April l, 1901.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTUMST. 
7-19 
PRODUCnON OF COTTON AND COFFEE 
IN BRAZIL. 
The Austro-Hnngarian Consul at Rio de Janeiro 
reports that there are cotton tress throughout the 
Brazilian territories, which supply the whole of the 
material for the very numerous cotton factories 
there, the activity of which is yearly increasing. la 
the states of Rio de J:-..neiro and Minas Geraes, 
there are about thirty factories, having an aggre- 
gate of about 16,000 looms ; the machinery, which 
is supplied by England, Germany, and North America, 
is set in motion by a great many waterfalls by 
means of hydraulic wheels. The manufacturers of 
yarn mix the Brazilian cotton with North American 
and Bgyptiau cotton, which ensures greater firmness. 
The most superior sorts, amongst them the genuine 
Sea Island, are produced in the neighbourhood of 
Alcantara, in the state of Marauham. The arrivals 
in 1899 amounted to 159,029 bales of about 80 kilos 
each. According to statistical returns the world's 
stock of coffee on .January 1st, 1399, was 387,000 
tons, or about 6,-lo0,00ll b,igs, a quantity which has 
never before b^en attained at that season of the 
year, and ihe 1899 1900 crop promised very abund- 
ant yield. The over-production in the Brazils had 
created a situation which filled even optimists with 
dismay. Although the consumption, in consequence 
of the low prices, had considerably augmented, it was 
feared that the heavj stocks and the large anticipated 
arrivals would prevent buyers coming forward. In 
order to counteract such a contingency a union 
was formed, styled "Centroda Lavouro do Cafe do 
Brazil," to carry on an active propaganda in order 
to augment consumption. — Chamber of Commerce 
Journal, for Feb. 
"LEi CULTURES COLONIALES,"* 
We have received a copy of this woi^k 
(in French) by Henri Jumelle, Science Pro- 
fessor and Lecturer in Marseilles. In two 
volumes, one on " Plantes Alimentaires and 
one on the " Plantes Industrielles et Medi- 
cinales." The ohject of the author in these 
two volnuies has been to collect, for the 
benefit of planters and the pupils in the 
Colonial Schools, inforniation on the various 
methods of culture in use in different re- 
gions of the sub-tropical zone. There is 
great variety in these methods, probably 
owing to special conditions of climate and 
soil. M. Jumelle has tried, by comparing 
the climates and .soils of countries in which 
the same product is cultivated, to deduce 
general laws as to the conditions most 
favourable to its growth. 
This woi'k is in two volumes. The first is 
devoted to Food Plants. M. Jumelle includes 
among these not only farinaceous plants, 
vegetables, cereals, sugar-yielding plants and 
fruits ; but also spices, aromatic plants, and 
coffee and tea. 
In the second volume, M. Jumelle takes 
up textile growths, oleaginous plants, rubber 
and gutta plants, perfume and varnish- 
yielding plants, dyes and tannin, medicinal 
plants, and those used for chewing and as 
narcotics, and those for fodder. This volume 
of 358 pages has 101 illustrations amongst 
the letterpress, while the former has lOi 
illustrations and 430 pages. (1 fr. per vol.) 
Seventeen pages only are devoted to Tea. 
We have first, broadly given, Habitat, 
* J. B. Bailli^re et Fils, Rae Hauteville 19, pies 
du Boulevard St. Germain. Paris. 4 fr. per vol. 
91 
Varieties of Tea and botanic description, 
their climate, soil ;iiid moisture, requisite 
manure, seeds and nurseries (how arranged,) 
transplanting, pruning, which is carefully 
described ; harvesting or plucking and the 
making of tea ; machinery, .Jackson's roller 
being specially indicated ; also Jackson's and 
Davidson's Drier. A sorting machine by M.G. 
Collom, and packing machine of Davidson & 
Co., are advised. "GreenTea is prepared almost 
exclusively in China," say they, " and is a 
little poorer in theine, but richer in tannin 
and essential oils, and therefore more excit- 
ing than ordinary tea." The process of manu- 
facture is carefully described. One page is 
given to the Diseases of Tea, i.e., to the Tea 
Bug, and cures, suggested by Dr. Trimen and 
Mr. Green, are described. 
Every cultivated tropical product seems 
equally carefully disposed of. The work 
ought to be very valu.ible to residents in 
the tropics who can read French and medi- 
tate trying some new cultivation. There is 
a complete index of names of plants, etc., 
technical, botanical, and popular. The work is 
likely to be translated into other languages 
shortly. 

THE RETAIL SALE OF TEA TO 
NATIVES. 
SH\KE OFF THE SENSE " OF INFRA. DIG." 
Ic is to be devoutly hoped that tiie Tea Asso- 
ciation will lo.se no time in takint; to heart the 
lecture upon selt-help contained in the concluding 
paragraplis of the Viceroy's winding-up speech in 
the debate upon the Assam Labour Bill. There are 
two ditticulties, however, that present themselves 
at the outset of drivinfr a country trade in our 
teas ; tii.st, we have to encounter and overcome that 
unacknowledfied but undeniably existina over- 
strained sense of gentility that pervade.s all 
classes of our countrymen wlien transported 
to India ; anything like shop- keeping as pursued 
at home being considered infra dig, a.nd yet, if 
we are to create a business in tea among all classes, 
the patrician toga must be discarded ; in the 
second place, we venture to say there is not a 
tradesman conncited with the Association, and one 
as an organiser is a sitie qua nan. We have 
urg'ed repeatedly the opening of stalls at such 
places in town where the hordes of natives that are 
constantly on the move could obtain a cup of 
decent tea for a pice, and last year suggested the 
setting up of soinvas at the large railway halting 
stations, but no atteaipt has been made to follow 
such up although the success as indicated in His 
Excellency's speech is assured. We are not in 
Messrs. Cresswell's confidence and, beyond know- 
ing 1 hat they are credited with some plan or other 
fur widely distributing tea among the masses, are 
quite in the dark as to the nature of what pro- 
ceedings they purpose adopting. As far as 
Calcutta is concerned we have overwhelming 
evidence that, vv-ere some systematic method de- 
vised of furnishing the present jieripatetic vendors 
of made tea with the means of filling their cans 
with a properly-concocted brew, the already pro- 
nounced taste would expand enormously and 
rapidly. We do not look for more than covering 
expenses at first, for the scheme must be regarded 
as a simple advertisement. Hitherto all idea of 
introducing our teas to the working classes has been 
centred upon selling small packet.s, but little ad? 
