132 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Aug. L 1901. 
Abyssinian ' tef ' (poa abyssinica) ifs the seed of 
a grass which tue people consume (see Sagob's 
' Manuel des Cultures Tropicale '). By analysis it 
contains 8^ per cent of nitrogenous matter, 75^ per 
cent of anylaceous, and nearly 2 of fatty matter, 
besides nearly 2 of cellulose. It is, thereiore, a 
grain worthy of attention in other hot countries. — 
Globe. 
Burma Ruby Mines Co:— 16| Per Cent.— 
The report of the Burma Kuby Mines Oo., for the 
year ended February 28th. sliows a profit of 
£33,845, from which the percentage payable to 
the Government of India, amounting to "£12,440, 
has to be deducted. Including £8,881, brought 
forward, there is a total balance of £36,286. The 
Directors recommend a dividend of 16g per cent., 
free of tax, on the ordinary shares for the year, 
leaving a balance of £10,123 to be carried forward. 
During the year under review 947,444 loads of ruby 
earth were washed at an average cost of 10'39d., 
as compared with 888,135 loads in the previous 
year. 
Mb. a. Cooke's Scheme for a Tea 
Reserve. — So far we have had but three 
opinions vouchsafed to us upon the striking 
scheme for a great tea ludo Ceyloni'eserve and 
an immense increase to the forces available for 
exploiting foreign markets. One of them is 
that the proposals are quite impracticable. 
Another, which we shall publish tomorrow, 
comes from a planter who adds that he 
" cannot see that Mr. Cooke's scheme is prac- 
ticable at present. What we want is more 
money to encourage Traders in foreign 
countries to hold and make known by adver- 
tising and other methods the high qualities 
of our teas." The third appears elsewhere. This 
scheme is not one that can leap into popular 
favour at once and will require a good deal 
of backing before it can be put into forces. 
But it cannot be denied that the exploitation 
of foreign markets will have to be taken up 
on a good deal larger scale than now if 
cultivation continues to increase with the 
openmg up of new land — outside the countries 
where it is the leading product today. 
Fiji. — Tlie Receiver-General's annual report ou 
the trade and commerce of Fiji shows that the 
exports from the colony for 1900 were valued at 
£619,836, as against ^481, 856 for the previous 
yeai'. The imports were £349,890 (including 
£6,027 for re-exportation) as compared with 
£263,044 for 1899 ; and the total trade of £969,725, 
as compared with £744,900. The improve- 
ment in the export is mainly due to the 
greatly increased production of copra. The im- 
port of live stock amounted to £23,358, as 
against £8,292 for 1899, The Customs duties levied 
for 1900 were £65,932 lis 5d, an increase of 
£13,305 163 lid on the previous year. Included 
in tlie exports were .32,961 tons of sugar, 15,605 
tons of copra, 158,224 gallons of distilled spirit, 
and 396,242 bunches and 46,224 eases of green fruit. 
Thft export nf copra exceeds that of any previous 
yei-r liy 7,0'iO tons. Minor exports show no tend- 
ency '■ i; I'-ase. Of the total trade the port of 
Suva c'-iiLiibuted £770,266 and Levuka £199,460. 
The wharves at the former port are now being 
extended. There are in the islands 68 European- 
owned vessels aggregating 1,106 tons, and 105 
native-owned vessels aggregating 893 tons, — 
Lond«n Times, June 19. 
Anglo-Ceylon and General Estates 
Company.— We direct attention to the full 
report of the past year's working of this 
Company which we give on our sixth page 
today, havmg been kindly placed at our dis- 
posal by the Hon. Mr. J. N, Campbell. The 
very wise precaution has been taken of 
strengthening the reserve fund and, making 
allowance for a dividend of 4 per cent on the 
consolidated stock, there is the substantial 
balance to be carried forward of over £13,000 
in order to meet contingencies in view of the 
unsettled state of the market. The price 
of the Company's tea has, we are glad to see, 
been well maintained. A fairly good account 
IS also given ot the Mauritius sugar estates 
as well as of the rubber, coconuts and other 
products in Selangor. 
Indian and French Import Duties.— 
Indian and perhaps Ceylon planters will be glad 
to read the Notification of the Finance De- 
partment, issued on Wednesday, to the effect 
that the French Government has decided to 
prolong till the end of February next the 
mmnnura tariff for tea, coffee, pepper, etc. 
The fact that the minimum tariff has merely 
been prolonged cempoiarily for eight months 
sho ws that the French Government has not yet 
altogether made up its mind in the matter. 
The truth seems to be, as was lately pointed 
out, that the French Government has a 
quid pro quo in view ; and it has prolonged 
the status quo for eight months longer in 
order that there may be time to negotiate 
with the British Government. There seems 
to be no room for doubt that the principal 
"compensation" that France is seeking is 
British Indian cooly emigration for Mada- 
gascar, where such labour is urgently re- 
quired. Already one batch— says the Madras 
Mail—ot Indian coolies has bfeen sent there 
from Fondicherry, as the result of a private 
recruiting venture. 
" Nature Study " in Rural " Schools.— 
The Technical Instruction Committee of the Bed- 
fordshire Couaty Council have this year arranged, 
for the assistance of elementary teachers in rural 
districts, a series of 12 lectures on Saturday morn- 
ings upon "Naked-Eye Botany," supplemented 
on six of the Saturday afternoons by field excur- 
sions under the direction of local botanists at 
which " attention was specially directed to the 
commonest and most widely representative exam- 
ples." Both the lecturer and excursion guides, 
we are told, disclaimed as an end in view the 
collection of rare specimens or minute scheduling 
of variations, their object being to encourage in 
young teachers such a knowledge of the common 
plants of the countryside as may enable them 
to stimulate in their pupils " an interest in the 
vital processes and in the leading characters of 
the vegetation of both farm and garden." Those 
who attend are invited to answer weekly ques- 
tions on paper, and also to forward specimens 
of plants for identification to their excursion 
guides"— an invitation that might conceivably 
encourage the spoliation of rare flora, that is com- 
plained of elsewhere. But the scheme, speaking 
generally, seems carefully designed to avoid 
such a result ; and is stated thus far to 
have been much appreciated.— London Times, 
June 21. 
