THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[June  i,  1893. 
of  the  highest  political  obligations  of  the  British  j 
Empire.  Commerce  always  sets  steadily  toward  j 
the  shortest  routes,  and  under  the  pressure  of  the 
competition  of  the  modern  world,  Egypt  and  Meso- 
potamia will  become  the  chief  commercial  high- 
ways between  the  East  and  West.  Commercial 
supremacy,  the  only  sure  foundation  of  political 
supremacy,  is  absolutely  dependent  on  the  oppor- 
tunity of  roads  and  markets,  or  on  strategical 
points  and  communications,  aa  military  men  call 
them.  Indeed,  war  is  only  another  form  of  com- 
mercial antagonism,  seeking  by  violence  the 
same  advantages  commerce  often  more  Eurely 
secures  by  its  slower,  deadlier  sap.  It  was  of 
comparatively  little  consequence  that  the  three 
successive  Egypt'an  empires,  and  the  Assyrian  and 
Babylonian  monarchies  were  overthrown,  or  that 
ancient  Tyre  was  twice  razed  to  the  grouud,  for 
while  the  commence  of  India  still  went  by  the 
Red  Sea  and  the  Persian  Gulf  the  people  pros- 
pered; but  when  the  Portuguese  outflanked  these 
routes  by  doubling  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  then 
Egypt  became  indeed  “ a base  kingdom,”  and 
“great  Babylon”  “a  refuge  for  the  wild  beasts 
of  the  desert,”  and  Nineveh  “ a desolation,”  and 
Tyre  11  a place  to  spread  nets  upon.”  If 
“ Peace  hath  her  victories 
No  less  renowned  than  war,” 
her  defeats  also  are  not  less  terrible  and  crushing 
and  are  far  more  enduring  in  their  disastrous 
results.  The  discovery  of  Da  Gama  made  the 
whole  of  Anterior  Asia  a desert,  and  impover- 
ished all  the  countries  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea, 
for  more  than  300  years.  Their  revival,  already 
notable  in  'he  instances  of  Italy,  Greece,  and 
Egypt,  may  be  formally  dated  from  the  reonening 
of  the  overland  route  between  India  and  Europe 
by  Lieutenant  Wag  orn  in  1845,  and  was  placed 
beyond  all  future  hazards  by  the  successful  open- 
ing of  the  Suez  Canal  on  Nov.  17,  1869,  and  the 
insurance  of  its  freedom  and  neutra'ity  by  the 
British  settlement  of  Egypt  in  1 882- 83.  — Overland 
Mail, 
« 
BARK  AND  DRUG  REPORT. 
(From  the  Chemist  and  Druggist.) 
London,  April  13. 
ANnATTO.— How  of  sale.  Of  51  packages  Madras  seed 
offered  today  30  sold  at  the  rale  of  2gd  per  lb  for  good 
bright,  and  £fd  per  lb  for  fair  quality. 
Cardamoms.— At  the  sales  disposed  of  today  only  88 
packages  were  reached,  of  which  82  sold  at  a fresh  ad- 
vance in  price,  contrary  to  the  general  expectation.  The 
quantity  of  the  fruit  offered  was  of  very  high  average, 
and  competition  was  good.  The  following  prices  were 
paid  Ceylen-Mysore,  fine  medium  to  bold  pale  3i  5d ; 
very  good  ditto  3s  Id  to  3s  3d  ; medium'ditto  from  3s  6d  to 
2a  lOd;  Bmall  to  medium  pale,  full  2s  to  2s  3d  ; very 
small  pale  Is  8d  to  Is  9d  ; mixed  sizes,  partly  yellow  is 
Gd  to  Is  lid;  ordinary  seed  brought  Is  4d.  Tellicherry 
fair  sound  paliBh  Is  lOd  ; common  to  medium  brown,  from 
Is  7d  down  to  is  2d  per  lb. 
Cinchona— Of  South  American  Guayaquil. b rk  2)  bales 
were  advertised,  but  the  bulk  of  this  was  withdrawn  or 
bought  in.  Six  packages  fair  broken  brown  quil  sold  at 
7Jd  p»r  lb.  A rather  mixed  collection,  described  as  Car- 
th-’gena,  &c.,  bark,  imported  in  tlie  years  1879  and  1 88o  was 
offered  today  ; it  consisted  of  OG  packages,  out  of  which 
43  sold  subject  to  approval  at  2jd  to  ifd  for  Carthagena 
character  ijd  to  3^1  for  Colombian  charactM  t and  id 
for  Cuprea  character.  A newly  imported  parcel  of  31 
packages  (aggregating  3,171  lb.)  Hed  bark  from  Guaya- 
quil was  also  effered  ; the  quality  up  an  the  whole  was 
anything  but  good.  A few  bales  of  rather  i ale  coloured 
split  bark  brought  5s  9d  to  6s  2d  ; thinner  quill,  rather 
dusty  mixed  2s  6d;  and  common  chips  and  brownish  quill 
from  9Jd  upwards. 
