THE TROPICAL AISPmtJtILTURlST. [September i, 1890 
lower bids in the bark auctions where their sales are 
covered. 
It is known that this manufacturer receives every 
year, under such conditions, cinchona bark with 
an equivalent in quinine of some 8,000 to 10,000 
kilos. (280,000 to 350,000 oz.) — a quantity amply suffi- 
cient at all times to bring about any desired fall in price. 
In January, 1889, when London quoted quinine at Is 
3d with a slow demand, this manufacturer could sell 
“future delivery” at Is 2d without the slightest danger 
of being caught by an eventual rise in bark values, 
being certain of receiving direct from Java the neces- 
sary quantity of cinchona to cover his sales. As soon 
as the price of Is 2d became known, buyers would not 
hear of any higher figure, and other manufacturers had 
to follow suit if they wished to have any chance of 
doing business. The consequence was that in the fol- 
lowing bark sales no more could be paid than the equi- 
valent of a quinine price of Is 2d for the barks ; the 
unit in London was thereby reduced from l-§d. in Jan, 
to lid in the following month. 
Wfhen, after this, in February, sales of quinine at Is 2d 
were not so easily accomplished, future delivery was again 
lowered to Is l^d which other manufacturers had to con- 
cede, and a further depression of bark values was the 
result. It was not till some manufacturers paid higher 
prices for bark to sustain the market that manoeuvring 
was put a stop to, and it became possible to effect a slight 
improvement. 
The holders of ba k may try what they like to keep the 
markets free from abnormal pressure, by judiciously re- 
gulating the quantities to be exported : they will always 
be out done by the power of manufacturers who hold con- 
tracts as described above. It is evident that the bark 
statistics give no reason whatever lor a position such as 
exists at present, and it is only the finessing of a few 
manufacturers which since 1883 has driven d jwn the prices 
of quinine and the va'ue of cinchona to the loss of the 
planters, whose care it should be to render such things 
impossible for the future. In the long run, a sound state 
of affairs can only be brought about by free competition, 
which under present circumstances cannot possibly exist 
♦ 
OTTERS AGAIN : 
Top.acco Smoke v. Hounds, &c. &c. 
Nuwara Eliya, June 30th. 
The graphic reminiscence of an orthodox otter 
hunt in the Observer of the 26th inst. was interest- 
ing. The “tailing” of the otter at the ford, 
however, and the throwing him on to the bank, 
to be torn to pieces by perhaps some 10 or 15 
couple of hounds, savours to me uncommonly like 
foul play. Why I “ tobacco smoke and brimstone ” 
could not be much worse than this, though far 
be it from me to defend such a mean device for 
the destruction of an animal which affords such 
excellent sport, 
I have been familiar with otters and otter hunt- 
'iny from my boyhood, and in this connection I 
can't help relating, how I once closed with one 
whilst a barley rick or stack was being removed, and 
which notes i am sure will bring to the memory 
of many of your readers some similar scenes of 
boyhood days. ’T was on a winter’s frosty morn, 
when several inches of snow lay on the ground, 
and I had just been round my rabbit hutches 
feeding my pets on green kailand carrots, and 
admiring the last litter of beauties, nestling in 
their cosy bed of fur. The sparrows and finches, 
half tamed with cold and hunger, were hopping 
about all around on the crisp white snow, and 
robinredbreast was begging in sweet lew notes 
lor his morning repast of crumbs. Looking towards 
the stable yard, I see James .Johnstone (a fine 
specimen, by the way, of the old proverbial minis- 
ter’s man, so well described by Dean Ramsay), and 
Davie the “ loon,” yoking the horso to the cart. 
The barn-door opens, and the forks are got out. 
Hurrah ! thinks I, they are going to take in a 
stack of barley or oats, a rare occasion of njoicing 
with Snap the terrier and myself. The news 
spreads, and some of the boys from the village 
collect for the rat hunt. Sheaf after sheaf is forked 
into the cart in quick time, and as the stack 
goes down, down come the rats, to be caught in 
our hands, as the cricket ball is caught by the 
wicket-keeper. 
A squash and a dash on the ground, and the 
varmint is no more ; an occasional bite is nothing; 
that only adds zest to the sport. 
But see — the rick is getting lower, and it is 
not rats alone that frequent the stacks, for a 
home or a shelter. At times, weasels, stoats, otters, 
and semi-wilcl cats, &o., find snug retreats there. 
Snap and I as usual take up our station at 
the ventilating flue of the stack all attention and 
ready for any comer. Out bolts a great brown 
thing, right bang on to my chest ; Snap has 
him by the ear, and I by the throat — over we go — 
heels over head — down the slope — a bundle of dog, 
otter and humanity, James Johnstone bawling out 
from the rick “ Haud laddie, baud, if ever ye 
baud i’ y’r life.” And faith the “ haudin o’ ’t,” 
is rough and tough work 1 
But Davie, my staunch henchman, is off the cart 
and down the incline like a lamplighter. Just as I am 
pretty well out of breath Davie collars him by the 
scruff of the neck and plants his knees over the 
chest of the otter. I follow suit, and get on 
behind with all my weight. You may rest assured 
it did not take us 3 hours to polish off our otter I 
I should say we had him carried into the back 
kitchen, within 15 minutes from the bolt, and where 
we had our wounds dressed. But what cared for 
bites or bruises, wounds and contusions ? Davie and 
I had the stomachs of cassowaries in those days, 
no such things as nerves I believe, and stout 
hearts. Davie went to Canada and prospered there, 
and, if still above the sod, will no doubt remember as 
well as I do the tussle we had with the “ water d og.” 
Now, Mr. Editor, this is what I call legitimate 
otter hunting — no tobacco smoke or brimstone here ; 
no pulling of a poor half-winded thing on to the 
bank of the stream to be torn to pieces by a 
pack of strong hounds ! 
By all meanSj as you suggest, let us go at the 
otters in an orthodox way. We have got the 
men, and there is no great difficulty in getting the 
dogs. How many right worthy successors of Palliser, 
Downall, and Baker have we not got all around 
us ? One of the new improvements or attractions 
to Nuwara Eliya, our lovely Sanatorium, will un- 
doubtedly be the 'pack of otter hounds, and, if 
spared, we hope to read the announcement : — 
“ Otter hounds will meet at the Bridge, Rose- 
bank, 5 a.m., 1st Jan. 1891.” 

Decrease in Cane Sitgar.— The Grocer 
in calling attention to the decrease in the supply 
of cane sugar, says The principal feature in 
the existing supply of sugar in this country now 
is the diminished imports of cane as distinguished 
from beet descriptions, as, whilst consignments of the 
latter predominate to a greater extent than ever before, 
arrivals of the former have been lighter up to i'he 
present period of the year thsn they have been for 
many seasons past. It is years since the London naarket 
was well supplied with sugar from the Bast Indies, 
consisting of various useful kinds suitable either to 
grocers or refiners, when public sales of Mauritius, 
Be.ogal, and Penang were regularly held, and passed off 
with readiness at hotter prices dnty paid than they 
would now entirely free of a customs’ charge if any 
of the same sugars were to be offered . — //. 4’ 0, Mail, 
June 8th. 
