THt TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[February 2 , 1891 . 
SS<3 
ages ranged from 9d to Is 2d a range of 5d a lb. 
This year the figures ranged from 9|d to Is OJd, a 
range of only 2Jd. In other words there has been 
exactly 50 per cent less range this year than last. 
Indeed, when we examine the monthly averages, we 
find but little change at all. The lowest was lOjd in 
March and April, and the highest ll|d in September, 
October, and November. The figures for monthly aver- 
e s are as follows 
Monthly Aveeages ddring 1890. 
January 
Hid 
July 
lOid 
February 
llfd 
August 
lOJd 
March 
lOjrd 
September 
ll|d 
April 
lOid 
Cctober 
ll|d 
May 
lOJd 
November 
llfd 
June 
10 Jd 
December 
lid 
These figures take in conjunction with those given 
below, ought to be of great interest to all our up- 
country readers. The following are the quantities offered 
and sold, and the averages realized weekly in London 
during 1890 : — 
1889. 1890. 
Pkgs. 
PUgs. ■ 
Wilson 
Pkgs. 
Pkgs. 
Wilson 
OHd. 
Sold. Smitliett*s 
Offd. 
Sold. Smilhetts 
Average. 
Average. 
January 
S 
4500 
3800 
/I0| 
2000 
20C0 
/ni 
10 
9500 
7200 
/lOi 
llOCO 
13000 
/m 
17 
9100 
7000 
— 
11000 
9000 
/III 
24 
9900 
8000 
/10± 
8000 
7000 
/HI 
31 
9200 
7700 
/ICi 
13000 
11000 
/Hi 
February 
7 
9500 
7000 
/lOi 
8000 
7000 
/ll 
14 
6100 
6000 
/lO 
10000 
8000 
/lOJ 
21 
6600 
5000 
/lOi 
9000 
8000 
aoj 
28 
9500 
7800 
/lOi 
11000 
10000 
/lOI 
March 
7 
6900 
60U0 
/1 01 
11000 
9000 
14 
9700 
7300 
/lOi 
7000 
60UO 
/iOj 
21 
6800 
6000 
/lOi 
11000 
10000 
/lOi 
28 
73;o 
5000 
/UlA 
13000 
llOCO 
/ici 
April 
4 
5900 
4800 
/;oi 
4000 
4000 
/Hi 
11 
11700 
8800 
/lO 
18 
5400 
4500 
/lOi 
16000 
11000 
/lOJ 
25 
2700 
2300 
/lOi 
6000 
5100 
/loi 
May 
2 
15750 
14000 
/9| 
11000 
9000 
/lOi 
9 
1G500 
14600 
/9i 
15000 
11000 
/lOI 
16 
11500 
8700 
/04 
9000 
8000 
/lOJ 
23 
12750 
9500 
/Si 
18000 
17000 
/lOI 
30 
6500 
5800 
m 
6000 
6000 
/lo 
June 
6 
8600 
7500 
isi 
23000 
22000 
/lOI 
13 
8900 
8000 
12000 
12000 
/lOi 
20 
23500 
14500 
/9 
15000 
15000 
/Hi 
27 
13760 
12000 
/9 
IGOOO 
14000 
/H 
July 
4 
9700 
8500 
— 
8000 
8000 
m 
11 
12500 
11000 
/lO 
14000 
13000 
/io| 
18 
10000 
8000 
/lOf 
9000 
8000 
/I Of 
25 
10000 
lOOOu 
/10:1 
14000 
12000 
/lol 
August 
1 
15000 
140C0 
/HI 
16000 
14000 
/Ui 
8 
2000 
2000 
/lOf 
3000 
3000 
/lOi ■ 
15 
90C0 
9000 
— 
20j00 
17000 
/lOi 
22 
11000 
10000 
1/0's 
19000 
17000 
/lOI 
29 
9800 
9400 
m 
September 
5 
2000 
1000 
im 
2COOO 
1(000 
/H 
12 
8000 
7000 
i/i.i 
7i 00 
7000 
ml 
19 
8000 
8000 
i/ij 
10000 
8000 
1/ 
26 
10000 
9060 
i/i.i 
13000 
12000 
1/0-4 
Colober 
3 
9000 
9000 
in'i 
15000 
14000 
1/ 
10 
11000 
11000 
1/2 
7000 
7000 
1/ 
17 
8000 
7000 
1/2 
9000 
9000 
24 
40U0 
3000 
— 
9000 
8000 
mi 
November 
1 
7000 
7000 
]/lf 
8000 
8000 
1/ 
8 
8000 
60UO 
1/14 
6000 
4000 
1/04 
3 5 
6000 
3000 
l/Oi 
(iOUU 
5000 
1/ 
22 
7000 
5000 
/ll? 
