Dec. r, 1893.] TttE TROPICAL AGRICULtURiSt. 
3«7 
VARIOUy AGRICULTURAL NOTES. 
The Coffee Crop in Haputale, wLich at one 
time waa expected to be short, is now reported 
as likely to be quite up to that of last year — j 
and therefore a fairly good one. The prospect of 
prices up lo 17 and 18 rupees a bushel makes 
evei'yone with a coffee crop extra cheerful. 
Coffee Prospects. — Messrs. James Cook & 
C'o.'s on the 23rd Oct. report : — So far as accounts of 
the growing crops have been received, the prospects of 
that of Rio do not point to a large yield ; as regards 
Santos little news is as yet to hand. The Central 
American crops promise to be of an average, with the 
exception of the Cucho district (Guatemala). The 
new Java crop is estimated to produce IJ million 
piculs, of which fully 500,000 for private account, but 
the present Government crop has now been reduced 
to 71,000 piculs, against last month's estimate of 
92,000. 
The Influence of the Moon on the Rain- 
fall. — Two American meteorologists have oollected 
statistics of rainfall over a large number of yenrs 
to teet the popular belief tliat rain is influenced by 
the moon. The resulls, which are published in 
Science, show that during 1881-90 the rainfall was 
liable to increase about the time of the new moon ; 
that the new moon was gfnerally followed by a 
diminution in the quantity of rain that fell ; and ' 
that the wettest period of the lunar month was that 
just preceding the new moon, while the diiefat was 
that just preceding the first quarter. 
The Geeman East African Company's new depar- 
ture in the introduction of coolies has as read in the 
C. M. Intelligencer for Nov. apparently met with 
BBtisfaotory resulls. Four hundred and sixty-two 
were brought to Tanga ; of these, 277 Chinese and 
Javanese are employed at Derema and Ngouelo on 
the extensive ooffee-plBntatione. The Comppny 
however, does not confine itself to the growth of 
coffee only ; tea, cocoa, cardamom, comes within its 
scope. Its two stations of Bagamoyo and Quiloa 
have proved profitable, but the depreciation of 
silver has been prejudicial to its progress. 
Coffee in the Far East.— They seem to 
have a " ocffee plantation " at Hongkong or in the 
neighbourhood, to judge by the following paragraph 
from the Hongkong Press : — 
For stabbing another Chinaman at the Coffee 
Plantation on June 27th last, a gardener was on 
Saturday sentenced to six months' imprisonment. 
The wounded man was very dangerously wounded in 
the abdomen, and remained a patient in the Hospital 
for a long period. 
The latest news from North Borneo, under date 
Bandakan, 12th October, includes the following: — 
Coffee everywhere is doing well, and there is a 
prospect of two or three more estates being opened 
in the near future. 
The tobacco crop on all the estates in the British 
North Borneo, has, at the same date, reported to 
be safe. 
The China Tea Trade.— We have bad the 
opportunity of discussing "the situation" and | 
proEpeots in respect of China tea with a gentle- 
man of considerable experience in the trade. 
He has just come from Foochow and says the 
Beason has, on the whole, been an encouraging 
one for the buyers, that shipments are not quite 
cloBcd yet for the season and that he andotheis 
anticipate more trade and a better clafs of teas 
"next year." In fact the China tea trade is not 
dead yet in hia estimat ion, even in its competition 
with India's end Ceylon's in the old country and 
Australia, while for Russia and America it will 
Ua ewDi ba thinks, Iqx a IvQg time. 'Sihw 
can be no question that the difference in exchange 
may next Ecason give a serious advantage to 
China and the gravity of the position will have 
to be fully considered by Ceylon men. — As respects 
the present season, the latest figures show that 
hBlf a-million lb. has b;en added to the exports 
to Britain, making the total :s.| million ahead o( 
last year; and no less than 2,360,0C0 lb. from 
China and SCO, 000 lb. from Japan, additional, 
have gone to America, which thus has got nearly 
71 million lb. from China and Japan against 75 
million lb. last year. 
Tea PiiicES and Pruning.— a Dimbula planter 
writes 8s follows: — "It is really wonderful to note 
how short a ("pace of time a given crack estate main- 
tains its high pricep, Agarsland uo longer tops the 
market, and where in Hcolankande ? Portswood and 
Pe 'ro seem to be well in the front at present, though 
I have not heard so tnuoh about Portswood of late. 
Why ia cbis? Is it not because they cannot msin- 
tnin these prices long without wearing out the treet':"'' 
Tte above tubject is of great int^ritt to all planters, 
bnt we do not tbink the explanation of an undoubted 
fnct is very ditfioult to account for, though soma 
may cot agree with us. Is it not a fact tliat very 
high and exceptional prices ore not to be obtained 
witliout a great loss in yield even in the case of high 
grown tea, and that that reluction in production more 
tlian counterla'ances the increased price obtained? 
The great aim of every p'aater should be to hit the 
happy mean and secure the largest yield compatible 
with the smallfst sacrifice in quality. And this must 
cecefearily differ in different distr ots and even with 
different estates. That too heavy proning results in 
a los? of quality, sometimes spread over a long period 
sce[ns_ opsn iq little doubt, and planters are light 
in using the knife more sparingly than they us9d to 
do. It is v/orthy of no'e that biih estates, noted 
for the fine fl.vor of theic teas seldom prune so 
heavily as others at a lower altitude. Of conrss tliey 
do not require to do so, but the fact remains and 
must not be lost sight of. 
Ceylon Tea in America.— The Tea Fund should 
advertise in America in the interests of the sellers. 
No one cares to give something for nothing. When 
a groctr in the cream of the packet days was ap- 
proached to take np en agency for Oeylon tea he often 
stipulated that a certain amount should be expended 
in his local paper to create the demand. His people 
were very well sitisfied wi'h what they were getting, 
and he did not see why he Bhould push another man's 
goods, helping to establish his business without that 
other man spending something at first to help the 
sale. How do you suppose suoti firms as Henri Nestle, 
of Condensed Milk fame. Van Uoiiten, and others, 
got thiir footing in this country. They went to the 
wholesale men and got them to include their goods 
in their lists, they advertised thera and referred all 
enqu'r^s to them. Tea may be a little different from 
a branded article, tut tie same thing applies. Doubt- 
less many and many a wholesale firm in America 
issues the same sort of price list that Lazenby, Crossa 
and Blackwell, Moir, Triivers, Hanson and hundreda 
of others send cut weekly to tbeir constituents. To 
advertise in the o lists would awaken ti.eir interest 
in your article and impress the wholesilers of America 
wiili yonrbDsincsj grasp of the position that would 
surely bjar fruit, following such a true wholesalers' 
method of creating a sale as th9 spending of £30,000 
at the B.Khibiton. But to start a retail store in Cliicago 
to follow this most te'ling and grand introduction 
cf your nrticle '. '. Take my advice and leave it severely 
alone. Better, far better, put ow a<lvertis(;meiit in the 
best Yankee daily, with " Planters' Association of 
Ocylon, Kaudy, Oeylon," nt the foot, givi-ig a good 
description of Ceylcn tei and the name sot the firms 
who have already taken np the en'o of Ctylon tea, 
and olTcring to add other-', naming the most popular 
firm of wholeaalnis fcr retaUtrs to apply '9) tjli'^'S 
to wbyk'saliug,-L)u^ou Cwj 
