THE TROPICAL AGKICULTUBIST. [Aug. 1, 1902. 
redaction of the German daty to l^d per lb shoald also 
do good. Bnt helpful as all this will be, it is bat 
little compared with the importance of getting the 
duty reduced here. It is admitted to be excessive, and 
while the highest authorities declare increased indirect- 
taxation to be necessary, they also see the need of 
broadening its basis by adding to the namber of 
dutiable articles. Every additon ^brings nearer the 
day when taxation can be more equally distribated and 
relief given to those upon whom the burden has fallen 
most heavily. 
But what are growers to do in the meantime ? It is 
easy tosay "curtail the supply" — but at whose expense 
and how is it to be done? A decline in the value 
of the finer qualities, di8coura;;ing to those who grow 
»nd import them, has been the result of heavier 
duties and lighter crops. Quotations always move 
towards an average : a short supply means higher 
prices for common followed by lower rates for fine 
tea, and the approximation in value of the diiierent 
qualities will be accentuated if the crops be shoftened 
only at the end where cheap teas are made, although 
the average value of the whole would be raised. 
The problem is a hard one, but it must be faced, 
and persuasion of its difficulty lead us once more to 
speak of 
THK BENEFIT OF AMALGAMATION. 
To combine in one interest estates in the same 
district is good ; to unite those in different districts, 
yielding both high and lower-price tea, is better; to 
link together groups of estates in Ceylon or India, 
and thus lessen the risk to which individual growers 
are in turn exposed by a change in value of the 
particular variety they happen to make, would be 
best of all, and it would facilitate all-round reduc- 
tion in the quantity, the shortest road to all-round 
recovery in price, But things being as they are, we 
have to consider probabilities. They seem to 
be that more low-priced tea will be made; 
that its value may recede, especially if the in- 
crease be obtained by coarse plucking, and that 
a recovery in rates for better qualities may follow. 
Those who contemplate making heavy crops should, 
therefore, watch what is being done in their district, 
and the quotation for common tea in London, lest they 
repeat the experience of 1900-1901. Those who usually 
make a large crop of medium quality should, we think, 
make a smaller one, concentrating attention upon its 
improvement ; while the few who grow the finest varie- 
ties should, maintain the highest {possible standard of 
quality. Extensions should be stopped for the present, 
the closest scrutiny be applied to expenditure, and la- 
bour and energy be transferred from poor acreage not 
giving a profit to that part of the estate which pays foe 
cultivation. Now 
AS TO FINDING FRESH OUTLETS, 
regress has been slow where the most pains have 
een taken, i.e,, in the United States, and quicker 
where our tea has been suited to local tastes and has 
made way on its merits, eg., in the Colonies and 
Russia. What is the bearing of this upon future 
efforts ? It teaches us that it is of little use to push 
black tea upon those who want something else, and 
that if the industry is not to stand still we muet 
learn to make what others wish to buy. The 
funds raised by Cess or otherwise should, we 
think, first be spent in freely subsidizing 
the pioneers prepared to make the new kind suitable 
for America and foreign consumers — say to the extent 
of 10 million lb. this season and 15 millions nezt. The 
outlay will be recouped later on in the price of bla^k 
tea, and in the extension of India's and Oeylon" 
trade. Then, if enough money be available, let it be 
used for extending the work already begun of making 
the merit of tea known in European countries whose 
vast populations are still almost strangers to its value. 
At our doors are 200 milliooa of potential tea-drinkers 
taking between them a mere 15 million lb per an- 
num. Surely a wide field for enterprising traders to 
explore I But these ere risioDs of the future: our 
present task is to reokoo bow maob we can take here. 
la 1901 nearly 300 million lb. were disposed of— 256 
millions at home and 43} millions abroad — but this 
included the excessive clearances in the spring.and per- 
haps was not all used; allowing for increased consump- 
tion, we therefore assume 3U0 million lb to be the ut- 
most we can sell here without lowering the price;to meet 
it there is in bond a stock of 82 millon lb, — 10 millions 
too much we therefore estimate that imports should 
not be more than 290 million lb. Apporting this on the 
basis of recent deliveries, India's share would be 158 
millions, Ceylon's 106 millions, China's 20 millions 
and Java's share 6 millions, flow to keep importation 
witbia these limits and find a market for the rest 
elsewhere are problems to be solved. 
We abstain from discussing matters of detail and 
oonclude by saying that severe as the trial is through 
which many Planters are passing the position is better 
than it was twelve months ago. We have still to feel 
the full effect of extensions made in former years but 
it will not be quite what some seems to fear for against 
yield from new gardens must be set the deterioration 
of old ones and the abandonment of outlying and 
unprofitable plots which continually goes on, and the 
more rapidly when expenses have to be cut down 
and the labour staff is reduced. 
Wm. Jas. <fe Hy. THOMPSON., 
PLANTING NOTES. 
The Ceylon Association's Annual Re- 
port appears on page 96, and deserves 
careful perusal, along with that of the Tea 
and Produce Committee. The latter body 
showed over £l25 balance ; and the " Asso- 
ciation £.38, which was divided between the 
"Planters' Benevolent" and the Ceylon 
Contingent. 
Rainbow Trout in New Zealand.— During the 
coming season the Wellington Accliniatlsaticn 
Society expects to have, given even moderate 
success, 500,000 rainbow trout ova and fry for 
sale and distribution. The proportion of rainbow 
fry in the Masierton ponds is far larger now than 
the society has ever had befor6. — Axickland News. 
May 29. 
StinGLESS Ekes. — Stingless bees are not un- 
common in the West Indian islands, living wild 
and making nests in trees. A colony is to be 
seen in the Dominica Botanic Station and la 
worth a visit. The bees are small and very active^ 
and become very excited if the nest is disturbed. 
Even though one knows they are stingless, it is 
hard to remain near the neat when the bees 
become angry and fly about just as the real honey- 
bee does : one instinctively fears a sting, and 
instinct in this 6ase proves stronger than reason. 
The bees belong to an undescribed species of 
Melipona, a genus which includes numerous 
tropical stingless beea.— Agricultural News, 
May 24. 
Coffee.— During the coming year it is ex- 
pected by some authorities that the coffee crop 
will be small both from East India and Central 
America, with the exception of Mexico where 
a larger yield is promised. Costa Rica will also 
produce a much smaller crop than usual. Ac- 
cording to "American Trade," however, the crop 
of coffee from the States of Salvador, South- 
western Honduras, Western Nicaragua, and Cost-v 
Rica will be as large in quantity for 1901-19!)2 
as the aggregate of the last two crops. The 
cost per pound to gather it for market will be 
more than twice thai) ia previous ye^is — Tea 
for June. 
