8oo 
THE TROPICAL AQRIOULTiJRtST 
[May I, 1891. 
the different Straits authonlies (central and local) 
profiting by the past history of Ceylon, are most 
anxious to encourage and aid as far as poEsible, 
bona fide planters and capitalists in taking up land 
for Liberian or Arabian coffee and allied products. 
Mr. Hill does not eay so much in reepect of 
labour supply as we should like ; but a curious 
statement is appended without comment, with the 
chief heading “ Labour,” entitled “ Eoturn showing 
the total expendiiure on Public Works in the Colony 
and the Native States” during the ten years 1880 
to 1889 inclusive. We do not publish this table, 
but it shows a very large expenditure indeed, the 
total (for Singapore, Penang and Malacca, under 
‘ Colonial Government ’ and ‘ Municipalities ’ and for 
the native States of Perak, Selangor, Sungei Ujong, 
Negri Semblan and Pahang,) rising fiom 659,433 
dollars in I860 to no less than 3,463,743 dollars 
in 1889. Turning these into rupees, we get an 
expenditure of about 7^ millions of rupees on 
Public Works in one year which is very large indeed. 
We suppose a great part of it muse be out of 
loans, rather than current revenue, and for railway 
extensions ? 
But now what object can Mr. T.H. Hill have in 
appending such a tabular statement to his planting 
letter and heading it “Labour?” Does he want 
to show that the btates include a very large labour 
force accustomed to public works and who are 
likely to help the planters as the Governments 
slack off in their requirements, or is his object to 
show how well the country is being opened by 
roads, bridges, railways, &c. Anyhow, there can 
be no questiun that the Malayan peninsula under 
eniightsLied administration is being rapidly deve- 
loped and that there is much encouragement to 
capitalists interested in coffee and other tropical 
products, to look to that quarter for investments. 

THE POSITION OF TEA. 
Discussing the outlook in tea irom the wholesale 
ana retail dealers’ point of view, the Grocer says ; — 
“a he general statistical position of this article re- 
mains very strong, and the only element of weakness 
in it IB the relusal of the traae to go cn buying as 
freely ns they did when prices were Id to IJd per lb 
lower than they are now. Many dealers and others, 
having well supplied themselves with available slocks, 
can afford to await the development ol events, and 
while they keep out of the market as leaders of specu- 
lative operatiiiuB the upward movement in quotations 
is likely to receive some check. Thepauies that have 
occurred at one time and another since the big rise 
that was estahlished about a month ago, have exer- 
cised a wholesome influence on the market, in pre- 
venting it from acquiring too confident an attitude, 
ami in restraining both speculators and the more 
sanguine, not to say reckless, por t ion of the trade 
from carrying their ideas of value beyond reasonable 
limits. Although a material advance in the value of 
tea has ensued since October last, it must be rc- 
inembeied that it took place on prices which had been 
at sn unprecodeniedly low level, at least as far as 
China detcriptioDB were concerned, and a seasonable 
rally in prices is not calculated to do much, if any, 
barm but rather the contrary ; as to allow an impor- 
tant article of consumption to become too depreciated 
for either growers or capitalists to take a lively in- 
terest in it is to liinder production and prepare the 
■way for still greater ecarcity than may actually exist; 
■whereas to urge in a legitimuto mai-nor the trade 
and consumers to pay a trifle more money as a 
gentle stimulus to turning out increased supplies is to 
insure future abundance and guaid against the sudden 
alarms and sui prists that grow out of real or imaginary 
deficiencies long before they are lully realised. 
Viewed collectively and in their broadest light, and 
taking ono kind with another, the clcarunceB of tea in 
London eiuce January 1st show a decided increase 
over those in the two previous years, while the stock, 
owing principally to the serious deficit in China mekes, 
was about 18,000,000 lb. less than in 1889, and nearly 
15,000,000 lb. below that in 1888, so that, with much 
more moderate estimates of the Indian crop for 1890-91 
than originally formed, the immediate outlook tor 
those whose purchases are dependent on easier prices 
being established soon is not of a very promising na- 
ture. — H, & C. Mail. 
CEYLON PKODUCTS : PRICES AND 
PROSPECTS. 
An experienced Ceylon planter who travels a 
good deal, writes; — 
“Certainly Tea is coming to the front. Tea planters 
made a mistake in estimating results from young 
tea too highly, but I believe they have underectimated 
the yields of tea after it reaches 6 years. 
“Cocoa under good shade locks now as if it would have a 
more extended area of growth than we were inclined to 
estimate up till now. Since my return 1 have seen 
very excellent results on what seemed two years ago 
barren cocoa by the sucoessfu: planting of good shade. 
"Prices of coffee I fear must go down 16s to£l 
in value if wo are to judge by the clearing-house 
returns lor prospective celiveries. (See Rucker & Ben- 
craft’s Coffee Circular of the 19th March.) 
“ The lavourable rates of Exchange eiabie us to meet 
lower prices which must prevail now that Cevlon Tea 
export in 1891 is to be to far ahead of 1890’a. India 
will probably do better than last year, and China tea- 
men vill make an expiring effort this season, the 
last flicker of the lamp !” 
^ 
RICHNESS OP LOUISIANA SUGARCANE. 
{From the Hills.) 
In the Louisiana Planter and Sugar Manufacturer 
of March 7th, published at New Orleans, there 
is no allusion to the lynching case, but our 
attention has been arrested by an article on the 
resuhs obtained by the Caffery Central Sugar 
Factory in 1890 91. Every possible chemical detail 
is given, but the general results showing the rich- 
ness of the canes in saccharine matter must sufiice, 
thus ; — 
Cane ground, tons, 32,180 ; pounds, 64,360,000. Suc- 
rose, per cent, of cane, 12.91. Sucrose, per ion of cane, 
pjunus, 240.2. Total sucrose in cane ground, 7,729,636 
pounds. Fiber, ptr cent, of cane, 11.02. Juice per 
Cent, of cane, 88.98. Juice extracted, gallons, 6,433,881 j 
pounds, 48,i 61,510. Juice extracted, percent. o£ cane, 
76.14. Percent, sucrose in raw juice, 13.50. Total 
sugar extraoteo, 6,528,808. 
Total commercial sugar made and estimated, 6,142,800 
pounds ; total commercial sugar per ton of cane, 199.88 
pounos; sugar made from outside syrups, 650,000 
pounds ; total sugar made, 6,792,800 pounds. 
KESWLTS. 
Per cent, of cane. 
First sugar of 100 polarization 6 80 
Second sugar of 109 polarization 1.74 
Sugar in third masse cuite 1.26 
Sugar lost in bagasse 1.86 
Mechanical loss and by inversion 0 34 
Loss not accounted for 0.02 
Sugar, per cent, of cane 12 01 
It would thus seem that the sugar in the canes was 
equal to 12 per cent, against 10 to 11 in Queens- 
land and only 8 in Ceylon ; but the loss having 
been 2 per cent, the final result in sugar was 10 
per cent of the weight of the canes, about as 
good a result as can be expected. We suppose. 
“ Except in Peru,” we ought to add, if dependence 
can be placed on the figures given in an ariide 
on “ The Varying Saccharine Content in Tropical 
