THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Feb. i, 1895. 
These requisites have been found both in the Ordi- 
nary Shares of the strongest Companies and more 
especially in the Preference issues, of which there 
are now a considerable number available. 
The Rupee Exchange having contiuued at a low 
level, has again favoured the Tea companies by en- 
abling theui to further reduce their sterling cost of 
production. 
We appended a table showing, in the case of the 
best-known shares, the range of values during the 
year, also the rise and fall compared with quotations 
current at the end of 1893. 
Ceylon Shares, 1894. 
a 
Bi 
SB a Co a 
i-i S 5 £<» £5 
C. T. Plant. Ord. .. 15 15$ 20 20 +5 5 
do Pref. .. 13 13 15 15 +2 2 
New Dimbula B. . . 13 12J 14J 14£ +1| 1J 
THE PAST WEEK'S BUSINESS. 
Owing to holidays and the closing of the old year, 
business in Tea Shares has been rather restricted. 
Mincing Lane Market reopened again this week, 
and prices were firm. 
Ceylon Shakes. — There is nothing to record in Cey- 
lon plantations, but New Dimbula B's have again 
been taken at 14i. Ouvahs came to business at 47J, 
but have all now been taken.— H. <li O. Mail, Jan. 14. 
PLANTING AND PRODUCE. 
The Increasing Popularity op Tea. 
One feature of the tea industry during 1894 should 
not be lost sight of. That is its widespread popu- 
larity as an article of produce. We refer more par- 
ticularly to the prominence given to it in the public 
Press and amongst public men. The rise and the 
development in recent years of the tea industry of 
India and Ceylon has given a remarkable impetus 
to the tea trade not alone in the matter of increased 
consumption, but in regard to its importance as a 
food product, Tea has been talked of and written 
about more this past year than at any time in 
its history. In the Press and on the platform 
it has been discussed, and if the comments have 
not always been favourable they have from an ad- 
vertisement point of view been very effective. A 
daily contemporary, in reviewing the position of tea 
last week, bears this out. It says : " In no article 
of daily consumption does the help of science and 
machinery show itself so palpable as in the case of 
tea For some time the struggle between China and 
British-grown teas (India and Ceylon) has been 
watched with considerable interest, not only by 
those interested in the development of British 
industries, but also by the public generally, 
who fully appreciate the efforts made by the 
British planters, as shown by the yearly shipments 
from the two countries. The scientific cultivation 
and improved machinery for the preparation of the 
leaves have enabled Indian and Ceylon tea planters 
to produce teas much finer in quality and at a 
cheaper price than those produced by the Chinese 
planters, who have persistently held to the old 
methods, and have not advanced with the 
other tea-producing countries. Thus British-grown 
teas are able to compete with, and to super- 
sede, China teas in most of the large tea- 
drinking countries of the world and at a pace 
which exceeds the expectations of the most 
hopeful. During the Chicago Exhibition £28,000 was 
expended by Ceylon and Indian tea-planters in in- 
troducing their teas, with the result that at the 
close of the exhibition no less than 1,500 American 
tea firms had stocked Indian teas ; and m the United 
kingdom the importation of Indian and Ceylon teas 
has wonderfully increased. 1881 Great Britain con- 
sumed 112,000,000 lb. of China tea in 1893 she con- 
sumed only 36,000,0001b. In 1881 Great Britain con- 
sumed only 48,000,0001b. of tea from India _and Ceylon, 
nd in 1893 the consumption reached 172,000,0001b., 
a 
and not only has the quantity of British-grown teas 
increased and the prices been reduced, but they are 
also superior in Htrength and flavour, giving tke 
consumer more value tor the money. So recently 
as the year 1881 the average price of Iudiau tea 
imported into this country was lb 9d. per lb., whereas 
in 1893 it was reduced to Is lid, per lb. and Indian 
teas which were retailed in 1874 at 2s f>d. per lb. can 
now be bought at Is 7d. per lb. Thus a great indus- 
trial revolution has been accomplished without a 
parallel in the history of the world. Like all strug- 
gles, it ultimately resolves iim-H into a question uf 
quality and price.' — II. <1 C. Mail, Jan. 4th. 
BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA. 
(From the British Central Africa Gazette, Nov. 21.) 
The Mlanje Plateat. 
The whole plateau drains from both north and south 
to the valley of the Ruo. This valley tuts Mlanje 
completely in two, and standing at one bdoI, the 
plains of the Tutshila. and the Matshinjiri Hills, in 
Portugese territory, are both in view : this is at a 
height of about 7,000 feet. The valley of the Ruo 
ascends to about 7,000 feet, and the sources of the 
Ruo and Likulezi streams are only separated by four 
or five yards of level ground. 
The north-eastern end of Mlanje is greatly prolonged 
to the east, and appears to consist of nothing but 
rough granite, peak alter peak. The whole mountain 
thus becomes a gigaatic figure 8, with the Ruo valley 
for its waist, its two extremes lying nearly north- 
east and south-west. The north-eastern pla- 
teau should be an ideal sheep farm or cattle 
ranch, the grass in the lower valleys appearing de- 
lightfully green. Our camp was close on 7,000 feet, 
near to a small stream of clear and very cold water. 
The temperature was charmingly cool while the sun 
remained up, but after its disappearance it at once 
became very chilly, and with three blankets at night 
it was just pleasant. 
Here is a sanatarium ready made ; also a race- 
course, with a grand-stand to hand, cricket and polo 
ground. Such a splendid stretch of high plateau : n 
India would be the most frequented hill station of u:v 
in the Himalayas, and no doubt, as this country ex- 
pands, this Mlanje plateau will become a second Simla. 
It is unnecessary to go south for a change when such 
a lovely place is within two days of Blantyre. 
The highest peak of Mlanje was recently ascen- 
ded, to its summit : the whole Mlanje Mountain 
was also traversed from N. E. to S.W. The highest 
point of the mountain is 9.680 feet above sea level. 
An account of this journey and ascent appears in an- 
other column. 
Local News. 
Road robberies have been frequent of late. A 
recent one took place near the Lirangwe river, on 
the Matope road. We are informed that a Sikh 
Post has now been established at the Lirangwe, 
where caravans can sleep on the journey, and 
whence a certain amount of patrolling can be done. 
The force of Sikhs in this country, however, is too 
small to enable much patrolling of roads to be done. 
There have also been a number of burglaries re- 
cently in Blantyre. The culprit in one case has 
been caught and punished. 
It is with deep regret that we have to announce 
the death of Dr. McKay of H.M.S. "Pioneer." 
While shooting on the South shore of Lake Nyasa 
on the 22nd ultimo he was attacked by a lion, 
and died from the injuries received, on the 26th. He 
has been buried at Likoma ; we have no particu- 
lars as yet. 
The Telegraph line from Tshikwawa, is now 
joined with the Portuguese temporary line, and, for 
the time being, messages can be sent from Blan 
tyre to Tete, Quilimane, Tshinde, Tshiromo, etc. 
The question as to whether the locusts were likely 
to attack coffee plants was also discussed : and a re- 
port of the proceedings of the Association during the 
