Aug. 1, 1901.] THE TROPICAL AGEICULTUEIST. 
123 
Advertising Tea.— Mr. P. C. Larkin's 
letter to Mr. Mackenzie provides very sound 
reading and his battle-cry, " advertise," is 
well spoken. As to the progress of Greens 
in the West, it rests with the planters, as 
Mr. Larkin says. But for pushing black 
teas Mr. Larkin's argument applies equally, 
except in so far as an established taste 
has to be changed, and it is only wholesale 
advertising^ thus getting at the consumer, 
that will make a way for Ceylon black teas 
in America. 
"Basic Superphosphate."— We direct at- 
tention to Mr. John Hughes' reply to the 
criticism -.vhich has appeared in our columns. 
The contents of the accompanying pamphlet, 
we shall give in our Tropical Agricuturist, 
more particularly because the discussion — 
where Mr. Hughes' views met with a good 
deal of criticism, though on the whole he 
carried the experts present with him,— is ex- 
ceptionally interesting. It is curious to read 
that "some years ago (Mr. D. A, Louis, a 
pupil in Rothamstead Laboratory, is speak- 
ing) " Dr. Augustus Voelcker, Sir John 
Lawes and Sir Henry Gilbert all set their 
faces against basic slag and considered it 
absolutely valueless." Again, later on. Dr. 
John Voelcker considered it worthless. The 
latter afterwards pointed out that the basic 
slag as now used was a very different body 
from the slag that was first introduced. — 
But all the same, we infer from the dis- 
cussion that the first agricultural chemists 
of the age were mistaken at first as to the 
future before basic slag— and why not pos- 
sibly in some other matters ? We live to 
learn. 
The Indian Tea Association in Cal- 
cutta — is inclined to be bitter against the 
Ceylon Planters or their Association for 
reasons which will be found in their pro- 
ceedings given elsewhere. If we could only 
have foreseen war and a war-tax in 1898, 
doubtless the course taken in Ceylon that 
year in regard to the Tea Duty would have 
been very different.— On the other hand we 
hava been urging the Indian Tea Association 
and planters for half-a-dozen years back to 
establish a "Tea Cess" after the example of 
Ceylon; and only nowdo they realise the neces- 
sity and importance ; and yet, still, we may 
ask, where is the Memorial to the Viceroy, 
signed by every Tea or Planters' Associa- 
tion Chairman and Secretary— or better still 
by every planter— in India? Instead of a 
move of this kind, all the planters' energy 
aeems to be spent in writing to the 
gress, and we have even appeals to us in 
eylon, to help them to get a Tea Cess ! 
So strongly do we feel in the matter that 
we would have our P. A last year to ask the 
Governor of Ceylon to mention the import- 
ance of the matter to Lord Curzon ; but 
there is a certain degree of local jealousy ; 
and it is far more important that the Indian 
Tea Planters should memorialise on their 
own account. Cannot so prolific a writer as 
"A.C." draft a brief pithy Memorial of half- 
a-dozen paragraphs at most ? Then, if such 
were approved in Calcutta, printed and 
circulated with sheets for signature, the 
whole business could be done in a month 
or so. 
Midlands Ramie Spinning Co , Ltd.— Re- 
gistered Juue 13tli, with a capital of £10,000, in 
£1 shares, to adopt an agreement with E A Wallis 
and W Watson, to acquire any patents, inven- 
tions, and the like, and to carry on the business 
of ramie niauufaciurers, growers and merchants, 
c-cc. No initial public issue. Tlie number of direc- 
tors is not to be less than 2 nor more than 5 ; the 
subscribers are to appoint the first qualification, 
£100 ; remuneration as fixed by the company. 
Registered by Fullilove & Co., 120, Cannon St E C. 
Coffee in Brazil.— In his message to the 
Congress of the State of S. Paulo, the Pre- 
sident refers to "the financial crisis through 
which the whole country is passing aggra- 
vated by the low price of coffee." He shows 
that, in 1892, 245^ millions of kilograms of 
coffee shipped were officially valued at close 
on 252 million dollars ; and, in 1900, about 267 
millions only was the value of as much as 
387 million kilograms ! He then goes on :— 
Undoubtedly other coffee-produciug countries will 
likewise feel the fall and have to contend with dif- 
liculcies as great as ourti. Planters in Java and 
Sumatra already complain of the damage inflicted 
by the oyer-productiou of this country aud main- 
tain that the future of coffee will be everywhere 
controlled by conditions here. In Mexico, the West 
Indies and Central America complaints are also 
heard that coffee is no longer profitable in consequence 
of our competition. After spending so much labour 
and money on raising the coffee industry to its 
present proportions, it would be a tremendous mistake 
to abandon the struggle when the exceptionally 
favourable conditions and the fertility of our soil 
and the tenacity of our planters are the most certain 
guarantee of ultimate success. If coffee cultivation 
has to be abandoned anywhere, it will not be in S. 
Paulo, where the conditions of resistance are better 
than anywhere else ! 
What is wanted is that planters, merchants and 
Government should workall together and harmoniously, 
for the common end and give no attention to fanci- 
ful measures that can effect no real remedy and 
only make things worse. 
To cut down working espens«s, improve their 
process and secure permanent and steady labour, 
should be the aim of planters thus imitating the 
example of countries where production is far 
more insignificant, but better prices are secured by 
better products. On the side of covimissarios, they 
should aim at extending old markets and opening 
new ones as well as at organising local elements 
of resistance to speculation, and the elimination of 
useless middlemen and consequent reduction of 
commission and direct dealing with consumers. The 
Santos market, important as it is, is now too narrow 
for operations so vast and branches of several ex- 
porting houses have, we are informed, been already 
started in America and Europe, whilst a few planters 
have commenced selling direct to consumers with 
good results. Energy and agitation cannot fail to 
produce good results for planters, if persisted in. By 
Le Bresil I observe that during the last few days 
a new house for exclusive sale of Sao Paulo coffees was 
opened in Paris by Snr. Conccifio, 7/ith the objoct of 
promoting consumption and raismg the reputation of 
Brazilian coffees so unjustly depreciated by retailers. 
The responsibility of the government, deriving as 
it does nearly all its revenue from coffee, cannot 
and has not been overlooked. By promoting immi- 
gration, improving the means of transport, reducing 
railway charges, funding agricultural schools and 
encouraging mortgage banks and other cognate 
measures, the government has already done mnoh 
to benefit the planting interest. 
There is much here that is applicable to 
planters, merchants and the Government in 
Ceylon in reference to tea. 
