July  i,  1^95.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
61 
time  as  they  are  at  the  ihomeut  ; whereas  in 
former  seasons  it  was  an  ugly  feature  of  the  trade, 
especially  when  prices  on  the  average  were  ruling 
comparatively  high,  for  dear-bought  teas  to  visibly 
depreciate  in  value  sooner  than  could  have  been 
imagined  by  the  merchants  or  dealers.  Hesides  the 
proportion  of  common  China  teas  that  are  wanted 
on  certain  occasions  to  comply  with  the  standard 
of  cheapness  as  fixed  by  tlic  modern  tenpenny 
and  shilling  canister,  there  are  likewise  the  require- 
ments of  purchasers — to  the  tune  of  many  millions 
of  pounds — to  be  satisfied  who  make  a speciality 
of  fancy  sorts,  such  as  capers,  green,  gunpowder, 
and  scented  teas,  which  are  most  in  request  in  the 
north  of  England,  where  the  taste  for  these  showy, 
delicate  and  choice  qualities  is  stronger  than  in  the 
southern  countries ; and  instead  of  the  leading  firms 
ettiiig  the  biggest  profits  out  of  superior 
ndian  and  Ceylon  teas,  as  they  did  when  they 
were  first  offered  and  were  the  rage  with  the 
country  consumers,  who  paid  something  extra 
for  the  novelty  of  them,  the  conditions  have  since 
been  entii'ely  reversed,  and  a handsome  premium  is 
not  now  infrequently  obtained  on  China  teas  of  rare 
excellence  of  make,  cUre  of  leaf  and  richness  of 
bouquet. 
Anotuku  L.vuoe  Tea  Dealing  CoJirANv.^We 'may 
think  w'hat  we  like  about  the  good  old  times  of  tea 
dealing,  but  even  in  these  days  there  is  some  profit 
attached  to  the  handling  of  tea.  Another  large  firm 
of  dealers  has  converted  its  business  into  a joint  stock 
concern.  Although  in  this  instance  the  profits  of  the 
business  are  not  entirely  derivable  from  tea,  the 
leaf  has  played  an  important  part  in  building  up  the 
fortunes  of  the  firm.  The  International  Tea  Com- 
pany’s Stores,  Limited,  which  has  been  formed, 
acquii’os  the  business  of  wholesale  tea,  provision, 
and  food  produce  importers  carried  on  by  Messrs. 
Kearley  and  Tonge,  of  Mitre  Square  Aldgate,  to- 
gether with  their  retail  distributing  business,  com- 
prising upw.irds  of  200  tea  and  general  produce 
stores  established  by  them  in  various  parts  of  the 
country,  under  the  name  of  the  “ International  Tea 
Company.”  The  capital  is  £900,000  divided  into 
80,0(00  (1  per  cent.  Cumulative  Preference  shares  of 
.£5  each,  and  500,000  Ordinary  shares  of  £1  each.  The 
vendors  Messrs. Kearley  and  Tonge  have  agreed  to  act  as 
managing  directors  for  a term  of  years  for  a remu- 
neration of  5 per  cent,  on  the  profits  after  payment 
of  the  Preference  dividends.  The  profits  for  the 
three  and  a half  years  to  October  27,  1894,  are  sta- 
ted as"  follows : — -xkpril  18,  1891,  to  April  ;!0,  1892, 
,£3.!,577  ; May  1,18.12,  to  October  29,  |892  £30,6(;.S  ; 
October  30,  1892,  to  October  28,  1893,  £.)2,09(i  ; Oc- 
tober 29,  1893,  to  October  27,  1894,  ,£()(), 148.  The 
purchase  price  is  £900,000,  of  which  ,£.500,(X)0  is  taken 
jn  Ordinary  shares,  £100,(X)0  in  Preference  shares, 
and  £300,000  in  cash. — //.  and  C.  Mail,  May  24. 
COFFEE,  CINCHONA,  TEA  IN  JAVA. 
Acting-Consul  ^lacLachlan  writes  as  follows  under 
date,  March  8th,  on  the  Trade,  Commerce,  and 
General  Matters  relating  to  the  Island  of  Java  for 
the  year  1894 : — 
Coffee. — The  total  production  from  private  and 
Government  lands  has  been  .50,500  tons  as  against 
18,700  tons  in  1893.  Provided  that  atmospheric  con- 
ditions are  favourable,  an  increased  quantity  from 
private  estates  may  be  looked  for  in  future,  as  fresh 
land  is  being  continually  opened  up  in  the  east  end 
of  the  island,  the  crops  from  which  are  now  coming, 
for  the  first  time,  on  the  market. 
The  Cultivation  of  the  Liberian  bean,  both  in  Mid 
and  West  Java,  is  rapidly  increasing,  and  the  satis- 
factory results  obtained  from  its  introduction  become 
year  by  year  more  apparent  as  the  principal  diffi- 
culties attending  the  preparation  of  this  coffee  for  the 
market  are  gradually  being  successfully  surmounted. 
