596 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Maboh 1, 1904. 
The exports for last year and theii- equiva- 
lent in nuts, then work out as follows, as com- 
fiared with the five previous years, and with 
892 which had been the record year for Oil 
for ten years : — 
Oil Copra Desiccated Coconats 
owt. cwt. lb. in shell. 
1903 665,!?57 721,575 17,485,369 13,129,349 
1902 512,498 374,796 16,227.565 12,588.212 
1901 453,531 439,865 14,055,493 14,850,781 
1900 443,959 362,467 13,604,913 14 996,909 
1899 400,979 225,401 13 571,084 11,723,392 
1898 435,933 506,277 13,040,534 12,027,714 
1892 550,977 134,590 3,849,724 9,717,386 
The above fie;ures represent nuts as fol- 
lows :— 
Grand total 
incIndiDE; 
Oil nats. Copra Desiooated nuts in 
nats. nnta. ehell. 
1903 332,678,500 180 393,750 52,456,107 565,527,75 J 
1902 256,249.000 93,699,000 48,682,695 411,218,96" 
1901 226,765,500 109,966,250 42,166,479 393,749, Ol" 
1900 221,979,500 90,616,750 40,814,713 86-«,406,898 
1899 200,489,500 81,350,250 40,713,252 334,276,39^ 
1898 217,966,500 126,569,250 39.121,602 395.685,06" 
1892 275,488,509 33,647,500 11,549,172 330,402,558 
It will be seen from the foregoing how fully 
our observation has been justified, that last 
year was a phenomenal year for Coconut 
exports, and that Oil plays a conspicuous 
part in palm exports. There is no reason 
why this year should show less satisfactory 
figures. 
CEILON COCONUT OIL IN AMERICA. 
INCREASING DEMAND: FIRMER PRICES IN PROSPECT. 
The conditions affecting coconut oil in this 
market have been somewhat unusual of late and 
both Ceylon and Cochin oils have been sold at 
about the same price, whereas ordinarily there is a 
difference of about one- half cent per pound in 
favour of Cochin oil by reason of its superior quality. 
The causes leading to the conditions prevailing 
have also been unusual and may be stated briefly. 
The consumption of Ceylon oil in this country is 
mainly in the manufacture of soap, for which the 
Ceylon variety is utilised, while Cochin oil, 
although to some extent used by soapmakers, finds 
its principal application in the production of edible 
compounds. In Russia, the Netherlands and 
France, the consumption of Cochin oil is very large 
in the compounding of edible fats, and refining 
processes for Ceylon oil have been perfected to a 
degree which enables them to use large quantities 
for the same purpose. In this country the use of 
the better grade has extended considerably of late, 
but, as before stated, the principal use of coconut 
oil is for the manufacture of soap. Of late the 
supply of Ceylon oil has been rather light while 
there has been a larger quantity of Cochin oil on 
the market than consumptive requirements 
warranted, and consequently the price of the former 
strengthened, while the latter declined, the two 
grades selling at about the same price- The.se 
conditions are only temoorary, states the Oil 
Reporter, New York, January 4th, and the usual 
difference may be expected to prevail within a short 
time, as the conditions are otherwise very strong 
and consumptive requirements increa^iing. Exact 
figures of the importation of the two oils are not 
available ; but of the two together the imports 
during the last fiscal year amounted to over 
28,000,000 pounds, and during the year preceding 
to 27,000,000 pounds. ^ 
As the quantities do not exceed aefcnal con- 
sumptive requirements, the supply of Ceylon oil is 
small, and as the use of this oil is increasing, the 
prospects are that prices will rule firmer. The 
position in the primary markets is also very strong 
for both grades, as the demand from Europe is 
increasing at an even greater rate than here, while 
the advance in ocean freight rates, on account of 
possible war between Japan and Russia, may cause 
an advance, 
The firm tone of the market for Ceylon oil noted 
in our last issue has been farther strengthened, 
with the sales of several hundred tons for January, 
February and early March shipment at 5f c. up 
to near 5^0. for consumption in the West. There 
have been limited sales of spot oil, which is not 
over-plentiful at 5| to 6 c, but chiefly at the 
latter price. For January arrival 5f c. is named, 
and for January-March shipment 6Jc. is named, 
with tendency to a higher range of values. Thpre 
have been sales of 50 tons per month of copra 
for January and February shipment at 5J c. for 
consumptioint hen West. 
COCONUTS AND RUBBER IN KURUNEGALA. 
INTERESTING FIGURES. 
Mr. L. Davidson, who has been on a trip to 
Kurunegala, with Mr. A. Fairlie, Manager of 
imlay Muir & Co., has just returned and our 
representative has gleaned from the former 
some mterestmg particulars of planting in that 
district. 
COCONUTS. 
In the new coconut district of KuruncKala 
Messrs. Finlay Muir & Co. have 2,000 acres' 
Messrs. Jardioe, Harper and Davidson on Aram- 
?T IT "d' K'"«"eKala Co. have 600 acres ; 
^« Delgolla 
Ustate. 600; and Dynevor has about 450-makiuff 
a total of 4,574, ^ 
The coconuts have been slow in coining on, 
compared with expectations, but will certainly 
judging from the fields already bearing, give a 
large crop as soon as they are in full bearing. Most 
of them are not at all heavily manured ; some 
of them are of very fine soil. An indication 
of the value of some of the places is the 
fact that Mr, Do Silva will not entertain 
an offer of less than R30 »,000 for Delgolla whit-h 
he bought for about a quarter of this sum 4 or 5 
years ago— which is fortunate for Mr de Silva 
but unfortunate for the Shareholders in the late 
Delgolla Company, which had to be wound up. On 
some of the Kurunegala estates 
RUBBER 
is doing splendidly. Hitherto it has been planted 
experimentally— on nearly all the estates. The 
500 7 year old trees on one property, however, have 
given 1 lb. each per tree of very fine quality rubber. 
250 acres are to be opened this year on this estate. 
The most serious feature in the industry is the 
tendency toplaut rubber beyond theprobable labour 
capacity in the future to tap it. One pound per 
tree, we may mention, means £40 sterling per acre 
—with 200 trees to the acre. 
