656 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[April 2, 1900. 
economy of labour, by adopting modern and 
better methods of cultute and thus reducing the cost 
of prodiiotion ; careful and scientific curing, allowing 
the produce to take its place as a high-grade article 
and bringing into competition its aualytic qualities, 
which are high ; together with the infinitely greater 
bearing capabilities that coffee here has over that 
of other countries, will enable Queensland coffees to 
compete favourably in the world's market, in spite 
of a disadvantage respecting labour. 
The Market for Cot^ee.—There would seem to be a 
fear amongst some of the growers that owing to the 
recent drop in prices thsre will be no sale for coffee 
produced. In reply to this, and without going into 
details of imports and local sales, I would point out 
that the drop has been principally in the medium 
and low-grade article. Sir Frederick Able, in a letter 
that has already passed through your office, cor- 
roborates this when he says, speaking of the coffee 
market at the time of the arrival in England of the 
consignments ot Queensland coffee sent last season : 
'■Prices are depressed for all except the finest coffees." 
So long as the coffee sent to the London market 
is a well cultivated and well-cured article, and therefore 
take-i its place as a high-grade coffee, there is no 
doubt whatever about there being a ready market 
for it. Prices of low grades may possibly remain 
low. and even have a tendency to drop, but high 
grades will always sell well. Roaghly speaking, 
about two-thirds of the world's output of coffee 
is low grade and only one-third high grade, and the 
low grades must make way for the finer coffees. 
It has been remarked — ^and printed and published 
also — that the fault of Queensland coffees is in the 
curiuq, which means that while its analytic properties 
are hi"h it is otherwise a poor sample. From what 
I have'beeu enabled to see, this is undoubtedly so, 
but this is only half the truth. The rooi of the matter 
lies in the cultivation. A badly-cuUivated sample 
will not even with the best and most scientific curing, 
give the same profits thit a well-cultivated sample 
will do, because in almost all cases it will hive cost 
too much in production. 
A coffee produced at Gjd. or 7d. per lb. and sold at 
7d 01- 7-J d. does not pay to cultivate, or the profit is so 
small that the investment does not give even fair in- 
terest When by good cultivation the cost uf pro- 
duction is lowered to 4d. or -i^d., and the same article 
(nutting better curing on one side for the time being 
is sold at 7d., or 7il. ihe difference, amounting to £28 
a ton, IS readily appreciated. _ 
By cultivation it must be undtrstood that methods, 
times and seasons are meant. Tlie most excellent 
work— be it weeding, draining, pitting, digging, forking, 
staking, topping, pruning, handling, mulching, man- 
nrin". or even picking— if not done by good methods 
or ar the right time and seasons, so as to save and 
economise labour as well as to give the greatest 
amount of benefit to the plant, amounts to bad cul- 
tivation, since it means enhanced cost of production. 
For instance, a handling in the second year costing 
very little, would mean not only quicker and cheaper 
handling and a saving of labour in the third year— the 
two works together costing less than only the one 
oneration in the third year— but enhanced stability 
and sturdiness of the tree, better and stronger wood, 
a direction of energy into the right channel 
and more, as well as a better sample of crop 
in the third and subsequent years. 
The subject of statistics, soils, climatic conditions, 
markets (both local and open), values of present 
samples of coffee, methods of culture in vogue 
and modernised, the labour question as affecting the 
industry, the classes and varieties of coffee in the 
colony, &c., &c., I would request your permission 
Xo allow to stand over until I can make myself better 
accinainted with the conditions obtaining in the colony. 
It will be evident to you that it would not be 
reasonable to go into details of such matters after only 
fortv days' observation, and that statements respect- 
ina them should be applicable to the whole colony ; 
whereas with the limited time I have been able to 
devote to the colony, any remarks I were to record 
must necessarily either be evolved from hearsay or 
unconsciously biassed in favour of what I have beea 
able 10 see. I would request that I be allowed to 
compile a full and detailed report either during the 
year or, should my other duties hinder an early 
drawing up of such a report, in time to ba included in 
the departmental report for 1899-1900. 
I would also suggest that 't would be of advantage 
to the industry in general if I were to monthly 
submit an article on one of the many details of culture 
for the publication in the Def artmental Journal, so 
arranged that they could be subsequently embodied 
in a pamphlet which could be issued as a bulletin 
for use of resident growers in a compact form, or 
for newcomers who intend opening out in coffee. 
Since my work in connection with the industry 
has been, for the unavoidable and unforeseen reasons 
above mentioned, stopped temporarily, lhave received 
many letters askiniJ for advice and information, and 
also for visits to different parts. I have endea- 
voured to give what instruction I could by letter, an 
a good deal of my time has been so occupied. 
Giving instruction by letter, however, on very vague 
data, to be applicable to districts and conditions 1 
have not seen, necessitates the mentioning of so many 
different methods necessary for as many possibly 
different conditions of climate, soil, (fee, that a 
great deal of imapplicable matter has unavoidably 
to be recorded, and a great deal of time wasted. 
I have already had correspondence with and also 
been interviewed by several newcomers, who, hearing 
of my arrival and appointment, wish to invest in 
and open np in coffee. 
Information has been asked for from t'me to time 
by the Department bo h for different parts of the 
colony and for outside, and fiuly given, and an 
aitiole published in the Arjricidlural Jou nal. 
HOWARD NEWl'ORT. 
Trial of Florida Velvet Bean. — Mr. F A Hunter 
of Halfway Creek (country of Clarence), reports 
having tried a plot of velvet bean alongside a plot 
of cow-pea. The seeds were shown in November. 
" The growth of the velvet-bean is enormous, cover- 
ing a row of corn that is close with one mass of 
vine, while the cow-peas are onlv just running." In 
reference to this matter Mr. Valder remarks that 
while the Florida velvet bean is undoubtedly of great 
value in the Northern districts, it could not compare 
with the cow-pea for districts as far south as the 
Hawkesbury, for instance. — Queensland Journal. 
Rival Tea Enterpkisic : Ceylon and India. 
— Wiiether the climate of Calcutta is inimical to 
any exertion over and above what is absolutely 
necessary for the actual carrying on of business, we 
cannot say, but one thing is certain, and that 
is that we are laggards in tlie race compared 
witli our Ceylon brethren. Ceylon has been 
spending its money freely, and pushing its teas 
ill all directions, with an amount of life and 
vigour which is bound to ensure success. We have 
done nothing like so much in comparison. We 
may some day have a rude awakening from our 
lethaisjic somnolence. Although we imagine we 
are slumbering in safe security and have no cause 
to fear any rivalry, we shall later on, probably, 
find Ceylon in fixed possession of markets which 
we should have captured long ago. When we 
read the reports of what the Ceylon planters are 
doinsr, and note how very energetically tliey are 
working to extend the consumption oit their tpa.s 
the world over, we cannot but h.elp being struck 
with the want of energy and pu.sli w<? are display- 
ing, in comparison, in our ' fl'ii ts to extend the 
consumption of our teas. Tin. f icts are so patent 
that further comment is superfluous, — Indiatt 
Planters' Gazette, March 17. 