As  a result  a marked  improvement  in  the  appearance 
and  quality  of  the  coffee  is  noted,  and  its  favour  is 
becoming  more  and  more  assured. 
The  continued  recurrences  of  the  so-called  “leaf” 
disease  in  the  Java  coUee  ou  low-lying  lands,  from 
which  the  Liberia  still  pi’eserves  cOihparative,  though 
by  no  means  entire  immunity,  causes  more  coii- 
fidence  to  be  felt  in  tlie  latter,  and  many  lands 
which  have  suffered  nlo  ;t  severely  from  the  ravages 
of  this  disease  in  the  Arabian  plant  are  being  re- 
planted with  Liberia. 
On  May  3rd  it  was  decided  to  give  up  the  Govern- 
ment cultivation  of  coffee  in  the  Krawang  residency, 
and  on  January  1st,  1895,  the  law  rendering  the  deli- 
very in  that  district  to  Government  obligatory  was 
repealed. 
1 1'-A.  Exports  of  tea  show  a small  falling  off  as 
compared  with  those  of  the  preceding  year,  being 
8,735,(X)0  lb.,  as  against  8,792,(MJ0  lb.  Prices  which  had 
ruled  pretty  low  during  the  year,  showed  some  improve- 
ment towards  its  close. 
Cinchona  Eauk  shows  an  increased  export  over  the 
previous  year  of  1,458,000  lb.  from  private,  and  of 
146,000  lb.  from  Government  lands.  Prices,  already 
at  a low  level,  have  further  declined  in  face  of  the 
enormous  supplies. — L.  d C.  E.i:i>resti,  May  24. 

NOTES  FROM  OUR  LONDON  LETTER. 
LoNDuNj  May  2, 
It  was  lUentioiieil  in  a late  letter  of  mine  to 
you  that  I luul  heaid  it  reporteil  th.at  before  last 
leaving  Ceylon 
MR  II.  K.  RUTIIKRFORD 
hail  instructed  tlie  nianager.s  of  e.states  in  wliich  he 
was  interesteil 
TO  STOP  ALL  manuring;. 
We  were  mucli  surjirised  to  hear  this,  because  it 
h.ad  always  been  understood  tliat  Mr.  Rntlierford 
liad  been  almost  the  earliest  [tioneer  in  tea 
manuring  on  his  far-famed  estate  Mariawatte. 
I know  Mr.  John  Hiiglies  told  me,  now  several 
years  hack,  that  he  had  been  concerneil  with  the 
su)>ply  of  manure  for  that  estate,  and  it  had 
always  been  umlcrstood  that  very  good  results 
had  followed  their  apjdication.  We  naturally, 
therefore,  attach  much  importance  to  Mr. 
Rutherford’s  experienced  opinion.  In  answer  to 
a (piestiou  addi-essed  to  that  gentleman  by  me, 
he  has  obligingly  written  me  to  the  followimf 
effect  ” 
“ Although  it  is  an  undoubted  fact  that  the 
yield  of  tea  can  be  very  materially  increased  by 
manuring,  still  there  is  also  a very  great  risk  of 
bringing  in  .some  disease  to  the  roots  of  the  tea 
bush  by  the  use  of  artificial  manure.  \Ve  consi- 
der it  the  wiser  policy  at  present  to  circum- 
scribe our  manuring  to  the  experimental  sta"'e, 
and  carefully  watch  results  before  launching  out 
on  a large  scale  in  this  direction.” 
No  doubt  it  must  be  wise  to  proceed  in  the 
matter  of  manuring  with  caution,  and  from  all 
I hear  it  would  seem  to  be  advisable 
to  have  some  advisory  officer  in  tlie  Is- 
land capable  of  deciding  what  localities 
and  soils  would  benefft  by  the  applica- 
tion, and  what  had  better  be  left  with- 
out it.  I have  learned  that  here  at  home 
the  large  farmers  never  make  a change 
of  ))ractice  without  e.xjiert  opinion  lirst  being 
sought.  Every  case  seems  to  need  special  con- 
sideration. Thus  manure  applied  to  lands  bor- 
dering the  estuary  of  the  Thames,  that  nearly 
.all  lie  below  high  tide  level,  would  simply  be 
ruined  were  manure  applied  to  them.  These 
get  their  nourishment,  ap|)arently,  largely  from 
]tercolation  from  the  river.  To  ai>ply  hianure 
therefore  to  lauds  ;-o  situated  is  to  supersatu- 
rate tbem,  and  to  jirodiice  the  same  evils  as 
.are  ,ap|iarent.  in  the  c.ase  of  many  sew.age  farm.=i. 
Speaking  on  tliis  subject  with  ,a'n  ohl  "and  ex- 
perienced coffee  planter  this  week,  he  concurre<l 
with  Ml'.  Ruthei'foi'd  a.s  tu  the  necessity  lot 
