April 1, 1902. j THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 671 
staff, two languages to learn, want of 
water, absence of animal transport owing 
to tsetse fly, difficulty w.ith lions (28 coolies 
carried off by 2 lions in one night, and Mr. 
Ryalls torn from a carriage on the line 
hy a man-eater wlio cai'ried him off 
through the window, while two companions 
in the carriage were left untouched, but 
helpless to interfere)— dithculty with "jig- 
gers " which often caused men to lose their 
toes ; 15,000 workmen to be organised ; diffi- 
culties with fever in parts, and wild beasts 
everywhere (during Sir Guilford's visit 280 out 
of one gang of 320 men were down with 
fever and 7 out of 8 engine-drivers !) The 
successful completion, in spite of all this, 
reflected the greatest credit on Mr. George 
Whitehouse and his staff. The warlike 
tribes en route are already quieting down ; 
and the slave caravans and trade have 
for ever ceased. Stanley's memorable journey 
to the lake was in 1875 and now he sees his 
most sanguine anticipations already antici- 
pated : 9u,000 Christian people in Uganda 
with 320 Churches, and many thousands 
of children in school, and this great rail- 
way and a first steamer (the " Wm. Mackin- 
noa ") on the Lake, where within 10 years 
there would be 50. The survey of the 
lake coast line, 2,200 miles in 13 months, 
was also a great work, and they had also the 
telegraph wire with daily news to the 
very centre of Africa. Game is still very 
plentiful in great varieties close to the line 
at certain points : gazelle, harte-beeste, os- 
triches, bustard, wildebeeste, zebra, grouse, 
spur-fowl, hyenas, etc. Lions often cross 
the railway : five or six at a time ; or a 
lioness and c\ibs. The game laws are now 
strict : visitors pay £50 to shoot a limited 
number of beasts ; but a reward is paid 
for every lion shot between certain stations. 
"Plenty of fish" in some of the rivers, 
very like mahseer, which give good sport 
with light tackle and a gold and silver 
spoon. The climate for 300 miles— between 
238 and 550 miles — is very pleasant. The 
Swahilis (the Seedee boys of steamers) ai'e 
, the most useful of the natives and their 
language is becoming universal. Sir Harry 
Johnston, G.C.B., spoke to the kind treat- 
ment of the natives by the surveyors and 
engineers and Sir T. Fowell-Buxton, (Bart, 
G C.M.G., spoke to the wonderful fulfilment 
of many of Stanley's prophecies of only 
27 years ago ; and alluded to Bishop Tucker's 
new Cathedral now in course of construc- 
tion in Uganda. Finally as to products :— 
Coffee grows well in Sesse and Uganda 
and Rubber everywhere : Landolphia rubber 
vines are on all the islands in the Lake. 
Castor oil plant grows everywhere. To- 
bacco grows well and is much used by the 
people. Good crops of potatoes and other 
vegetables have been raised. Extensive and 
good hill forests are ready for planters. 
Cheap labour for settlers in Uganda is 
freely available. The Lake coast region is 
very healthy and great fisheries may 
eventually be developed here ; but this 
region is subject to frequent storms, scarcely 
a day without thunder and in the fir.st 
survey during 1898, there were 17 violent 
storms during 21 days ! But on the hills at 
Nairobi, for instance, the climate is delight- 
ful, European children prospering there. 
Undoubtedly here is a great region ready 
for pioneering, and proibably the collection 
and transport of " rubber " to the coast 
will be one of the first industries started. 
CEYLON GREENS PRAISED IN CANADA. 
Says tiie Canadian Grocer; — " The firstsainples 
of Oolong produced in Ceylon were before The 
' Salada' Tea Company one day last week. They 
somewhat resemble the finest Formosas. It these 
teas can be prochiced in Ceylon there is a great 
trade for them in the United States. Mr Larkin 
says that, while they are slightly different from 
Formosa, they are the finest teas of the kind he 
has ever tasted." 
PRODUCE AND PLANTING. 
TEA IMPORTERS AND WHOLESALE DEALEE.S OF 
NEW YORK 
are much incensed over the action of the House Com- 
raittee on Ways and Means in reporting a Bill for the 
repeal of Spanish war taxes on nearly everythiuf^, ex- 
cept on teas, on which the duty is to remain in force 
nntil January I, 1903. It is proposed by the tea 
merchants to make a protest to Congress, ae, they 
say, there is no reason whatever why discrimination 
should be made against tea. Mr. G T Matthews, 
head of one of the large wholesale tea Companies, 
when interviewed on the subject, said: "This action 
of the Ways and Means Committee is an outrage. 
It is made on the plea that the country is so well 
stocked with tea that it will take at least a year to 
work it all off upon the market. Everyone who knows 
anything about the business is aware that there has 
not in many years been such a small stock of teas on 
hand in the country as now, for the reason that the 
importers have for several months been expecting 
that Congress would remove the duty. I venture to 
say that all the tea on hand in the United States to- 
day can and will be consumed by the public in less 
than two months and the tea trade in general will 
have to stock up again at war tariff rates." 
THE DIRECTORS OF THE AGRA-ELBEDDE (CEYLON) 
TEA ESTATES, LTD. 
are not only courageous, but they exhibit their 
faith in the present and future prodiiotiveaess of their 
property. At a ■ time when tea prospects are not 
considered by the investing public as altogether rosy, 
and in view of the fact that investors are critical 
and fairly well able to judge for themselves the issue 
of this prospectus proves the directors' claim well-foun- 
ded. In the interests of the British-grown tea industry 
we hope that the anticipation held out will be justi- 
fled by results, and that another steady dividend- 
paying concern will be added to the list of Ceylon 
tea companies. 
Californian Olive Oil.— The season just 
ended has-been most satisfactory to olive growers. 
The Los Angeles Olive Growers' AssociatioQ 
expects a yield of between fifty thousand and 
sixty thousand gallons of oil, worth $2',50 per 
gallon. The Association has 1,100 acres in the 
San Fernando valley. The yield at Andrew 
McNally's ranch near Pasadena is estimated at 
about ten thousand gallons of oil. The value 
of the crop of picked olives in Southern California 
is estimated at about $75,000, and the value of 
the oil when marketed will approximate $500,000, — 
Chemist and Druggist, Feb. 8. 
