F£B. 2, 1903.] THE TKOPICAL 
A.GKIOULTUKIST. 
527 
TEA PROSPECTS. 
With reference to recent articles in tlie 
periodical "Tea"— the latest of whicli we 
reproduced on pap^e 497,— a (Jeylon proprietor 
writes from London, Dec. 11th : — 
"There is not the sli;^liteat doaht but that we 
shall never be psrnianently risht until we can 
have some organisation among the sellers, as well 
as aniong the buyers." 
We attract attention to the contribu- 
tion by " Suum Cuique" given elsewhere. 
He makes the bold statement as regards 
"overproduction" that it has never- 
exceeded 5 per cent of the requirements 
of the market and that the trouble and 
low prices are due to the combined action 
of large buyers and the want of cohesion 
among producers. All that he writes on 
the subject should therefore be carefully 
studied by planters. 
* 
EXPORTS OF CEYLON TEA TO THE 
UNITED KINGDOM IN 1902. 
The following are the monthly shipments 
of Ceylon tea to the United Kingdom 
during the past year, in round numbers : — 
lb. 
Jaunary .. .. 9,250,000 
February .. .. 8.000 000 
March ... ... 8,500,000 
April .. .. 9,000,000 
May ... .. 9.750 000 
Juno ... .. - . 13,000,000 
July .. .. 10,750,000 
August ... ... 7,2.00,000 
September ... .. 6,750,ilo0 
October ... ... 7,000,000 
November .. .. 6 2.=)0,000 
December ... ... 9,000,000 
Total ... 101,500,000 
Estimate for January 1903— 9i to 10 millions lb.] 
SUGAR AND RUBBER IN THE STRAITS. 
We were aorry to miss Mr. John Turner, the 
General Manager of the largest Sugar Cultivation 
Company in tlie Straits : he arrived by the ss. 
'* Arcadia " recently and left in a few hours 
by the ss. " Coromandel " for Penang. Referring 
to Sugar prospects, Mr. Turner writes to us ; — 
''Yon will no doubt have seen what has been 
taking place in connection with sugar bounties. Piices 
have already gone up cousiderably and we look for a 
further rise. So ttat with our new estates we are 
in a position to take full advantage of the rise." 
Mr, Turner is also inteie^ted in rubber. 
SWEET POTATO FROM BAHBADOES. 
{Fro}n a home Correspondent.) 
Messrs W Pink and Sons, the well-known 
wholesale fruic merchants, have betrun a new 
departure to which Mr Alleyne, M L C, Barba- 
does, has been drawing attention in the news- 
papers. They are now regularly importing 
SWEET POTATOE.S AND VAMS 
into this country from Barbadoes and hope to 
develoij a good market ere long. They have, at 
present, only stocks of swee!; potatoe.s, Mr Pink 
tells me, but after Christma.') Iieexpec s large de- 
liveries of yaii s. The sweet potatoes they sell 
in baskets of about 17 lb and 31 lb and barrels 
of 124 lb, prices being respectively 3s 6 I, 6.s 61, and 
16-1, carriage paid lo neatest Railway station. The 
endeavour to introduce those vep;etables is further 
assisted by recipes stating how to cook Birbadoes' 
potatoes, tak?ri from a pamphlet; issued by Ceylon's 
old friend, Dr Morris, c M G, Commissioner of 
Agticultuie for the West Indies. I append a 
few of those at the end of this letter for the 
Iteiieftj of any Ceylon housekeeper who may sigh 
for something; new for dinner. Housekeepers here, 
who have more variety to select from, are yet 
showing interest in the new vegetables from tlie 
West Itidie?, and the idea seems worthy of support 
in view of the distress of West Indian Industries 
at the moment. It is said yams and sweet potatoes 
are veiy deliciously cDoked in this country where 
really good butter can be incorporated with them in 
various ways. That may be, but some of the recipes 
Dr Morris brings forth out of his treasury of 
knowleilge smell of indigestion to the experienced 
stomach to which the yam is not entirely a new 
creation, notably the rich pastry dish, which 
prudent "lovers of the table" (vide Cockle's 
pilis) will put off trying till the New Year 
festivities are safely past ! 
RECIPES FOR BARBADOES POTATOES. 
{Broiled.) 
Potatoes to be half-boiled, the skin removed, and 
put in the oven till brown. Cut into pieces, serve 
hot. 
CRecJiaufS of Cold Barbadoes Potatoes.) 
Mash till perfectly free from bumps, stir into 
every pound of potatoes two table-spoonfuls oi: flour, 
two of minced onion and 1 oz. butter ; a(Jd sufficient 
milk to moisten well, press in a mould, bake in a 
moderate oven till brown and turn out. 
(Barbadoes Pie.) 
One quart ofBarbr.does potatoes boiled and mashed' 
three beaten egg.-), three table-spoonfula of sugar 
one table-apoonful of butter, half a nutmeg (grated), 
half te;i-spoonful ground cinnamon, a little ground 
cloves, a little lemon peel, enough cream to mix 
together to a batter. Line the pudding dish with 
a rich pastry, pour in the mixture, and bake with 
a top crust. 
» 
PRODUCE AND PLANTING. 
We published last week a vigorous appeal from a 
correspondent calling upon 
TEA PRODUCERS TO COMBINE. 
Our correspoudeut, after putting forward proposals 
for meetiug the present difficulties of tea-giowers, 
asked who will move in this matter ? Some days 
have elapsed since our correspondent's letter .ippeired, 
and up to now there is, so far as Loudou is concerned, 
but small iauioaliou of any movement on the part of 
those chiefly interested. Wo have received some 
letters, but so far the attempt on the part of our corre- 
spondent to inspire the leaders of the tea industry 
with life and action, even to the extent of calling a 
meeting to discuss preliminaries, has met wiih no 
overwhelming response. Possibly some step indicat- 
ing coucertiid action may be contemplated, but if this 
be so, nothing has leaked out in contirmatiou. We 
trust that those who desire to initiate some moreiueQ( 
