«44 
THE TROPICAL AGRICtTLTURIST. [June 2, 1902. 
fertilising deposits and substmcps and to carry 
on tlie business of miners, refiners, distiflers, 
manufacturers, exporters and importers of and 
dealers in sueli substances as aforesaid and any 
chemical or otiier preparation, wliether liquid or 
solid. Tiie subscribers are :— 
Siiares. 
E T Cliurcb, 2, Kepler Koad, Clapham, 
S W, elk ... .. - 1 
J A Fuiler, .50, Cliatterton Koad, N, elk... 1 
E S Harper, 76, Oliphant St, Queen's Park 
W. elk ... ... ••• 1 
H W Brown, 63, Mackenzie Koad, Becken- 
ham, elk .. .. •■• 1 
A S Colien, 18, Compayne Gardens, S 
Uampstead, soir . . ... , ... 1 
W W P Gaskell, 91, NighlingaleLa, S\V, 
stu lent .. ... ••• J 
G Trouti;iiton, 54, Marville Road, Fulliam, 
SV, elk .. ... ... 1 
Minimum cash subscription 25 per cent of any 
shares first ofiered to the public. The liist dir- 
ectbrs (to be not less than 3 nor more than 10) are 
to be appointed by the subscribers ; (lualification 
£■250; remuneration as fixed by Uie company. 
Re;<istered by Asiiurst and (~'o, 17, Thro^rnmrlon 
Avenue, E 0.— Investors' Ouardian, April 26. 
PLANTING NOTES. 
Tea-packet Work in Australia— we 
learn from Mr. Edward Druinmond, of one 
well-known Melbourne tea firm, Drummed 
Brothers, can be done in Australia about as 
cheaply as in Geylon, It is not because 
the labour per hour is as cheap, but beciusethe 
white labour works so much faster and more 
continuously than black. 
BritishCentral Africa.— In our daily and 
T^.will be found our latest notes from British 
Central Africa, which have taken two months 
to reach us. Though the country has not 
been progressing but rather the reverse, the 
last year or two, the advent of the railway 
brings a brighter prospect and it is hoped to 
develop the neighbouring markets to tlie 
south, for B.C. A. products— coffee, rubber and 
ivory. 
The Nuwara Eliya Tea Estates Com- 
pany's Rkpobt— is an interesting document. 
Beside 6 per cent being paid, neai'ly £1,800 is 
carried forward, and the Directors and 
Superintendents are to be congratulated. Of 
the estates Hethersett has the biggest planted 
acreage (370j ; while Pedro (488) has the 
largest total, and total crop. 261,223 lb. Park 
(■m lb.) gave the top yield per acre ; Naseby, 
9 l3d the top nett price per lb. ; and Park, 
£7 16 7d gave most profit per acre. 
Pearls and Pe.-vrl Oy.sters — We draw 
attention to the interesting contribution 
given under this heading from the pen of 
Dr. Andrew Wilson on another page. The 
theory -started by Dr. Jameson may turn 
out to be of considerable pr.-ictical impor- 
tance in connection with Dr. Herdman's 
investigation, and we have no doubt the 
discovery will come under the attention of 
the latter distinguished scientist while he is 
in England, 
Balata.— In the annual report of BritishGuitina 
it is shown that the production of halata has riseu 
from 237,824 lb of a value of £12.231, in 1899 to 
1900, to a total of 42,5,.371 lb of a value of 
£19,5S5, in 1900 to 1901. A lart,'e tract of virgin 
bullet tree forest were discovered and tlie industry 
is in a veiy healthy condition at present. — India 
Miibber JoHi-iial, April 28. 
The Tea Crop from the Far East.— Mr. 
Tchokotf, in the address we reproduce else- 
where from our contemporary, indicates tiiat 
that the tea crop at Hankow will not be 
any bigger this j'ear— unless the reduction 
of the export duty is going to have any 
effect. Further we publish news today of 
recent injury as to the Japan tea crop. 
If all this proves true, it should go to 
assist Ceylon and India with what is more 
than likely to be a bigger output in 1902 
than in 1901. 
The Reduction in Chiva's Tea Duty— by 
.\d per lb.— is the result of the Commissioners' 
memorial to the Throne, regarding which 
The Times' Shanghai correspondent wired on 
April 19th, a message we quoted two days ago. 
The export duty at present is, we believe. 
2g taels per picul— or 7s 3d per 133J lb— which 
works out at rather less than jd per pound. 
The reduction therefore leaves the tax barely 
Jd per pound. This should assist the China 
tea expoi ts— which sank by 72 2^14 and 
13,373 piculs, in black and green respectively, 
in 1900 from the exports of 1899. 
Rate of Guowth of Sal (and others.)— The 
Thinned and Unthisned Ase.v Trkes 
figures which Mr Dickinson was kind enough to 
communicate in the December number are, I 
think, likely, in their bare nakedness, to lead 
many people astray, and for that reason I should 
have been glad if Mr Dickinson had explained 
just what value he himself puts upon them. The 
correctness oi the measurements is not in dispute, 
but their application. Personally, I rejoice that 
various considerations "make it impussible to 
thin such forests at an early age." Nobody 
doubts the greater rapidity witii which girth is 
acquired by isolated or semi-isolated trees as 
compared with stems grown in close catiopy. The 
volume per tree is also no doubt greatei' for a 
smaller number of trees 1 am also aware that 
the total soil production has been alleged to 
increase by means of thinnings. But here I begin 
to boggle, and I refuse decidedly to take the 
jinnp that leads to open crops from their youth 
up. Open crops mean grass on the ground. Gr.ass 
in sal forest is proof positive of a lot of sun- 
light wasted. How can the soil production then 
be said to increase? In any case, youth is the 
period for the upward struggle. I'all and upright 
should be our watchwords. When we have got the 
niaxiuium possible of length and straightness it 
will be time to go in for girth, but not before. 
Not knowing the plots, I cannot discuss the 
figures ; but, in any case, I am not prepared to 
accept the rates of growth deduced as in tlie 
least re])resentative of the difference between an 
uiUhitincd crop and one thinned with due caiiti 'n. 
The very constitution of a selection forest is 
opposed to correct results, such a forest be in 
more or less in a chronic thinned conditi'in. 
One-aged crops are the only ones capable of 
giving tru« lesultsin regaard to effects of thinning 
F. OLADOWE. 
