55« 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
fpEU,  I,  1896. 
the  demaud  always  being  so  strong  by  the  blenders,  an 
also  for  the  Continent.  Really  good  and  fine 
liquoring  teas  have  been  very  scarce  throughout, 
and  competition  was  so  keen  from  them  that  prices 
have  ruled  very  high,  more  particularly  for  the 
Pekoes  and  Pekoe  Souchongs  ; their  value,  however, 
is  so  good  that  no  other  class  of  tea  can  compete 
with  them  for  blending  purposes.  The  market 
opened  high  in  January  with  a quotation  of  TJd  for 
Pekoe  Souchong,  and  soon  rose  to  8d  to  8§d,  with  Pekoes 
at  9d  tolOid;  but  no  change  in  Broken  Pekoes  at  lOd  to  Is 
These  prices  only  lasted  a few  weeks,  and  rates  gradu- 
ally eased  off  until  the  end  of  March,  when  we  had 
quotations  of  6|d  for  Pekoe  Souchong,  7d  to  7+d  for 
Pekoes,  and  8gd  to  9Jd  for  good  broken  Pekoes.  The 
market  then  took  a turn  , demand  improved,  supplies 
came  forward  freely,  but  quality  fell  off.  From 
Mid-June  to  Mid-July  the  crop  was  very 
common,  and  quotations  were  at  their  lowest — viz.. 
>id  for  Pekoe  Souchong,  5Jd  to  6Jd  for  Pekoes,  and 
plenty  of  Broken  Pekoes  at  6|d  to  74d.  Quality  and 
trade  soon  began  to  improve— common  slightly,  but 
better  grades  very  materially.  In  September  the  real 
rise  commenced,  and  by  the  middle  of  October  sweet 
common  leaf  was  carried  up  to  7d,  or  say  a rise  of 
li,d  from  the  lowest  point.  Fair  to  good  liquoring 
Pekoes  were  also  very  strongly  competed  for  at  a rise  of 
over  2d  per  lb.  while  fairly  good  liquoring  Broken 
Pekoes  were  up  2d  to  3d  per  lb.  It  is  difficult  to 
estimate  the  rise  in  really  good  and  fine  liquor- 
ing teas,  but  it  was  well  sustained  until 
the  end  of  the  year;  common  or  ordinary 
Pekoe  Souchongs  fell  quite  Id  to  Igd  per  lb. 
during  November  and  December  owing  to  the  better 
value  offering  in  Indian  growths.  The  supply  of 
these  kinds  was  not  excessive,  however,  or  the  fall 
would  have  been  more  severe,  as  the  trade  devoted 
all  their  attention  to  the  wonderful  value  offering  iii 
Indian  kinds.  In  noticing  the  rise  quoted  111  September 
and  October,  the  improvement  in  quality  must,  how- 
ever be  allowed  for.  The  long  prices  that  really 
fine  ’pekoe  souchongs,  pekoes,  and  leafy  broken  pkoes 
have  realised  is  principally  to  bu  accounted  tor  by 
the  strong  competition  tor  export  and  their  general 
Ir-nrceness.  It  is  niost  noteworthy  that  the  export 
of  Ceylon  tea  for  the  year  is  over  7,000,00ulb,  or  say 
L increase  of  2,00u,0001b.  over  1891,  so  that  rea  y 
the  homo  trade  has  only  increased  about  2, 000,0001b. 
For  the  year.  Lower  prices  for  the  common  and  fair 
oradcs  have  stimulated  consumption  during  the  last 
six  months,  and  deliveries  are  likely  to  increase  still 
more  as  there  seems  no  reason  why  we  should  have 
any  material  rise  in  the  new  year.  The  weather  in 
Ceylon  has  been  favourable,  and  increased  supplies 
are  expected. 
qhu'  rRoi  rrs  ox  Coi  i i.i-..--Oiic  cause  of  the  popiilari- 
V..S1  is  the  fact  that  the  wholesale  and  retail 
dLlir  in  it  is  able  to  make  a fair  profit  out  of  it.  \V  itli 
coffee  it  is  not  so.  The  sale  of  coLfee  has  been  as  uii- 
Mofitabln  to  the  home  dealers  during  the  past 
vear  as  it  was  in  several  preceeding  ones;  and 
mterest  in  this  favourite  bevei-age  of  the 
ffeakfast-tablc  has  flagged  so  much  that  many 
SoSrs  have  ceased  to  push  its  sale  and  pro- 
lotr  its  consumption  with  tne  same  energy  that 
lid  in  bygone  days,  when  quotations  tor  the 
they  di  v oy  imported  were  trom  20s  to  30s 
i^r“cwt  lower^thrn  S are  now.  This  is.  mainly 
^ing  to  the  circumstance  that  the  cofiee  which  pays 
or  hlndsomely  to  grow  consists  principally  of  com- 
«m-ts  such  as  Brazil,  that  is  consumed  less  iii 
Great  Britain  than  in  other  countries  ; whilst  ancy 
kinds,  which  are  strongest  in  request  here,  being 
ivD  far  the  scarcest  of  any  that  are  pi’oduced,  fetch 
SiSs  so  extremely  high  as  to  virtually  prechide 
the  possibility  of  securing  a reasonable  scale  of  profits 
in  preparing  and  disposing  ot  them  to  British  con- 
suii^ereV//  C.  Mail,  Jam  10. 
market  for  tea  shales. 
