264 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [Oct. !, 1898. 
reniinds us, was largely due to its inferior quality, 
and if this objection be removed tlie position may 
be i)artially regained, altliougli the process is not 
at all likely to be a rapid one. But the culti- 
vation of new markets must be taicen in hand 
vigorously without loss of time. It may be 
assumed that in our own countiy there is very 
little room for further cx[>all.'^ion beyond wiiat is 
provided by the increase of population and the 
raising of the standard of comfort. P'oreign 
markets present unlimited possibilities, but in 
respect of these the Indian planter stands simply 
on merits, and derives no assistance from patrio- 
tic inii)ulses. If China do awaken in real earn- 
est, and if by reason of varying exchanges its 
produce can be delivered at a lower figure than 
that quoted by its competitors, the question of 
restricting the areas under cultivation may easily 
become one of great urgency. But it is certainly 
to be hoped that the Indian and Ceylon Tea Asso- 
ciations will carry on their excellent campaign, 
and that the assistance they require from plan- 
ters will be readily forthcoming. Passive resig- 
nation to the prospects of an acute crisis would 
be a most disastrous jjolicy lo adopt at the pre- 
sent time. 
The elaborate table compiled by Mr. Gregory 
S eton, showing the " results of working of forty- 
five Indian tea companies registered' in London" 
during the 1897 season, comes at a timely mo- 
ment, and affords an opportunity to take a bird's- 
eye view of the general position. In 1896 the 
profits per pound came to 2^d, yielding in the 
aggregate the sum of £45u,000. Last year— owing 
to influences with which all our readers are 
familiar — the figures were lid and £430,000 re- 
spectively. The statistics relating to the culti- 
vated area make a somewhat remarkable show- 
ing :- 
Young 
Mature. Plant. Total. 
1896 ... 102,397 ... 14,613 ... 117,010 
1897 ... 140,029 ... 33,045 ... 173,074 
The bulk of the advance, it should be ex- 
plained, is accounted for by the omission of 
.some seven comparatively unimportant concerns, 
and the insertion of an equal number of fresh 
enterprises in their stead. But this, of course, 
does not detract from the significance of tiie ex- 
pansion to which the figures bear witness. The 
paid-up capital represented by the whole group as 
it now stands is not far short of seven and a 
quarter millions, and their produce last year came 
to the imposing total of 65,726,000 lb. The crop 
per mature acre worked out less satisfactorily than 
in the previous year, but the cost per lb. remained 
practically unaltered. The average dividends 
distributed work out at just under 6 per cent 
(inclnding those on preference issues), absorbing 
£420,000, as compared with 73 per cent, requir- 
ing £360,000, and the amounts carried forward 
and the reserves totalled £559,000, or 775 per 
cent, as against £413,000, or 8-74 per cent; It 
will be seen, therefore, that, despite the unfavour- 
able developments which have occurred to check 
the prosperity of the industry, the most recent 
results hardly afford sufficient "reasons for despair. 
Progress may be temporarily arrested, but the 
fruits of the past few years' labour are not 
likely to disappear at a moment's warning. We 
showed in a recent issue the extent to ^vhich 
securities of this description had depreciated 
■ during the past twelve months, the decline aver- 
aging about 20 per cent. There is surely, there 
fore, some justification for hoping tliat prices 
have now reached bed rock, even if no decideil 
rally can be looked for until the outlook a^suruet 
a more promising aspect. 
Dll. MORKIS, C.M.G, 
While all who know Dr. Morris, the assis- 
tant director of Kew (Janlens, will join in con- 
gratulating him upon tlie important Hp|M>intiiient 
conferred upon him by the (Jovernnient, every- 
body in this neighbourhooil will regret that it 
involves his removal from our midst Mr. CIiriii- 
berlain. Sir EdwartI Grey, and 8ir John LublKtck 
bore the highest testimony, in the liouHe of 
Commons, on Tuesday, to the ability of I>r. 
Morris and his (itness for the important post 
to which he lias been callcti, and there seem* 
to be no doubt that an excellent selection Itas 
been made, for, apart from his liigii position 
in the world of science. Dr. Morris liax a i«pecial ar- 
quaintance with the West Indies. Bit for all that, 
many will regret the loss of an excellent neigh- 
bour, and one whose good work in this district 
will not soon be forgotten. To the Kichniond 
Athemi'um especially he has rendered ser.-icee 
of the highest importance. A eou|)le of years 
ago, when that in.-rtitution was not so flourish- 
ing as it is now. Dr. Morris came forward with 
fres'.i suggestions and help which seemed lo put 
new life into the concern. Now that he is about 
to leave us we shall all think of his good work, 
and wish him all happiness and prosperity in his 
future career, -llichmoiid ind Ttric/iCnhnm Timts, 
Ans. 6. 
TEA IN AMERICA, 
New York, Aug. 9. 
The anctioD sale of today, by the MontKomera 
Auction and Commissiou Co. of 14,022 pkee., will b« a 
good test of the market, which has ruled firm since oar 
last. Demand has bsen light. The sale incladee new 
crop teas, including Formosa. Medinm to i;ood 
medium Japau, 25 to 27c. The Appraiser's office 
rejected during July 802 pk;s. tea, or 32,846 pounds, 
of which 629 pkgs. were PiuRsnoy. There were passed 
33,045 pkgs. or 2,013,8.^) poonds.' Not a packsRe of 
Formosa, Foocbow, India, Ceylon or Japan tea was 
rejected. — American Grocer. 
OIL FUEL. 
A very interesting experiment was recently 
made at Portsmouth, when oil fuel was tried on 
boajd the torpedo-boat destroyer " .Surly," the fiist 
occasion ou which this fuel has been tried iu a 
British warship at sea. The system which the 
Admiralty have permitted to be fitted up on board 
the "Surly" is that invented by Mr. Holden, of 
the Great Eastern Railwaj'. The apparatus has 
been adapted to two out of her four boilers. Coal 
fires are first lighted in the furnaces, but as soon 
as sufficient heat has been generated bricks take 
the place of the coal, and oil is fed to them in 
a spray from an overhead tank the diflSculty of 
furnishing a regular and adequate supply of oil 
bavins been overcome by the last mentioned pro- 
vision. The trial, which was made over the mile 
in Stokes Bay, appears to have been fairly success- 
ful, a sufficient spray being obtained as well as 
heat, the thermometer indicating as much as 150 
degrees (Fahrenheit) in the stokehold. It was 
hoped to obtain a speed of sixteen knots but three 
runs over the mile gave a mean of only fourteen 
knots, results which seem to be sufficiently en- 
couraging to induce the authorities to continac 
the experiment. — London and China Exvrcss. 
