6t2 
THE  TROPTCM,  AGRTCUI.TURIS  T.  [March  2,  1896. 
oiin  plantri’  on  tlio  oomniinfsion,  it  ia  of  tho.  utmost 
iiiipoi'taiice  that  we  should  bo  reprcseuted  by  aj^ood 
inan  a man,  who  can  realise  and  understand  the 
Government  of  India’s  and  tho  English  Lawyer’s  views 
of  the  question  as  well  as  our  own,  who  has  the  advantages 
Y'®  possess  under  the  present  Act  and  the  dis- 
abilities that  we  sulfer  from  at  his  fingers’  ends,  and 
who  realises  that  as  advances  are  to  us  an  unfor- 
tunate. but  absolute,  necessity,  we  require  a law  which 
will  protect  those  advances  by  deterring  from  fraud 
while  inflicting  the  minimum  of  punishment.  It  will 
remain  for  us  at  this  meeting  to  nominate  a planter 
as  a possible  candidate  to  fill  this  important  pbice. 
Con'im  SrEALiNii. — We  can  again  record  our  s.rtis- 
f action  at  the  extraordinary  immunity  from  theft 
which  we  have  again  experienced  during  the  present 
season.  Small  drying  grounds  covered  with  cherry 
coffee  along  the  roadsides  and  in  tho  bazaars  are 
no  longer  to  be  seen.  This  is  due  not  to  any  amend- 
ment of  tho  Act,  but  to  the  wonderful  energy  of 
oui'  Police  Snpoi'intendent,  Mr.  Fawcett,  lly  his  pre- 
ventive measiucsand  by  the  zeal  with  which  lie  inspires 
tho.se  under  him.  the  trade  of  receiving  stolen  coffee 
has  at  last  received  a nule  check.  JJut  we  must 
not  congratulate  ourselves  too  much  upon  it  because 
after  all  it  is  only  a check,  and  without  the  amend- 
ment of  Sec.  9 of  the  Act  it  will  be  difficult  to  strike 
an  effectual  blow  at  the  trade  of  dealing  in  stolen 
parchment  or  cherry  coffee. 
Geneu.m.  PnosuECTs. — I said  in  my  last  annual 
report,  that  the  coming  years  would  be  most  im- 
portant ones  in  tho  annals  of  M'\  naad  ; this  pro- 
phecy is  now  being  fullilled.  The  tea  industry  is 
developing  slowly,  but  steadily.  'The  rrsuils  of  the 
sales  of  the  first  shipment  of  tea  have  just  been 
received  and  give  an  average  of  Did  to  D^d  per  lb., 
which,  though  not  so  good  as  Assam,  and  not  so 
good  as  we  were  led  to  expect  from  valuation  of 
s.imples,  still  leaves  the  ample  margin  of  at  le.ast  Id  per 
lb.  profit  wdiich,  in  conjunction  with  the  fact  th.it  the 
yields  of  the  young  acreages  have  luien  ahnorjnally 
larger  should  lead  to  the  more  rapid  planting  up  of 
land.  We  have  lately  seen  a great  deal  written 
in  the  pijiers  about  our  Wynaad  and  all  in  praise  of 
it,  with  the  exception  of  what  appeared  in  tho 
columns  of  a paper  purporting  to  be  written  by 
planters  for  planters,  and  we  may  trust  that  this  is 
merely  the  friendly  rivalry  of  brothm-  planters  less 
favorably  situated.  At  any  rate  the  district  has 
lately  been  visited  by  enterprising  planters  from 
Ceylon,  many  of  whom,  I am  glad  to  bear, 
are  going  to  settle  here.  But  I sincerely  trust 
that  the  advantages  of  the  situation  will  not 
bo  left  entirely  with  them,  and  that  tho  scheme 
so  often  advocated  by  this  Association  of  small 
acreage  under  different  proprietors,  with  central 
factories,  may  at  last  be  put  into  force,  and  that 
the  old  residents  may  share  with  new-comers  in 
the  prosperity  that  is  to  come.  Anyhow  tliose  of 
us  who  are  fortunate  enough  to  hold  reserves  of 
land  may  congratulate  themselves  on  its  greatly 
increased  value. 
Arabian  coffee,  notwithstanding  tlic  continued 
ravages  of  leaf  disease,  continues  to  give  handsome 
profits  in  certain  parts  of  the  district,  and  it  re- 
mains to  be  seen  what  will  result  from  the  larg.e 
acreages  of  Liberian  which  will  shortly  come  into 
bearing. 
