colombo is to 
attain to its true position as the great central 
trading Port between India and Australia, as well 
as Europe, it is quite evident that absurd and 
illiberal Customs reBtriotions will have to be abo- 
lished and the sooner the better.— Mr. Duplock 
expects by next Orient steamer a trained tea 
Assistant, Mr. Davis from London, to remain in 
Colombo, while Mr. Pobl, who was here for a 
short time last spring, takes charge under his 
direction in Calcutta. 
In respect of the American tea market again, 
Mr. Lipton is determined to go ahead, and no doubt 
large shipments could be made direct from Colombo 
if antiquated restrictions were removed. The news 
from London is that Mr. Lipton was endeavouring 
to secure wholesale places at Montreal, Quebec, and 
New OrleenSj as well as at New York and Chicago. 
From the last-named town the business in America 
will in the first place be started, and already the 
special blends of tea required for this new de- 
velopment of the business are decided on. 
DRUG REPORT; 
(From the Chemist and Druggist.) 
Lon Ion, JOct. 12. 
Ceoton Seed.— At today's anctiona 45 bags from Ceylon 
sold at lOs to 2)s for fair medium small seeds ; from 138 
to 178; for apimrently damaged dark seeds; and 7a per 
cwt. for common quality. 
CTJBhBS.— The icport that several parcels have been 
v.iihdrawn from the market is confirmed. On the other 
hand, a new arrival of a* out 50 bags of fair commercial 
(luality has just been landed and is held for 758 per cwt. 
Ai auction today 1« bags were shown, told brown berries 
being (xnoted at 80s per cwt. 
Cvscus CiK.vss —Forty bundles of this drug, of fair 
blight colour, but somewhat sandy, were bought in at 
aOs prrcrt t. Ihere was no bid at 298 per cwt. 
lioLA is in u-.oderate supply, with which the demand 
Dure iliiin kttps pace. Thirteen packages shown to- 
day were mostly sold at pretty full piices : good bright 
West Indian, «d ; mouldy ditto 6d per lb.; and Afri- 
nm, vatiier dart and partly mouldy (without reserve), 
iijd per lb. 
Qdisine.— At the close of last week, when the result 
of the Amsterdam cinchona-sales had become known, 
the quiiiiuo market began to show a further consider- 
able improvement. About 25.000 oz. German bulk quinine 
liu second-bauds) sold at 0)d to 9id per oz. : and 
after these tntueactiODS the agents for the Mannheim 
works rc]ictod an offer of P.W per oz. which was made 
to them. This week, however, the article has been 
alti gothcr quiet, and today it would be possible to 
buy at 9Hd per oz, BCCOUd-baiid. It is said tbat there 
is a large American order in the market waiting to 
be executed. 
Vanilla. — At todny's ancticBB only a moderate quan- 
tity of about 160 tins was offered, end chiefly Eold at 
steady prices; gcod to fine bright crystallised at from 
88 to 14s ; medium chocolate Si to 6 inches, at 7s 3d.to 
8s 9d per lb. 
THE PBEFUME-CROPS IN SOUTHERN 
FRANCE. 
London, Oct. 12. 
In the Sonth of Praoce the collectien of jaBmine 
is nearly finished. It will be onn of the heaviest on 
record. The tnberose-crop which has been gathered 
earlier than usunl, l as only yielded a moderate result. 
Nevertheless, even the tuberpse-outpnt has been greater 
than theprcbable consumption, and the price rema'DS 
low for bf'th articles. Ihe pecond week of October 
will witnees the beginuinp: of the cassie-mnnufacture. 
With regard to this fir wer, it is a noteworthy fact 
that the commoner quality the so-called casaie rcmaine, 
is scarcely saleable ony mere. PerfiimerB prefer to 
pay double or treble the price of this kind for othfr 
caaeie varietiesand the plauters art therefore gradually 
exterminating the flowers of Ihe "K'man" vBriety. — 
Chemisi and Drvggist. 
LONDON REPORTS ON TRAVANCORE 
CEYLON PRODUCE. 
TRAVANCORE TEA. 
(From Patry d- Pasteur, Limited, Report of the 
Colonial Markets for the Week ending 
October 18th, 1898.) 
These are only in moderate supply and of 
medium quality, which, in sympathy ,with similar 
classes of Indian and Ceylon, barely maintained 
previous 
^ g 
c <i 
30-J-chs. 7id 
31 do 7id 
41 cheats 7d 
Merchis- 
ton 
prices. 
6 
u 
M 
lOd, 
7id 
7id 
Invercanld Sid 7d 
p 
o 
03 
6d 
0 
o 
Isefield 
Nagamally S^d 
Glenmary 
Carady 
Goody 
7id 6d 
6id 
6|d 
6id, 
Unas. 
51d 
6d 
6jd 
6d, 
5id 
5Jd, 
54 d 
5|d 
5id 
do 
do 
6|d 
6id 
6d 27 do eid 
Total 261 packages, averaging 6|d per lb., 
9id for the corresponding week last year. 
against 
THE GREAT WESTERN TEA 
COMPANY. 
The first ordinary general meeting of the Bhare- 
holdets of the Great Western Tea Company of Ceylon 
WIS h)!d today (Nov. 7th) at noon in thi regiater- 
edofnoe of the Company No. 6 Prir 09 Street, Colombo, 
Mr, J. C. Dunbar presided and the others present 
were Messrs. W. B. Baring, V. A. Julius, D. Nolle, 
Erio Anderson and H. G. Bois. The Chairman 
BudMr. Baring held proxies representing 467 shares. 
The following Report by the Directors was sub- 
mitted : — 
In order that no ditappointment may be felt through 
the non-payment of an interim dividend, the Direc- 
tor* have decided to present this short report to tlie 
Shareholders on the working of the estates during 
the first six n-t nth.^ of the OpnipanyV finanoial year. 
The yield of iia in this period, viz., 145,C0O lb., 
hag been eatisfBctory, beii'g 31,677 lb. in excee* of 
