May 2, 1904.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
such people beiog paid at the rate of 10 per cent 
on the gross monthly earnings of this ganpr. 
Assuming, therefore, that 40 represents the 
strength of the latter, their pay sh' t would pro- 
bnlily touch H200, which would give him a salary 
of K20 ; but with men receiving 5 as. and women 
2 as. 8 ps. daily, the pay list, with such a number, 
would be augmented by some 33 per cent, and 
his quid pro quo (at la. a day per diem com- 
mibsion) works out to about K60 a month ! If 
the cost of placing tea in Mincing Lane has 
hitherto (when the normal r;iles of pay obtained) 
represented 5 as. per lb, it is tjuite ubvious that 
the expense will henceforth be materially enhanced 
under the sc ile of incieased wages, and the future 
of the tea markets will necessarily have to rule 
at something above 7d per pound it the Wyuaad 
grower is lo receive a satisfactory margin of profit. 
Viewing the question from an abstract stand- 
point, this increment in the outlay incidental to 
its producciou appears muah to be deprecated, and 
such a change, when introduced by a planter 
whose popularity is indisputable, is likely to be of 
advantage to none but the coolies themselves. — 
M. Mail. 
NEW EUBBEE COMPANY FOR CEYLON. 
Mr. L, Davidson recently advertised in the 
Ceylon Observer particulars of two new Rubber 
Companies which he intends to float— one 
in Ceylon and the other in the Straits. 
He is quite sanguine of success, and 
as regards the Ceylon concern has already 
tlie offer of 2,000 acres excellent land in the 
Ratnapura District, in two blocks of 1,500 
acres and 500 acres forest land, A Capital 
of about £35,000 is required and he is offer- 
ing Ceylon people the chance of participation, 
as he is quir>' confident of getting the money 
at home. He says that he has already 
secured a very capable planter as Superin- 
tendent and hopes to begin operations at 
the end of the year. The Straits concern 
requires a capital of from £15,000 to £20,000 
and Siberian coffee is to be introduced between 
the ilubber there. 
ENGLISH TEOUT OVA IN CEYLON. 
LATEST CONSIGNMENTS DISAPPOINTING. 
The 20,000 Rainbow Trout Ova, which arrived 
in Ceylon on the 18th instant by the N. L. ss. 
" Prinz Heinrich '' from the Earl of Denbigh's 
Hatcheries, like the two consignments each of 
20,000 Rainbow Ova which came by previous 
German steamers from the Wyresdale Hatcheries, 
have proved a failure. In fact the percentage of 
return from the last consignment is likely to 
give the surliest out-turn. The two other con- 
signments proved a failure owing to bad packing 
and the omission to instruct the Captains of 
the two vessels to look after the ova on the 
voyage out. The packing of the last consignment 
was bad, and this notwithstanding written 
instructions to use gauze wire trays for placing 
the ice on, while on the voyage to Ceylon. 
Instead ot following out the views of the Com- 
mittee with regard to the packing, the exporters 
used a plank for the ice receptacle in which they 
drilled twelve holes 1/8 of an inch in diameter, rousd 
which did not serve the purpose at all, Mr. Elharb 
wasof opinion that with such a receptacle the ice put 
on the box was an actual waste as the only ova, 
which came in contact with ihe boles, re- 
mained fresh as was noticed when the ca.se 
was opened and the washing operations taken 
in hand. The ova lying in the squai es. where 
there were no holes, were all dry and dead 
as they did not gut any moisluie. Had 
the gauge wire beun used as instructed then 
the whole of the top surface of the ova would 
have had a drip running right down into 
the bottom of the box. To add to this unfortunate 
negligence, the exporters shipped the ova on board 
the steamship on its voyage to Germany. As is 
usual these boals go to Germany from England, 
then return to England after 4 or 5 days and sail 
for the East. The same thing was' done last year. 
As a result the Ova had to remain packed for a 
larger number of days. Non-attention to instruc- 
tions from Ceylon lias been the chief 
cause of all the failures of hatching out fry 
from imported Ova. The fry from the last ship- 
ment, it is stated, are far from strong and will want 
a lot of care before they can be put out in the 
various streams. As a result of this the Club 
funds suffer ; but this will not be f -r long, as the 
Club will soon be maturing ova of its own. The 
trout placed in the stewpond on the suggestion ot 
Mr Murly are getting on well and when the breed- 
ing season commences should spawn freely Mean- 
while the engaging of an expert to see to the 
fertilising of the locally-preserved ova is receiving 
the attention of the Managing Committee of the 
Club. 

EAMIE FIBRE AND ITS USES. 
The following letter from Mr Harb, of the 
Bunbeg Spinning Mills, is sent to the Editor of 
Commercial Intelligence, and bears out the 
testimony already giveu to the excellent qualities 
of the fibre 
Sir, — We have pleasure iu contributing to the 
correspondeaee iu your columns on the subject 
of the u^es of ramie, or rhea, as a textile. 
For the past twelve years we have continuously 
woven ramie goods, and have succeeded iu over- 
coming all the difficulties of manufacture, and 
in making and placing on the market delicate 
dress goods, splendid damasks, and heavy tapes- 
tries, as well as hard- wear materials for riding- 
breeches and tropical use. The waistcoat men- 
tioned so often by Mr Edvvards-Radclyffe was 
woven by us for him ten or twelve years ago, 
as well as the patterns of dress goods which he has 
placed in your hands. 
The difficulties mentioned by Mr. Herbert 
Brown are very real one*. They must be met 
and overcome. We have done so, and have now 
no difficulties, given reasonably well-made yarn. 
This is in fact now our only difficulty, namely 
the impossibility of at present obtaining a 
sufficient supply of well-made yarns, Ramie- 
weaving-yarus are not spun satisfactorily anywhere 
in Great Britain, and until English, Scotch, and 
Irish spinners bestir themselves to meet the 
demand which is rapidly arising for ramie yarns, 
an industry which is immense in its potential 
possibilities cannot make a fair start. The ramie 
spinning mills of the Continent are full of orders, 
for foreigners are as quick to recognise a new 
market as the British are slow. Business acumen 
and intelligent perception would do more to sti- 
mulate British trade than all the tarifis ever 
conceived. 
