SfiPTEMfeER I, i8§i.] tftOPIOAt AO^IOULTURIST, 
ie0 
LONDON TEA RETUENS POK SEVEN 
MONTHS, 
The imports of China teabetweon January 1st and 
July 3 1st was 27,654,000 lb. against 29,050 in the 
similar period of 1890. Java showed '2,693,000 
against 2,371,000. Oejlon indicated the large increase 
o£ .35,707,000 against 21,941. Oeylon imports for 
the seven months of this year, indeed, ran India 
very close with its import of only 37,793 against 
38,126,000 the previous year. But when we come 
to deliveries, Ceylon is left very far behiud India. 
The figures for our tea are 28,642,000, a good in- 
arease on 20,324,000 in the seven months of 1800. 
But in the ease of India, although there was a 
falling off from 59,731,000 in 1890 to 65,678 000, yet 
of this latter quantity a large proportion was taken 
from stocks which showed only 18,594,000 agamstso 
much as 16,283,000 for Oeylon, Indian stocks bad 
gone up only 2^ millions from 16,000,000 in 1890, 
while Oeylon had increased from 10,880,000 or 
nearly 5j millions. We can only hope that 
stocks of Ceylon will soon be worked off. The 
brokers' reports are impartial in recognizing the 
poor quality of Indian as well as Ceylon tea. 
The deliveries of China were 43,875,000 against 
60,647,000, while stocks of this kind had gone 
down from 36,218,000, to 28,592,000. 
The deliveries of Java tea had increased from 
2,014,000 to 2,580,000 1b., and stocks of this kind 
were reduced from 903,000 to 877,000. An increase 
of 2 millions of pounds in the stock of Indian 
teas, has little significance, but an increase of 5J 
millions in stocks of Ceylon is calculated to give 
our planters concern. The iicports of the four 
kinds were 103,847,000 against 94,488,000, while 
deliveries wtre only 130,675,000 against 182,716,000 
in the seven months of 1890. The deliveries of 
Ceylon tea for the seven months had been on an 
average a little over 4 millions per mensem. The 
same rate for the rest of the year would mike a 
total of only 48 millions, while our total exports 
are estimated at 60 millions up to 70. Let 
us hope that an increased demand not only in the 
British but ia other markets raaylcome to the aid 
of our enterprise. We oau, we suppose, calculate 
on the Australim and other markets taking 5 
millions of pounds. But the Tea Fuod Committee, 
clearly, must not relax its efforts. 
REDUCTION OF THE EXPORT DUTY 
ON CINCHONA BARK. 
A proclamation in today's Gazette states that the 
Governor, with the advice of the Executive Council, 
for the purposes of the " Medical Wants Ordinance, 
1880, Amendments Ordinance, 1§82," reduces the 
duty upon cinchona of twenty cents per owt. to a 
duty of live cents per owt., which last-meationad 
duty is imposed as the duty upon all cinchona entered 
for exportation at any port in this Colony as from 
and after the first day of September 1891. 
AN INDIAN TODDY PALM— PIICENIX 
SYLVESTRIS. 
