Aug. 1, 1903.] 
THE TROPICAL 
AaRICULTURIST. 
97 
feared that the ouctarn available toi expert will 
be considerably below last year's figures. For 
some time Pondicherry enjoyed almost a monopoly 
of the earth-nut trade and large q^aantities or oil 
were made from the kernels in and aroaud the 
Colony where some 1,200 "tab ' machiue-, worked 
by a pair of very lean bullocks vrere in constant 
employ, working at certain times of the year 
20 hours per day. The oil is nsfd mostly for 
cuisine purposes, the great bnik of the total 
production being consumed by Burma. Since the 
introduction of the "Westend" export tariff a 
laige portion of this traffic has been diverted to 
Cuddalore. Several puny attempts vvere made 
some time since to place the oil in European 
markets but without success. A company, composed 
of Pondicherry merchants, was formed a few years 
ago for crushing the kernels by steam machinery, 
but it failed and event;:ally went into liq^uidaticn 
resulting in a loss of a lakh or more of rupees. 
It seems incredible that the ancient crushing 
machines worked by a hub and lever supposed 
to date from the days of the Pharashs', should 
compete successfully with the best machinery 
of the twentieth century. The total value of the 
ground-nut kernels exported from the Madras 
Presidency during the season 1902 — estimated at 
local quotations, may be taken at 12 millions of 
rupees: In connection with the possible future of the 
ground-nut industry, it is very generally admitted 
by che best informed merchants and operators 
that the business is capable of considerable further 
development, even at greatly reduced prices. 
Owing to the very comparatively recent discovery 
of the value of the kernels as a commercial com- 
modity the local markets have been unsteady and 
unsettled and liable to constant and suiden 
changes. Numerous speculators having a fevv 
thousand rupees to play with and being'anxious 
to try their luck, regardless of results or ordinary 
business precautions, have materially interfered 
with the course of legitimate trade ; but many 
of these interlopsrs have been taught rather 
severe lessons in tiaance and will have gained a 
practical knowledge of the rules of profit and-loss. 
THE PROSPECTS 
for the next season's earthnufc production 
are highly favourable so far as the pre- 
sent conditions are concerned. The heavy fall of 
rain about the middle of last month enabled the 
i^yots to commence the sowing at an unusually 
early date, and if moderate monsoon showers set 
in next month, the cultivation should be well in 
advance of the average for many years past. A 
valuable advantage of the imported seed over 
locally grown nuts is that it may be sown at 
almost any season of the year. The prosperity 
of the town and colony of Pondicherry depend to 
an unpleasant degree upon the results of the 
ground-nut traffic ; without it the port becomes 
an empty roadstead for three weeks in every 
month, while the commerce of the colony and 
the trade of the town sink into utter insignificance. 
There are four spinning and weaving 
MILLS AT fONDICHEKRY, 
two French and two English ; the Rodiev 
Company work 45,000 spindles and employ 
upwards of .3,G00 coolies. The whole of these 
mills are employed chiefly in the production of 
common cloth which is indigo-dyed and shipped 
10 Madagascar and tiie East Coast of Africa : 
Senegal taking a large sliaie — which is supplied 
mostly via. Marseilles on Paris account. The 
cultivators of French soil complain bitterly and 
with good rea-son, of the lethargy of the adrninis- 
tratioji and of the G-overnment in pressing for- 
ward Irrigation Works, which it is proved might 
easily be made to double tlie present land revenue 
of the colony. Nearly two years ago a large sum 
was voted by the Government or France to the 
Indian Colonies for scmdry public works and other 
purposes and although interest has to be paid on 
the loan, the capital raised is said to be lying 
idle. The land, the water and the money are 
available — and yet the auch;rities remain quiesc- 
ent—waiting, it would appear, for somaching 
further to turn up. 
G. D. 
^ 
THE VIXE IN HCNGAEY. 
We iiave just received from the Minister of 
Agriculture, Hungary, a copv of an ilaborate 
report, accompanied br some 2-1: very fine 
coloured plates, on a disease of tire Vine in 
that country,— " Coneotbyriurn diplcdiella ' 
by Dr. G de TstvaufB. Tne luugtis on the 
leaves and its effect on the roots, en the 
branches and on the fi-uit are verv cleajly 
shewn. We had no idea that siich good 
scientific work was done in Hungarr in con- 
nection with different branches of agricaitttre. 
PEODLXE AXD PLAN'TIXG. 
THE WOEKTSG OF CEYLOX TEA COMPANIES 
DUEIXG 1902. 
The " Financial Times" points out in evidence 
of the msgnitnae of the Cevlon t^a iaiasfery that 
thsre exist altogether neariv seveatv different 
Jiinelish companies, large and ;mal!. Aft^r compli- 
menting the administrations of these undertakings on 
the promptness with which ths ascoancs are rendered 
our contemporary says :— " The last of the p^oda-e 
can scarcely be marketed before the end of ilaieb 
and j-et the last daj of April sa- reports issued, and 
in many cases the annual maetings held, by very 
nearly all of them. The average crice of Cevlon tea 
ccintinned to rale low daring the first three qoarterg 
of the selling season, which ext-ended, ronghiv, from 
the beginning of 1902 to the «nd of ilarch last, and 
It was Lot until well on in Jannar? that an V material 
improvement occarred, and even [hen it was confltied 
mainly to the lower grades, on which demmd has 
continued chiefly to run. This recovery towards the 
close was brought about mainlv by the ascertained 
shortage of the Indian crop of" 1902 and by the in- 
creased diversion direct, both from Calcutta and from 
Colombo, to markets other than London— more notably 
to America and Eassia. The better prices ruling at 
the close, however, failed to bring up the average 
realised for the twelve months even to the compara- 
tively low range of the previous year. But fav meana 
of economies, bo:h in working cos: and also in some 
c?-se3 in administrative expenses, the overhead profit 
was increased, although it is satisfactory to note that 
a larger proportion than usual has been devoted to 
writings off for depreciation. 
"A bird's eye view of the main results achieved 
may be ootained from the foilowia" table, which, 
howe. er, we should explain, is prepared on a bisis 
somewhat different from that of a similar one which 
appeared in our issue of May 20 of last rear, the 
profits being now computed before dedncticnof deben- 
ture interest where this is iucnrred. The companies 
having debentures in issue are marked with an 
asterisk: — 
