M. t, 1895.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
415 
CINNAMON. 
A paragraph on the Cinnamon Market we quoted 
iroin a correspondent to our evening contemporary, 
can scarcely be correct in all its particulars. We do 
not question the statement that the said correspon- 
dent has money lying idle in the bank ; nor is there 
any reason to doubt that growers have refused his 
otters for their spice ; but what we take leave to 
doubt is whether the growers are still holding their 
crops in anticipation of better prices. The grounds 
of our scepticism are : — 1st, that cinnamon grow- 
ers are notoriously weak holders, and, 2nd, that 
the table of exports does not support the theory 
of cinnamon being in first hands in any ap- 
preciable quantity. Our readers are aware how 
helpless the growers of cinnamon showed them- 
selves on more than one occasion during recent 
years, in their endeavours to check or reduce the 
trade in chips and to compel more frequent sales 
by public auction of the spice in London. 
Looking to modern methods, it does seem mon- 
strous that this sole article of commerce, and 
this spice alone of a great variety— spice 
■ales are weekly, so far as we know — should be 
offered for sale only once a quarter ; and we 
have not been able to discover that there is 
aught but the interest of wealthy buyers, who 
have a monopoly in the trade, against more 
frequent auc tions. Were cinnamon growers strong 
holders, and were they able to act with tolerable 
unanimity, they would have had their own way 
long ago in the London market, even if the ob- 
ject of the change they desired had been delayed 
tor a little time by combination among buyers. 
Again, the persistent drops in the price of cin- 
namon, even in face of a restricted output, 
most of those interested in the trade on this 
side maintain, might have been avoided had holders 
been more firm. So we suspect the disappoint- 
ment of the correspondent referred to must be 
due rather to higher bids by more venturesome 
bidders, or to the shipment of the bark by the 
growers themselves. We are confirmed in the 
view that there cannot be much cinnamon on 
this side in first hands by a glance at the Chamber 
of Commerce Circular. We learn from it that up to 
the 26th instant, 1,730,613 lb of quills were exported, 
as against 1,729,665 lb in the corresponding period 
of last year, and 1,821,1361b and 2,064,714ft during 
the same periods of 1892 and 1891 respectively. 
So that, up to date, we have exported more than 
during the same period of the previous year, not- 
withstanding admittedly short crops in the Western 
Province at least ! The chips, too, with exports 
ranging up to 515,8741b stand higher than in 1891 
and 1892, though about 46,0001b short of last 
year. Under these circumstances, it is not easy to 
accept the statement that growers are holding 
ou in expectation of " a big rise in the price at 
the next sales " — that is the sales held in London, 
on Monday last. The statement may be correct 
only with regard to chips ; but that does not 
appear to be what is meant. The puzzle, 
however, remains, how have our exports of cinna- 
mon run up so high, notwithstanding all the 
talk about short crops, and the information we 
have from trustworthy sources from some of the ■ 
best estates in the country, that the last harvest 
was most disappointing? — to say nothing of the 
ensuing oue which is likely to prove still more 
disappointing. Can any of our friends in the i 
Southern Province help us with statistics bear- 
in.!.: on the production there, or tell us whether 
the rainfall in the South has been helpful to the I 
harvesting of a largo crop! 
Another statement which is open to question 1 
56 
n the paragraph we have quoted, is that the 
anticipated rise in the price of cinnamon is not 
due to low stocks at home. We have good 
authority for saying that the stocks are below 
the average. At the August sales only 517 
bales were offered, against 1,076 the previous May, 
and 1,120 bales in August 1893; and three 
months ago the statistical position was in favour 
of growers, the stocks, being 2,066 bales against 
3,707, 2,590, 4,378 and 4,254 bales for each of 
the preceding years up to 1890. The sale of the 
whole of the 2,500 bales which were offered on Mon- 
day last — a by no means extravagant quantity for 
the season — is satisfactory, as showing that the 
demand is now fully equal to the supply ; and 
we shall look forward with interest to the de- 
tails of the sales which should come to hand 
three weeks hence. Meanwhile we can only 
repeat what we have said before, that the 
prospects of the small crop now being harvested — at 
any rate, it should have been begun ere now — 
are very poor in the Western Province; so that 
there is sure to be a great scarcity of the finer 
qualities of cinnamon in the London market 
before long. 
PLANTING IN TKAVANCORE. 
Mr. P. R. Buchanan returned from North Travan- 
core'whitherhe had gone recently to inspect some ten 
thousand acres of forest land which had been offered 
to the North and South Sylhet Tea Companies, and 
in a short conversation which one of our represent- 
atives had with him, he said he found the soil 
in the district very good indeed, better than any he 
had seen except in the best parts of Upper Assam. 
He saw some splendid coffee and he found tea 
at between 5,000 and 6,000 feet elevation 
looking as well as any he had seen in Cey- 
lon. The chief drawback at present to the land he 
inspected was its inaccessibility and he supposed 
that was : the reason why a great many 
more people had not looked at it. The journey 
to it includes a railway ride, about 40 miles 
in a bullock-hackery and a ride on horse- 
back of about 30 miles. On the way he met 
Mr. Scott of Mayfield, Mr. W. Mackenzie, and 
Mr. Tait, and he experienced hospitality from Mr. 
Knight and Baron Rosenberg who showed him 
a good deal of the district. He was accompanied 
by Mr. Milne who returned with him and Mr. 
L. Davidson who has stayed behind to make a 
visit in South Travancore. Mr. Buchanan has 
some places to visit here yet, and then he intends 
to go through the Wynaad and Coorg. 
TEA SEED. 
We hear it stated on good autkority that the' As- 
gftm-Chittagong Railway bare acquired 49 acres of 
.Tntinga Valley tea, and that, after infinite trouble, 
Rl,49,000 has been acquired ai compensation. The 
company has booked orders for over 9M)" niaunds of 
seed, at an average of about R85 a niaund. This 
will give the company nearly R8D.000 profit, or 
about 27* per cent on the capital. During the past 
three months the shares have risen very considerably, 
and the manager is to be congratulated on a very suc- 
cessful season's work.— The Planter, November 16. 
Royal Gardbns, Khw. — Bvdletin cf Miscellaneous 
information for October has for contents : — Lath vi us 
Fodde"- ; Minor Industries ; Decsdes Kcwrn , -cs : X. ; 
iludagascar l'iassava ; Throe New Species of Tu - 
cnlia ; New'Orchids : 10; St. Vincent Botanic Station ; 
Bhabux Grass; 'Bulbous Violet in the Himalayas; 
Miscellaneous Notes. 