1 1000 
9000 
mi 
29 
.5000 
4000 
V 
10000 
10000 
m 
December 
6 
12000 
lOOOU 
/llif 
7000 
7000 
m\ 
13 
7000 
7000 
/ii.f 
1 1000 
12000 
(H 
^0 
9UOU 
801,0 
/ii.i 
7000 
0000 
m 
Tfjial 447250 
.380200 
643800 
488500 
—Local “Times.” 
LANKA PLANTATIONS CO., LD. 
Below I would ask you to print the same 
journal’s account of the meeting of the Lanka 
Plantations Company. In this case, as in that 
of the P. & 0. Company above referred to, my 
previous letter anticipated nearly all that Sir 
B. P. Harding had to say to his shareholders. 
What fell from him, however, will not on that 
account be less pleasing to your readers : — 
The tenth ordinary general meeting of the Lanka 
Plantations Company (Limited) was lield on Wednes- 
day at the offices. Old Jewry, SirR. P. Harding pre- 
sided, and in moving the adoption of the report stated 
that the advices which they received continued to 
lead them to hope and believe that the current year 
would certainly not be worse than the year of which 
they had the accounts before them. He thought that 
they might fairly consider that the Company bad turned 
the corner, and every year which was added to the 
ege ot the tea trees should improve their position. 
They had 1,400 acres planted with tea, and probably 
they would soon have 1,600 acres; and if the average 
yield, when the trees got older, should be only 3001b. 
per acre, they would have 400,0001b, of made tea a 
year to dispose of. He had no doubt that this would 
give them very satisfactory dividends. Very great 
economy had been practised by their agents and sup- 
erintendents. They were out of debt, and a debit 
balance of £1,468 had been discharged. They would 
be asked to approve the payment of the interim di- 
vidend on the preference shares, and to sanction the 
payment of a dividend on these shores for the second 
half of the year as well as the payment of a small 
dividend (3s a- share) on the ordinary shares. He 
trusted that this would be the beginning of a much 
better state of things than they had experienced for 
some years. Sir Herbert B. Sandford seconded the 
motion. Dr. Bayford questioned the advisability of 
paying the small dividend suggested on the ordinary 
shares. For several years they had had deficits, and 
had accumulated a substantial debt, which he thought 
the credit balances shown this year should have been 
used in diminishing. He also advised the further 
planting of tea trees. The chairman, in reply, stated 
that the coffee which they now had was exceedingly 
good, and they were advised that the coffee prospects 
for 1890-1891 were extremely satisfactory . They had 
gone into tea planting as their resources permitted. 
They had reduced their indebtedness ou' of the prcfiie 
and they had expended £1,900 this jti.r in buildings 
and in fresh tea planting. They intended to decrease 
the suspense account, and not to add the capital account 
any further. The report was adopted and the divid- 
ends mentioned wereafterwards approved.— London Cor. 
— ■ ■ . — 
“KEW BULLETIN.” 
The October number contains articles on an edible 
fungus from New Zealand, Hirneola polytrioha, which 
is nearly allied to our common Jew’s-tar fungus. It 
appears that this is in great demand in China, al- 
though the analysis, as given by Professor Church, 
seems to show that its nutritive qualities are feeble, 
and that unlike most fungi hitherto analysed, it is 
very deficient in albuminoids or flesb-forming matters. 
The preparation of Mexican or Istle fibre from Agave 
heteraoanfba, is described ; the fibre being largely 
made use of for cheap scrubbiog-brushes. The ravages 
ot tho moths known as the “Nonneu” (Liparis mon- 
acha). In the Bavarian forests, are detailed. It ap- 
pears, that in Bavaria alone the loss to the forest 
revenue will amount for the year to something like 
£40,000. Okso fibre, from Hibiscus escnlentus, and 
Oocoimt butter (not to be confounded with Cocoa, 
butter), receive attention. If this tasteless, fatty sub- 
stance, can be prepared as suggested from the copra 
or dried Coconuts of commerce, the .supply of material 
would be almost unliu.ited. Medical evidence goes to 
show thal the fat in question meets all hj’gienio re- 
(juiroraents, and is “far superior to animal fat and 
