THE TROPICAL AGRICULTC'KIST. 
[June 1, 1900, 
and then developa into n, weevil, I am not in 
a position to say, but I believe it does so 
as it is in the shape of a worm that it 
* rots ' the cocoas as it is called, though that 
is hardly the proper term. I think if you 
take note you will find that it happens in 
the better fermented cocoa oftener than in 
the commoner class." 
Of the 7,204 bags offered this week 6,506 
bags sold at, and after, the sales. Of the 4,367 
bags of Trinidad oifei'ed 4,120 bags sold, 
middling to good red 71s to 73s, fine marks 
75s to 79s, One lot of "San Antonia " mark 
83s 6d, Of 1,542 bags Grenadas offered all sold, 
common to good 67s to 09s 6s, line 70s and 71s. 
Of 82!) bags of Ceylon offered 680 bags sold, 
smalls 64s 6d to 7i),s, dark red 70s to 72-;, fair 
76s 6d to 80s, good to fine 82s 6d to S9s 6d. 
One lot of 2 bags picked beans, line l)rig}it 
i-ed 92s. There is still a good demand for 
(hie bright red. The sales included Maria 
70s and 71s, Rosebury and Benveula 76s 6d, 
Lower Haloya 77s, Kepitigalla 78s 6d, Wi- 
haragama and MarakonaSOs, Gangaroowa 82s. 
(4 bags 83s bid refused), Palli 102 bags 85s. 
180 bags 88s to 89s Od, CTC 2 bags 92s. 
V 1899 1900 
' Bap;s Bags 
^"'Stock of all growth in London 108.197 92,547 
„ ,, at Havre ..; 82,897 80,872 
t^^Geylontfe Java stock in Londn 12,000 8.813 
(By Harold Hamel, Smith.) 
London, E.O., April 20. 
- Owing to the Easter holidays there were 
no cocoa sales this week, and except a sale 
of some reddish grey (Jar.icpiez (Guayaquil) 
at 73s. I have not heard of any cocoa having 
changed hands. Meanwhile there is still a 
good demand for all descriptions, but espe 
cially for iine Ceylons, w^hich are evidently 
■mxich wanted, and the first lots to arrive 
■should command high prices. In Trinidads 
low middling and middling red are at a value 
out of proportion to the good red, some of 
the two grades I expect will realise the same 
price this week, about 72s, same as last week. 
Some of the Dominicas whicli sold at 67s 
was out of approportionto the (juality, but the 
demand for these cheaper qualities is very 
good. At present 4,500 bags are advertised 
for sale next week, but no particulars a,re 
given, though I believe about 1,400 are 
•Grenadas, and the rest mostly Trinidads, all 
of which have only recently arrived. 
The present stock of Ceylon is 8 010 bags 
against 13,420 bags last y'^r, prices are un- 
changed say, dull and dark red 70s to 72s, 
ifair 76s to "80s, good to fine 82s 6d to 89s 6d, 
there is no saying what price ^vould be paid 
for a really first class lot fine cinnamon break 
■of creoUo Ceylon 
. I see Cadbury's have only advertised 25 
'tons of butter next month, but at present 
prices have not advanced much: today it is 
quoted Is S^d. Tlie Dutch are expected to 
have up about 70 tons. 
' PLANTIN(4 NOTES. 
•/ Mining. — Negri Sembilan (Jovftininenfc notifies 
,thal no naw fiii[tli(:iitioii for mining Innd, or for 
wiiter rif^lils for liyili-iiulie iiiininf^ will he enter- 
tained ac liie Seiciiibiui Laiul Ollice until furtlier 
jxol\ct. —Siraitii Tiims, May 1, 
Sugar Planters in Java are Join:; well, despite 
hindrances from the land laws which discourage 
the leasing of ground by Government for long 
terms?. Figures speak eloquently of the headway 
made by planters under these difficulties. Ten 
years ago tiie .sugar crop in tliat island reached 3^ 
millions of piculs. Tlie yield in 1899 rose to 11 
millions of picuiS. — Straits Times, INlay 1. 
RUBRER.— A parcel of Para rubber (.'^41 lb.) and 
.samples of llumbong, Finis elasticn , and Hingre';, 
Willong/ibia firnui, i)repared at Kuala Kangsar 
were sent to London by Mr. Derry for sale. Ail 
tlie best rubber .sold at the rate of 3i lOd per lb. 
the liigliest price ever heard of for Para — except- 
ing Lr.azilian proihiccd— and fid jjer lb. more than 
realised for vhafc sent from Kuala Kangsar two 
years ago. — Pcrak Pioru'f.r, May 2. 
Pkrfumk Farming.— There Is abinit to be 
started in Monrovia, (/alifomia, tiie first perfume- 
farm and perfume-manufacturing plant operating 
on an exterisive seide that has ever been established 
in the United Stales, some thousands of acre.s 
having bfen bought for the purpose in Southern 
California. Expert German and French che- 
mists have alrea<ly been engaged, and this 
spring tiie plant, it is said, will be in operation. 
Several New York and Chicajjo capitalists liave 
the matter in hand, and it is intended to organise 
a stock-company, incorporated under the laws of 
Illinois. The wonder is that there is notliing of 
the kind in India '.—Planting Opinion^ May 5. , .i 
Goou Shooting in Nepaul.— Sir George Luck's 
party lias just returned from the Nepaul jungles, 
having had a most successful shoot. The other 
guns were Sir Bindon Blood, Colonel Ellis, ii. E. 
and Captain Cook, A. D. C, while Major Pennell, 
A.D.C. , and Captain Bald, loth Hussars, were 
with the camp at different times. The spoil con- 
sisted of 14 ligers and three leo[>ards, besides deer 
and good bags of quail were made at off times. 
Of the 14 tigers, eight were males, and the smallest 
measured nine feett\^o inches ; all the tigresses too 
were good specimens. The arrangements were in 
the hand^) of Colonel Ellis, who was as.sisted by 
that good sportsman Khan Bahadur Bala Khan of 
Slierpur, Philibhit, and everything went without 
a hitch, — Pioneer. 
The General Ceylon Tea Estates 
Company. — It is no doubt disappointing that 
the directors have been unable to recommend 
a dividend for the jjast yeai% bnt in the cir- 
cumstances explained by the Chairman (Mr. 
Jas. Sinclair) to the meeting of sliareholders 
which is re])orted in another column — there 
being only £4,000 of working capital left and 
the debenture intei>est amounting to £7,000 
— we flunk the most prudent course was 
adopted, having in view the best interests of 
the Company and the strengthening of the 
financial position of the concern. If a consi- 
derable improvement has not taken place by 
July, the shareholders will then be called 
together to consider a proposal to reduce the 
Company's capital, both preference and 
ordinary, to such an extent that an annual 
profit of £2.3,000 would cover the debenture 
interest, pay the preference dividend and 
something on the ordinary shares, and also 
allow of an appreciable amount being set 
aside annually for the redemption of deben- 
tures, 
