790 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[May I, i8gi. 
felled and burnt oSE in opening up an estate would 
be of immenfe value could it but be got to the 
coast for export. The state of Johore extends from 
the territory of Malijcca to the Southern shores 
of the PeniuBu'ar, and is separated from the isla.nd 
of Sinjiapore by a narrow strip of water. Like 
the other States it is a BritUb Protectorate, and the 
Suiian, au enlightened Malay nobleman, olfers every 
encouragement to Euronean enterprise. Sungei Ujong 
is situated North of Malacca and South ot Selangor, 
and c. mains several very flourishing estates, notably 
those belonging to Messrs. Hill and Rathborne, a large 
aud flourishing Arm of planters and contractors, who have 
done much towards opening up the Peninsular to 
European enterprise, both in the matter of planting 
experiment and making road.s. The State of Perak is 
North Bgain of Selangor, and adjoins Siamese terri- 
tory. Both Perak and Selangor ore promising fields 
for the planter. The soil on the hills and plains is 
most fertile, water is plentiiul, and the rainfall abun- 
dant. Both States are flourishing mining centres, aud 
are being rapidly openi d up with railways. The great 
want throughout the States is proper labour, which 
has to be imported. The Chinese are unsuited for 
coffee work and are very expensive, and the Indian 
labour, which is now being largely imported, though 
to a certain degree successful, is, as yet, far from 
being satisfactory. The yield per acre is simply 
wonderful if it can only be kept up, but it must not 
be forgotten that it is the result of virgin soil and soil 
very rich at that. The elevation of Weld’s Hill estates, 
by the way, is, we understand, about 1,500 feet. A 
railway runs from Klang on the coast into the heart 
of the Belangor planting district, with good cart 
roads branching in all directions so that as the good 
effects of the virgin soil wear off, fertilisers can be ap- 
plied at little cost so far as transport, usually about 
the heaviest item in the expense of manuring, is 
concerned. ^ 
Produced. 
Ctvts. 
Lix-uii Estate, ix sukgei Ujong — 
111 1884, 28 acres under 4 years old ) __ 
12 
In” 1885, 28 
„ 12 
„ 25 
In 1886, 40 
,, 25 
In 1887, 65 
,,1888, 65 
„ 18s9, 65 
„ 1890, 65 
over 
under 
over 
under 
1 - 
Ctvts. 
99 
307 ^ 
369 
I of coffee in full bearing 
in full bearing 
409| 
643^ 
732 
692 
Average per acre for 4 years in full bearing 
S’Li.\n Estate in Sungei Ujong— 
2,477 
cwts. 
ibe. 
28 „ 
„ 3 „ „ 1 
• *> 
In 
8 „ 
5 ] 
28 „ 
9 ,, 
„ 3 „ „ 3 
In 
1887, 
36 „ 
,1 5 „ „ 1 
9 „ 
„ 4 „ ,, 1 
92 
336 
238 
1889, 45 
1890, 45 
Average per acre for 3 years in full bearing 
tVELD’s IiiLi, Estate, in Selangor— 
in 1886, 19 acres under 4 years old j 
„ 30 „ over 4 „ „ 1 
In 1887, 60 acres of coffee in full bearing 
1888, 55 „ „ 
„ 1889, 65 „ „ ,. i> 
„ 1890, 65 „ .1 
Aviragt* per acre lor 1 yours in full hearing 
li.rru Cavj.s E.''i'ate, in Selangor— 
in ls-8, 11 1 acres luuler 4 years old 
U89, 111 
,, 1890, llj acre 
... 495 
... 471 
... 481 
1,447 
10 7-10 cwts, 
326 . 
... 402 
... 501 
... G67 
... 376 
1,936 
8 8-10 cwts. 
... 78 
72 
... 131 
Hi Ctvts 
„..res of coffee in lull bearing 
"Average per aere for 1 year in lull bearing 
Jtl'MARKS. 
