THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [May 1, 1900. 
SUGAR AND WEST INDFAN AGHICUi.TURE 
The waking up of the West Indiaii siigai' 
planters is of special interest to us as advo- 
cates of further trials locally with tiie 
sugar cane, and because it should help to 
keep before planters in the East — in Ceylon, 
India, the Straits, &c. - the importance 
of adopting the most advanced methods of 
cultivation and manufacture for each of their 
products. An Indian contemporHry writes:— 
The reports of the recetit Aj^ricultural Confer- 
ence at Barbados affoni some grounds for lioping 
that the very conservative sugar pKanters of the 
British West India Islands are at last beginning 
to reRlize that, if tl;'\v are to keep their heads 
above water, they must abandon their old-world 
methods of business, and adopt the advanced 
scientific principles of tlie present day. They now 
recognize that the Bourbon caue, to which they 
have so long pinned tlieir faith, must give way 
to the new seedling varieties, which yield much 
better results. Barbados 147 and Demerara 145, 
both improved canes, raised j'rom recently-dis- 
covered seeds, yield about 'Sh tons of sugar per 
acre, and other seedlings, are"nearly as good. Dr. 
Morris, the Imperial Coiumissioner, clearly anti- 
cipates that by following the example of the Euro- 
pean beet-growers, i.) will be possible, by careful 
selection, cross fertilization, and so on, largely to 
increase the saccharine yield. 
So greathasbeenthechange of feeling on thepart 
of the planters as to central factories that, instead 
of scouting the idea, as they did formerly, they 
are now petitioning to have co-operative factories 
started on the most approved modern systems of 
perfection in every detail, and if this spirit is 
maintained and encouraged, we may look forward 
to the dispersal of the gloom which has so long 
hung over the islands 
While every endeavonr is being made to encour- 
age the staple industi-y, no opportunity is lost 
in inducing cultivators to have a second string to 
their bow, and increased prosperity is expected 
from the extension of such minor industries as 
cocao, coffee, fruit, and other things. The latest 
introduction is indiarubber, Mr. Esme Howard 
being now engaged in establishing a rubber plan- 
tation in Tobago, the first of its kind in the West 
Indies. Dr. Morris is evidently doing his best to 
justify the inauguration of the Imperial Agricul- 
tural Department less than eighteen months agoi 
COFFEE, TEA AND NTLOIRI PLANTERS' 
ASSOCIATION. 
The following is taken from the proceedings of a 
general meeting of this Association held on the 
8th instant :— 
Lady Birds.— The Honorary Secretary gave 
details under this heading and on his intimating 
that a limited supply of the Oape Lady Bird was 
available from Ceylon, several Members present 
booked the available supply. 
Proposed Tea Cess.— Read reply from Indian 
Tea Association to negative the proposition passed 
by the U. P. A. S. L at its 1899 meeting at Banga- 
lore, viz., that the Secretary be instructed to write 
to the Indian Tea Association and press upon that 
body the great importance of obtaining funds for 
the American and Continental funds and to re- 
quest it to approach the Supreme Government 
with the object of securing an Act, on the same 
lines as the Ceylon Act IV of 1894. 
Separate Taring of Tea.— Proposed by Mr. 
Ivlmistou that as the subject is an important one 
and as tea interests ai'e so inadequately repre- 
scnt(;d at this Meeting that relative papers be 
(;lr(;ulated among tea planting meudjcrs with a 
request that they communicate their views on the 
sul>ject tothe Honorary Secretary. Secondedd by 
Mr. ScovcU and carried. 
PUBLIC SALES OF TEA IN COLOMBO 
DciaNG THE 1st qlaetee op 1900 
Exchai-pe De'nand 
OfCered Sold Avg. Drafts. 
1900. 
1899 
lb. 
lb. 
c. 
s. d. 
s. d. 
Jan. 10 
1,8<1.280 
1,614 158 
35 
1 4 1-8 
1 4 1-8 
„ 17 
l,3ii4,973 
1,185,022 
37 
1 4 5-16 
1 4 1-8 
24 
1,189,005 
827 628 
;-!4 
1 4 3-16 
1 4 3-32 
., HI 
737,556 
588,927 
34 
1 4 3-16 
1 4 3-32 
Feb. 7 
599,791 
516,690 
35 
1 4 5-32 
1 4 3-32 
14 
76£,7;0 
653.888 
34 
1 4 5-32 
1 4 1-32 
., 21 
1,185,369 
973,9.56 
35 
1 4 1-8 
1 4 1-16 
„ 28 
74",9o3 
006,323 
34 
1 4 3 32 
1 4 1-32 
Mar. 7 
891,(;.S0 
653,715 
681,f;.53 
32 
1 4 1-8 
1 4 
U 
819,7.59 
34 
1 4 3-32 
1 4 
21 
951,7.59 
807,324 
3j 
1 4 1-32 
1 4 
„ 28 
90J,110 
744,408 
35 
1 4 
1 4 
Total 
for 
1900— 
11,946,607 
9,814,004 
34i 1 4 1-8 
1 4 1-16 
Same period 
1899— 
9,044,806 
7,986,005 
39 
PUBLIC SALES OF TEA IN LONDON 
DUllING THE LsT QUAKTEE OF ISOO. 
'Z ft ^0^- Wilsons 
Packages Packages J es and Stauton'a 
Offered. Sold. g S Average. 
X ^ ■ * , 
1900 1900. 1899. 
Jan. 
11 
24,000 
2:-i,00o 
8 
18 
31,000 
2y,oou 
7i 
25 
38,000 
■29,000 
74 
Feb. 
1 
25,000 
21,000 
8 
24,000 
22,000 
74 
15 
25.000 
23,000 
1h 
22 
2:i,000 
21,000 
n 
Mar. 
1 
8 
32,000 
29,000 
n 
)1 
51 
15 
27,000 
22,000 
)) 
22 
28,000 
26,000 
n 
I) 
29 
26,000 
25,000 
7-5 
Total for 
1900 
303,000 
270,000 
^ 
Same period 
1899 
263,000 
248,000 
n 
8 
8 
6 
8i 
8 
74 
7f 
73 
7i 
81 
8| 
[The figures for local sales are compiled from the 
weekly circular of Messrs. Forbes & Walker, while 
those for London sales are from the telegrams received 
weekly.] 
Government Scientists fob Tea.— Says 
the Loudon correspondeut of the Calcutta 
Planter, on March 2nd : — Each day that 
passes those engaged in practical agriculture 
show a greater desire to call in the aid of 
science to help them in their difficulties. Mr. 
Bamber, who for some time gave counsel 
to Indian Planters on the chemistry of the 
tea plant, has now been received with open 
arms by the Planters in Ceylon. This week 
another gentleman, Mr. J. B. Carruthers, has 
also left for Ceylon to give his help as my- 
cologist, against the ravages of Fungi. Not 
to he left behind, the Indian Tea Associa- 
tion has decided to engage the services of Mr. 
Mann, an experiencecl agricultural chemist, 
who will in the course of this month, proceed 
to India to take up his duties. He is instructed 
by the Calcutta Committee to provide himself 
at the expense of the Association with all the 
needful requirementsof a chemical laboratory. 
It is arranged that Mr. Mann shall visit the 
Ceylon tea districts en route. 
