AtrersT 1, 1898.J THE TROPICAL AGRICULTtlEKT. 
117 
Chamber to push this matter to a successful 
conclusion. As "enquirers" we had no power to 
give orders or to bind the rice buyers of Colombo 
in any way ; it is however now open to them if 
they iliink it ■worth their while to come to 
terms witli this firm. 
(8) Tlie other millers, tliougli averse from 
milling other than raw rice, are all prepared to 
mill, in the raw, samples as near to our Indian 
rices as practicable. "Kallundai" and "Karai" 
are the rices that can most nearly approximate to 
them, and we have brought with us, for distribution 
amongst merchants and planters, certain samples 
of rice that may be found to satisfy the tastes 
of our coolies. 
9. In our opinion before any other step is 
taken a full and patient trial should be given 
to these qualities of rice. We base these con- 
siderations on the following grounds : — 
(«). The rice is immediately available, 
whereas parboiled rice cannot be at any rate for 
months to come, owing to tlie absence of the 
necessary machinery. 
(6]. We shall have at once, all tlie millers 
competing for cur market and get the benefit 
of an exceedingly keen competition. 
(c). Rice of a similar grade was largely ex- 
ported to Chittagong and Bengal during the late 
famine, with a result that a steady trade has 
since developed between Rangoon and Chittagong, 
hitherto a stronghold of the "parboiled" trade. 
It is stated that the Assam planters aie now 
very largely using a raw rice for their coolies, wlio 
have apparently quite overcome their former 
prejudices. 
(dj Medical opinion in Rangoon is unanimous 
that the raw rice is thoroughly wholesome 
In jails and hospitals alike, not only Tamils, 
but Sikhs and I'unj.abis, who have probably 
never eaten rice in tiicir li-es, are at once ] nt on 
a rice ditt, and t!ie medical otKccrs in charge 
astiure us that they have never known ili-efi'ects 
to foilov f;oin usi.ig the raw rice. 
(e) Tliere are in Rangoon very large number 
of THriiil coolies of the same class as our estates 
labourers, wlio all live upon raw rice, on account 
of its ebeapness. 
10. Paddy is sold in Rangoon by the 100 baskets, 
each basket liolding a bushel — Ihe price varies 
from R85 to 150 and even higher. Tiie average 
purchasing price this season, according to tlie in- 
formation given us by one of the large milling 
fii'ms, amounted to R94 per 100 Ijaskets, and this 
is probably above the ordinary, the brokers having 
combined to keep up the price of paddy in the 
market. 
11. With the existing competition between 
millers, if it were contemplated to import paddy 
into Ceylon, it would be necessary to keep a 
man in Rangoon to make the purchases. From 
Akyab, however, during the paddy season from 
January to April it is practicable to import 
paddy through the Akyab Milling Company, at 
rates which we are informed are nearly al- 
ways RIO to R15 per 100 bushels below those 
of Rangoon. 
At the commencement of the 1890 season, samples 
wiili prices will be forwarded by tlie Akyub 
Milling Company, 
12. Freight on rice averages about RlO, and 
on paddy Rll, per ton of twenty cwts. 
We are, etc., 
(Signed) li. M. SHATTOCK, 
W. H. JACKSON, 
Commissioners to Rangoon. 
MliSOR PRODUCTS REPORT. 
London, June 17. 
Lemon Oil. — The London mH.rket is quiet, and at 
least 4s 3d must be paid foi- reliable oil. An advance is 
looked for in Messina if orders go forward tbere to any 
notable amount, as the stocks are said to below. 
Lemongrass Oil. — Dearer. We reported last week 
the sale of a parcel at S^d per oz •'without reserve." 
This was unespect^dly cheap and had the effect of 
depressing the market, but holciers are now firm and 
want 4Jd per oz on the spot, and 4}d for Augast- 
September. Advices from India to hold the oil at 
these figures have helped to strengthen the position of 
the article. 
CiTRoNELL.i Oil.— Quiet, with a little spot business 
doing at Is l^d for tins or drums. 
CiNNAjioN Oil. — H-gher grade oil has been in dis- 
tinctly better demaud since the publication of the 
Pharmacopceia. The new standard requires a 50 per 
cent content of aldehydes, and consfqnently better oil 
has a higher market value. For stuil answering the 
B.P. test Is yd is being obtained. 
Tajiarixds. — Barbadoes kind sold at auction this 
week at 13s. 
Turpentine.— American spot, 23s.— Bntish and Colo- 
nial Dnicigist. 
HYBRID COFFEE IN SOUTH INDIA, 
As the subject of Liberian-Arabian hybrid coffee 
has for seme time, past engaged a good deal of at- 
tention in South India and in Ceylon, a few parti- 
culars will probably prove of interest, more especially 
in view of the decline in prcies of tea in India and 
Ceylon, and the prospect within the next two or three 
years of the abandoument of unprofitable tea lands. 
A recent issue of the Kev: Bulletin refers to the 
subject as follows : — 
" Hybrid Coffee in Mysore. What are regarded as 
hybrid coffee plants, the rppult of cross fertilisation 
between the Liherian and Arabian kinds, are being 
cultivated in some Districts in My:-ore. The most 
recort inf r. iii.ion rf-f^aiditig them is that contained 
in a Bepori on the Manj^rabad Forfests, prsf nted 
last year to the Government of Mjsoie by Ml-. J. 
Cameron, f. l. s., Superintendent of the Lai Bagh 
Gardens, Balangore. It is evident that ccffee planters 
in the District believe the plants to he true hybrids. 
No specimens, however, which would substantiate the 
fact, have been received in this country. It is there- 
fore impossible to express an authoritative opinion 
on the subject." 
Mr. Cameron has already pronounced these to be 
truehvbrids, and bis report contains a description of 
their origin, which briefly summarised, indicates that 
some seed yielded by Liberian trees which had 
becu planted in or near Arabian, had developed 
one or two plants of a new type, combining many 
of the best peculiarities of both varieties, two of the 
most important points being immunity from leaf 
disease, and productive powers of a high order. Mr. 
Cameron, by the way, contributed some interesting 
articles to Flatting Opinion early in the present 
year on " Fertilisation of the Cofl'ee Flower," from 
which the following is an excerpt beairing on the 
question of hybrids: — 
" Coffee Arabica or Arabian coffee, of which there 
are several well defined varieties, known by such 
names as ■ Chick,' ' Coorg,' ' Nalknad,' has been 
almost exclusively cultivated in ihis country from 
the time tUe industrj' was started, and it is only 
within recent years that one or two ney/ varieties 
and species have been introduced and cultivated on 
estates. This fact will explain the absence of hy- 
brids over such an extensive area, there being no 
material to make hybrids from. Yet, within the 
past few years, some hybrids have made their ap- 
pearance, shortly following the introduction of 
Liberian coffee, a distintly new species. And barring 
the fact that the two distinct species have been 
placed in juxta-position to each other the hybrida 
