June 1, 1899.] 
THE TEOPICAL 
AGRICULTUPJST. 
869 
it is at present. A planter we have seen, who has a 
very lengthy acqnaintanoe with the chief producing 
districts, conaiders that a nnit of -Id would have to 
be reached before it would pay to collect even the 
richer barks. This means that, whereas now the 
unit is 2id., i.e., that 1-lOOtU lb. of quinine costs whilst 
in the bark 2jd., the same amonn'. would have to be 
worth id. If this were 30, quinine (in batk) would be 
worth, to manufacturers, 23 id pec ounce, and worth, 
to the wholesale dealers, about 23 6d pe;: ounce. If 
Java, India, Ceylon and A.Erica cannot prodaoe enough 
to meet the demand until live or six year^ have elapsed 
and the expert's view given above is correct, then there 
is nothing for it but to pay the price we have 
named. 
And that is a prospect worth studying'. Perhaps 
it will tempt some of our readers to sigh for the plan- 
tera'a existence, iu which lonfring they may be strength- 
ened by the photogcaphs reproduced in connection 
with this article. These all represent views in Java, 
either of plantations or of the planters' bungalows. 
But they have had their bad times — these planters — 
and it is to be hoped their opportunity is coming at 
last. 
The next question is, Will they make use of their 
chance ? They can scarcely help doing so if they do 
not behave with the utmost folly. In that unlikely 
possibility, however, that we had in mind when we 
spoke just now of Java's apparent condition — the pos- 
sibility that is, that it has not been sending over aa 
much bark as it can by normal collection, there may 
arise a forced collection under the impression that 
present prices are worth this ; and if the quinine 
makers, aided by this, do manage to press the price 
down a little the importers may give way farther. 
But this would be extraordinary folly on the part of 
the bark growers and importers, and not in accordance 
with their recent conduct. If they show only the 
smallest amount of firmness they can let makers see 
that the recent maneeuvre which the latter made is 
transparent and refuse to be drawn into working the 
game of the latter. — British and Colonial Druyrji.it. 

TO DESTROY ANTS. 
To cleanse a cupboard infested with ants, all 
the shelves should be washed with carbolic acid 
and water, or carbolic soap. If the scent of the 
carbolic is offensive, as it is offensive to some 
persons, use the following : — A large lump of 
ammonia dissolved iu hot water, and cold 
added. The proportion is ammonia the size of a 
hen's egg to a quart of water. Brush the shelves 
well over with it. The auts will soon leave, aa they 
greatly dislike the scent of ammonia. — Qeensluiid 
Agricultural Journal. 
MINOR PRODUCTS REPORT. 
Cinchona.— As announced last week, the Amster- 
dam auctions on May Ith will be very small, and, 
supplemeutiDg the particulars there given, v/e may 
state that the total weight of the 4,639 packages 
(consisting of 253 bales and 82 cases Government 
cnltnre and 3,718 bales and 556 cases private bark) 
is 396,511 kilos., divided as follows : — Ledgeriana, 
28,921 kilos., saccirubra, 5,681 kilos. Of the private 
bark (weighing 361,936 kilos.) 268,179 kilos, are Led- 
gerianii, 76,988 aiiccimbra, 16,'W2 hybrid, 300 Calisaya, 
and 217 kilos, otlicinalii). 
Coco.\ Blttkii.— The auctions to be held iu Am- 
sterdam on May 2nd will consist of 70 tons Van 
Honten'a, 3 tons Hanier, and 24 tons Helm brand, 
while at London on the same day 85 tons Cadbury 
will bo offered. 
Qui.MNB has passed through a dull v.-eek, and 
prices in second-hand have declined fuily 2d por 
oz. At the CiOso of last week businesa was done to 
the extent of acme 70,0 X)oz., including apot or Mny 
delivery at la IJd to la 4id, and June la lid to Is 5d, 
but mostly August at Is ii to 1^ 6d, On Saturday the 
market waa further depressed, in consequence of the 
good report from Java regarding the bark ship- 
ment, half of April being returned at 585,000 Dutch 
lb. This week opened dull a: easier paces, the 
small businesa done on Jilonday coinpri=ing spot 
at Is 4d and Slay delivery ao 1= 3.}d to 1? 4d. Oa 
Tuesday there was a further daclins to Is 3d spoi. or 
May delivery, but little business was done. There ivas 
a '"bear" rumour oa Change on Taesd:-.,y that makers 
had reduced their price lo Is 3d, but it proved ro 
be without foundation. Yesterday the spe.^aiativa 
market improved somewhat, and Is 4d was puidior 
August, and there were no willing sellers of spot 
stuff at Is 3id until the closs, when Is 3d Wis the 
price for prompt or ilay. Today the market is &i.b 
and unchanged. The week's turnover is about 
200,000 oz. There is considerable doubt as to what the 
maker j' next move will be. Much depends upon how 
the bark sales go in London next week and in Amster- 
dim in May. It is not expected that the present unit 
will be maintained, but the holders of cinchona now 
hold the key of the situation. 
In their periodical report Mes.srs. Gehe & Co- have 
something to say regarding the speculative movement 
and appreciation in the value of quinine. We quote 
from their remarks, not so much owing to their 
originality, but as showing that the opinions are 
similar to those that obtain in England and America : 
— " The upward tendency has arisen from a justi- 
fiable view, but it must be borne in mind that we 
may have strayed all too far away from really firm 
ground. Present circumstances are not new, but have 
on the contrary, very often arisen. In every crisis 
a time arrives, when an outside attack causes a 
psychological change, but it has always happened 
that when it was hoped the price-position had reached 
its height, fate caused another downfall. This 
is to a certain extent due to natural circum- 
stances, as a higher rate of production leads to 
more of the material being introduced into the 
markets, which again lowers it worth. Last year the 
prices of quinine wer'j raised from the low position 
into which they had fallen in 1S97, and it would 
be a great pity if, through want of due care were 
allowed to be dragged down a.ga.m.— Chemist Dnuwist, 
April 22. ^ * 
-» 
CEYLON TEA COMPANIES. 
We have been favoured -with a special 
report of the proceedings at the meeting of 
the Standcird Tea Estates Co. imder the 
presidency of Mr. Alex. Brooke. No Com- 
pany has been more carefully guided from its 
inception than this one; wliileno otlier reflects 
more .credit on its Directors, Agents and 
Managers. The anxiety not to imperil 
the high reputation of the Company is well 
shown in the discussion on the issue 
of Preference .Shares and by the narrow- 
division that followed. We can only say that 
the interests of the shareholdirs iire iu 
safe hands. 
Mr. Rutherford, as Chairman of the Ceylon 
Tea Plantations Co., made a verv fuU'and 
instructive statement at the annual meeting. 
The question of manuring is being cousi- 
dered in all its bearings. But of most value 
is what we are told about the coconut in- 
vestments : how that the only plantation iu 
bearing is paying per cent, and that a 
retm-n of £2 profit per acre will equal fully 
7 per cent on the capital outlav. 'JIus is 
very satisfactory. Mr. Talbot hacl not much 
that was new to say; but his report is 
eminently reassuring after all the talk of 
blight up and dov\ n country at this end. 
yiv. A. F. Souter made the proceediugs a 
little lively at the Imperial Co.'s nieetnig, 