CoCA-DKiVES.— For  6 bales  fine  bright,  but  very  broken 
green  ruxillo,  a bid  of  Is  9d  per  lb  was  rejected  today. 
Of  three  other  bales  bright  Truxillo  leaves  2 sold  at  is 
6d  per  lb. 
Quinine. —In  the  early  part  of  the  week  no  further 
business  was  reported,  holders  generally  being  reluctant 
to  sell  below  Pfd  per  oz.  On  Wednesday,  howeve,  a 
strong  demand  again  set  it,  several  American  buyers  again 
appearing  upon  the  scene,  and  some  40,000  oz  German 
bulk,  in  secondhand  were  disposed  of  at  rising  prices  from 
9fd  to  f|d  per  oz.  on  the  spot,  and  at  9jd  per  oz.  for 
May  delivery. 
TRAVANCORE  TEA. 
The  market  this  week  opened  after  the  Easter 
holidays  with  a large  supply  of  common  and  medium 
kinds.  There  was  very  free  bidding  for  all  common 
classes,  which  in  most  instances  went  at  an  advance 
of  |d  per  lb.,  pekoes  generally  attracting  most  atten- 
tion. Broken  pekoes  were  difficult  to  dispose  of  at 
previous  quotations. 
Tbavancore.  — The  general  quality  of  the  1,170 
packages  offered  in  sale  this  week  was  fairly  good, 
although  rather  too  light  in  flavour  to  suit  the 
present  requirements  of  the  market.  Prices  were 
firm,  and  in  the  case  of  teas  for  price  showed  an 
advance  upon  late  seles.  Broken  pekoes,  although 
unchanged,  are  difficult  of  sale,  owing  to  the  cheap 
rates  current  for  this  grade  in  Ceylon  and  Indian. 
Bro.  Pek. 
Pekoe. 
Pek.  Sou. 
Souchong. 
Dust' 
Quantity. 
Av.  about. 
Brigton 
lOJd  7|d 
• . 
...  26  pkgs.  8gd 
Braemore 
9Jd  8jd 
5d  95  §-ch.  84d 
Glenmore 
94d  8d 
74d 
5£d  74  „ 8£d 
Poonmdui 
9id  8}d8d  7fd 
7d  5£d  242  ,.  8ld 
Mount 
9$a  .. 
7£d 
. , 
7*d  66  pkgs.  8d 
Parvithi 
8id  8d 
7id 
. . 72  4-ch.  8d 
Vembenard  84d  bid  8d 
7*a 
..  65  chests  7|d 
Seenikali 
9Jd  7Jd 
..  6Jd4|d  45  4-ch.  7jd 
Glenbrittle 
94d  73d 
7|d 
5!d  70  „ 7|d 
33  chests  7|d 
Perrintorra 
...  8Jd 
(or.  pek.) 
7 i'a 
Home  and  Kinmylies  unassorted  8Jd.  Granby  un- 
assorted 84d.  Souchong  7£d.  Penshurst  unassorted 
8d.  CME  unassorted  7|d.  Rockwood  unassorted 
7|d.  Bonaccord  unassorted  7£.  O K Congou  7d. 
Dust  5|d  per  lb.  Total — 1,107  packages,  averaging 
8d  per  lb. 
«. 
THE  GRASSE  FLOWER-CROPS. 
April  12. 
The  violet  crop  in  Southern  Franoe  is  now  at  an 
end,  and  has  given  a mediocre  result,  the  output  being 
not  quite  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  requirements  of  the 
looal  manufacturers.  The  prices  have  advanced  con- 
siderably in  consequence,  up  to  4f.  per  kilo  being 
now  fnely  paid  for  the  flowers  by  perfumers  This 
price  is  a very  remunerative  one,  and  may  possibly 
cause  an  extension  of  the  plantations.  Jonquils  are 
now  being  gathered;  but  the  priceB  of  these  flowers 
are  low,  and  they  are  gradually  going  out  of  use  for 
perfumery  pu  posee.  The  prospects  of  the  neroly  crop 
wbioh  will  shortly  commence,  remain  PxeelLnt,  and  if 
nothing  unforrseen  occurs  the  production  will  be 
above  the  average.  The  roses  do  not  look  so  well, 
but  it  is  hardly  yet  time  to  say  for  certain  how  this 
c op  is  going  to  turn  out.  Taking  things  all  round 
the  Gras-e  manufacturers  are  fairly  well  satisfied. 
After  a long  period  of  bad  trad3,  especially  in  the 
export  depaitmeut,  orders  are  now  again  cominjj  in 
more  freely. — Chemist  and  Drugyjst. 
Guatemala  produces  one  of  the  most  sought 
after  descriptions  of  coffee  in  large  quantities 
which  realize  high  prices,  so  that  the  estate 
owners  earn  from  it  a larger  profit  than  any  of 
their  oolleagues  do  from  grain,  beetroot  or  cotton, 
in  Europe  or  the  United  States.— London  Chamber  of 
journal. 
