494 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [Jan. 1, l903. 
of fluid cocoa. The butter flows off in liquid form, 
and is caught in moulds, where it is given time to 
cool and harden. 
There are no firms engaged exclusively in the manu- 
facture of cocoa butter ; the manufacturers producing 
the largest quantities of cocoa powder are also the 
largest producers of cocoa batter. 
In 1901, of 1,081 tons of Dutch cocoa butter were sold 
in the auction sales at Amsterdam. 
On January 1 last the average market price of 
cocoa butter was 0 69 florin (27"6 cents) per one- 
half kilogram (1"1 pounds), and on July 1 last the 
articles were sold at 0-74i florin (29 7 cents) per one- 
half kilogram. 
Cocoa butter is used principally by confectioners, 
but also to a limited extent by pharmacists aud in the 
manufacture of fine fancy soaps. 
MrF D Hill, U S Consul at Amsterdam, says : — 
'Ihe bulk of the cocoa butter is disposed of at 
monthly public sales held at Amsterdam. Ihe sales 
are made on customary " fall-of-the-hammer " con- 
ditions, and without commission to the second 
highest bidder. The cocoa batter is packed in bales 
of eight cakes, each cake being separately wrapped in 
strong paper. 
COPRA PRODUCTS AT MARSEILLES, 
The U S Consul-General at .Marseilles says : — 
The manufacture of copra oil is nowhere so exten- 
sively carried on as at Marseilles. From 55,000 to 65,000 
tons are made annually by the following concerns, 
principally : 
Bocoa, Tassy and de Roux, 22 rue Montgrand. 
Magoau Freres, 14 AUees de Meilhan. 
Charles Diemer et Cie, 1 rue Picpus. 
Fritsch et Cie, 7 Place Estrangin Pastre. 
The effort to extract an edible grease from an oil 
produced upon so vast a scale and formerly available 
only for the manufacture of soap, gave promise of 
valuable returns if successful ; and that this promise 
was not delusive may be judged from the circumstance 
that the factory of Rocca, Tassy and de Roux, which 
produced 25 tons of butter per month in 1900, now turns 
out 600 tons per month. I imagine that the success of 
Messrs. Magnan Freres has also been considerable. 
The batter of Messrs Rocca, Tassy and de Roux 
ia styled "vegetaline" and " cocoaline," the greater 
demand being for the former. The first-named melts 
at 26° C, and the latter at 31° C, being by that fact 
better suited for warm climates. Messrs Magnan 
Freres sell their product as " cocose." The best 
export markets at present seem to be Holland, 
England, Norway and Sweden, and Denmark. It is 
offered for sale in tins, and is almost tasteless. 
Just how these imitation batters are made is a 
matter of violent curiosity in Marseilles, where the 
story goes that 
£12,000 HAS BEEN OFFERED FOR THE SECRET. 
I have not been able to obtain it upon demand. It 
appears that expensive machinery is required. 
The oil having by nature much the consistency of 
genuine butter, the main problem has been to bleach 
it, to remove the principles which cause rancidity; 
and to increase the point of fusion. The bleaching 
operation is doubtless accomplished by the free use 
of fuller's earth, which, being beaten in the oil, 
absorbs the colouring matter and is then precipitated 
and removed. What next occurs is difficult to say ; 
certainly, a chemical process is employed. English 
manufacturers have lately learned something of 
the bleaching method as in use here, and are em- 
ploying in it. 
Present prices of copra products fob Marseilles, 
per 100 kilograms (220 pounds), are now quoted: — 
Francs. 
Vegetaliue .. .. 89-00 
Cocose .. .. 87-1)0 
Cochin neutre .. 77 00 
Cochin neige ., «. 74-00 
Ceylon quality .. ., 71-50 
Orilinftry soap . , 1 1 '^^'^'i 
The above prices for oil in barrels, of Marseilles 
make, are for September and October delivery. 
— Commercial Intelligence. 
«> 
PADDY CULTIVATION IN THE STRAITS. 
USE OF MACHINERY ADVOCATED. 
(To the Editor S. F. Press.) 
Dear Sir, — I see that upon two or three occv- 
sions you have drawn attention to the advisability 
of cultivating paddy more extensively in the 
Peninsula and am therefoie induced to make a few 
remarks upon the subject. In a country where the 
natural conditions are favourable for the cultiva- 
tion of rice and where the amount produced is only 
an infinitesimal portion of that which is consumed, 
it is a matter of surprise that the subject has 
nob been taken up more energetically, I see 
a suggestion has been made that" Malays 
should be compelled to plant, which no -doubt 
will be an excellent thing for the Malays, but 
a measure that will not make the country less 
dependent (or hardly so upon outside sources of 
supply) as long as they employ the primitive 
methods that have hitherto been in use. 1 have 
cultivated 'dry' or 'upland' paddy now for two 
years as a 'eatchcrops' and have had to make use 
of their primitive methods, my land being planted 
up with permanent crops such as rubber aud 
coconuts. By using this system and employing 
day labourers in opening up land for paddy 
solely, I feel convinced that there would be no 
margin for profit. This being che case there 
is little inducement for capitalists to take the 
matter up without which nothing very 
much can be accomplished. I venture to suggest 
that tlie solution lies in the employment of 
machinery from the ploughing of the land and 
through the various stages until the rice is graded 
and bagged. lb is being done in America and in 
Queensland to a limited extent, and surely the 
same methods could be applied here. A study 
of the American system would undoubtedly be 
of great benefit to those interested in pushing the 
culture of rice here. Unless some such measures 
are taken in hanl this country will never be 
anything like self-supporting in this respect such 
as you, Sir, have suggested would be advisable. 
—I remain, Dear Sir, yours faithfully, 
Francis Pears. 
Lanadrow Estate, Muar, Dee, 13. 
— Singapor'j Free Press, Dec. 17. 
" SOLUBLE TEA." 
We direct attention to Mr. John Rogers' 
notes (see page 495) on this subject— one 
that he has made peculiarly his own by a 
long course of study and experiment. 
The result has been talked of for some 
time, and has met with the approval 
of experts, as a thoroughly sound, whole- 
some and pure tea. Ail Ceylon producers 
are therefore specially interested in the 
success of the article, more especially when 
it is in demand for countries which have as yet 
taken little of our ordinary product in chest; 
and for purposes— such as for the use of travel- 
lets explorers, navigators— where bulk is a con- 
sideration. AVe certainly think thepromoters 
of "Soluble Tea' deserve countenance and aid 
(if required) from the "Thirty Committee"; 
while they should make a special exhibit ot 
their development at the St. Louis Exposition 
for the benefit of ^he American people, 
