6^8 
tHE tKOPiCAL AGMCULTURIST. [March 1, 1904 
2'o the Editor. 
CEYLON PRODUCE IN LONDON. 
London, E.C, Jan. 21, 1904. 
Dear Sir,— Herewith our report : — 
Copra. — The last information given was 
when the Ceylon article was practically off 
the market, sell3rs asking a prohibitive 
price. The last business done was at £16 7s 
6d per ton with buyers today at £16 53. We 
have had an enquiry today from a large 
crusher for 300 tons of copra for shipment 
during January and we think for this special 
shipment, £16 15s c.i.f. would be paid. Mala- 
bar Copra. — Sellers are asking £17 23 6d with 
buyers at £16 18s 9J c i.f. 
Desiccated Coconuts.— Just now there are 
but few enquiries with the result that buyers 
can purchase cheaper here than on the other 
side. For the usual assortment of 50 per cent 
fine, 40 per cent medium and 10 per cent 
coarse offers have been cabled out at 23s c.i.f. 
The spot values are quite nominal: fine 22s 9d, 
medium 233, coarse 223 3d. 
Cinnamon.— At the last sales held here, 
fine qualities realised steady prices, but to 
get on with ordinary and common grades a 
decline of Id to l^d per lb had to be taken. 
During the past week cinnamon has re- 
mained quiet. For arrival, the usual assort- 
ment has been done at 7fd per lb and chips 
at 2 l-16th cost, freight and insurance London 
and Continent. 
Cocoa.— There is a very good demand for 
cocoa in general. The outlook, we think, is 
towards higher prices. Ceylon is very poorly 
represented ; consequently little interest is 
shown, but as some of the leading marks 
begin to arrive the usual demand will set in, 
and as is usually the case, much higher prices 
will be seen. Already we have received advices 
from the other side of a few attractive marks. 
1,793 b^gs were offered this week, but 910 
sold. Small common to fair at 45s to 4Sj 6d, 
ordinary 563 to 593, fair 603 6d to 64s, good 
65s 6d to 733, native at 50s. 
Cardamoms, — The larger supplies cata- 
logued today met with fair competition. 
Bold cardamoms sold at full rates to an 
advance, good medium sold fully up to a Id 
advance, but common qualities were fully 
Id down. 
HUBB&R.— Business hab been done this week 
at tlrm to dearet prices, including tine bard 
para ou the spot at ii Id, aluo forward con- 
tracts at 4s Id 10 43 l|d per lb. (Ceylon 
on spot fine 49 Sd per lb,) 
ClNOMOt^A BaeK— The first sales held in the 
New Year met with very fair competition 
and the bulk sold at steady prices. Ceylon 
Bad East India prices range as follows I — 
J^Ucciruhra 2Jd, officinalis 2id to 8gd, ledger 
2|d to Sid, hybrid 2fd to 5§d per lb. The 
unit today is l^d against lid last year. At 
Amsterdam, the tiVst series ot Java cinchona 
bark sales of 1904 will open on January 28th 
while our next sales will be held on the 16lh 
o£ February. 
Tea.— There was a slight falling off in the 
supply of Ceylon for this week. Previous 
prices were generally maintained, commons 
were steady, but medium and orange pekoes 
seemed at times somewhat cheap, parti- 
cularly a few parcels ranging in price from 
7d to 9d per lb. For good cups very satisfac- 
tory prices were obtained. The quality as a 
whole was very middling.— Yours faithfully, 
ppro. JOHN HADDON & CO. 
G. S. ANDREWS. 
ACETIC ACID FOR RUBBER ; PLANTERS 
AND MANUFACTURERS. 
Klang, Selangor, Jan 25. 
Dear Sir, — In connection with this subject 
treated in your recent issue we very 
seldom use acetic acid here as coagula- 
tion i.ivariably takes place in less than 24 
hours, and there is a feeling that natural 
coagulation is, at any rate, safer than 
that induced by the addition of any acid. 
I quite agree that it should be to the 
distinct advantage of both, that planters 
and manufacturers get into touch as much 
as possible, and with that object in view 
1 hope very shortly to proceed to New York 
in the first instance, in response to an 
invitation from Mr. Pearson, the Editor of the 
India Rubber World.— Yomvs faithfully, 
E, V. CAREY. 
PREPARATION OV PRODUCTS FOR THE 
MARKEr. 
Pelmadulla, Feb. 4. 
Sir, — Were an experienced planter or other com- 
petent person to write a small hand-book on the 
preparation for the market only of both old and 
new products of the Island, I feel that it would be 
very useful both to the European and educated 
native grower, and that it would meet with a 
ready sale. I gi7e this hint for what it is 
worth. There are miiny, including myself, who 
would like to dabble in anything out of the way 
if I hey knew how to place it on the market. — 
Yours faithfully, O. M. H; 
[The books published at the Observer office deal 
with a great number of products, and others are 
handled from time to time in the T.A. but any 
volunteer is welcome to communicate with ue on 
such a proposal as the above.— Ed. T.A.^ 
TROUT BREEDING IN CEYLON, 
Feb. 16. 
Dear Sib,— Mr Murly's paper on the 
above subject, read at the recent meeting 
of the Fishing Olub, as stated in your 
recent issue is an extremely interesting 
document to all local anglers. It should 
prove most helpful to the working mem' 
bers of that CluD and give them every en- 
couragement to persevere in their endeavours 
to broadcast rainbow-trout throughout 
the island, I belieVe it was decided to at 
once stock a stew-pond with a couple of 
dofcen mature fish tor breeding purposes in 
view of the probability of an expert being 
got out from home to supervise operations 
for a year or two, and, I am told, Mr Murly 
kindly offered to take an interest in their 
capture and transference to the pond. 