A familiur and perhaps, to some people, a mono- 
lonniis feature iu Indian scenery, particularly along 
till! coast rogions of Wostern iudia, are the groves 
of I'biu lix rtylvestris, onii of tlio todily Palm?, the 
oominoiieHt oE tliu wild Palms of the couutry, but a 
niofit vftlimbU', QUO to the natives. It is frequently 
Hin'ii ill uompaiii' with auothor iioblo Pttlm, Sorassns 
fl.abollil'ormin, the Palmyra, anil theso, foRnHior wit-.li 
tho Oooouut Prtlm, which, in tbo noigb'oourlioc.'d of 
27 
Bombay, is cultivated in extensive plantations, com- 
prisi the ciiief elements of that striking tropical 
scenery which always improsses travellerfi - from 
northern regions when they first see it. This Phosuix 
does not differ materially iu aspect from the Date 
Palm of Egypt, P. daetylifera, vshioh onR aeen on the 
way out; and my ioapression tbnt the Date Palm 
as well Bs such Phcsaixes as P. rupioola, tenuif^ 
acaulis, canarieneis, and possibly others, are but 
geographical forms of a widely distributed siiecies, 
hiving a ranee almost as extensive aa that of 
the Coconut Palm. B3 this as it may, they all 
seem to me very much alike, and from my point 
of view produce the same effect, for in a natural 
grove of P. sylvestris one could select forms that 
to al! appearances arc identical with the species 
named. The Palm now iUaetratrd is not the only 
one thit yields toddy, as there are several in India 
from which the enticing juice can be drawn, notably 
the Pidmyra, Coconut and Wine Palm (C«ryota 
urens), but in Guzerat the Phoenix yields the bulk of 
the enormou^i quantity of toddy that is coneumeil by 
the natives. Toddy drawing is, in fact, an impoitant 
industry, and moreover a source of revenue to the 
Government, as a tax ia imposed upon every tree 
in full yield, and to which an oflieial number is 
attached. A large plantation of Phcenix is a valuable 
property, for tho owners assess their value at from 
five to fifteen rupees a tree. If a plantation is 
near a town or group of villages, or near a frequented 
highway, the drawing and distribution of toddy 
is always active, and keeps several people basy; 
The mode of drawing is admirably shown in 
the picture. The toddy minis in the ect ot fixing 
a "chattie" at the mouth of a notcli that has 
previously been made ia the succuleut part o! the 
stem, the iueision being made bo that the descending 
sap tfiekloa into the vessel, a few f trips of rfcd 
l eing placed eo as to conduct the juice more readily. 
The chattifs are empliiid morning and eveuing, and as 
I hey hold a quart or more, a great quantity of sap ia 
extriictod from each tree during the season ; and the 
loss telhJ materially on the health of the tree, so much 
£0 that if the extraction were to continue year after 
year, the tree would soon die from exhaustion. After 
a tree has been tapped for a full season, it is allowed 
to rest for two or three seasons, and that accounts 
for the intervals of the scare on the trnuk, aa may be 
seen iu the picture where the man has his left foot and 
the soar lower down. The toddy drawer is postessed 
of surprising agility in climbing the perpendicular 
stems, which he does with the utmost ease the only 
support being the rope he has fastened round his 
waist, which leaves his hands free. The fluid thus 
obtaii ed is of the coosiatenoe of watered milk, and 
has a sweetish, and to some Europeans an agreeable 
taste, while to others it is naubeating'. VVhen freshly 
drawn it is moet n freshing, and to qaaff a bowl of it 
when excessively thirsty is one of the pleasantest in- 
cidei;ts in Indian life, When, however, it is allowed 
to ferment, whiuh it quickly does, it is sour and un- 
pleasant, and becomes as intoxicating as Scotch nectar 
ljut in this state it obviously finds more favour with 
the natives. As a garfien plant, the wild Phcenix is 
of great value for land; cape effect when it occurs iu 
natural groups, for in these you see all gradation.s of 
size, from the small t.eedlinf; to the decrepit old treef, 
that have reached tbo length of their days, and lean 
leewards ia a most pioturesqiie way. The blnish-gie^- 
greeu tint of a grove ot Phosuix is perhaps too sombre, 
but in a garden one can always iutrodiics variety as 
a foreground, or intermix' d in the group. It is a 
singular fact that the Date-bearing Pa'ms dors not thrive 
fuooGssfuUy in India, so as to produce edible fruit, 
and that of P. Syivi-'btris is valuless as food, tho:igli 
the leaves and stems, and the fibre hu 1 burk thereof, 
are of value to the native^ in various ways. Tho eu- 
graviiio' (fig. 14) is an admirable reproduction of a 
pbo'ograph by Messrs. Johnson & floft'mau, of C;ilcutta. 
W. Goi.DHiNO. — Gardeners' Chronicle. [Iu the case of 
.ill the toddy plants of Oeylon, — coconut palm, kitnl 
nnd pBlmyrn, the jnioo is obtained i'rom tho nnonf^uel 
llu,ve; ap.-itUo,— n vcr from tho stem.— Eo. 7'. ^I.l 
