204 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
The  Heathem  Chivee  is  Peculiar.— In  the 
Sood  old  days  of  the  Cliina  tea  trade  the  little 
dodges  of  the  Cliiuese,  or  some  of  them,  for  it  is 
not  fair  to  tar  tliem  all  \\ith  the  same  hrnsh, 
Mere  luimerous  and  vario  1,  It  has  been  saiil 
that  the  decdine  in  the  tea  trade  would  teaeh 
the  Celestial  a lesson,  and  that  he  wonhl  set 
his  house  in  order  and  tea'di  the  world  many 
things.  I’resnmahly  he  has  not  commeneed  to 
reform  yet,  or  else  ohl  hahits  fondly  cling  to  him. 
The  following  extract  from  the  Hankow  report 
of  Messrs.  Evans,  Pn;th,  and  Co.  shows  that 
“ tricks  that  are  dark  ” .still  find  favour  with 
John  when  an  opportunity  occurs.  “ There  has 
been  very  great  trouble  and  annoyance  on  all 
sides,”  says  the  report,  “in  consequence  of  teas, 
Nitigidiows  in  particular,  having  been  sold  from 
false  muster  chests.  In  some  c.ases  ‘cuts’  have 
been  sutiicient  to  allow  for  the  dirt'erence  in 
([uality,  but  there  are  many  instances  udiere 
comlilion  is  poor,  and  actual  rejection  the  only 
safe  course.”— /y.  «nd  C.  Mail. 
The  Colombo  “Packet”  Tea  Industry 
Threateneh). — We  fear  the  example  of  Messrs. 
Nelson  Moate  *1^  Co.  of  New  Zealand  is  likely 
to  be  followed  in  the  other  Colonies  an«l  that 
the  prayer  jiresented  xvill  be  acceded  to,  at  any 
rate  where  anti-Free  Trade  views  prevail.  The 
substance  of  the  Petition  to  the  New  Zealaiul 
Parliament  is  as  follows : — 
•2.  That  a very  large  quantity  of  tea  is  annually  im- 
ported into  this  cmony  in  wholesale  packages  or 
parcels. 
3.  That  after  its  arrival  in  the  colony  it  has  been 
the  custom  of  the  importers,  for  the  purpose  ot  the 
tea  trade,  to  divide  the  wholesale  parcels  into  packages 
of  1 lb.  and  4 lb.  weight,  and  boxes  of  from  5 lb.  to 
20  lb.  weight. 
4.  That  in  the  making  up  and  the  sale  of  smdi 
small  packages  regular  employment  is  given  to  many 
hundreds  of  men,  women,  boys,  and  girls  in  making 
wooden  cases,  paper  hags,  tin  cases,  printing  labels, 
and  mixing,  wrapping,  and  packing  the  tea,  and 
thousands  of  feet  of  timber  are  annually  used  in  con- 
nection therewith. 
5.  T’hat  recently  a practice  has  been  started  of 
having  the  small  packages  of  tea  packed  in  India, 
Ceylon,  and  Ldscwlicre  by  coolie,  Cingalese  or  other 
foreign  labour,  and  so  imported  into  this  colony,  to 
the  great  detriment  of  the  lal)onr  industry  of  New 
Zealand. 
U.  That  such  practice  is  largely  on  the  increase, 
an  I if  the  Parliament  do  not  impose  an  extra  duty 
of  2d  per  H).  on  all  packets  and  boxes  of  tea  under 
‘20  it),  in  weight  it  will  only  be  a matter  of  time 
Itefoi  e all  the  tea  merchants  in  tl'.e  colony  will  have 
their  teas  packed  for  them  in  Ceylon,  India,  or  China, 
and  thus  many  thousands  of  pounds  now  annuallj' 
spent  in  employing  labour  in  New  Zealand  will  be 
expended  in  the  aliove-mentioned  foreign  countries. 
7.  T1  e following  businesses  and  industries  will 
suffer  considerably,  viz.: — Timber  merchants  (because 
thousands  of  feet  of  timber  are  used  every  month 
for  making  cases),  carpenters  (who  are  employed  to 
make  np  the  cases),  liag  makers,  paper  manufacturers, 
printers,  tinsmitlis,  tea  mixers,  packers,  and  pro- 
perty owners. 
8.  Tliitt  the  component  parts  used  in  the  making 
up  of  tlie  packages  m.ade  up  in  India.  Ceylon,  or 
China  escape  duty  altogetlier,  whilst  those  traders 
wlio  pack  up  in  the  colony  have  to  pay  duty  as 
follows viz. : 2.5  per  cent  on  paper  bags  and  labels. 
Is  tid  per  cwt.  on  lead.  , , . , 
9.  That  it  having  been  found  tliat  tlie  above 
practice  w'as  seriously  nffecting  tlie  tea  industry  in 
the  colony  of  Queensland,  an  extra  duty  ot  2d  per 
lb  was  imposed  liv  the  liegisl  'tiire  of  that  colony'  on 
all  tea  imported  in  pai-kcts  an  1 boxes. 
|0  The  pnldic  will  also  in  many  cases  be  defrauded 
by  liavuig  Via y eoiii.i  oii  and  inferior  tea  iinnorc  1 
upon  them,  in  packets,  upon  the  pretence  that  being 
labelled  as  “packed  in  Ceylon”  or  “India”  the  tea 
must  be  of  .good  quality. 
[Sept,  a,  1895. 
