November 2, 1891] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
COFFEE PRODUCTIOK IN INDIA. 
Although in India, as in Java, leaf disease has not 
acted so suddenly and disastrously on coffee, as has 
been the case in Ceylon, it is evident that much 
mischief has been done as is still being done by the 
leaf fungus. Mr. O'Conor's notice of this article of 
export in his review of the export trade of India 
is as followsj; — 
F Notwithstanding the stimulus of prices in the Euro- 
nean market which have ranged very high during the 
last few years, and still continue to range high, the 
exports of coffee do not increase as will be seen from 
the figures subjoined 
Owt. Rx. 
1886- 87 ... 370,458 1,502,251 
1887- 88 ... 273,775 ... 1,529,680 
1888- 89 ... 365,299 ... 1,884,243 
1889-90 ... 239,795 ... 1,489,872 
1890-91 ... 233,451 ... 1,454,985 
The trade during the last decade remained stationary, 
until the last three or four years when it began to 
decline, although helped by high prices in London and 
the low rate of exchange which, it is still supposed by 
gome, is advantageous to the tea and cofiFee planter. 
Indian coffee, however, has doubtless difficulties to 
contend with. Unlike Indian tea, it is not superior to 
the coffee of other countries with which it compotes 
in Europe, and the ravages of leaf-disease have been 
very serious. 
It thus appears (that the exports have gone down 
from 370,000 owt. to 233,000 in 6 years. Mr. O'Conor 
is mistaken as to the quality of Indian ooftee. It 
is far superior to the generality of Java and 
Brazil. Indeed Mr, O'Conor himself shows, in 
dealing with the trade to Arabia and Turkey, 
that South of India coffee finds its way via Bombay 
to those countries, and is there drunk by visitors 
as superior to anything of the kind in the world. 
A DECOCTION OF TOMATO LEAVES AS 
A CQilE FOR TEA BLIGHT. 
We know that the tomato fruit possesses aoti%S 
properties, bsnefioial in the case of torpidity o^ 
the liver, we believe. But ws were not aware that 
any special alkaloid existed in the leaves. This 
would appear to be the case, however, judging from 
correspondence which we quote from the Calcutta 
journal Capital, Can any correspondent help us 
to an analysis of the tomato plant ? It the decoc- 
tion of the leaves suflioes to destroy red spider, 
there can be .little doubt that it would prove 
equally destruot 've to the spores which it touched 
of Hemileia Da^tatrix. But there is not only the 
expense of t^^e application but the question 
of infection from neighbouring plantations not 
similarly afld simultaneously treated. From 
Mr. Weston's limitation of "creeping things" 
it seems dovibtful if the cure would reach the case 
of the f c more formidable helopeltis. Happily 
our tea is exempt generally from any of the pests 
which are ' ften so destruciive in India ; but, in 
case of ev'^'^tuaHties, we consider it our ducy to 
lay before our planting readers all information of 
this nature which reaches us. Planters can judge 
for themselves of the probable value of the anti- 
dote now submitted to public notice. As red spider 
is only " a creeping thing" the exemption of tea 
for eig^.hteen months can be understood. Such 
exempt on could not, probably, be calculated on, were 
the plag ues operated on either helopeltis or Bcmileia 
vattatrix. 
" Singell," whence Mr. Weston writes, is an 
estate in the Kurseong division of Darjiling, at an 
oltitude of about 3,500 feet, 
41 
THE CLARENDON AND CARLABECK 
TEA FACTOPiIES. 
Upper Abbotsford, Nanuoya, Oct. 9th. 
Last Wednesday afternoon I had the pleasure of 
visiting the two fine factories of Clarendon and 
Carlabeck. The former is fitted up with turbine, 
16-tray .sirocco, rollers, sifters, &o.; but its great 
charm lies in its perfect finish. All the pillars 
are of dressed stone cut to exact sizes, so that 
whichever way one looks a perfectly level row 
meets the eye. From top to bottom the laotory, 
like the estate, is as spick and span as a new pin, 
and does Mr. Black the greatest credit. 
A Carlabeck we found Messrs. Jackson, Halliley 
and Cassie up to their eyes in oil erecting new 
machinery. The factory has practically been all 
built anew under Mr. Jackson's own supervision, 
iron uprights and girders having been got out from 
England. The dimensions of the house are about 
100 ft. by 50 ft., and it is to be the model factory 
of Dimbula, I believe. I was fortunate enough to 
see the smaller Britannia at its second day's work, 
and the perfection of the work was simply marvel- 
lous. As we five Europeans and some hundred 
coolies watched the automatic action of the re* 
volving trays, each turning upside down when 
its work was done and being banged by a batten 
to thoroughly empty it, we looked at the maker, 
and (he '11 excuse me if I say that) " still the 
wonder grew, that one small head should carry all 
he knew." The popularity of the Britannia ia 
proved by some thirty having already been booked. 
The fans send a perfect hurricane of draft through 
the house. I need hardly say that turbine, rollers, 
sifters, and all else, are erected on a thoroughly 
scientific and methodical system throughout. Who 
says Ceylon tea is not paying ? 
Only 0'13 of rain yesterday. 
Seismic cyclones simply scorning, 
Today 's a glorious nort/(-eas4 morning; 
No rain, no mist, no horrid hazes, 
But cloudless sunshine, hot as blazes ! 
BARK AND DRUG REPORT. 
(From the Chemist and Druggist.) 
London, Sept. I7th, 1891. 
Annatto.— For a parcel of 65 bags o£ rather dull and 
somewhat damased seed an i offer of l|d per lb was 
declined today. The price is 2d per lb. 
ABECA Nuts. — The parcel which was recently im- 
ported came up for sale today. The quality was ra- 
ther disappointing, the seeds being rather worm-eaten 
und evidently badly dried. The whole of the 59 bags 
shown was ,;bought in at prices ranging up to 37s tid 
per cwt. . , ■ 
Cinchona.— Very little South American bark was 
offered today. For 30 bales genuine flat Calisaya, Is 4<J 
per lb was refused, the limit being Is 5d per lb. Good 
mossy broken Guayaquil ((uills were bought in at Is 5cl 
to Is Cd per lb. A parcel of 12 bales badly damaged 
flat and split quill JMaracaibo sold at from Zjd drawn 
to ;jd per lb. The case o£ Jamaica bark in red quill, 
rather broken, offered at the last bark auctions, sold at 
.'!jd per lb today. Cablegrams from Batavia state that 
the exports of cinchona bark from Java in July woro 
l,3ua,000 Amsterdam lb., and in August 750,000 Amsterdam 
lb. The total shipments of cinchona from Java for the 
season ending June ;jOth are now to hand, and show 
that the estimates hitherto given were much below the 
mark. The oflicial figures are as follows:— 
Private Government 
Season Plantations Plantations Total 
Amsterdam 
July lat lb. 
18U0 to June 30th, 1891. ..6,323,561 
'89 do '90.. .4,579.787 
'88 do '89...3,599,.525 
'87 do '88...3,124,924 
'80 do 'S?... 1,509,842 
Amsterdam 
lb. 
553,255 6,876,818 
541,48 1 5,121,268 
815,.503 1,416.031 
617,101 3,742,025 
660,433 3,230,276 
Un to the present a total of 820 packages bark only ia 
anngunged lor next Tuesday's auctions. It Is oomposod 