Tiiuksday  Evenikg,  Jan.  9. 
T-tv  Yeai.  1005.— Iu  referring  to  the  new  issues  of 
we  ohiitte-cl  in  out  review  to  mention 
tT7,5UU  fresh  capital  issued  by  the  Jliauzie  Com- 
pany, which  was  readily  subscribed  for  at  T6  15s 
per  To  share,  or  at  preniiuin. 
Business  has  been  somewhat  interfered  with  both 
by  the  Christmas  holiday  time,  and  also  latterly  by 
the  unsettled  state  of  the  stock  and  money  markets, 
resulting  from  the  so-called  South  African  scare,  but 
nevertheless  a steady  investment  business  has  been 
in  progress. 
Ckylon  Shakes. — There  is  very  little  business  iu 
progress  in  most  of  these  shares,  but  the  great 
divergence  of  view  as  to  the  price  between  buyers 
and  sellers  rather  prevents  business. 
Debentures. — Some  Eastern  Assam  oj  per  cent 
are  said  to  have  changed  hands  at  a small  premium 
Upper  Assam  Company’s  “ C ' Debentures  are  be 
mg  asked  for  at  or  about  par.—//,  and  €■  Mail.  Jan.  10 
♦ 
TRAVANCUKE  PLANTERS  ASSOCI- 
ATION. 
Minutes  of  proceedings  of  a general  meeting 
held  at  the  Club,  Trivandrum,  on  Wednesday,  loth 
January,  at  noon. 
Present  — J.  S.  Valentine,  M'.  Marshall,  J. 
Stewart,  J,  E.  Cook,  A.  D.  Adams,  (D. 
Cameron,  visitor)  ; D.  G.  Cameron,  and  R.  Koss, 
Hon.  Secretary. 
Notice  calling  meeting  having  been  read,  it 
was  px'oposed  by  J.  S.  Valentine  and  seconded 
by  J,  Stewaki  that  Air.  Cameron  take  the 
chair. 
Secretary  - report  liaving  been  read,  Mr,  Ross 
was  again  elected  Secretary, 
1.  Propo.-ied  l»y  J.  S.  Valkn'IT  NE  ainl  seconded 
by  I).  Cr.  C.VMKl.’ON; — “ That  those  members  wlio 
have  not  paid  tlie  extra  donation  of  RlO  asked 
for  last  year  be  again  appealed  to  do  so.” 
2.  Projiosed  by  W.  Makshali.,  seconded  by 
J.  B.  Cook  : — “ Tliat  subscriptions  be  raised  from 
Kid  to  R20  per  annum  in  order  to  meet  expen- 
•liture.” 
.J.  Proposed  by  J.  S.  \ ALENTlMg  seconded 
by  W.  Marshall  That  a vote  of  tliaiiks  be 
conve.yed  (iovernment  for  granting  extensions  of 
estates  within  the  reserved  forest  area  and  that 
a copy  of  tliis  resolution  he  forwarded  to  the 
Dewan.” 
J.  Proposed  by  J.  S.  N’aleN'IINE,  seconded  hy 
D Ad.v.vls  : — “ That  Government  he  urged  to 
sanction  expenditures  on  bridges  on  Boiiaccord 
and  Braeinore  cart-ioads,  as  well  as  other  appli- 
eatious  still  before  Govenimenl.” 
With  a vote  of  thanks  to  tlie  Cliainnan,  the 
meeting  terminated.  K.  Ross.  Hon.  fciecy. 
(Signed)  D.  G.  C.\MLK0N,  Chainnun. 
Clvlox  Cacao  and  Jamaica-Tkinidad Cacao. 
— Referring  to  the  comparative  analyse.s  of  Ceylon/ 
•Jamaica,  and  Trinidad  cacao  published  in  our 
issue  of  27th  November  last,  witli  an  accom- 
panying letter  from  Mr.  John  Hughes  of  London, 
that  gentleman  now  writes Porliaps  you  can 
obtain  other  anal.yses  of  Ceylon  cacao  and  nnblisli 
them  side  by  side  with  the.se,  as  I daresay 
l>lanters  and  merchants  would  he  iiil^erested  with 
the  results.  The  chief  difrereiico  between  Ceylon 
cacat)  and  that  of  Jamaica  and  Trinidail  aiqiear^ 
to  bo  that  it  contains  more  libre  and  less  starch 
compounds,  though  in  soluble,  extractive,  and 
flavouring  constituents  the  Ceylon  specimen  is 
decidedly  superior.  No  doubt  tlie  charaefer  of 
the  season  all'ects  the  particular  (|uality  of  the 
cacao  a.s  is  the  case  with  tea.”  M'e  shall  gladly 
pliblish  any  analyses  sent  to  us. 