Coffee  Pl.antino  in  Kl.cvg,  Straits  Set- 
tlements.— Mr.  J.  H.  M.  Hobson  suin.s  ujj  tlie 
Iiosition  of  Klang  as  a liehl  for  coll'ee  in  liLs 
animal  report  by  .showing  that  2,7hi  ucre.s  have 
been  taken  up  hj'  Europeans  (hiring  the  year, 
wliile  .■{,810  acres  iiave  lu'en  surveyed  and  xvill 
.slioi'tly  lie  ottered  for  .sale.  Cott'ee  is.  in  fact.  King 
of  Klang.  VVe  shall  give  detailed  information 
in  an  early  issue. 
F.vmi.ne  at  Nyassaland. — Mr.  11.  Caldwell  writes 
to  lit  daail  from  Nyassaland,  saying:  “A  great 
famine  has  come  upon  us.  Millions  of  locusts  liave 
arrived,  and  have  devoured  every  green  thing,  ex- 
cept coffee  plants.  The  kafirs’  mealies  were  all  con- 
sumed, They  sowed  again,  with  the  same  result. 
. . . Hunger  and  death  stand  at  tlie  doors  of  the 
people  of  this  land,  unless  provisions  can  be  imported. 
For  the  people  around  us,  a faiuine  fund  of  t‘l,.500 
would  be  required. — Xatul  Meri-uni,  June  14. 
Ceylon  Tea  in  America. — Our  readers  will  be  in- 
terested to  know'  tliat  tlie  Ceylon  Planters’  Tea  Com- 
pany w’hose  admirable  brands  of  tea,  Ilhud,  Tittiii 
and  Bungaloo  have  won  their  W'ay  into  the  Vander- 
bdt,  Astor,  and  leading  families  in  all  the  large 
cities,  are  willing  to  send  a sample  free  of  charge 
to  all  applicants.  The  president  of  the  company',  Mr. 
S.  Elwood  May,  w’hose  skill,  energy  and  intelligence 
has  done  so  much  for  the  island  of  Ceylon,  informed 
me  that  they  were  giving  away  thousands  of  samples 
daily. — American  Paper. 
How  Capital  is  Lk.avino  Ceylon  through 
THE  Official  Land-Sales  Policy.— A proprie- 
t.ary'  planter  of  large  experience  writes : — “ I was 
pleased  to  read  ‘A.J.I.s’  letter  and  your  edi- 
torial remarks  in  the  Veijloa  Observer  of  loth 
inst.  I endorse  every  word  you  and  lie  w'lite. 
Tliere  is  no  douht  the  colony'  is  at  a standstill, 
and,  as  you  truly  remark,  a (/renf  amount  of 
capital  is  leaving  the  island,  more,  perhaps  than 
one  thinks.  1 conclude  £80,000  to  £100, (iOO  is 
inve^it 'd  hy  Ceylon  men  at  tlie  present  moment 
in  cott'ee,  tea  and  coconuts  outside  Ceylon,  and 
all  in  the  space  of  the  last  J j'ears,  and  more 
going  and  more  bound  to  follow,  all  of  wliich 
iniglit  well  have  remained  in  the  island.  Cajiital 
must  lind  vent  somewhere.  I liave  liad  several 
apjdicatioiis  for  investments  outside  Ceylon  from 
men  who  cannot  get  a ‘wee  hit’  of  land  ]iut  up 
ill  the  island.  Many  men  are  putting  tlieir 
money,  having  nothing  better  to  do  with  it,  into 
old  aliandoned,  poor,  wasted,  unsuitable  land, 
whereas  India  is  oiiening  and  extending  on  virgin 
fioil.  This  will  tell  against  us  in  time.”  NVe 
commend  these  remarks  to  the  .serious  attention 
of  the  Ceylon  Government. 
Coconut  Planting  appears  to  be  a thriving  and 
promising  investment  in  Ceylon  just  now.  The  price 
(in  silver)  has  gone  up,  it  is  said,  beyond  the  most 
sanguine  expectations  of  those  interested,  and  as  a 
I'esult  tlie  cultivation  is  extending  rajiidly.  Capita- 
lists invest  their  money  in  coconut  plantations,  with 
the  greatest  confidence,  and  the  acreage  of  new  lands 
that  will  be  opened  (hiring  the  next  planting  season 
will  1)0  much  over  what  it  was  in  previous  years. 
The  question  tliat  suggests  itself  is  whetlier  the  pre- 
pout  prices  will  keep,  up,  or  if  they  should  come 
down,  how  far  should  it  be  to  appreciably  affect 
the  industry.  No  other  planting  product,  wliotlier 
n tive  or  English,  vice  or  tea,  could  stand  just  at 
pie.sent  a fifty  per  cent,  reduction,  hut  “ it  can  be 
s ifcly  said  tliat  coconuts  would  survive  even  a much 
gro.itor  reduction.”  The  price  may  come  down  through 
over-production,  but  but  sucli  an  eventuality  as  over- 
production is  not  likely  to  occur  for,  perhaps,  ten 
years,  or  till  all  the  young  plantations  which  exist  at 
present  come  into  liearing  ; it  may  go  down  througli 
a waning  of  the  demand,  hnt  tliere  is  no  immediate 
likelihood  of  another  product  replacing  tiie  coconut 
partially  or  wliolly;  in  fact,  the  livid  f.>r  co.  .niul  pro- 
ducts is  daily  extending.  It  is  adniiitcd  tliat  tlie  liill 
of  exchange  has  not  been  without  iiiflouce  in  promot- 
ing this  industry. — Pritish  Trade  Jot(rnal. 