Cl op was lost in 1884, 1885, 1880 and 1887 from 
v/ant ol labour. 
'J ho Crop on Wild’s Hill was thrown back by heavy 
pruning und uneuitablo tvoather for ripening. 
Tho Crops lor 01 will not decrease these averages 
—Madrus 
THE COMING TEA SEASON. 
On the verge of another tea season in China we may 
fitly look at the position of tea in that country, and its 
prospects here. A feature of the season now drawing 
to a close is that, owing to the decreased imporis, 
the larger part of the diminished export from China 
has gone into use. Another feature is that the whole- 
sale dealers are much opposed to bold stocks of any 
kinds, to that it has almost become a matter of com- 
pulsion for the merchants to hold their importations 
until the buyers actually require the tea for con- 
sumption. For these two causes the coming season 
will require an nuusual amount of care on the par 
of buyers in China, and also from the fact the stock 
of tea in this country of all kinds will be reduced to 
an unusually smsll quantity — say to about sixteen 
millions of China tea, which is considerably lower than 
it has been for very many years, or perhaps has ever 
been before; and, if the export from the East does not 
exceed that of last year there ought to be a fair chance 
of a good outtarn ; at the same time, if the quantity 
shipped is in excess of requirements, it will lead to a 
dragging market. The coming season will also require 
an unusual amount of care on the part of shippers, 
because the export having become now so diminished 
buyers ma.y take a sanguine view of the prospect, end 
operate more freely than the actual requirements of 
the trade on this side would warrant. On no account 
must buyers overlook the fact that they have very 
strong antagonistic competitors in Indian and Ceylon 
teas, and it is daily becoming more apparent that 
China teas are losing their former monopoly of this 
market, owing to the depreciation in the quality of the 
various growths imported during the Iasi few years ; 
and in order to compete successfully with its rivals 
it is extremely necessary for all connected with the 
China trade to impress upon the grower the necessity 
of paying greater attention to the manufacture of his 
produce, and emulate the choice quality which brought 
tea grown in China so much into public favour. But of 
this later. 
It is in the matter of preparation that we must 
look for good prospects in Chinese tea, and more par- 
ticularly would we impress on Foochow dealers to 
give stiict orders as to its manipulation. The slovenly 
way that they have been frequently prepared and sent 
forward has done much to account for the great 
annual decrease which is shown in the export figures. 
It has been rumoured that a few wealthy natives 
intend to purchase machinery for preparing tea, and 
set up an establishment for that purpose in one of 
the districts around Foochow. How much truth there 
is in the rumour we are unable to state, hut we sin- 
cerely hope, both in the interests of the native and 
European, that the growers and dealers will not go 
on till they finally extinguish the trade ere seeking, 
and putting in force, remedies to arrest_ the decline; 
They may assure themselves that if they will only make 
good quality tea that they will be able to make better 
way again.st their rivals. China tea cannot and 
will not be completely driven out ; for, given similar 
quality aud price, there still remains a considerable 
section of the population who will always take it in pre- 
ference to its rivals. The hardest foes that it has to 
meet consist of the prejudice against new methods and 
machinery for the better preparation ; but in this way 
a Chinaman’s pocket is being affected, and it may suf- 
fice to make him move. But he must move without 
delay. Foochow only requites a few more seasons of 
declining exports, at the rate of the last few years, to 
lose its trade altogether. The North is suffering, but 
not to the same extent. These better means of growth 
and preparation, so sorely needed, are even of greater 
importance than the imposts levied on the article by 
the Government, which likewiie assist to strangle the 
trade and fetter its competition with the free article in 
India and Ceylon. Up to two seasons ago China could 
postihly afford to look on calmly at the diminished ex- 
port to England, as Russia took what was over. Not so 
this last season, however, and we trust that now the 
figures have so materially altered, her loieigu advisers 
will point out to her the double course of less taxation 
and greater core in preparation. Important as both 
these matters are, there is no doubt that the second 
is the more vital .— and 0, Jixprm, March 27. 
