THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [Ju.,y 2, 1*94. 
iu Mid Java an! two in Ea3t Java, while a Rrpat 
rrany extended their plantations. The *' Berah "d:s- 
easo the great tnemy of tun sugarcane, seems to be gra- 
dully wotkiQg i'a way Iron. West to Etst of the Isltnd, 
but would app-ar to be eve ywhere givii g way before 
superior methods of cultiva'iun testowei on the dis- 
tricts ftffectel by it. As regards its influence on the 
caue production iu Ea t Java, Mr. Vice-Consul Warrrtu 
writ s ; The "sirch" disease extended itsdf to a 
elight extent, and the quali y of tbe cune-rields »ai 
on y iva'iitained by a fut\her gr atly increised im- 
[ ortation of " bibiet " (plant cane) from hill nurieries 
and a free use of artificial nmnuros. At the moment 
of writing I am in'ormed that iu some districts where 
rains were late an inciea e of " tereh " is rep .rte I, 
but in general the fields look well, and the crop is 
not expected (o bo below last year's. 
The somewhat heavy expei sts entailed by the heavy 
manoriug above refe red to, and by the other rtetbons 
now generally adopted fors .ourir g superior cine, have 
been in some measure compensated for by the high 
sugar prices which ruled during the whole of last 
season, the market for h' ad sugars having opened 
at 9 guilders first cost per picul, and hiving touched 
10 guilders per pical toward the close ot the season. 
Prospeots lor the coming crop a-e fair and the jiel 1 
is expected to be a good one. The Government have 
r. ncwed the export duty from Jm. l~t 1894, which will 
now definitely take the place of tbe provisional tax 
alluded to in last year's report, Af, however, this 
provieijnal tax affected all sugars of hst jear's crt p, 
of wbnh more than 100, 0U0 tons were still unshipped 
ot the close of 1893, efforts are being made to obtain a 
remission of the duty on these sugars, which will 
otherwie have been doubly taxed. 
Up to Dec. 31 tlie export of the 1893 crop were:— 
1893 1892 
To Europe 
„ Australia 
„ Cbiua 
,, America 
Sundries 
Tons 211,468 
35,272 
78,884 
„ 15,073 
19,980 
Tons 117,643 
„ 40,800 
„ 52,213 
„ 89,792 
„ 17,162 
Totil ... 360,678 317,515 
Coffee. — The unfavourable predictions expr. s ed in 
last year's report with regard to the pri-bable outturn 
of the 1893 crop have beennure than just fi d, the 
total production from private and Government lands 
having been only 9,700 ton} and 9,000 tons respec- 
tively, as against 21,500 tons and 42,000 tons in 1892. 
The coming crop, however promises to te a much 
larger one, a good number ot young estates bringi g 
for the first time a fair amount or produce on the 
market. Present estimates for private estates show 
an aggregate of about 32,000 tons. The Govdrnment 
crop will only be a moderate one, tay about 20,000 tone. 
A noticeable feature is the steady extension of the 
cultivation of the Liberian bean, which has hitherto 
commanded good prices in the European market?. 
It is feared, however, that when exported on a larger 
scale ft fall in value, as compared with tbat of the 
Java bean, will taka place. 
Tea. — Tbe production last year was somewhat 
smuller tban in the preceding twelve mouth", exports 
amounting only to 8,791,960 lb., as compared with 
9,156,634 lb. in 1892. Prices, however, ruled con- 
siderably higher, especially daring the early part of 
the season, and results to planters were, therefore, 
more satisfactory. Towards the close of the year 
values receded about Id per 1 lb. as compared w.th 
those current daring the opening montts. More than 
two-fifths of tbe total exports fouud tbeit way this 
year to England, as compared with about one-third 
iD 1892. 
Tobacco. — Tbe crop was an average one as regards 
qauantity, but the quality, efpecially of scrubs as 
usually produced by tne natives, lias been very poor, 
in consequence of which prices in Europe rultd some- 
what lower. The Bezoekie crop gathered quite at the 
end of the year is reported to be considerably above 
the average in quantity, 
Kice, — Considerable imports from Saigon and Sin- 
gapore took plaoe in East Java, owing to the pcor 
harvest at that end of the island. Owing (o ti.e pltnti- 
ful ia ns in West and Mid Java the erep in these 
districts was a large ore, and exports reached Dearly 
27,000 ton-, as again t only 18,000 tons in tbe pre- 
vioas twelve month'. Ot tbii quantity, abiut 2l,UO<> 
tons were nut to Holland, ana «b ul 4,500 toua to 
England. 
