584 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [April 2, 1900, 
BAD WHISKY 
they drink. Not that tliey drink much, they 
cajiiot afford to do so, but there ma,y be some 
truth ill the assertion, for the whisky which 
is retailed to the farmers at markets and 
fairs, aud which I have sampled, seemed 
to me to be a deadly poison, and went down 
my throat like a torchlight procession. Of 
coarse, I know that the average farmer is 
ill to please, aud we had an example ot 
this, ouly lately, in our own county. Lord 
Aberdeen, one of the most generous land- 
lords in the kingdom, erected a magnificent 
fountain, in the village of Tarves, for the 
benefit of his tenantry ; but these, instead 
of being grateful, assembled in a body, and 
pelted the unoffending foniitain with stones. 
Doubtless had his lordship laid on whisky 
to the fountain, instead of aqua pura, his 
tenantry would have exhibited rather different 
feelings than they did. 
In this, the month of February, how plea- 
sant it is to sit at 
j one's " AIN FIRIiSIDE," 
listening to the howling of the wind in the 
chiinney, aud watching the snow flakes cover- 
ing up trees and hedges, and lying twelve 
inches deep all over the face of the country, 
and to know that everything on the farm is 
secure, the stock housed and comfortable, 
and enough of turnips pitted and straw 
thrashed ■ to last through a two-months' 
storm at any rate. I know that all Buchan 
farmers cannot be in this equable frame of 
mmd, because there are some men who will 
never learn a lesson, but will continue year 
after year the unprofitable occupation of 
digging under the snow for turnips, which 
are, after all, injurious as food to the health 
of their stock, and the pulling of which is 
injurious to the temper of their men. For 
my piU't, with 100 loads of turnips pitted in 
tae UKuith of November", as I make a point 
of doing, I feel comfortable and ready for 
any emergency. 
The heavy snowstorm, which has been 
raging for the past ten days, will do a lot 
of good, as it will clear the atmosphere of 
the wicked microbes of influenza, hooping 
C(jugh, measles, &c. which have been ram- 
pant in all the towns and villages ; whilst 
in the country it has put a stop to the 
epidemic of ploughing inatches which has 
been prevailing during the past two months- 
THE CHAMPION PLOUGHING MATCH 
of the district was held in afield adjoining my 
fai^m, when 42 ploughmen with their teams 
faced the music. Of course I graced the field 
with my presence, in spite of a perfect 
deluge of rain, which, however, seemed to 
create no inconvenience to the performers, 
who continued to plough away, withoiflt 
either coats or waist coats, and doing most 
excellent work in spite of wind and wet. 
One of the judges impressed me very much 
with the thorough manner in which he per- 
formetl his duties, bending down and examin- 
ing every " furr," and calculating the depth, 
breadth and the levelness with the greatest 
care. Strange to say he was not an agri- 
culturist nut a tailor by trade, from a 
ueigubouring village ; dressed like a ship's 
coo^ in hiri shore togs, or a south sea mis- 
sionary in uneasy circumstances, and his 
ivttitude, at times, reminded me of the 
Sphinx crouching in the desert ; composed, 
iutense, repressed in manner ; whilst, every 
now and again, from his statuesque tliroat 
there proceeded a hoarse cough, — and little 
wonder, considering the drenching nature 
of tlie day. It was a stirring scene, and 
fully 1,000 spectators were px'esent from near 
and far ; for the day of the Champion 
Ploughing match is one of the red-letter 
days of the district, and one on which the 
farm hands all get a holiday. 
At some ploughing matches I have heard 
bitter complaints from the competitors against 
the heat and brightness of the day, these de- 
claring that they were " blin' fu' wi' sun." 
But no complaints of that kind were to be 
heard on this occasion 
Dog-fanciers who wei"e on the ground had 
a rich treat in the sight of an animal that 
appeared to me t.)be half teri'ier — the other 
half no breed at all — just dog. I have seen a 
similcir breed of dog in those kennels of 
Oodispattu from which the 
RANGALLA BOYS. 
were wont to draw fresh couples for hunting 
the wily mozel. Repoi't said that the Com- 
mittee allowed this rare specimen of the 
canine race i)ito the field, as a special attrac- 
tion, without any payment whatever. 
Had I been an artist I would have im- 
mortalised the scene, giving prominence in 
my picture to the Sphinx-like judge and 
the cross-bred dog. 
CHINA TEA. 
Thk exports of Cliiua tea, in the season just 
closed, sliow a considerable increase, more espe- 
cially to Europe and Russia in Asia : — 
CHINA TEA-CLOSING OF SEASON. 
The Season being finished, this is the final 
Circular. The total Export as per Customs 
Returns is : — 
1899-1900. 1898-99. 1897-98. 1896-97. 
lbs. 
lbs. 
lbs. lbs. 
Europe 
16,174,605 tl2,976,578 
1:12,607,188 i2,994,298 
Australia 
and Ne\\ 
Zealand 
6,094,660 
5,818,934 
4,447,217 6,208,.357 
United 
States & 
Canada 
9,029,001 
9,158,280 
7,740,345 12,142,286 
South 
Africa 
1,223,213 
1,417,703 
1,257,944 2,577,719 
Coast 
South- 
ward 
3,604,686 
3,437,405 
3,473,286 4,864,182 
Coast 
North- 
ward 
7,421,853 
5,910,040 
6,361,542 13,720,934 
lbs. 
lbs. 
lbs. lbs. 
44,148,650 
33,718,940 
35,887,522 52,507,776 
* 1899-1900 including 604,300 lbs. Brick Tea. 
1 1898-1899 „ 294,044 „ 
1 1896-1897 „ 278,000 „ 
" An Australian Ceylon " is the latest 
title for New Guinea, just as "New Ceylon" 
was for North Borneo. With Australian 
capital and backbone so near, British New 
Guinea shouid go ahead rapidly under a 
liberal r%ime. 
