34 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[JlTLY 1, 1000. 
cultivation. Dry country with calcareous soil is 
most suitable for its growth. Dr. Morrison con- 
siders that tubers, such as the Iponioea Batalas 
or Batalas edulis, which are grown with succes's 
in New Zealand and Victoria, should be culti- 
vated in this celony. The tubers are said to be 
more nutritious than potatoes, and tlie Ipomoea 
Chrysorhiza, which is a native of New 
Zealand, has been cultivated with great suc- 
cess in Mildura, where tubers weigliing 151b. 
were produced, and an acre was found to yield 
12 tons,— Perth Morning Herald, 
THE NAHALMA ^TEA ESTATE CO., LTD. 
KEPORT OF THE DIRECaOKS. 
The Directors beg to submit the general Valance 
sheet and profit and loss account for the twelve mouths 
ending Slst December, 1899, duly auaited, which re- 
sults in a profit for the year ending SlstDecembei, 1899, 
after providing for general expenses, Directors' and 
Auditors' fees, interest on debentures, &<•., of £'2ii Is. 
lOd., from which has to be deducted the debit balance 
brought forward from last year, viz. £143 Ts 2d. And 
they recommend that the remaining credit balance 
shall be carried forward to the next season, in . €100 14s 
8d. The Directors beg to hand their report for 1899, 
which, though unfavourable, is somewhat belter than 
had been expected after the disastrous season of 1898. 
The crop obtained was 202,943 1b. as against an es- 
timate of 260,000 lb. Energetic efforts are still being 
made to combat the blight of helopeltis, which shews 
signs of abatement, but there are still signs that the 
pest has not yet been thoroughly eradicateil; thu latest 
advices from the estate are, however, hopeful. The 
Directors have decided to increa e the annual ex- 
penditure upon manure during this season, and hope 
the result will be satisfactory. Two of the Company's 
debentures have been redeemed during the financial 
year ending 31st December, 1899, thus reducing the 
Company's liability upon its debenture debt to .i9,000 
or about £20 per cultivated acre. Mr. William For. 
sythe, the Director, retiring by rotation, being eligible^ 
offers himself for re-election. 
PRODUCE AND PLANTING. 
A SuGSESTBD Substitute foe Coffee. — Coffee 
planters will not be pleased to learn that another 
addition to the many substitutes for coffee is in use. 
The "Bulletin" of the Algerian Govemmeut publishes 
particulars of this substitute for coffee, or at least 
an element of admixture with coffee, the consumption 
of which has already become extensive in Austria, 
Boamania, Bulgaria, and Servia. The commodity is 
known as the " Horbas fig." It is roasted and 
powdered, and in this state bears a close resemblance 
to ground coSee. The fig is largely grown in Algeria, 
and the exports thence to Austria are said to have 
reached last year the surprising amount of 120,000 
quintals, or 11,785 tons. When roasted it is Icnown 
aa " feigan kaffe," and is very largely used by the 
Austrian lower middle class. It reduces the bitter- 
ness of the coffee with which it is mixed and gives 
it a slightly oily flavour. — Home and Colonial Mail, 
May 4. 
The China Tea Trade. — In commenting on the 
new season for China teas the Grocer says : '' That it 
will be more fortunate than the last is the hope of 
many importers, for in 1899 English, Australian, 
Russian, and other buyers were all ' hit ' l)y severe 
loaaes on too hasty purchases. The mistakes then 
made arose from the idea, (.generally entertained, that 
there was to be a shrinkage in the production of tea 
all round ; but subsequent events proved the very 
reyorae, and, instead of a palpable deficiency, there 
was an enormous and cumbersome excess. For in- 
itance, Qhint, produced 6,000,000 lb. more tea last 
year than in 1898 ; India in 1899 turned out 13,000,000 
lb. beyond the quantity raised in ihe foimer season, 
and Cfcylou shipped a larger quantity by 11,000,000 lb. 
than it did in the previous year. These increases in 
the separate sources of supply put together represented 
an afigregate surplus of about 30,000,000 lb., as the 
additional amount of tea grown in a single season, 
over and above the total rrops gathered in the three 
countries named during 1398 99. The result, as may 
be imagined, was disastrous to the shippers, for China 
teas, if no other, which in May last were bought at 
Hankow on terms equivalent to Is 6d and Is 8d per 
lb., have lately been smashed out here at 6d to 7d per 
11"). — ,^, Kood Is per lb. being thus practically knock, 
oil and lost from the prices originally paid by the 
China merchants at the opening of the season in 1899. 
The consequence is that China teas at about 9d per lb. 
and under show wonderful value for money, and it 
is rather surprising that the wholesale dealers do not 
purchase these growth?, since they are immensely 
superior to others tiiat hail from India and Ceylon. 
The reason of Ihis seeming neglect of good useful 
China teas is, we think, to be traced to the uncertainty 
with regard to a constant and unfailing supply of 
these Uliina teas through the season. If a plentiful 
and varied assortmen'. of good common and fine 
medium qualities of China tea could be guaranteed 
and depended upon throughout the year, the blenders, 
no doubt, would readily respond to the call for their 
attention, and the London market for China tea would 
not suffer so much from fits of depression and pro- 
longed flatness as it has done during the past six 
months." 
How THE M.iHKiiT IS REGULATED. — " As things are 
the chief business in China teas too often consists 
of what is passing in the choice and fancy kinds, 
which are required only by a select class of consumers, 
who will have them alLTiO^ t regardless of price. In its 
general working and the course it pursues the market 
for China tea," continues the Grocer, "is not regulated 
so completely by the prices ruling as by the nature 
and extent of the demand and supply at certain cri- 
tical periods of the season. The tea is invariably 
cheap when there is plenty on cfier and more than 
is really wanted, and for cho converse reason it is dear 
only when the quantity of certain sorts coming for- 
ward istoosmalito satisfy all purchasers for imme- 
diate use. Another circumstance that strongly affects 
the home market for tea is expansion or diminution 
in the inquiries from exporters, who operate here as 
agents for the continental markets, according as direct 
arrivals from China, India, and Cevlon flow into or 
fall off from the several ports of ISastern Europe. This 
they appear to do more frequently now than in 
former years, and, aa the competition between ship- 
pers and the dealers quickens or flags, so the current 
prices of the day advance or decline. For the ensuing 
season quotations for new China teas, for the reasons 
already given, are expected to open rather moderately, 
as representative buyers from all quarters, having 
learned a lesson of caution, will fight shy of paying 
extravagant rates this time," 
The Cocoa Trade in Bristol. — The Bristol Cham- 
ber of Commerce has issued a report on the cocoa 
trade in the city. It states that in the last two 
decades the cocoa crop h.^s about doubled, and the 
biggest customers have been Great Britain, the 
United States, and Gerinany. Humboldt, a recognised 
authority, estimates the consumption of cocoa in 
Europe at upwards of 100,000,000 lb. as against 
23,000,000 lb. per annum in the early years of the 
century. In Great Britain the consump.,ion has risen 
from a. quarter of an ounce per inhabitant in 1831 to 
14 oz in 1837, since which date the figures have still 
further gone ahead ; in fact, cocoa is largely displac- 
ing coffee as an ari'icle of diet. The past year has 
been one of the busiest known for a considerable time, 
and that is, of cou.sa, a matter of considerable in- 
terest locally, having regard to the important position 
held by the cocoa trade amon£;st Bristol industries. — 
Home mid [Colonial Mail, May 11. 
