2, 1903.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
553 
their deity as a thank-olfering for their safety. 
This over, they roll up the ladder and proceed 
homewardf, and the end of the expedition is a 
ot bath. 
In the Sattayamanjalam Hills there are four 
sects amongst the Kuruinbers. (1) tfai Kurumbera* 
who are field labourers, and magicians ; (2) Mulu 
Kururabers, a nomadic tribe, also magicians ; (3) 
Kuri Kurumbers, sheep shearers, and wool weav- 
ers, and (4) Andai Kurumbers, bamboo workers. 
Of these only the two ttrst are collectors of honey, 
and each pair of brothers-in-law keeps entirely 
to his own beat, so much so that those of one 
beat do not even know those of the next, even 
though livinj? in adjacent villages, often less 
than 20 miles apart. There is no inter-marriage 
between any of the sects.— M. Mail, Jan. 7. 
BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA. 
N. E. RHODESIA CLOSED TO THE RUBBER TBADK ; 
COFFEE SUFVERINO FROM DROUGHT. 
Blantyre, Dec. 31. 
The Chartered Company has proclaimed the 
whole of North-Eastern Rhodesia closed to the 
rubber trade trom January 1, 1903. 
The otficials of the Chartered Company are 
vigorously enforcing the new game laws. Conse- 
quently settlers residing near German territory are 
taking out licenoes to shoot there. 
Glowing accounts have been received of the 
Harrison Expedition to the Victoria Nyanza. 
These reports state with regard to the Mombasa 
route to Lake Tanganyika that goods can be 
brouRht there in three months' less time than by 
the Zambesi route, — London Times, Jan. \, 
Blantyre, Dec. 30.— The long continued drought) 
in the Shire highlands has wrought havoc with 
the coffee plantations, many of which, being of 
recent growth, will probably be destroyed. The 
native food crops are also backward in many dis- 
tricts, and if there is no rain it is feared that 
there will be a famine.— London Times, Dec. 31^ 
« ■ — 
GOW, WILSON AND STANTON'S INDIAN, 
CEYLON, AND JAVA TEA REPORT 
FOR 1902. 
13, Rood Lane, London, E.C., Dec. 31, 1902. 
The tea industry has been passing through a 
series of years showing unsatisfactory results to 
producers, and 1902 pioved perhaps worse than 
any of it* predecessors. The year opened with the 
most gloomy forebodings, the market being over- 
weighted through surplus production, while it 
was generally anticipated that the output in 
1902 woulii be even larger, and that prices in 
consequence would show a further fall. This 
cloud hanging over the market not only pro- 
vented a rise in prices throughout almost the 
whole year, but resulted in the lowest average 
ever recorded, that for Indian tea being tor many 
months abi)ut a penny below the excessively 
poor rates of 1901 ;— perhaps lower than would 
have been warranted even had the anticipated 
increase in production taken place. But during 
the later months of tlte year, it became evident 
that crops would nob be as large as was originally 
expected. Even this created no impression upon 
the market until too late to materially afl'ect 
the average price. Although the last few weeks 
showed a considerable advance, so much of the 
crop had already been sold that the benefit to 
producers will probably be counterbalanced by the 
expected shortage in supply. 
Nevertheless, the outlook is at length decidedly 
more cheerful than for many years past ; the 
certainty of moderate supplies gives time to 
work off the world's accumulated stock caused 
by recent over-production, while the fact that 
very little tea has been planted in either 
India or Ceylon for some few years back, 
obviates the probability of largely increased crops 
for some lime to come, the planting of former 
years being mostly in bearing. Ih is now an 
ascertained fact that consumption at horse has 
been but very little interfered with by the late 
increase in the duty, and that the normal rate of 
progress has been about maintained, while the 
lower prices of recent years have considerably 
increased the use of British grown tea in foreign 
and colonial markets. Consequently with a crop 
almost stationary and every probability of a 
continued increase in consumption, the conditions 
so long prevailing in the trade are likely to be 
entirely reversed. The natural result of over- 
production has been a continued fall in price, 
and conversely the outstripping ot production by 
expanding consumption should be accompanied 
by a corresponding rise in value. Hence the 
industry looks now in a more healthy condition, 
and there is every reason to believe that for five 
or six years to come, i.e., until any new lands 
which may be brought into cultivation commence 
to yield heavily, prices will be on a scale more 
remunerative to producers ;— while should there 
be a decrease in the rate of duty the industry 
would, to some extent, be relieved of a very 
pressing burden, with the probable result of a 
further improveraent in price. 
Green Tea. — The quantity of green tea made 
in Ceylon has been gradually increasing and 
is finding favour in North America ; India tias 
this year also made some green tea which 
is being well taken and there is every probability 
that both countries will next year manufacture 
increased quantities, by which means the black 
tea market should be still further relieveJ. 
Indian Tea Cess.— The Viceroy has decided to 
legislate for the purpose of raising a tax of one- 
fourth of a pie per lb. on the exports of Indian 
tea, for raising money to exploit new markets. 
Planters should therefore soon have larger funds 
at their command for promoting the use of Indian 
tea, both in India itself and in other markets. 
Foreign markets continue to expand satis- 
factorily, about 105 million pounds being taken 
against 95 millions last year. 
Production.— 'It is expected that the total 
crops of India and Ceylon will bo about the same 
as last season. 
Indian Tea.— The quality of the crop as a 
whole was hardly equal to that of last season, 
although Darjeeliug showed a considerable im- 
provement. The average price of Tea sold on 
garden account was T'-Sud, against 7'50d in 1901, 
and from 1st June to end of DecemberT '^ld, againsO 
8'Oid, for the same period last season( 
