G02 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[March 1, 1902. 
shows the quantity and value of the exports of 
cardamoms from Frcuch Itido-Cliiua during the 
last two vears : — 
1899. 1900. 
Quan- 
tity. 
KUOF!. 
Annam 14,503 
Cochin Cliiua 
and Cambo- 
dia 283,074 
Tonkin 43,127 
Value. 
Francs. 
67,963 
Total ^ 
346.704 
768,000 
(lb.) 
1,195,002 
97,ea6 
l,3fO,006 
54,O0OZ. 
Quan- 
tUy. 
Kilo?. 
9,857 
196,908 
54,019 
Value. 
Francs. 
74.913 
632,679 
405,14-2 
— Chemist and Druggist, Jan. 18 
260,784 1,12,734 
574,000 45,0O0L 
(lb.) 
PRODUCE AND PLANTING. 
The enterprise and energy of the Consuls of the 
United States have played au impoi tant yaQ:t in the 
development of the trade of Amerii;a. Doubtless 
British Consuls are just as euerge'.io but there is some- 
thing lacking in our system. In 1880 the Com- 
mercial Belatioas," or Consular Eeporty, were first 
issued by tlie United States Bureau of S'atistics, 
which in 1898 was superseded by the Bureau of Foreign 
Commerce. For tlie li'.st three years a daily bulletin 
has been issued of the more important and valuable 
dispatches treating extensively of trade conditions. 
These advance theeta tell of the enterprises and 
plans of foreign manufacturers and of the changes in 
tariff regulations and are eagerly read. They call 
attention to the tastes, habits and prejudices of the 
peoplos who may become customers. They suggest 
necessary changes of style or in methods of packing 
to make American merchandise more saleable, and 
give much other advice. Confcraac this with our own 
Foreign Office methods, o? some of them, or rather 
note the period covered by some of the Consular 
Reports issued from the Foreign Office. For instance, a 
report received on December 23, 1901, from the 
British Consul at Foochow reviews the trade of that 
port for 1900, and although doubtless admirable in 
its way, and compiled with great care, is rather too 
belated to serve any practical purpose. Referring to 
ten, the report says : " There seema to have been 
no change in the general quality of the teaa proposed 
in 1900 ; the quantity brought to Foochow far sale 
was somewhat in excess of arrivals in 1899, but much 
remained ilnsold whereas all the tea brought here 
the yeac befor found a market. The salsa in Lon- 
don resulted in heavy losses, India and Ceylon 
having overstocked the market, and the prices obtained 
were the lowest on record. Some business was done 
in London in Sotichougs and Seutaoo Congous, but on 
the whole Foochow teas fared very badly. lu America 
dealers thought that the Boxer troubles would affect 
the tea produciion and so bought heavily, the result 
being the overstocking of the market and sales at a 
ruinous loss. lu short, while abuufc the same quantity 
of tea arrived in Foochow as in 1899, leas was sent 
abroad and a large amount remained here unsold, 
while of that which was exported only a very small per- 
centage sold for remunerative prices." The condition 
of the tea market might have varied a hundred times 
since the date written about, and all kinds of things 
have happened, and been forgotten. Of course the 
Con.^ul ha.s done Ids duty in thematipr, and the fault 
of the delay is no' his ii: any way, but surely it is pos- 
sible to ga.tlier officii'-l information about the Foochow 
tea market up to a more lectmt date than 1900 without 
causing irouhlf fi oui overwork, 
In its comiiioMis oo last v.eek's tea sales the "Pro- 
duce Maiki-t,; Urvic'.v ■' savrs : ''At the public sales oa 
Monday of Indian x the market was irregular and an 
easier tendency ruled, particularly for the lower 
descriptions. Later on the demand was more active 
and the market closed with a fairly strong tone, Th 
quantity catalogued for next week is about equal to 
that of the present week, and wiih the improving 
demand and increasing deliveries, which are 3,750,000 
lb, larger since the first of the month compared with 
the same period la<<i, year, there is every indication of 
steady to firm prices. The exports from Calcutta for 
the past year amounted to l-')2, 810,000 lb. against 
159,890,000 lb. in luOO, while from May 1st, which was 
the beginning of the season, to the end of December 
the Khipmeut.s were smaller. The home consumption 
for the same periods reached 144,389,i'00 lb, and 
134,933.001) lb. respecivtly, showing an increase of 
9.000,!i00 lb. The market for Ceylon teas has been 
severely tested this week, as the sales, following on 
very large Indian auctions, have shown a considerable 
increase in quantity. No signs of weakness were 
apparent, however, the demand being fully equal to 
the supply, and all kinds were well taken at firm rstes, 
while the lowest grades of whole leaf occasionally aold 
at j-d more money. The offerings contained a larger 
proportion of Colonjbo-bought teas, which consitted 
principally of leafy broken Pekoes, and, as the quality 
was very ordinary, many were withdrawn for higher 
bids." 
The latest fafl in Paris is the smoking of eofite 
cigarettes, chiefly by women. The new cigarettes do 
not contain a compound made of the ground bean, 
but the leaf of the tree, fine, coarse, or navy cut, or 
manipulated after the bird's eye method, according 
to taste. Coffee-leaf smoking is said to be not only 
perfectly harmless, even if indulged in to the wildest 
excess, but to po.^seaa the property, deemed by th« 
inventors an unquestionable advantage, of imparting 
to those v;ho practise it an intense and lasting dis- 
like for the flavour of tobacco. 
Cocoa and nutmegs continue to maintain the colony 
of Grenada in easy circumstances, if not in opulence. 
The annual report for 1900, vhich has just been issued 
from the Colonial Office, describes ttie year as one of 
much prosperity — a prosperity, happily, that is likely 
to continue. The cocoa crop was good and the prices 
in the London market were high throughout the year, 
whilst the yield of spices was larger than ever before 
— between two and three times as large as the aver- 
age annual output for the five years ending with 1897. 
In 1900 the total value of the colony's exports was 
£311,000, of which cocoa accounted for £270,000 and 
spices for £.3tl,000, leaving only £11,000 for cotton, 
live stock, and everything else. The spice culture is 
mainly in the hands of large proprietors, who bestow 
much care and attention upon it and have evidently 
profited well by the establishment of the botanic sta- 
tion three years ago. Cocoa, on the other band, is 
chiefly grown by the peasants on their own small hold- 
ings, and they are less respective of new ideas. — ff, 
and C. Mail, Jan. 24. 
"Ceylon Men " Wanted for Natal.— At 
a meeting of the Royal Colonial Institute, held 
on January 14th, Tuesday night, at the White- 
liall rooms, Mr Einile McMa.?ter read a paper on 
" The High Plateaus of Natal ; their Climate 
and Resotirces " and the report in the London 
Times winds up as follows : — 
He thought there were more small and moderate 
fortunes to be made in N.atai than anywhere he knew 
of, but no large fortunes, except in coal and iron. 
He felt well convinced that there were fewer blanks 
in the lottery of success, and of health and happiness, 
in high Natal than elsewhere in South Africa ; and 
especially was this the case for those of our race 
wlio meant to settle, live, and die, and leave des- 
cendants there. The things most lucrative however, 
called for a few years wait and nursing up ; and he 
thought the class most called for now by the front 
plateaus was such as had gone planting to Ceylon, 
young men purposeful and with some capital to bury 
for a few years. 
