570 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICUL ITIRIST. 
[Feb.  I,  1896. 
The  raugc  on  Ceylon  the  lirst  week  in  January  was 
r)L^(5ic.,  and  excepting  a few  unimportant  changes 
from  time  to  time  these  figures  represented  sub- 
stantially the  market  value  during  the  entire  year. 
Cochin  opened  at  which  which  was  sustained 
with  considerable  steadiness  for  several  months,  but 
about  the  middle  of  June  free  arrivals  brought 
about  an  easier  feeling,  and  quotations  fell 
to  c.,  and  by  the  first  of  August  the  price 
for  spot  parcels  declined  to  53@5.J  c.  1 he  require- 
ments of  consumption  having  reduced  the  local  sup- 
ply of  Ceylon  oil  quite  mateiially,  prices  rebounded 
during  the  latter  part  of  September  and  again  reached 
5^(£'5i  c.,  and  there  remained  for  some  time.  Mean- 
wiiile  the  market  acquired  increased  strength,  due  to 
an  improvement  in  the  demand,  and  this  was  greatly 
promoted  in  November,  when  several  prominent 
local  houses  secured  control  of  the  bulk  of  the 
Ceylon  oil  in  New  York.  Immediately  quoaitions 
were  marked  up  toGatbJe.,  and  this  was  the  range 
for  several  weeks.  December  was  a quiet  month, 
and  while  the  general  situation  was  lairly  strong, 
buyers  were  inditfereut,  and  near  the  close  of  tlie 
year  sellers  receded  to  at  tic.  Ceylon  oil  was  ma- 
terially strengthened  in  the  la  ter  part  of  October  by 
the  absorption  of  the  bankrupt  stock  referred  to  above. 
The  bankers  who  held  it  as  security  fora  debt  due 
by  the  insolvent  owner,  sold  the  oil  to  a syndicate  of 
local  dealers  and  this  relieved  the  market  of  a long- 
standing menace.  Values  became  tinner,  and,  as  the 
arrivals  had  become  less  voluminous  with  the  ap- 
porach  of  Winter,  the  general  situation  presented  a 
very  favorable  aspect.  The  year  closed  with  Cey  lon 
oil  quotable  at  5|  at  5ic.,  and  the  consumption  during 
the  period  under  review  reached  a full  average.—  U.,  I’, 
d Drug  liegorter,  Jan.  0. 
^ 
tin  chests 
FOR  CEYLON  TEA. 
Mid-England,  Dec.  18, 
NEW  MAttKETS  FOR  THE  WELSH  TIX  PL.ATE  JIAKEUS. 
The  important  proposal  among  the  Welsh  tin  plate 
mikers  for  seeking  new  markets  for  their  product, 
now  that  the  American  trade  is  virtully  lost  to  them, 
is  gradually  assuming  a more  definite  form.  The 
Bigriificant  meeting  ot  the  trade,  which  I last  week 
alvised  was  intended,  was  held  yesterday  m Swau- 
8°a  and  it  is  alleged  that  the  attendance  numbered 
sornething  like  70  makers.  Particular  emphasis  was 
laid  on  the  proposal  that  steps  should  be  taken  to 
encourage  the  movement  for  the  packing  of  tea  in 
tin  chests.  It  was  explained  that  the  idea  was 
that  the  makers  should  start  a sort  of  limited 
liability  company,  and  provide  capital  by  fixing  a 
certain' contribution  per  mill-say  a matter  of  T 10, 
which  for  the  500  mills  would  realize  .to,000.  With 
t lis  money  “ they  could  send  commissioners  to  our 
c Tonies  and  other  places;  the  could  wait  on  the 
viceroys,  governors  and  consuls,  and  try  to  get  the 
advantages  and  uses  of  tin  plates  prominently  put 
before  the  merclmiits  of  the  various  towns  and  cities 
they  visited.” 
the  I’.VCKIXG  or  TEA  IX  IIX  CHESTS 
was  considered  by  the  meeting  to  be  important,  but 
it  was  not  I understand  thought  that  any  demand 
that  might  be  created  would  be  sunicieiit  of  itself  to 
nut  the  trade  in  a sound  position,  and  olluW  new 
sources  of  use  would  therefore  have  to  be  looked  for 
ns  well  lesolulion  "as  iiroposcd  that  a com- 
mission should  be  appointed,  several  speeclies 
bein-  delivered  in  support  of  the  suggestion, 
„r,i“Hnallv  it  was  resolved  that  a committee 
£uld  be  elected  to  consider  the  question.  Thecom- 
is  an  iiiflucnt  al  one,  representing  all  the  tin 
ie  dislrkts  of  South  Wales.,  Einally,  with  the 
dea  of  attempting  to  get  unanimity,  every  marker 
fresenl  was  asked  to  pledge  l.miseli  in  support,  and 
}t1s  alleged  that  all  replied  in  the  aliumative  but 
for  this  statement  there  is  nothing  at  present  but 
“official”  authority. 
WILL  THE  COMMISSION  SCHEME  EE  CAIUUEE  OUT? 
