280 THE TROPIC A.L AGRICULTURIST. [Oct. 1, 1900. 
r A question of great importance to rubber 
planters is whether a paying quantity of rubber 
can be got from either one year- old seedlings 
or saplings three to four years old. If it proves 
that this can be obtained, of course, close planting 
would be carried out, followed by a quick re- 
turn. Can you give me any information on this 
point ? 
Last year T sent to England the bark of a 
four-year old Castilloa tree to be experimented 
upon. The dry bark weighed three lb, all but 
oneoz., and it gave 4^ oz. of rubber. As this 
was the result of a laboratory experiment, I 
cannot say if the process, applied on a large 
scale, would make close planting profitable 
or not. 
Another matter of great importance is to 
ascertain the quickest and most effective method 
of tapping the trees. I hope that Mr. Willis will, 
before long, publish details of the experiments 
carried on at the Gardens since the issue of iiis 
circular of June, 1899.— I am, dear sir, yours truly, 
M." SHORT. 
RUSSIAN TEA TRADE. 
Kandy, 26th Sept. 
SIR. — 1 herein enclose copy of letter and ac- 
companying despatches received from Government 
on the subject of the effect of the Chinese Crisis 
on the Russian Tea Trade.— I am, sir, yours 
faithfully, A. PHILIP, 
Secretary, Planters' Association of Ceylon. 
Colonial Secretary's Office, Colombo, 25th Septem- 
ber, 1900. 
Sir, — I am directed by His Excellency the Gover- 
nor to forward to you for the information of the 
Planters' Association, the enclosed copy of a despatch 
from the Secretary of State for the Coloniea, together 
with copies of the despatches from Her Majesty's 
Ambassador at Petersburg on the subject of the 
effect of the Chinese Crisis on the Russian Tea Trade. 
-—I am, sir, your obedient servant, 
(Signed) A. G. Clayton, for Colonial Secretary. 
Secretary, Planters' Association of Ceylon. 
(Copy No, 146. Commercial.) 
St. Petersburg, 8th August, 1900. 
My Lord,— With reference to my despatch No. 134 
of the 26th ultimo I have the honour to transmit to 
your lordship herewith a further report which has 
been addressed to me by Mr. Cooke on ihe subject of 
the Crisis in China and the Tea Trade. — I have &c, 
(Signed) Chakles S. Scott. 
The Marquess of Salisbury, k.g., &c. 
THE CHINESE CRISIS AND THE TEA 
TRADE. 
The Commercial and Industrial Gvzette of St. 
Peterburg, commenting on the nominal opening of 
the great Nljni-Novgorod Pair (July 15 to 28) with re- 
ference to the prospect of the tea trade states as 
follows : — The Chinese Crisis came on Just when the 
first and principal crop at Hangkow was brought up 
and ready for despatch for Russia. The question is : 
was it safely sent away ? The two routes are by sea 
from Hankow to Odessa, and via Siberij, overland. 
The latter direction is either (1) by water to Liantsen 
and thence by land to Kaljan and through the 
Mongolian steppe to Kiata or (2) along the Amur, and 
in this case, from Hankow by sea to Vladivostock 
or to Nikolaevsk. According to Moscow tea dealers, 
up to .June 8 to 21, 1900, the purchases Imade were 
648,9.5.5 half-chests of the fii-st crop against) 609,052 
in 1899) of which 590,306 were bought by Russian 
firms, or 35,552 OSlpre than last year. The first 
crop is the all important one in the tea 
trade, 2nd and 3rd crops being compara- 
tively insignificant. This first crop being safely 
brought in at Hangkow, and Russia having solid 
supplies over from last year, though mostly of the 
inferior 2nd and 3rd crops, there need not as yet 
at least be any sensible disturbance in the inter- 
national market. The whole question is how much 
has been despatched from Hangkow and in what 
direction ? The disturbances became serious just as 
the ordinary despatch from Hangkow should have 
begun. Thanks to the crisis and to the sballowuesB 
and other difficulties of navigation on the Amur, the 
oversea route alone remained. But here too the 
Volunteer Fleet steamers were taken by the Govern- 
ment and difficulties arose in finding others. All that 
is known at present is that the Steamship "Kherson " 
(Volunteer Fleet) has arrived with tea at Odessa, as 
also the Steamship " Odessa," while the " Yaroslav ' 
(Volunteer Fleet) has passed Port Said with tea for 
Odessa. The English Steamship " Drnmgard " char- 
tered by the Volunteer Fleet, has left Hangkow with 
tea as also the " Siam "' of the East Asiatic Com- 
pany, the latter with 70,000 half-chests, originally 
destined for Siberia. More black tea was bought 
up at Hangkow this year than last, and bought up 
earlier, so the sto -ks there are larger. Ceylon and 
London teas (the latter both Chinese and Ceylon) are 
in greater stocks than last year, and now probably 
rapidly increasing. Some 30,000 chests of brick tea 
were sent in the spring from London to Vladivostock, 
after failing last year to reach Siberia via the Obi 
and Tenisei route. On July 1 to 14, 1900. there were 
114,192 half-chests in Moscow Customs Depots, against 
66,908 in 1899. In general there is considerable doubt 
and hesitation in the market, all awaiting events, 
though some have raised prices. Prices in Siberia 
have risen considerably and promise to continue 
rising. Much depends on what trade is done at Nijni 
Novgorod market now opening. 
(Signed) Heney Gooke. 
PLANTING NOTES. 
Ratwatte Cocoa Coy.— We have to thank 
Messrs. Geo, Steuart & Co., (agents and 
secretaries) for a copy of the directors' re- 
port which was to have been submitted at the 
annual meeting in Kandy this afternoon. It 
is published on another page, and shows 
that, while no dividend is recommended, a 
profit of R5,320 has been made on the crop- 
bearing portion of the estate and that the 
prospects both for tea and cocoa for the 
coming season, are good. 
Baked Land. — A good many people who experience 
great difficulty in working land that bakes readily 
after rain may be interested in the following advice 
issued by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station: — 
" There are several things which can be done to 
improve your land, the choice of which one, or of a 
combination of two or more, will depend upon yonr 
local surroundings. Subsoil ploughing will prove of 
benefit. If you combine with this a considerable 
quantity of lime, say at the rate of one-half ton 
per acre, it will perhaps prove more beneficial than 
anything else that you could do. But as this may be 
too expensive you may find it necessary to try this : 
Deep ploughing, eight to ten inches, and the applica- 
tion at the same time of large quantities of swamp 
muck, barnyard manure or any fertiliser rich in 
vegetable mould. Green manuring, that is ploughing 
under a green crop of any kind of forage or luxuriant 
growth, is a practice method of great value. Wood 
ashes in large quantities, two or three tons to the 
acre, will prove very beneficial. This is perhaps the 
only remedy which would prove of any value so late 
in the season as it is now. The deep ploughing and 
heavy dressings of manure should be done not later 
than midwinter," — New South Wales Agricultural 
Gazette 
