Nov. 1, 1899.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
311 
the numerous scientific students witli a bent 
for colonisation and who are interested in 
the widely-collected information that is there 
brought together. We wish Dr. Wilcox a 
successful tour and hope that his impressions 
of this island may be among the pleasautest 
and most useful that he carries back with 
him to Harvard. 
INDIAN TEA ASSOCIATION AND LONDON 
"VVHAREHOUSE CHARGES. 
Tlie followiur; is from tlie official minutes of the 
meetitij^ of the General Committee of the above 
Association, held in Calcutta on the 5tli instant: — 
Considered letters, ot dates varying from 7tli to 
29th August, from the twenty-six Calcutta Tea 
Comoanies, urging upon the Committee the ne- 
cessity ot taking action, in conjunction with the 
Committee of the Association in London, in order 
to obtain a leduction of the excessive charges at 
present levied by Bonded Warehouses in London. 
The letters had been previously circulated, and 
the General Committee in their letter of 17th 
August to the London Committee of the Asso- 
ciation bad pointed out that the question was 
being agitated in Calcutta, and had also en- 
quired with reference to the fresh steps it was 
understood they had in contemplation, the nature 
of the action now proposed to be taken by the 
London (Committee. Keplies had been sent to the 
letters from the Companies stating that the v.hole 
question was under consideration and that the 
London Association had been addressed in regard to 
it. Further letters had subsequently been received 
from certain of the Companies in question, asking 
to be furnished with a copy of tlie letter addressed 
to the Conuiiittee of the Association in London. 
The f'onnnittee also had before them a Memo., 
dated 29lh August, drawn up by tlie Chairman 
of tlie Association on the subject. In this Memo, 
the letters received from the various Companiey 
.leferred to were analyzetl. It was also pointed 
out that judgii}g from some of the letters there 
appeared to be an impression in the mind of the 
Directors of certain Companies that the question 
of the necessity for a reduction of the charges had not 
hitherto keen considered by the Committee or at 
least had been dropped by them. This Avas of 
course incorrect, as tlie matter had been before 
the Association, both here ami in London for some 
time past, and liad been referred to in the Annual 
Reports, and also in speeches at the annual gene- 
ral meetings and the Committee had uniformly and 
at every opportunity followed the policy then indi- 
cated, and apparently unanimousl.y approved of 
by members. The Memo, also dealt with other 
points in connection with the subject, especially 
with the question ot the best course of action to 
be adopted in order to obtain a reduction of the 
charges with the least delay. The question was 
discussed generally by the Conniiittee, and the 
following conclusions were arrived at: — 
(«) That further simple agitation, without any 
counter-propositiou in the event of a reduction not 
being conceded by the warehouse proprietors, would 
be ineffective. 
(6) That the best method o£ procedure v\rould be the 
establishment of a warehouse, or warehouses, to be 
worked on co-operative principles by tea concerns. 
((•) That the agitation in favour of the abolition of 
the British import duty should be carried on concur- 
rently with any action taken in the above direction. 
The Secretary was instructed to draft a letter to 
the Comnuttee of the Association in Ijondon, in 
continuation of the letter of the 17th August, 
stating these conclusions aacl giving the reasons on 
)vhicli Ihey were based, 
TROUT BREEDING AT NUWARA ELIYA. 
The stewponds at Nuwara Eliya, containing the 
fry obtained from the last batclies of trout ova, 
have not yet been dragged, owing, says a local 
" paper," to the present unfavourable weather 
at the Sanitarium. Having been used to quiet 
water all this time, it is feared that if the fry 
are put into the streams serious injury to them 
may re.«u!t, and the authorities are therefore 
awaiting the cessation of the heavy rains. So 
far, the stewponds have proved a great success, 
and the experiment has also met with very satis- 
factory results at Calsay (Nanuoya), St. Leonards 
(Udapussella.va), and on the Horton Plains. At 
Nuwara Eliya there are three ponds situated 
beliind the hatchery, and while two of them 
contain the ordinary fry, the third holds those 
of the rainbow species. Mr. Elhart who is in 
charge of the trout, thinks that of the ordinary fry 
there are about 1,500 and some 200 of the rainbow 
variety. All are healthy, and range in size from 
four to six inches. They are fed twice a day 
with shrimps caught in the local streams, and 
they take to this food very well. It may be re- 
membered tiiat the amount ot rainbow ova got 
out was 10,000. Half of this amount was handed 
over to Mr, Wilson Wood, of Kotagala ; but a 
large percentage is said to have dieil in transit. 
The consignment did not arrive in good condi- 
tion, and the yield under the circumstances nuisfc 
be considered satisfactory, and the healthy ap- 
pearance of those in the stewpond at Nuwara 
Eliya ought to be an inducement to the auchorities 
to get out another consignment. When the next 
batch of ova is to be got out has not yet been 
settled ; but the annual meeting of the Fishing 
Club at Nuwara Eliya is to be held next month, 
when the matter will be considered. We learn 
that the stewpond at i^ueen's Cottage has not 
been a success, and when last dragged there were 
a very few fry found in it. This is attributed 
to the spill not being a suitable one. The fry 
got washed away, and the pond besides is not 
fenced, with the result that otters have every 
chance of getting into it. Otters are said to be 
plen.'iful now at Nuwara Eliya, and seven or 
eight have been cauglit this year in traps. There 
are about twice the size of a cat, and R7'50 is being 
offered for each other killed, while traps for the 
purpose are also supplied. They have not been 
able to attack the stewponds, owing their being 
fenced in, but the streams are frequented and the 
traps are generally laid by the edge of the water. 
The Fis.'iing Club generally is receiving good 
support, and the number of license issued com- 
pares favourably with the past year. Mr. W. E. 
Davidson has spared no pains in attending to the 
stewponds, and takes the greatest interest in the 
welfare of the Club. 
MINOR PRODUCTS REPORT. 
CiTKONBLLA OiL — -For forward shipment business 
continues to be done on the basis of lod per lb, c.i.f. 
in drums, in quantity. Spot is quiet at Is to Is id 
per lb. 
Cinchona. — The shipments from Ceylon for the 
week ending August 14 were nil, and the total exporta 
from January 1 to August 14, 1899 show a decrease 
of 170,623 lb., as compared with the corresponding 
period of 1898. The cinchona-bark auction, to be 
held in Amsterdam on September 28, v/ill consist of 
5,459 bales Ledger and hybridin ; 1,349 bales 702 
cases Suocirubra. The stock in first banc's at Ams- 
terdam consisted on September 5 of 2,] 65 packaeea 
Government bark; 8,858 packages private, including 
Ihe quantity to be put up in the auctioa of SepS 
ember aa —C'^eHiwt md Drwjght, Sept. 9. 
