February r, 1892.] 
THE TROmCWL «Cffm3W.TOmST. 
603 
their oonmooption that the inoreaRed shipraeuts wero 
fully justified. Having forced their w»y through their 
cheapness, they have still further streDgthene<l th^ir 
increasing hold upon our murkets. From Foochow ihe 
figures read 13,500,000 lb. against 12,750,000 lb., an 
appnrent increasti in trade, but there was a further 
addition of 2,500,000 lb. last year to complete the 
season, aa against the present outlook of about 
l,000,0a0 lb., thus foreshadowing a atill further decrc as- 
iu the exports from Foochow, the oauae of which is 
solely the improved demand for Indian and Oeyloa 
teac. The qualities from Foochow have shown a 
marked change, there having been n heavy fal ing off 
in the demand for low common congon, as also fo' 
fiuo and choice congous and all scented kinds, with 
an imiiroved demnnd for fair medium flavoury sorts, 
full flavoured good mediums, and sound liquorir g com- 
mon. All teas picked incut and original boxes have 
Buffered almost to e.xtinction from looidly. packed 
blends, now freely sold in 5 lb , 10 lb., and 20 lb. tins. 
With the change in ihe demand for stronger teas 
there has necessarily been a change in the distributing 
channels, the conservative houses rapidly losing 
ground in favour of the advertising, single-package, 
and well-managed blending firms. The general outlook 
for the rett of the senson is a fair trade at sound rates, 
except in New S )ulh Wale.', where the proposed 
abolition of duty has oocnpli tely diso rganised the 
trade for some months to come. 
Discoveries made not long ago near the Stabiana 
Gate, in Pompeii, included the trunk of a tree which 
an Italian savant has identified as Laurus nohiUs. 
Some of its fruits were likewise found, and from 
their size it is now said that the eruption which 
destroyed the city must have taken place in 
November, and not, as previously believed, in August. 
— Garden and Forest. 
This Tka Trade at Foochow. — The past 
year has (says the Foochow Echo) proved no exception 
to the retrogade movement in the Tea trade of 
Foochow, which has been going on without interrup- 
tion since 1880. The supply of Congou in that year 
was approximately 850,00!) chests, and it fell off to 
345,000 chests in 1891. There has also been a con- 
eiderable decrease in the supply of Souchong, Scented 
Teas and Flowery Pekoi s though not a correspond- 
ing extent, Oulons alone having maintained its posi- 
tion aa far aa yield is coucerned. The values too 
have sensibly shrunk in the eleven years. Looking 
at the Export statistics, it is startling to note that 
to Great B itain we shipped 71* millions lb. in ISt'O, 
and only 19 millions in 1891. Oue noticeable feature 
in the trade of 1891 is the export of Brick tea to 
the North which is far heavier then any year since 
1887. Amongst the events of the year we have to 
record the failure of two large firms, one English and 
one American, though we should add that neither 
one nor the other occurred through unsucessful 
trading at this port. Thoir places have been filled 
by new firms started on the remaining business of 
the old ones. With the falling off of ihe trade it 
was to be expected that there would bo some depre- 
ciation in the value of business premises, bnt the 
community was taken by surprise in July to find a 
double property, which was saoi lo have cost !S40,000, 
knooked down at auction for $8,000. Expiriut; leases 
of Hongs have been renewed at about the half of 
the previous rentals, aud an abatement of n third has 
been made to residents renting houses on the hill. 
The Annual Report of the Superintendent of the 
Royal Botanic Garden at Trinidad has reached us, 
and, like its predecessors, contains a large amount 
of useful information about various tropical economic 
plants and several interesting and instructive 
illustrations, the most striking being that of a 
noblo specimou of Con/plia data, surmounted by 
an enormous panicle of fruit estimated to weigh 
over a ton. Mr. Ilart calls attention to the fact 
that the largo crown of loaves borne by this Palm 
withered and toll flat to the stem soon after tho 
appearance of the Ivugo panicle of flowers. As the 
f .uit, set ftjid Ctfmmoucod to develop the leuvcs became 
dry, then hung down (as shown in the illustration) and 
finally fell off, leaving nothing but the crowning 
panicle of fruit. Mr. Hart remarks : " From the 
early falling and drying away of the leaves after 
the period of anthesis, it is fully evident that 
they cannot assist in any way during the period 
in supplying or manufacturing the plant-food 
necessary for the formation and development 
of the seeds, and that the supplies and material 
for such purpose must have been accumulated and 
deposited in an easily assimilated form in the 
stem itself. This will form an important fact 
for those who are discussing the movement of 
fluids in the cells of plants." He points out that 
morphosis of this character, although rare in 
temperate climates, is a familiar feature in tropical 
vegetation. The Silk Cotton-tree, Eriodcndron an- 
fractMoswn, of which a portrait appeared in Garden 
and Forest (iii., p. 341), is cited as an illustration 
of this phenomenon. This tree produces its flowers 
and sets its fruit at a period of the year when it is 
entirely destitute of leaves, the seeds being distri- 
buted by means of the cotton attached to them 
j ust as the tree is putting out the new set of leaves 
for the season. Mr. Hart, as he has in previous 
reports, deplores the want of interest taken in forest- 
preservation on the island, and the inevitable destruc- 
tion, under the existing feeling on the subject, of 
the valuable forests which still occur in some parts 
of Trinidad. — Garden and Forest. 
OKYLON EXPORTS AND DISTRIBUTION, 1892. 
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