April 2, 1894.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
OPENINGS IN EAST AND SOUTH AFEICA, I 
On tbe occa-ion of the delivery of a lecture | 
before the members of the Royal Colonial Institute 
we devoted some considerable space to the con- 
Bideration of the openings there might be in 
Sonth-Eaetern Africa for men trained ia the highly 
efficient school afforded by this colony. Since 
then, there has been a good deal of further dis- 
cussion in this journal on the subject, as well 
as on the pro?paot3 this islacd affords for the 
large number of young men resorting here for 
training, and generally koown by the soubriquet 
of "creepers." For some time, it seemed as i£ we 
were to be overrun by such importations, and it 
is easy lo understand why thi^ should provoke much 
adverse criticism. There is, however, sevsral 
openings, we may hope, through which the future 
may be brightened for these young and numerous 
aspirants to planting success, and South-Eaateru 
Africa seems to be one of them. 
Oeylon has always been, and probably will 
continue to be, the finest training school for those 
who desire to fit themselves for planting 
pursuits elsewhere. Through the experienced 
teaching that may be obtained here, [.upils can be 
qualified in the best and most practical way for 
promising enterprises in other fields. Amoug 
such fields, we believe few are likely to be found 
equalling in their promised advantages tha 
newly opened-up territories in East and South 
Africa. To those young men whose deQoienoy 
of capital must prevent their embarking for 
themselves in our own mors settled industry, the 
territory we speak of, must offer great attractions. 
What thousands of pounds could not accomplish 
here, we estimate that hundreds may sf cure in these 
new lands. We tezi not again dilate upon the 
many advantages of soil and climate on which we 
dwelt in our previous articles. Our London 
Letter just reoeiveJ, however, narrates the result 
of a conversation held with our old 
lellow-colonist. Sir G. W. B. Campbell, who has 
prominently allied himself with some of the 
many Companies or Syndicates now being formed 
with the object of aiding settlement in these 
newly-obtained regions. Sir George has expressed 
himself as fully sharing our view that within 
them, exist opportunities of a most promising 
character for the overplus of our own planting 
community. He has described to our correspon- 
dent how it comes about that lands of high capacities 
for production will be obtainable at exceedingly 
low rates. It would be of little avail, we imagine, 
for men wholly untrained in the pursuits of 
agriculture to occupy these lands. They are 
especially suited. Sir George Campbell thinks, to 
tbe production of sub-tropical growths, among 
which may be prominently classed both caoao and 
coffee. Land that in Ceylon would cost same 
R200 to R250 an acrj — supposing that suitable laud 
really remains anywhere in the island, in any quantity 
— could now be obtained in Matabeleland for a 
few shillings. We are not all disposed to regard 
Sir George Campbell in the light of a prejudiced 
advooate. He has, of course, personal interests to 
serve ; but we know his sense of houor and his 
feeling of attachment to the island iu which he 
served so long, both to be too great, to permit of 
any suspicion that he would tell us that which > 
ha did not sinooroly believe to be true. It may 
be Baid that Sir George has no person.il 
knowledge or experience of the oouotries with 
which his advice deals. But, on tha other hand, 
the oonncciion he has formed relative to them, 
and the information ho mast havu acquired 
from tbosa who have visited tbe localities, must 
fit bim in U3 incoasiderable degree lo offer counsel 
85 
on this subject. It is his opinion that the South 
African lands now a^out to be opened to British 
eaterprize must afford a mcst promising field to 
young planters who have acquired in this colony 
a knowledge for the exercise of which there remains 
but little scope here. Even presuming that there 
are many of the latter, whose means scarcely admit 
of their commencing undertakings on their own 
account, their possession of diplomas of compe- 
tency obtained in Oeylon must induce the ready 
acceptance of their services by those possessed of 
the means for such undertakings. As was pointed 
Out to our correspondent, the lands handed over 
to those who fought against Lobergula are now 
to be acquired on the most favourable termp, 
and we do not doubt that the Buluwayo Syndicate 
of which Sir George Campbell is chairman, would 
not only be ready with advice to intending pur- 
chasers, but might be willing to aid with cash 
advances such thoroughly-qualitied men as Cey'on 
might send to the new fields of planting enter- 
prize, 
THE CHINA TEA TRADE. 
{From Hongloiig WecMij Press," Jan, IS.) 
At'ention is once more directed to the threadbare 
giibjeet of the decliae of the Ohina tea trale by t'i« 
re-eutly issued decennial reports of the Imperial 
Maritime Customs. Tbe trade is no d)ubt capable of 
revival but the probabiiity of the necessary measnrea 
bf-ing taken to bring a revival about is as remote ; s 
ever. What are wanted are improved methods of pre- 
paration, lighter taxation, and iucreasad faoilitiea iat 
briugini? tbe leaf froiu the producing districts to th e 
port nf shipment. According to Mr. Haghes'a Amoy 
report, the high rate of taxation and heavy cost of 
transportation over a dilficult and imperfectly deve- 
loped route from the interior amoant to something 
like 34 per cent, on the original value. Yet nothiijg 
is done, either in the way of reducing taxation or 
increasing the transport facilities, towards improving 
the chances of Ohina tea in competition with the pro. 
duction of other countrie?. The couipetitiun of Indi* and 
Ceylon lias not reduced the export from Japan, and there 
is no reason why Ohina tea also should not have held 
its own except the want of aJaplation to new condi- 
tions on the part of the Cioverument, the growers, and 
the manufacturers. The loss of the trade seems iu 
fact to be regarded with comparative indifference. 
One reason for this is no doubt the smallneas of the 
export trade as compared with the home trade in the 
article, so that tbe falling otf in the former repre- 
seuta but a small percentage on the grand total. Tha 
Chinese are a nation of tea drinkers. The home 
consumption has been estimated at 800,000,0001b. per 
annum, which is probably under rather than over the 
mark, This large home consumption must be tbe 
explanation of the fact noted in the Amoy 
report, that notwithstanding the falling off in tha 
export trada iu tea not a symptom ia 
discernible to show that any serious dif- 
foreuce in the welfare of tha people liis 
t.iken place. Wr. Huohes says : — "No doubt a great 
many of those formerly engaged in the Amoy Tea 
districts have trinafcrred their labours to North For- 
mosa, many also have gone to swell the rising ti'le 
of emiiiratioa to Java or the Straits: but the bnlU, 
it may be assumed, remain on tlie old uroaml, exer- 
cising their native ingenuity uuJ industry iu eilrai-t- 
ini: trom their fertile soil a crop of some farm produce 
sufficient to mi'et their aimplo dsily w-iuti". stoically 
iniliffereot to the loss of an oocupatiou iu which tliey 
had been once supreme, and which, under propn- 
guidaiice and enoonrigeraout, they might still conduct 
with advantage to themselves and with Mibs'antial bene- 
lit to their country." Foreigners have tried ia voin 
to induce the Chinese to kdopt fort-iun supervision 
and improved methods of prep»rsti>i', by which 
the oost couli ba materially redm-od tlm 
taste of the couauiniog marketa be hotter cateroi 
