Feb. ], 1899.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTUEIST. 576 
year. So that the trade in that item also was 
only a fair averai^e. So with coir, under the 
distinctive heads of rope, yarn and filire. The 
exports of the two former had been |>reviously 
exceeded, especially of yarn ; but the 95,779 cwt. 
of fibre nlace 1898 nearly 20,000 cwr. ahead of 
the next highest year. Part of tiie fibre comes 
back to us in brushes ; and we are not sure that, 
througli bleechins and other chemical processes, 
its character is not so entirely changed as to 
become hor.se-hair ! Anyway, the demand for 
fibie seems strong. 
Sunimins; up. 
The 435,933 cwt. oil exported represent 217,96(5,.500 nuts 
506,277 cwt. copra „ „ 121,506,480 „ 
13,040,534 lb. Desiccated „ ,, 39,121,602 „ 
Coconuts in shell „ 12,027,714 „ 
Total 390,672,296 nuts. 
This number is fully a hundred million nuts 
in excess of the number computed as the exports 
for 1897 on pages 114 and 649 of the last edition of 
the Ceylon Handbook and Directory ; and it may be 
accepted as the largest out turn of the coconut palm 
ever sent out of the island— even exceeding the out- 
turn of 1892, which was the record year for oil. 
THE DISTRIBUTION OF COCONUT 
PRODUCTS IN 1898. 
It will have been noticed from our columns 
during the past year or two, that a very unusual 
interest is being shown in the distribution of the 
products of the Coconut Palm ; and we should not 
be surprised if, before long, that interest sliould 
prove to be as great as that with whicu the destina- 
tion of our tea and the new markets we are seeking 
to discover for it, are now discussed. New markets 
and widespread distribution have, of coarse, a very 
important bearing on prices ; and no product can 
afford to disregard them— leastwise tliose \vliich 
are beingstoadi"ly developed, and to which capitalists 
are being attracted in all climes by the prospect 
of adequate returns. Though the extension of coco- 
nut plantations has spread, not only here, but also 
in many other lands, happily new uses have been 
found for the kernel of the palm and its products, 
so tliat old prices have oeen fairly maintained- 
Not only so, but they have even advanced in many 
directions, notably in the vicinity of DesicDating 
Mills, which represent an industry which has 
sprung up within the last decade, and also within 
easy reach of a port of shipment. There are not more 
than four countries, of those which find a place in our 
Chamber of Commerce Circular, to which one or 
more of the products of the Coconut Palm does not 
find its way ; and that almost every year finds 
some new territorial customer is a most hopelul 
sign. Not less encouraging, from the point of view 
of the producer— for it ia from his standpoint that 
we regard tlie situation— is that the concentration 
of trade in large centres is being gradually 
dissipated. London, even the United Kingdom 
as a whole, does not take as much of all Coconut 
products as it used to do. If that meant lessened 
consumption, there would, ot course, be ground 
for regret; but, so fur as it is due to direct shipments 
to po'rts and countries whchused formerly to draw 
on the great metropolis, it means increased compe- 
tition, and therefore better nrices. 
The figures for last year do not point to a dis- 
continuance of large shipments of Oil to London, 
which the figures for 1897 had suggested ; but we 
took care to point out then, that cheap tallow 
probably accounted for a lessened demand. Even 
with that allowanc . the calculations of last year 
have been rather upset. Writins; a year ago, we 
noted that, whereas the United Kingdom took 
72,004 cwt. of Coconut Oil in 1897 again.-l 91,710 
in 1896, India, whicli had claimed only 86,796 cwt. 
in 1896 took 166/238 or nearly double lhac quant- 
ity, in the following year. But 1898, with ship- 
ments aggregating 123,316 cwt. to the United 
Kingdom, di.'^tances both years, and offers u.'^ a puz- 
zle as resf)ects India which, after taking more th»n 
double the quantity the United Kingdom wanted 
in 1897, is content with much less for last year, or 
only 2,300 cwt. more than the mother country ! 
There ha^, therefore, not been that great shifting 
of trade which the figures for 1897 seemed to oug- 
gest. On the other hand, it is worthy of note that 
Grest Britain and India between them have ab- 
sorbed more than five-ninths of our total output. 
The t\nT<\ in the list of our customers is Singapore ; 
and a very good customer it is, with 91,893 cwt- 
for the year; and, what is more, a steadily advanc- 
ing customer. In 1896 it took .34,133 cwt; the 
following year it nearly doubled tliat demand with 
64,058 ; anl now it stands for almost half as much 
again, America wa; content with 65,800 cwt. 
against 88,030 in 1897 and 76.540 the previous year; 
but Austria and (Germany have taken appreciably 
more Oil in 1S98 than in 1897, though still less 
than in the previous year. That about exhausts 
our large customers. 
It is however, in Copra tiiat most surprises 
await one. We said in our last article, that 
the exports for 1897 of this product were nearly 
quintupled last year, which was quite a record year 
with 506,277 cwt., against less than that for tho 
seven previous years combined ! A not less re- 
markable fact was that Russia was, far and away, 
our best custo iier — taking no less than 143,688 
cwt , or more than our aggregate export in any 
single previous year, and more than three or 
four times the total quantity we had sent away 
in several years since 1886. And yet Russia had 
taken less than 10,000 cwt. in 1897 ! Why she 
xranted fifteen times that quantity last year, we 
cannot say ; but there is reason to believe, from 
the demand that has again sprung up after a lull 
of a few weeks, and the prices that are no\T 
ruling, that her needs were not temporary. Nor 
muse we forget, in our gratitude and admiration 
for Russia as our best customer, our obligations 
to Belgium, Germany and France, wliich have each 
claimed, in the above order of precedence, from 
U|)wards of 92,000 cwt. to upwards of 80,000 ; 
while the United Kingdom has been content with 
51,067 cwt . On the other hand, the mother 
country takes a distinct lead in Desiccated Coconut, 
having claimed nearly 9^ million lb. out of the 
little over 13 million we have sent away. Ainerica 
is the next best customer with over 2|- million, 
being followed by Germany and Australia with 
over half a million each. That, too, is a product 
which has been helpful to the plantation-proprie- 
tor ; and, though it can scarcely run up by the 
leaps and bounds which have distinguished copra, 
ib should continue to be a very useful string to 
our export bow, if millers and confectioners find 
the industry profitable, as we ho;>e they do. 
Germany was our largest consumer of poonac la.«t 
year, as in previous years, having taken 109,832 
out of 216,620. The remainder was divided be- 
tween Pn'lgium and Great Britain, in the proportion 
of 3-4th8 to the former and l-4th to the latter. 
( 'iiconuts in the shell have a tar larger number ol 
customers, of whom Jie moiher country standi 
rn>tj having taken nearly ly million miU pftl 
