Sept. 1, 1900.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
merce, and is exported as such. Myrabolams 
were recently quoted in the London market at 
about £4 per ton, and we shall be glad to hear 
or the flnaacial results of the undertaking.— 
Indian Forester. 
NALIONAL TEA UNION, LIMITED. 
NOT SO PROSFEROUS, 
The Directors in submitting their report and balance- 
sheet for the year ended June 30th, 1900, state that 
the net profits derived from the Company's transac- 
tions for the year, afler making provision for bad debts, 
writing off all advertising charges and losses stated in 
following paragraphs, amounts to £1,514 lOs. 5d., in- 
clusive of £364 lOs. lOd. dividends oa investments. 
About three years ago the Company opened a Bonus 
Tea Department at Manchester for the convenience of 
members in Lancashire and adjoining counties. This 
department having proved unprofitable was closed a 
few months ago, having resulted in a loss during the 
year of £502 6s. 3d. The trading of the Continental 
Branch opened at Amsterdam in February, 1899, shows 
a loss on the year of £370 193. .5d. This need not be a 
cause of discouragement, seeing that the foreign busi- 
ness is an entirely new departure. Owing to the 
reduction of the ordinary dividend for 1899, partially 
the result of the re-instatement of the reserve fund, 
many of the trading members were much dissatisfied 
and temporarily withdrew or reduced their purchases 
from the Company, which resulted in a considerable 
decrease in the business for the first half of the financial 
year. The directors are, however, pleased to report 
that the trade for the second half of the year, ending 
June 30th, show s a respectable increase on the corres- 
ponding period of 1899, but not sufficient to compen- 
sate for the set-back of the previous half year. The de- 
mand during the year has run mainly on low and cheap 
teas, much of which has been sold at prices which do 
not yield any profit, or even contribute their fair quota 
towards working expeases. The proportion of medium 
and fine teas now sold is much smaller thau hitherto. 
The effect of the addition to the tea duty appears 
to have nearly disappeared in consequence of the 
demand for teas to retail at similar prices to those 
which obtained previous to its increase, thus the 
reduction in the average wholesale price of tea (ex- 
cluding the duty), has had the effect of decreasing 
the already narrow margins on which the Company 
supplies its goods to members and customers. During 
the day preceding and the day on which the Budget was 
declared, an enormous rush took place to buy and 
clear tea at the then current duty rate, which tran- 
sactions embraced blended and packed goods. Th 
Company's available duty-paid stocks were disposed 
of to all members and customers at the 4d rate, 
with the proviso that half of their orders should be 
taken at the new (6d) rate. This arrangement met 
with general approval. An interim dividend for six 
months on the preference shares was paid on January 
1st, 1900, absorbing £500. The directors remit here- 
with the remaining six months' preference dividend 
absorbing a further £500 and leaving a balance of £514 
lOs 5d, subject to the payment of directors' remunera- 
tion and managing directors proportion of profits, 
amounting to £311 16s., but which they have agreed 
to reduce to £250, leaving the sum of £264 lOs. 5d. 
to carry forward to next account. The directors re- 
gret their inability to recommend or pay any dividend 
on ordinary shares this year, but trust that mem- 
bers generally will recognise the Wisdom of giving 
their Company the fullest possible measure of support 
during the present year. Members will call to mind 
the very congested nature of the traffic and con- 
sequent growing disadvantages of the Mark Lane 
(Manchester) premises, which were disposed of in 
February. The sale resulted in a profit of £2,119 
Is, 33,, after making provision for considerable alter- 
ations to the Cannon-street premises, fitting up, 
removal, etc. The directors recommend that the 
jimpuet be dealt with thus— Add |o general reserve 
fund, 41,500; add to reserve for depreciations £500* 
leaving in suspense, £119 Is. Id ; total, £2,119 Is. 3d.' 
Members will note that the financial years closes' 
free of trading liabilities, against £3,151 14s, 6d 
twelve months ago — Grocrvi' Journal, Aug, 4*. 
PARA RUBBER IN THE STRAITS: A 
PROMISING OUTLOOK, 
To the Editor of the India-Rubher and Gutta- 
percha Journal. 
Dear Sir,— I have been asked by the Committee 
of the United Planters' Association F. M. S. to 
let it be widely known that a strong feeling 
exists amongst planters that the time is fasi} 
approaching when we should send a represen- 
tative to Para, and from thence to the different 
seats of the rubber industry, in order that when 
this country is ready to put its own rubber 
upon the market, we may be in full posses.sion 
of all the most up-to-date methods of tapping, 
of obtaining the maximum output with the 
minimum of damage to the tree, and of curing 
our produce in such a manner that it will fetch 
as high a price as any in the markets of the 
world. It is already been demonstrated that we 
c<in grow Para rubber, that we can get a heavy 
yield, and that the quality of our produce is 
equal in value to the best Brazilian. These are 
now proved facts, and there is no doubt that if 
we avoid all initial mistakes when cultivating 
and producing on a large scale, are thoroughly 
coached in our business when wc first make 
our bow to the public, and so gain straight off 
a reputation for quality, a very prosperous agri- 
cultural future lies before the Malay Peninsula 
I believe I am right in stating that the rubber 
zone IS approximately confined to 15 dcg. north 
and 5 deg. south of the Equator, and a glance 
at a map of the world will very soon .show how 
exceptionally well situated we are in every res- 
pect by comparison with other rubber-producing 
countries. Easy transport, a labour supply that 
can be developed until it is sulHcent for our fullest 
requirement.s, a healthy climate where the wliite 
man and the coolie alike can thrive, all these 
advantages are ours ; and I maintain that ib 
rests with us whether we make a success of the 
great industry which we have inaugurated here 
or whether by carelessness and ignorance in our 
initial methods we find ourselves saddled with a 
reputation which it may take us years to live down. 
The Resident-General with characteristic sym- 
pathy, has promised the planters the assistance 
of an expert from Kew, and a substantial sum 
has been provided for that purpose on the Federal 
estimates ; no one doubts that the result of this 
ofticer's researches will be of enormous benefit to 
Malayan agriculture generally, but, with respect 
to rubber, we believe that much additional good 
may be done by sending over to Para one of our 
own men, a thoroughly practical and energetio 
planter, and, making his experience the basis of 
our own methods, by steadily endeavouring to 
improve from tliat point. In Selangor durin^ the 
year 1898, no less than 389,,500 Para rubber trees 
were planted and in 1899 tlie S. P. A annual 
report shows a return of 1,000,000. Previous to 
1898 a fair number were planted too Taking 
1,000,000 then as likely to arrive at maturity and 
with a yield of 14 lb. per tree which we may put at 
lis, or say |1 to allow for a possible fall of 50 per 
cent in value, we have in this State alone sufli- 
cient Para planted to give us an annual return of 
|1,500,000. Double this for the rest of the Malay 
Peninsula, and it is abundantly clear that we 
luive already laid the foundations of what may 
\r\t\\ luck and care become an enormous trade. 
It will no doubt be objected that what answers 
in Brazil may not by any means apply here but 
surely it is follj to assume thi? ? We kuow jies^ 
