554 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [Feb. 1, 190i. 
unsold, generally mean sacrifice, and only 
form ,a lever for buyers to force down prices. 
Values still paid locally are, however, j^ood 
when compared with those ruling some three 
and four years ago, and many pit owners must 
still be getting good retiu'ns. 
The extreme prices paid for plumbago to- 
wards the close of 1899 and early in 1£K)0 led 
to a rush after plumbago land, resulting in 
absurdly high prices being paid for land and 
leases, and to pits being opened up recklessly. 
In many cases efforts have not only been un- 
satisfactory, but in some instances have had 
disastrous financial results. Quite a number 
of pits were abandoned during the latter half 
of 1900. 
The following comparative table of quantities 
and prices at close of last two decades are in- 
teresting : — 
In 1890 exports aggregated 19,287 tous, ia 1900 
19,167 tons and tho following were respective values 
per ton. 
In Dec. 1890 In Dec. 1900 
Large lumps B 170 to R250 K400 to 650 
Ordinary- 
lump 325 to 22,5 200 to 600 
Chips lump 60 to 130 125 to 400 
Dust lump 30 to 85 75 to 225 
TEA. — This staple article is kept so constantly 
in print, that all our readers must feel well 
nourished, so far as "facts and figures" are con- 
cerned. A return to better teas from medium 
and low-country estates will, in course of time, 
remedy the disastrous state of affairs ruling as 
the year closed. Closer supervision is wanted 
in many factories as the samples of " estate 
bulking " go to prove. If one portion of the 
factory work is not carried out properly, it 
is natural to conclude the manufacture of the 
tea is not receiving proper supervision. 
The following are Exports for the year 1890 
and for the past three years :— 
U. K. Continent. 
1890 
1898 
1899 
1900 
1890 
1898 
1899 
1900 
43,756,912 
96,133,833 
103,948,124 
113,760,193 
Australia. America. 
2,559,901 
15,126,891 
15,606,833 
17,606,912 
204,223 
2,180,188 
3,080,002 
3,980,680 
Total, 
92,839 
3,f91,106 
4,835,938 
10,213,169 
Other ports. 
287,679 
2,737,053 
2,423,259 
2,870,685 
■1890 .. 46,901,554 
1898 ... 119,769,071 
1899 ... 129,894,156 
1900 .. 148,431,639 
Exchange did not fluctuate suddenly 
during the year. The following is range of 
quotations. 
6 m/s credits 1/4 23-32 1/4 1-4 
3 m/s do 1/4 5-16 1/4 5-32 
3 m/s D. P. Bills 1/4 5-8 1/4 7-32 
IMPORTS. 
Exchange fluctuated to some extent during 
the past year, demand remittances ranging 
from 1/3 15-16 to Iji 5-16 and 30 d/s paper 
London on Colombo ranging from 1/32 to 
1/3 7-8. Money Was easy most of the year, 
local discounts ranging from i per cent to 
0 per cent. As the ■, year closed discounts 
T?ere firming up tijj^ with large crops to 
finance in India and Burma during the next 
few months, we may expect money locally 
to be very dear. 
Cotton Goods.— The American cotton crop 
of 1900 fell far short of expectations, result- 
ing in dear cotton all through the year. 
Mid Uplands ranged from 4d 13-32 per lb in 
January to 7d 3 8 in September. As the year 
closed, the price had gone back to ojd per lb. 
Dear cotton means dear cloth, and prices 
for all grey, w^hite and coloured goods ad- 
vanced with the rise in cotton. The higher 
the price, the more restricted the off-take, and 
1900 was no exception to this rule. Only 
3,088 packages cotton goods were entered 
for home consumption during the first eleven 
months last year, compared with 3,821 during 
the corresponding jjeriod of 1899. - Locally, 
prices were generally unsatisfactory compared 
with costs laid down at Colombo. 
The following figures show the importation 
for the first eleven months of 1900 and 1899 : — 
1899. 1900. 
Grey cottons, bales & cases ... 2,628 5,198 
White do do ... 2,2.59 4,135 
Printed do do ... 1,142 835 
Dyed do do ... 91 1,720 
Coloured woven do ... 9,572 7,441 
Sundry ... 112 81 
Tarns, plain ... 1 30 
do dyed ... 171 102 
15,976 19,542 
WooLi.liN Goods.— There is a growing 
tendency among the European as well as 
among the better-off Natives and Burghers 
to discard the time-honoured white drill suits 
for flannel clothes. This change has led to a 
large importation of coloured flannel. The 
initial cost to the buyer is greater, but in the 
end the flannel suit is perhaps the more eco- 
nomical and the better. 
' Tobacco.— The importation of manufactured 
tobacco has increased considerably, due no 
doubt to a great extent to the influx of Boer 
prisoners and their guard. 
Malt Liquor and Spirits —The following 
figures show the quantities bonded and entered 
for home consumption during the first 11 
months of last year compared with 1899. 
Bonded, In 1899. In 1900. 
Malt Liquor, in -wood, h'hds .. 1,615 1,223 
do glass, cases & casks ... 545 130 
Brandy cases ... 1,962 1,741 
Gin do ... 7,296 5,986 
"Whisky do ... 5,671 5,437 
Entered for consumption : — 
Malt Liquor, in wood, h'hds ... 1,692 875 
do glass, cases ... 205 482 
Brandy cases ... 2.055 1,881 
Gin do ... 6,056 5,349 
Whisky do .. 5,362 4,255 
It will be gi'atif ying to those who are in- 
terested in temperance movements to note 
the large decrease in quantities of all spirits 
entered for consumption last year compared 
with 1899. The free consignments of cheap 
unmatured whiskies which were made some 
years back are gradually being liquidated, 
and whisky exporters of any standing are 
devoting their energies to the sale of the 
better brands. 
Matches.— The quantity imported last year 
exceeded requirements and prices obtained 
locally were freq,uentl^ under laid down costj 
