March 1, 1899.] 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
607 
of the claims of Uva fox- reduction iu railway rates, 
and also for alwaya advancing the interests of Uva 
iu other ways when necessary. 
In conclusion your Committee would like to take 
this opportunity of asking you to express your thanks 
to our worthy Government Agent, Mr. Baumgartuer, 
for the very great interest he has always shown for 
advancing the prosperity and development of this 
province and for cordially giving his attention to 
any suggestions proposed to him by your Associa- 
tion or by members individually. Your thanks are 
also due to the Provincial Engineer and his very 
active and intelligent staff for the manner in which 
they have carried out all the large and important 
new public works which are being proceeded with and 
have been completed during the yeiir. 
«> 
NILGIRI PLANTERS' ASSOCIATION. 
The foUowint; are from prooeedings of a general 
meeting held at Ootacaniund ou the 27th ult. : — 
There were present : Messrs. S liayly, A H 
Gerrard, L W Grey, J Harding Pascoe, H D 
Wilbrahain, J W Minchin, VV L Edmiston, and 
E G Wiiidle (Honorary Secretary.) 
United Coffee, Producers Co. — (For selling coffee 
direct to coiisuniers) — The Honorary Secretary 
put the scheme of the proposed Company before 
the meeting , the prospectus had been drawn up 
the previous day and would be issued very shortly 
to planters and others interested ; considerable 
support had already been promised. 
Adulteration of Coffee. — NLi: Windle moved 
"that this Association request the U.P.A. S.I. to 
petition the Home Government for more stringent 
legislation against adulteration of coffee and to 
endeavour to unite the coffee-producing countries 
of the world in support of the movement, and m 
pressing it upon their respective Governments." 
Seconded by Mr. Ij W Grey and carried unani- 
mously. — Madras Mail, Feb. 4. 
CENTKAL TRAVANCORE PLANTERS' 
ASSOCIATION. 
The annual general meeting of this Association 
was held at Pensiiurst Bungalow, on Saturday, 
the 2l3t ultimo, when there were present : — 
Messrs. F M Parker (Chairman), F Bissett, H J 
Blandford, H D Deaiie, E, H Goldie, R S Imray, 
B Laurie, H S Holder, W H J Leahy, J E PigotI, 
D MacArthur, the Hon. V B Wilbraham, A E 
Veale, and as visitors Messrs. £ Lalter, W Mae- 
Gratb, N MacGowan and E Williams. 
Election of Officers. — The ballot resulted as un- 
der : — Chairman, Mr. R H Goldie, Honorary 
Secretary, Mr. A E Veale. Committee, Messrs. 
B Laurie, F M Parker and R S Imray. 
Shipping facilities. — Mr. H D Deane in propos- 
ing "that H H Government be asked to erect a 
coveied lancling stage with a boarded floor at 
Cottayaui," said, that Jie had frequently seen tea 
and rice turned out of carts and woliams into 
tiie mud and exposed to the rain and which in 
consequence sullered much danuige, so much so 
that he had received complaints from bis Cocliin 
agents of the dirty condition in wliieh his tea 
invariably arrived at that port. Carried nem con. 
— Madias Mail, Keb. 4. 
THE PAST TEA SEASON. 
It is sincerely to be trusted that the leasous of the 
past season will not be thrown away, iu spito of tlie 
optimistic views expressed by intereated parties, an- 
xioaa to see over-production continued, or to shield 
themselves from the results brought about by their 
own delinquencies. We have before commented iipon 
the supineness and apathy, or at least want oi fore- 
sight, displayed by the Indian Tea Association (both 
here and at home) as well as by the Agents in failing 
to discern indications of the storm that burst upon 
the tea interest last season. They should have been 
prepared to meet the operations of the ring with 
equal energy, but now that the proceedings of the 
season are before us, a lamentable want of business 
capacity is exhibited. No doubt these gentlemen have 
heard a good deal on the subject from Justly incensed 
shareholders, who in future may be trusted to look 
a little more closely after their own interests, and 
ere accepting 10 to 20 per cent dividends, enquire 
more particularly as to whether all reasonable con- 
tingencies have been duly provided for » * * * ^yg, 
are recommended to go in for quality rather than 
quantity, and herein lies a latent danger. As we 
have insisted tiirfe and again, there is ample area 
under plant to supply requirements for (now) tha 
next three years, and if the Anglo-American Distri- 
buting Company succeed in establishing direct deal- 
ing, we shall have reliable prospective statistics to go 
upon. Fine plucking must perforce result in diminished 
yield ; so that our planters and proprietors must be 
prepared for a sudden cry that tlie visible supply of 
tea is falling behind requirements ; and, most pro- 
bably, alarmist circulars will be published inciting the 
unwary into lashing out into those sudden extensions. 
— Indian Planters' Gazette, Jan, 28. 
TEA IN (JONSULAR REPORTS. 
Angola.— Teas, both black and green, are iu demand. 
I should advise their being introduced in handsome 
tins, gilded, silver-plateJ, or ornamented with crystals. 
The commercial houses (especially in the interior) 
are only provided very irregularly with this article.— 
Belgian Vice-Consid at 3Iossamcdcs. 
Russia.— Odessa may be said to have become the 
centre of the tea trade in this county. Shipments 
used to be made via London, but latterly tea destined 
for Moscow and other towns, has been largely stored 
at Odessa. China teas are imported iu ships of the 
Volunteer Fleet, which has now practically the mono- 
poly of the tea-carrying trade from China. The total 
imports of tea into Russia for 1897, including those 
entering the country over the Asiatic frontier, are 
estimated at about 40,330 tons; the quantity im- 
ported at Odessa for local consumption only was 
3,550 tons (257,800?. in value), showing an increase 
of 450 tons over 1896, while 7,750 tons passed through 
Odessa iii transit for Moscow, and 1,8J0 tons for 
other tov/as.—British Actinr/ Consul- General at Odessa. 
Teanscaucaslv.— Iu Tschakwa the preparation of 
tea upon a large scale is now being seriously thought 
of. The necessary machines have aheady been 
ordered, and the time is probably not far "distant 
when Caucasian tea will make its appearance on the 
va.d.YkQt.—Eandels-Museim : Austro-Hunqarian Con- 
sulate at Tiflis. 
PLANTING AND PRODUCTS. 
{Froin the Kelani Valley Planters' Association- 
Annual Report for 1S9S-9.) 
The CuAiKM.vx —The next business is for the 
Secretary to read the Annual Report. 
The Hon. SECRETARY theu read the followin" 
report " 
FOURTEENTH ANNUAL REPOIiT OP . THE KRLANt V.\LLEY 
planters' ASSOCIATION 1898-1899. 
Your Committee have pleasure in submitting their 
founceuth annual report. ° 
MEl'.TINfiS. 
Seven Committee a.n\ four general meetiuga have 
been held during the your. 
FI.NANCE. 
The balance in hand i'j llGOO'Ti) m agfti'i^'t 14-70 
at credit of laat year. 
