March i, 1892.] 
641 
been on a larger scale than at any time within the past 
six moDtbs or possibly the entire year. The mofit 
interesting feature of the rumours now current is that 
the Brunswick people, who have been heretofore aggres- 
sively opposed to the establishment of any uiulor- 
standing, have signified their wi liugno^s to co-operate 
with the other makers in an endeavour to improve 
the Bitaatioo. According to the N. V. SUppm; hint 
a London circular of December 11th says that it has 
been learned on excellent authority thht a movement 
to combine the Gtrmaa factories is ayaiu at work. 
The proposed agreement may rot be an internatiouai 
affair at the start, but the ititent.inn ia doubtless to 
regulate production and realise better prices in the 
home markets. Some manufacturers abroad are re- 
ported as beiug very much surprised over recout 
developments and the fact that sellers have been offer- 
ing qiiinine lor the wliole of nrxt year at 9J. These 
offeriugs come from two different Roiirces, and wi^ 
thought to represent the concentrated i ff orts of cfrtain 
parties who are tryinu; to promote the combination 
idea by the usual metho i of btanug the market. Very 
little ooufidence ia placed in the reports by members 
of the trade in America, with one or two exceplions. 
— Chemist and Drvygtst. 
THE DUTCH MARKET. 
Ameterclrim, Jan. 7. 
The cinchona-bark sales to be held in Amsterdam on 
January 21st, 1892, will conais', of 4 758 packages— 
viz., 4 529 bales and 229 ca es, about 417 tons, divided 
as follows : — From Government plantatio's 225 bales, 
77 oases, about 24 tons; from private plantation-) 
4,304 bales, 152 cases, about 392 tonf. Druggists' 
bark: Suooirubra quills, 107 cases ; ditto broken quills 
and chips 135 bale?, 5 cases ; ditto root 37 halts, 4 
oases. Manufacturing bark: Officinalis quills 24 case?; 
ditto root 4 cases; ledgeiiana quills 85 cases; ditto 
broken quills 3.239 bales ; ditto root 867 bales. Hybrid 
broken quill < 241 bales; ditto root 10 b<iles — total 4,529 
bales, 229 cases, — Clieviist and Di ugcjist. 
^ 
PACTS WORTH KNOWING. 
Egg stains can be removed by rubbing them with 
coniinon table salt. 
To keep flies off gilt frames, boil three or four 
onions in a pint of water, then apply with a soft 
brush to the frames. 
When whalebones have become bent, they may be 
used again by first soaking them in tepid water for 
a few hours, and then drying them. 
Lamp-wicks must be changed often to insure good 
light, as they will soon become clogged, and the oil 
does not pass through them freely. A clear flame 
will be certain if the wicks are soaked in vinegar 
twenty-four hours before using. 
When washing windows, looking-glasses, etc., be 
sure to put a little ammonia in the water. This will 
save labor, and clean them much more efl'ectively, 
giving as well a much finer polish. For general 
cleaning, ammonia in the water will remove dirt, 
smoke, grease, etc., much better than anything else. 
Do not wash combs unless absolutely necessary. 
Water will make the teeth split and the comb rough. 
Small brushes, which are made for the purpose of 
cleaning combs, are easily obtained at little expense, 
and with one of these the comb may be thoroughly 
cleansed, wiping well and following with a soft cloth 
afterwards. — Good Ilountkeepimj. 
NOTES FROM OUR LONDON LETTER. 
London, Jan. 15. 
C rtftinly, if oorreepondenoe in the public news- 
papers may bo accepted as constituting an 
adniirablo vrdiiolo for Iho advcrtisrnunt ot tipylon 
teas, yuu may bo oongratulatod on the ooourreucoa 
of the past week, It was only when last writing 
you that it devolved upon me to notify to your 
readers several letters which had bean published 
during the week then under review, and the past 
seven days have seen these still further added 
to. We believe that a letter from Mr. C. H. 
Hickfl has appeared in more than ono of the 
papers, but it has only been under my own 
observation in the Glohe of the 8th instant. It 
was a very lengthy letter, far too much so far 
as to expect you to reproduce it in extenso, and 
therefore a reference to its general character 
will suffice for this letter of mine. Mr. Hicks's 
communication is headed " Facts about Tea," 
and iu it ho describes himself as being " the 
largest shipper of Ceylon tea packed in Ceylon." 
We understand that this claim is somewhat 
disputed, but with such a difference of opinion 
wo need have nothing to do. The whole in- 
tent of what Mr. Hicks wrote was to disparage 
China teas as compared with tlioee of Ceylon; 
and what he has written lor public instruc- 
tion is forcible enough and calculated to do much 
towards nullifying any prejudices which may have 
been awakened by hit Andrew Clark's late un- 
warrantable and injudicnous utterances. 
Mr. Hicks's letter was followed up in the Globe 
of Tnesday last by further letters written respectively 
by Dr. N. E. Yorke-Davies and by a gentleman 
who subecnbes himself as a " Tea Planter of Thirty 
Years' Standing," the identity of the latter being 
unknown to me. It can only be said of the last 
two leiters that they form the clinching of the 
rivet driven home by that of Mr. C. S. Hicks. 
The perufeal of them cannot bo pleasant reading 
to these in the China tea trade, who year after 
year see their business narrowing more seriously in 
its dimensions. 
The Brokers' Association is to hold a meeting 
today to finally discuss arrangements for availing 
themselves of the further accommodation granted by 
the Committee of the Commercial Sale Rooms for 
the auction of Ceylon tea. The proposal to be 
considered is that, from the beginning of next month, 
the sales of such teas shall be continued through- 
out the whole of Tuesday and Thursday in every 
week. Former lettera of mine have told you as to 
possible difficulties arising out of the necessity some 
firms may be under of appointing an additional buyer 
to meet the new arrangements; and these, if they 
are considered serious, will probably find expres- 
sion at today's meeting. From all that has been 
told to me it do.s not seem to ma to be likely that 
any such possible objection would be allowed to 
overrule the manifeit advantage the newly-conoeded 
arrangements must prove to all and everyone con- 
cerned in the trade. 
The necesfcity for these being conceded was very 
strongly evidenced by the sale of Tuesday last, 
which was the heaviest Ceylon auction as yet held 
in Loniloii, there having been no lees than 20,047 
packages offered. In spite ot this large quantity 
being available, the price was well maintained 
throughout, and one seller informed me that though 
he had come the last on the list of the day's auction, 
the whole bulk of his tea sold for a halfpenny 
over valuation. 
It has been told me that at the meeting of 
the Ceylon Tea Plantations Company, the pro- 
ceedings at which were reported by my last letter, 
Sir William Gregory expressed himself as the 
most determined opponent to the project for under- 
tt.king coffee plariting iu Perak. Indeed, your 
former Governor appears to have been quite excited 
in his denunciations of this now abandoned 
scheme, he declaiiog that, had ho believed any 
buoh investment out of Ceylon would over have 
beea conlemplatod by tho directors, ho would not 