The  commission  proposal,  so  far  as  it  is  fore- 
»hadowe(l  in  the  terms  given  above  as  expressed 
at  the  meeting,  seems  a somewhat  Quixotic  one,  par- 
ticularly as  regards  the  class  of  people  to  be  ap- 
proached. Indeed,  the  phvasology  under  this  head 
reads  more  like  a Christmas  story  told  to  an  eager 
throng  of  gaping  chi  dron  in  merry-making  attire 
than  a serious  business  suggestion.  I should  not  be 
sluprised  if  the  committee  when  they  come  lo  de- 
tails will  find  a good  deal  of  division  among  their 
ranks  which  may  result  in  nothing  being  dona  after 
all,  The  Welsh  tin  plate  manufacturers  are  histori- 
cally slow  to  move,  and  exceedingly  warning  in 
anything  approaching  cohesion.  8cill  we  shall  see 
what  we  shall  see,  and  meanwhile  the  Welsh  posi- 
tion is  being  regarded  by  the  other  metalliforons 
industries  of  the  counlry  with  a goo.i  deal  of  curio- 
sity mingled  with  a le.sser  amount  of  expectation. 
EUHTHEK  I.XFOHMATTON  CX  TIN  PLATE  TEA  CHESTS 
i«  forthcoming  this  waek  in  an  interview  which  a 
Welsh  correspondent  has  had  with  Mr.  Fiank 
Kandoll  in  reference  lo  objections  which  have 
been  rai.sed  in  the  grocery  trade  that  the  fact 
of  the  tin  being  hermetically  sealed  would  destroy 
the  tea.  It  is  pointed  out  that  if  experts  decide 
against  the  box  being  hermetically  sealed  the  chests 
can  be  so  made  as  to  provide  the  required  ventilation. 
In  point  of  fact  the  tea,  even  in  the  inside  lead  cases 
of  the  chests  now  chiefly  in  vogue,  is  hermetically 
sealed.  In  his  opinion  such  conditions  of  packing 
were  a safe  guarantee  against  mildew.  It  was  an 
admitted  fact  that  2 per  cent  of  the  metal  chests  in 
which  tea  was  brought  over  were  approved  of 
by  the  planters  and  traders,  and  there  was  no 
reason  why,  iu  the  inteicst  of  the  South  Wales  tin 
plate  trade,  they  should  not  endeavour  to  capture 
the  remaining  98  per  cent. 
GETTING  HOED  OF  THE  CEYLON  THAHE. 
It  is  stated  that  an  official  of  the  government 
railways  in  Ceylon  waited  u|)ou  Mr.  W.  H.  Ijudfoid, 
the  district  manager  of  the  Great  Western  railway  at 
Llanelly  a day  or  two  ago  and  asked  to  he  sup- 
plied with  full  particulars  of  the  new  method  of  tea 
packing.  This  official  is  reported  to  have  said  that 
as  the  indnsiry  of  tea  planting  was  so  rapidly  grow- 
ing in  Ceylon,  the  matter  of  adoption  new  methods 
of  packing  was  of  lir.it  imp  uTance,  especially  in  view 
of  the  fact  that  the  present  wooden  boxes  weie  open 
to  BO  grave  an  objection  through  being  smashed  in 
transit.  “He  con-idered,  therefore,  that  there  was  a 
great  future  for  metal  chests.” — Americuu  Mauufuc- 
turer,  Jan.  8. 
More  Tea  Comi’ANies. — The  talk  all  over  business 
places  is  regarding  the  tonnation  of  Tea  Companies. 
We  learn  that  several  of  these  are  to  be  floated 
shortly,  and  the  news  now  coinca  delinilcly  to  ns 
that  two  Companies  are  to  be  formed  in  the  Kelani 
Valley,  ere  long.  Nrgotiai ions  are  in  tiain  for  the 
purpose  of  forming  Jjyiidhuist  and  Mapitigama  es- 
tates in  Avisawclla  into  one  company.  The  former 
belongs  to  Mr.  J.  K.  Hell  and  Miss  Hell,  when  an  acre- 
age of  2o2,  out  which  238  are  fully  planted  with 
tea,  and  2 acres  in  cardamoms.  Mapitigama  is  ad- 
jacent to  Lyiidlmrst  and  belongs  to  a well-known 
planter  upconntry.  The  acreage  of  this  estate  is  not 
as  large  as  the  former  and  only  100  is  in  tea.  An- 
other estate,  also  in  the  Kelani  Valley,  is  to  be 
floated  into  a company  shortly.  The  revenue  will 
no  doubt  benefit  materially  by  the  present  boom  in 
shares,  as  the  stamps  on  the  documents  connected 
with  the  formation  of  new  companies  must  also  aggre- 
gate to  something  handsome. — Local  “Examiner,’ 
Feb.  1st. 
The  Best  Soaps  for  'W^arm  Climates  are 
CAIA'EllT’S  TOII.FT  .S(.)A1>  (Od.  Tublel.s)  ami 
PKICKLV-HKA'I'  S(>AI’(()d.  ami  1«.  bars),  ],loa- 
.saiitly  peifnmed,  fui  Hath  or  Toilet  containing 
10  per  cent,  of  I’ure  Carhulic.  \ cry  .sci  viceahlc 
a.S  proven  lives  of  Fiicklyheat  ami  other  skin 
i rittttiuii.  Wold  at  Ciicinists,  iSLuics,  Re. 
F-  C-  CALVERT  & C0  > Manciiester, 
