Nov. 1, 1900.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTUWST. 
ports into the United Kingdom, which in 1899-1900 
amounted in all to 309,895,353 lb. of which 39,325,590 
lb. v/ere re-exported. 
A severe blow to the tea industry has been struck 
by the imposition of an extra tax of twopence per 
pound as a result of the operations against the Boers. 
The man in the street believes that he is paying the 
additional tax. He is certainly paying more for his 
tea, while the prices obtained by the producer are 
lower. The tronWes in China have helped to keep the 
piice 11T3, it is true, but it is also true that tea is unduly 
taxed. ' Colfee, whi h is in strong competition with the 
frngraut leaf, and is of about equal value, if the 
impost be deducted in each case, bears a tax of only 
three-half pence per pound, and cocoa only one 
penny. /• i • t. 
In spite of this, however, and in the face of high 
rates of freight and exchange, the one pound draft 
and heavy warehouse charges, the sale of tea goes on 
increasing, and the great bulk of the increase is sup- 
plied by our great dependency and its neighbour, 
Ceylon. The keen, active, pushing planter will not 
waste time in groaning over the hardness of his lot, 
but will go on seeking new continents to conquer, and 
by the excellence of his tea and the pnshfulness of his 
agents, will find markets for his product which will 
take as much of the leaf as he is able to raise.— 
Investors' Guardian, Sept. 22. 
THE COOL PROCESS OF TEA 
MANUFACTURE. 
To the Editor, Indian Planters'' Gazette. 
Dear Sir,— My patent cool-oxidizer is the result of 
special study and practical experience, extending 
over some years, and although it might be con- 
sidered by some a bold statement, I maintain that 
my cool-oxidiser will never be beaten by any other 
method. I have data of the proper speed the air 
should move over the Mai, so that it cau take the 
nccesbary oxygen in just its proper quantities. I take 
it that the method of covering up the mal with 
cloths is still in vogue, and that this idea originated 
in the' endeavour to keep cut the light; tt is in-oii;/ 
the Mal has no earthly chance of oxidising under 
cloths, and only undergoes [lulrid fcrinentalion. as 
distinct a process from oxidation as chalk from 
cheese. I can prove that there are, as your planter 
correspondent says, tioo distinct processes — one oxida- 
tion, the right one, and the other what I have de- 
signated above as putrid fermentation. 
Facilitate oxygenation, encourage it by giving the 
Mal oxygent through moving air; but move the 
air at tbe proper speed; have under control the 
moisture of the air supplying the Mal. Temperature 
75° to 80°0 Fahr. ; neither above nor below. Your 
readers may try " prolongation of the process by 
total absence of draught," and " refrigeration" if 
they choose, there is no invention or patent about 
this ; but as sure as the sun rises each morning and 
sets each evening the liquors resulting from teas so 
manufactured will be as "soft" as castor oil. 
I claim to be the engineer who first knocked into 
shape a machine for oxidising tea leaf. I hold the 
patent rights and shall take such steps as the law 
provides against anyone making, selling, or infringing 
my apparatus ; but if any planter is wishing to turn 
his present so-called fermenting room into a cool- 
oxidiser I shall be pleased to help him m domg so, 
without charging any royalty, provided the necessary 
equipment is obtained from me, and my designs 
faithfully adhered to. It is more than probable that 
before 1901 is very old I shall be once more amongst 
your Indian readers, and although, as they say in 
the dramatic world, I have been " resting" since 1897. 
I have not yet ceased to interest myself in tea 
machinery.—Yonrs faithfully, 
NAXHAft Shakpe, 
HOW TO DEVELOPE TRADE. 
MR. DE COURCY HAMILTON (FORMERLY 
OF CEYLON) TO THE FRONT. 
ENGLISH TRADE WITH JAMAICA. 
COMMERCIAL EXPEDITION, 
A correspondent informs us that yesterday the 
commercial expedition organised by the Bristol 
Chamber of Commerce to visit the West Indies, 
for the purpose of promoting the home export 
trade to those islands, left Southampton in the' 
Royal Mail steamer '* Orinoco." The e.vpedition, 
which is under the charge of Mr. de Courey Hamil- 
ton, who has had a very extensive connection 
with the West Indies, is taking over one hundred 
cases of samples of all descriptions of merchan- 
dise, most of the chief manufacturers within a hun- 
dred miles of Bristol being represented. It is pro- 
posed to open an exhibition in Jamaica, toholdcon- 
ference.s, organise lectures, and in every possi- 
ble way to bring under the notice of the popula- 
tion of the West Indies the merits of the Eng- 
lish goods shown. The opening of the new 
fast mail and fruit service between Bristol and 
Jamaica, in January next, has stimulated the mer- 
chants of the West of England in the direction 
of improving the export trade to Jamaica and 
the neighbouring Colonies, and it is confidently 
hoped that a very large increase in this business 
will result from the present venture. Mr. A L 
Jones (of Messrs. Elder Dempster and Co., the con- 
tractors for the new service), together with many 
other gentlemen interested in the movement, 
journeyed down to Southampton, and gave the 
departing experts a hearcy send-off. 
In the course of the day the following telegram 
was dispatched to Mr. Chamberlain : ' ' Just off to 
Southampton to bid farewell to expedition going 
to Jamaica to open exhibition of all the manufac- 
tures within a hundred miles of Bristol. Bristol 
is entering very heartily into this great enterprise 
to resuscitate the trade of Jamaica. This will 
be pleasant news t© you, who have the interests 
of the Colony so much at heart. Shall do utmost 
to make venture a success. — A L Jones." To this 
the following reply was received by Mr. Jones trom 
Mr. Chamberlain: "Thanks. I cordially wish 
success to expedition, and I anticipate great re: 
suits from their inquiries and your energy.— r 
Chamberlain." — Daily Neivs, Sept. 20. 
^ ,. 
COVERING WOUNDS IN TREES. 
Mr. Peter Van Metchen says that the wounds 
made in the sterna of trees by pruning or other- 
wise should have the wood preserved to keep it from 
decay till the new bark and wood extends over it, 
but he thinks gum shellac dissolved in alcohol far 
better than paint. He advices to put the shellac 
into a wide-monthed bottle, cover it with alcohol, 
and let it stand twenty-four hours, when 
it may be applied vfith a swab or a brush. 
It serves, as nearly as may be, as the substance of 
bark; is not affected by heat, or cold, or wet, or 
dry weather ; and retains the sap up the cut, heal- 
ing the wound without a scar. Any limbs cutof square 
on top will leave a dead end from 6in. to a foot, which 
will eventually dry and rot off. Limbs should be cut 
off slanting ; never square on top, as is sometimes 
done, but this would be quite a task in, 300 or 400 
acre orchard. — Auckland News, Sept li, 
