746; 
JHE TROPICAL 
AGRICDLTITRIST. [MaV 1, 1903. 
CINNAMON IN LONDON. 
The particulars received by a. recent 
mail confirm and explain the cominercial 
telegram which we published, bearing on 
the first sale of the current year of 
Cinnamon held in London. The February 
auctions do not generally lead to much 
competition, as buyers lay in large stocks 
in anticipation of Christmas, which hfelp the 
November sales. On the present occasion 
there were two reasons for expecting a good 
demand. The last quarterly sale of 1902 had 
a short catalogue— only two-thirds of what 
had heen oifered the previous November ; and 
the offerings were all sold at advanced prices 
The second reason was that the total export 
of Quills for last year fell short of that for 
1901 by about 200,000 11). and since then the 
exports had been restricted. As a result, 
the quantity offered was exceptionally small 
— less than one half o,f that brought to the 
hammer at the corresponding sale last year; 
and yet the demand was slack, and the com- 
petition spiritless. With all that, there is not 
much to com.plain of in prices. Though 
"Worked" spice experienced a drop of Id., 
it was from a point which had seldom been 
reached in recent years ; and Is. 5d. to Is. 
8d. for Firsts, and Is 4d. to -Is. 6d. for 
Seconds, is decidedly good. W^hat is more, 
the whole of the small quantity oflered was 
sold under the hammer. Though about one- 
fifth of the " Unworked " Cinnamon remained 
unsold, the prices realised for its Firsts and 
Seconds were not only a penny higher than 
at the November sales, but also, we believe 
higher than " Unworked " had ever before 
realised. Altogether, the prices which ruled 
must be regarded as satisfactory, though the 
tone of the market was dull. It has not 
recovered yet from that state ; and if prices 
are to be maintained the quantity produced 
will have to be moderate. But, after all, the 
United Kingdom now takes only about one- 
sixth of our Exports, Germany taking about 
double that quantity, though the best spice 
wkich the Island produces continues to go to 
London. 
The Report of the sale from the leading 
spice firm, from whose notes we usually 
quote, will be found on this page. 
COTTON IN CYPKUS. 
The occasional ehortages in the American supply of 
raw cotton have for some time past been the subject 
of a good deal of interesting discussion. The question 
of freeing the English mills from the exigencies of 
American speculators by substituting a supply of raw 
cotton produced within our own confioes is an exceed- 
ingly important one ; and the CJ-overnment of several 
British colonies, notably of the Gold Coast, Lagos, and 
Sierra Leone, have professed a strong interest in the 
movement, and declared their wiUirguess to undertake 
series of expeiiraeiits with a view to the cultivation of 
cotton wiihin their buuudaries. This being the case, 
it is not a little surprising that Cyprus— a colony so 
near home, and one which has, moreover, for centuries 
bc<;n known as a cotton-producing country of no small 
reontation— should up to the present have been appa- 
rently overlookfd. The Italian traveller and writer, 
Mi'-riii relates that as early as the 16th century, under 
Veiieti'an rule, 30,000 bales, or C,riOO,0001b., of cotton 
were exported annually from the ioland. Of more 
recent ytars the export has been much lower, but 
in spite of thB depopulation and impoveriahment of the 
island while under Ottoman rule, still eminently res- 
pectiible. In 1865 it was put at l,800,0001b„ in 1866 at 
2 065,0001b., and as lata as 1871 at 1,120,0001b. Since 
the Briti.-h occupation the yield has further decreased, 
the average for the first 12 years being 854,5511b., and 
for the last 11 years 55(),664ib. This decrease is to be 
attributed to three causes — namely, [a] swarms of 
locusts, (/)) scarcity of water, and (c) want of good seed, 
!!!;hauks to the energetic action on the part of the island 
Governinent, vphich has spared no expense to benefit 
the country in these respects, locusts are at the present 
time practically extinct in the colony, and daring the 
last two years large areas of cultivable land have been 
laid under proper irrigation. The want of good seed 
continues, however, to make itself felt. Mr John 
Batterworth, examiner in cotton manufactures to the 
Oity and Guilds of London Institute, in his report on 
some samples of cotton which were sent to the Indian 
and Colonial Exhibition of 1887, comments very 
favourably on the colour and staple of Cj^prns cotton 
which he considers equal to the best Smyrna. Practi- 
cal experiment has demonstrated that by a judicious 
use of American seed the staple of Cyprus cotton can 
be materially improved, ana in irrigated lands the 
American varieties of cotton thrive far tetter than the 
nirtive one — that is to say, they produce more and better 
quality of cotton. What is needed for a few years is 
new seed in sufficient quantities for distribution at a 
low price to native cultivators. Let but the Manches- 
ter Association devote a little attention to this object 
and in a very short time the output of Cyprus cotton 
will again reach a figuu-e more than respectable, and 
the Lancashire market should experience no difficulty 
in securing nractically the whole supply. — London 
Times, Feb. 23. 
CINNAMON QUARTERLY SALE. 
9, King William Street, E.G., Loudon, 24th Feb., 1903, 
CINNAMON. — The first auctions of the year were 
held yesterday, when the small total of 567b was 
presented, comprising 116b " worked " good and fine 
quill, and the remainder " unworked " common to 
fair medium. At this period last year ],311b Planta- 
tion were offered and J,l78b in November last. 
There was a fair attendance of Buyers whose re- 
quirements for the time being were apparently fairly 
all ordered, as csmpetition was spiritless throughout, 
and only about 415b changed hands in the room 
and immediately afterwards. 
The ''worked" spice was all sold, but at prices about 
Id per lb. lower on average than at the November sales, 
"Unworked " for some of the best marks ruled 
dearer for firgts and seconds, but cheaper for the 
lower grades. 
" Worked " firsts Is 5d to Is 8d, seconds Is 4d to 
Is 6d, thirds 8d to Is 4d, fourths 6d to lid per lb. 
" Unworked " firsts 5?^d to Is Id, seconds 5d to 
lid, thirds 4d to 9^d, fourths id to 8d per lb. 
Chips, &c.— 947 bags offered and about 800 bags 
are sold at lower prices. Cuttings &c. up to 9d and 
good to fair Ctiips 3d to 2gd per lb. 
iBARK. — 300 bags brought in. No bids at |d per lb. 
At the Spice Sales on 4th instant 1,301 bags " Wild 
Bark " were offered and cleared " Without reserve " 
at Jd to |d per lb. 
Stocks.— Ceylon 2,606 b against 3,420 b 1902 
Wild 1,817 b do 2,282 b do 
Chips 1,801 b do 2,318 b do 
Wild Bark 5,605 b do 7,663 b do 
Next Sales, May 25. 
'■ « 
INDIA AND THE CENTRAL ASIAN 
TEA TRADE. 
Mr. G Macartney, British representative at 
Kiiskghar. writes : — An examination of the Leh 
Orticc Trade Statistics for 1900-1901 would show 
that in that year the total value of the trade 
