THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [Nov. 1, 1900. 
Thi Russian Tea Market.— Aocordipgto the Gns- 
toms^returns, the remarkable .features in the import 
trade of Odessa in 1899 are che increasad demand for 
Ceylon and China teas, which attained the high 
figure of 7,500,000 lb. — a substantial advance of about 
1,000,000 lb. over 1898— and for coal, of which the 
importation has been nearly quintupled; that is, from 
32,480 tons in 1898 to 160,200 tons in 1899. Ceylon 
tea is consumed in increasing quantities, and is com- 
peting favourably with China teas. Japanese tea has 
been introduced, but does not suit Russian tastes, 
and cannot compete with Ceylon teas, either in quality 
or in price. The bulk of the tea imported into 
Odessa Ipasses in transit to Moscow and other 
towns. The trouble in China will, it is feared, affect 
this trade, as the vessels of the Volunteer Fleet, which 
carry tea at preferential rates of freight, are at present 
engaged as Government transports, and in many in- 
stances have already declined cargo from merchants. 
INDIAN TEA ASSOCIATION, 
(LONDON). 
A meeting of the Committee was held on the 25th 
instant, when the following members were present : — 
Messrs. D Cruickshank (in the chair), G ,W Christi- 
Bon, J S Hulbert, F A Roberts, J N Stuart, and 
A O Stanton. 
Work in Amebica. — A proposal to divert a portion 
of the funds towards advertising green tea in Canada 
was not agreed to, no green tea being yet available. 
Work on the Continent.— A letter from Mr. J 
M Harrington, dated 22nd instant, with reference 
to certain tea rooms in Rome, was read, and the 
Committee resolved, before granting a subsidy, to 
await further particulars regarding the same. 
Ernest Tye, Secretary. 
— Home and Colonial Mail, Sept. 28. 
COCONUT MILK. 
The Colonial Museum at Haarlem, in its an- 
nual report recently published, has raised, at the 
request of an old planter, the question whether 
a market could be created for preserved coconut 
milk. As thousands of tons of dried coconut 
(coprah) are annually shipped, the milk of which 
is thrown away when collecting the kernels, 
hundreds of gallons of coconut milk are \\ asted 
for want of a proper method of preserving this 
refreshing beverage. It has been suggested that 
by adding a slight quantity of silicic acid the 
fresh milk in air-tight bottles would prove to 
retain its qualities, so much appreciated in 
Southern countries. — Sells' Commercial Intelligence, 
THE WINTER EICE CROP IN BENGAL. 
From the preliminary forecast of the winter 
rice crop of Bengal for the year 1900 which has 
been issued we extract as follows : — 
The Provincial total of the normal area under 
winter rice now stands at 31,023,<300 acres against 
31,076,400 acres shown in the final forecast of the 
preceding year. The area sown with winter rice 
this year is estimated at 28,883,300 acres against 
31,344,700 acres in 1899. On the whole, the season 
has not been altogether favourable for the winter 
rice crop. 
According to the estimates made by the District 
Officers, the outturn of the winter rice crop this 
year for the Province, as a whole will amount to 
87 per cent of a normal crop, as compared with 90 
per cent as finally estimated last year.— Pioneer, 
Oct. 11. 
THE CONSOLIDATED ESTATES 
COMPANY, LTD. 
Ninth Annual Report of the General Managers 
submitted to the Shareholders at the General 
Meeting held at 34, Great St. Helens, E.G., on 
Wednesday, the 3ird October 1900, at 11-30 a.m. 
The General Managers have the pleasure to submit 
their ninth annual report and balance sheet, together 
with statement of accounts for the crop year ending 
3Cth June, 1900. 
The profit and loss account shows a balance (includ- 
ing £671 63. 6d. brought forward from last year) of 
£7,101 IBs. 7d. after paying interest on the debentures, 
and an interim dividend of 4 per cent on the pre- 
ferred shares. 
Out of this sum the General Managers propose — 
To pay a balance dividend of 4 per 
cent on the preferred shares making 
8 per cent for the whole year, 
which will absorb . . £1,480 0 0 
•To set aside for redemption of 5 per 
cent of the debentures at 103 2,575 0 0 
To pay a dividend of 5 per cent on the 
ordinary shares, requiring . . 1,950 0 0 
To place to Reserve Fund i . 500 0 0 
Carrying forward the balance, viz. : 596 18 7 
i£7,101 18 7 
The following shows the result of the year's working, 
viz. : — 
NET proceeds of CROP. 
1,651,410 lb. tea at an aver- 
age net price of about £ b. d. £ a. d. 
5 15-l6d per lb. realised . . 40,742 11 1 
Cocoa, Cardamoms, Cin- 
chona Bark, and Cinna- 
mon .. .. 1,266 16 1 
Surplus on produce brought 
forward from 1898-9 .. 110 9 6 
Interest account . . 188 6 8 
expenditure on estates. 
Messrs. George Steuart 
& Co.'s drafts — 
R449,584 at an aver- 
age of 1/4 31-64 per 
rupee .. £30,885 6 
Less — Balance of 
coast advances 423 16 
42,308 3 i 
8 
Bonus to Superintendents 
— R8,250 @ 1/4 1-32 
30,461 10 4 
551 1 6 
31,012 11 10 
£11,295 11 
The past season in Ceylon has been very favour- 
able for the flushing of tea, and this fact combined 
with the good effects of liberal manuring, and a 
system of somewhat coarser pulcking on some of the 
Company's Estates, has resulted in a large increase 
in the intake of Tea : the total crops amounting to 
1,651,410 lb. against an Estimate of 1,326,000 lb. 
Unfortunately however this increase of the crops haa 
been more than counteracted by a further fall in the 
price of tea and the rise in Exchange, but owing 
to some economies in the cost of production, the net 
result of the season's working is about the same aa 
that of last year. 
Exchange has again been rather more unfavourable 
to the Company, the average cost of the Rupee 
having been Is 4 31-64 (for drafts at three months* 
sight) against Is 4-11-32 for similar drafts last year. 
The rate now carrrent is, however, only Is 4 5.16d. 
* By the Articles of Association it is provided that 
five per cent, of the Debentures must be redeemed 
before any Dividend can be paid on the Ordioory 
Shares. * 
