January i, 1892.] 
THt TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
5os 
To the Editor. 
COFFEE CULTIVATION IN THE NEW 
HEBRIDES. 
Santo, New Hebrides, Oct. 30th. 
SiB, — As many old coffee planters appear to ba 
' casting about for new soil and climate it might 
not be out of place to bring under their notice 
this island, which has upwards of 2,000 square 
miles of country, much of which is highly mineralized 
soil with any elevation up to 5,000 feet. 
We have the same minerals as are found in 
New Cakdonia, but no open country as on that 
island. The highest peaks here are completely 
overgrown with vegetation. 
The timber is small and all soft wood. The 
banyan is the largest tree we have, and the re- 
mainder are acacia, wild fruits, and mostly the 
bastard cotton tree. 
We have between 50 and 60 acres cleared, the 
cost of which has been from 253 to 30s per acre, 
that is with native labourers who work freely for 
payment, of which the standard is one stick of 
tobacco per hour. We have an average of 50 
daily without intermission, but the number 
often reaches 160 and over ; these are com- 
posed, of different tribes who work in gangs. 
Of course no one would depend entirely upon native 
labour for any important work, but the facilities 
here for opening up the country and cutting 
roads by this means are worth consideration, as 
they thoroughly understand this part of the work and 
oan work like demons at it for five or six hours. 
Any planter should bring a certain amount of labour 
with him, and with proper attention he can rely upon 
the natives for the bulk of the first year or two's hard 
work, The rainfall is considerable here; a drought of 
10 days is an exceptional event, and if anyone speaks 
against this island or the climate, it is most likely 
to be the Fijians who would object to see it prosper. 
We have some acres of young Coffee Arabica 12 
months old, but at a low elevation owing to there 
being no roads to the hills which are only three 
miles from us. We had 30,000 fine young seedlings 
coffee in the nursery from seed obtained from 
Ceylon, but on the recommendation of Mr. C. P. 
Atkinson, who was round here, we had them all 
completely destroyed for fear of the hemileia 
vastatrix being introduced in the seed; these we 
have replaced with seed from Caloutta and other 
places known to be free from disease. Of course 
the drawback here just now is the want of 
some settled govornmont, but this would follow 
immediately if any desire is shown by the 
planting community to make use of the land. 
At present the majority of settlers are composed of 
inexperienced English, French and Colonials (and 
the mission stations), all of which are likely to be 
Ignored by the Home Government, but let a bona 
Ade intending planter come here and state his wants 
and he is sure to receive attention. 
We feal sure if some of your experienced planters 
saw this island and realized the position, compared 
with the interior of some countries where trans- 
port is diflioult, they would never allow the French 
nation to have a say in the matter of annexation, 
and it is these northern islands that the French 
arc most desirous of poouring, 
The object of the formation of the Australasian 
New Hobrid'js Company some two years since was, 
I boliovo, to encourage British seCtlemcni, as the 
French settlors were likely at that time to prodomi- 
64 
nate. We have a monthly steam service with 
Sydney running in connection with the boats to 
and from Fiji, but more trade is wanted, and the 
islands are well worthy of more notice. — Yourg 
faithfully, POWELL BKOS. 
UNDULY NUMEROUS BREAKS OF TEA. 
38, Mincing Lane, E. 0. London, Nov. 13th. 
Sir, — la the interests of all connected with the 
Ceylon Tea Industry we would call serious atten- 
tion through your valuable columns, to what hap- 
pened last Tuesday, when about 19,000 packages 
were catologued for sale, and buyers had to taste 
nearly 800 samples ! With the result that the 
auctions lasted from 12 o'clock till 5; and aa the 
Trade were unable physically to value a large 
proportion of the teas offered competition was very 
dull and prices were unduly depressed. 
We have frequently referred in our circulars to 
this vital question of the size of breaks — but the 
time has now come when eomething must be done 
or the industry will suffer : proposals are being 
made to render the Ceylon sales on Thursdays 
Independent of the Indian— an advisable change — ^ 
but he shall be unable to combat this difScuIty in the 
future unless we have the cordial co-operation of 
planters in reducing the number of samples by every 
means in their power. — Yours faithfully, 
W. JAS. & HY. THOMPSON. 
INFERIOR CEYLON TEAS. 
13, Rood Lane, London, E. 0., Nov. 20th. 
Deab Sib, — We forward you by tonight's mail 
samples of extremely common Ceylon tea. The 
prices realised by these teas ruled between 3d and 
6d per lb. Some of the samples represent good 
sized breaks. 
We have selected these to show you the poor 
quality of some teas now arriving from Ceylon, 
and we are sure that you will agree with us when 
we say that teas of this character are doing con- 
siderable harm to the Ceylon tea industry. 
Ceylon tea has obtained a name in this country 
for good quality which is too valuable to be trifled 
with, and we would only ask that you will use 
your powerful influence in endeavouring to impress 
upon planters the necessity of not trifling with a 
name which is so good that many indastries 
would be glad to possess it.— Yours faithfully, 
GOW. WILSON & STANTON. 
INADEQUATE SAMPLING OF TEA. 
Deab Sie, — Seeiogr yonr editorial on this subject in 
toDiglit'B Observer (p. 449), I am reminded of the paper 
sent herewith, which has been lying on my table 
nearly a fortnight since it was written. With cor- 
rect data the pencil figuring might be made interesting. 
—Yours PLANTER. 
The Pbicb and Sampling op Tea. 
Is not the cause of low prices the utter confaaion 
and diaorgsnization of the London market ? All the 
wholesale traders nre able to snap np lot after lot 
of splendid tea at their own price, so that they by 
reason of the competition which this engenderg — in 
order to make their turn-ovor largo — constantly 
" bear " the market in r.-dor to sell cheap to the 
trade. The " trade " plays the same game with the 
consumers, so that tea of the best quality is (or should 
be) now everywhere procnrablo for a song, and the 
consumers will never care to give more. But what 
is at tbo root of all this evil ? What, but the con- 
gestion in Mincing Lane. All the tea prodaood for 