Cocoa. — Tfce cuhivation o' this tree, especially in 
Mid Java, is becoming more general every year, and 
in the event of the value ot the article maintaining 
its present level iu tbe home mxrke's, it wit no doubt 
prove a considerable source of income to European 
nn J native ag> icaiturists. 
Oincuona — I'i .daoiiotj of this ur licit appears to 
have uow become greatly in eice-s of tbe consump- 
tion, ant Java planters a e B"iiuualy c ntemplati >g 
combining to deorewe the qua tity baivosUd, »e the 
only elfectual nay ot raising prices which have now 
reached a wholly unrernuntrative ltvel. Owing to the 
t i<proponion no* existing leiwe na supply and demand 
dome manufacturers have been able to combine both 
for tli*: purpose of reducing tbe price t paid fir 
back and of nuiug their ielli g rates for tbe prepared 
drug. Daritig 1893 tbe prices paid per kilogram 
nuil in the Dutch market varied ir in r.ii (1 1-6 J. ) 
in Jauuary to ih c 'id.) in Augujt, a rtconr/ ot 
1 3-8 c. (J I.) tiking plase at the end o( the ytar. 
CopltAH. — Tbe eoconut crop has again been a very 
pcor one and priees of the oil have ruled eic optionally 
high. The prospects for tbe roming crop are, l.owev. r, 
good, esp.cially in tbe eoutb c ast diatriots, and it 
is expected that the manufactore of c -prah will be 
resumed on an increised scale, especially in vijw of 
tbe China mark^s being ciosed for coconut oil 
owing to the unfavourable exchange.— L and C. 
Express. 
METHUUS OF TEi MAKING. 
A wri'er to the Planter says : — 
" I myself believe that the increase in value of 
Nilgiri tea is partly due to an increased demand 
for ligght flavoury tea, as tees of this clasi are 
prefeired by the consumers to the heavy strong 
As am. And as for " burnt " flavour, 1 know tbat 
you have to go very dose to burning to get oat 
the full aroma if it is in the leaf. The only time 
I succeeded in getting strong aroma, the outturn 
was darkened by the firing— a little more would 
have burnt the tea. It was in 18S5 and my garden 
was supposed to be incapable of making good tea. 
I plucked fine and coloured lightly. 1 had just 
got up a •' T " Sirocco, and I coaid not get up 
any high temperature. I covered over the top with 
newspaper and sacking, and I got the thermometer 
to go as high as I pleased. I fired the kutcha 
tea on the old brick " chula," but I final-fired for 
packing in the " T " Sirocco. The temperature 
was about 350 to 370. 1 rushed the tea through as 
fast as possible and put it straight into lead lined 
chests — and left the chests open so that the heat 
could escape. At the bottom of the chests the 
tea was warm even 20 hoars after. The heat 
of the tea after the warm bath was too great 
to keep the haud in it with comfort. I sent 
down samples and they created an excitement 
— they had the fire strong Dirjiling aroma, 
w.ion was supposed not to exist iu uur district at 
all. Bat thi outturn wa3 very dark aid doll, in fast 
only a shade ohort of be : n/ burnt. Yoa will say, 
" a-ad why did you not keep it up ? " I suppose now 
because 1 was not ab.e to devote all my time to 
final tiring and the shade was overstepped and some 
of the teas got burnt. However, that j ear, what with 
hoe plucking end anew garden, I got a 10aanis6 
pie average, which was very fine in those days for 
that distriot. I attributed tbe aroma to the' bigo 
firiog, but a neighbour sent me a maund of dry tea 
to final-fire, and I could not put any aroma into his 
te-i. I am certain, however, that without the high firing 
tea would net have the aroma. S3 jou must have 
it in tbe leaf to begin wjtb, then you must develop 