In  conclusion,  gentlemen,  I beg  to  lay  the  ac- 
counts on  the  tal)le  and  my  resignation  in  your 
hands.  It  is  with  very  true  and  genuine  regret 
that  I resign  this  office  which  I have  now  held  off 
and  on  for  ten  years,  and  I thank  you  all  most 
sincerely  for  the  friendly  support  and  sympathy 
which  you  have  always  accorded  to  me  and  witli- 
out  which  my  work  would  have  been  a toil  to  my- 
self ami  of  no  avail  to  the  district. 
The  report  was  cordially  approved  and  adopted  un- 
animously. 
I'TsANi'i;. — The  accounts  for  the  jiast  year  were  laid 
on  tho  table  and  passed.  As  these  showed  a consider- 
able deficit  a subscription  was  raised  in  the  room  to 
meet  it,  and  it  was  resolved  that  tho  yearly  snl  - 
SCI  iption  of  ineuibers  be  r.aiscd  from  K12  to  Ills  per 
annum. 
Coi'i’r.r.  BoiiP.r.riV  He  ward  Fun  n. — As  the  balance  at  cre- 
dit of  this  fund  is  nearly  exhausted  it  was  resolved  that 
the  accounts  be  printed  and  circulated  and  fresh  sub- 
scriptions invited. 
llo.xoK.UiY  Secuexauy. — The  Chairman  proposed  a 
cordial  vote  of  thanks  to  the  Hon.  Mr.  G.  Itomilly  for 
his  services,  both  as  Planting  Member  of  the  Legis- 
lative Council,  and  as  Honorary  Secretary  of  the  Asso- 
ciation, for  seven  out  of  the  last  ten  years.  He  felt 
sure  that  he  was  ouly  expressing  the  feelings  of  every 
member  of  the  Association,  when  he  said  no  man  could 
have  dons  more  tor  the  Association  than  Mr.  Ilomilly 
had  done,  and  we  were  all  most  heartily  obliged  to  him. 
— Carried  with  acclamation. 
A testimonial  to  Mr.  Romilly  in  recognition  of  his 
great  services  was  presented  by  the  resident  members 
of  the  Association, 
Mr.  J.  W.  Hockin  was  elected  Honorary  Secretary 
for  the  ensuing  year. 
General  ilEEXiNo.— The  meeting  being  resolved  into 
a general  meeting  the  following  proceedings  w’ere  re- 
corded : — 
llasolved  that  in  the  event  of  the  appointment 
of  such  a Committee  by  Government  Mr.  J.  W. 
Ifockin  be  nominated  by  this  association  as  its  can- 
didate for  the  post  of  planting  member. 
Resolved  that  in  the  event  of  another  planting 
member  being  appointed  by  His  Excellency  the 
Governor  of  INIadras  this  Association  nominates  Mr. 
H.  R.  Hodgson  as  its  candidate  for  the  post. 
COST  OF  TEA  I’RODECTIOX. 
'i’lie  cost  of  prothietion  of  tea  on  the  Nilgiri.s 
.seem.s  to  vary  very  greatly.  Tlie  most  i-eliable 
figures  we  liave  hithei’to  obtained  are  from  a 
garden  oil'  wiiich  a (manured)  yield  of  .’{00  lb. 
average  is  obtained  per  acre  ; the  size  of  the 
garden  is  .aljout  200  acre.s.  The  latest  niacluMery 
is  used,  the  firewood  is  grown  on  the  estate — 
wliich  is  well  loaded— and  in  fact  tiie  circum- 
stances for  cheap  production  seems  a.s  favourable 
for  higii  elevation  gardens  as  they  conlil  well 
he.  Vet  t!ie  (;ost  on  tiie  estate  per  Ih.  of  tea 
runs  up  tofias.  pie,  a lignre  declared  by  others 
to  he  greatly  above  the  mark,  tliough  even  the 
most  favoured  in  this  district  cannot  aiiproach 
the  montli-wateriiig  Wynaad  rates. — Planting 
Opinion,  I 'eh.  1.5. 
KONA  COFFEE  INDUSTRY. 
The  coffee  industry  in  Kona  is  exceedingly  bright. 
It  is  now  harvest  timo  and  from  all  of  the  coffee 
plantations,  as  well  as  in  every  shady  dell,  coffee  is 
being  picked  and  shipped.  One  of  the  largest  crops 
will  be  from  the  estate  of  the  H.iwaiian  Coffee  and 
'.foa  Company,  which  will  probably  yield  not  far  from 
15.000  pounds.  Mr.  C.  D Miller,  its  manager,  reports 
the  most  satisfactory  results  at  an  elevation  of  from 
1.000  to  2,000  feet  Tlie  blight  has  entirely  left  the 
plants  in  his  care  an  1 the  trees  now  appear  thrifty. 
Mr.  Carl  Bnchholz,  who  recently  purchased  200 
acres  of  coffee  land  in  Kona  from  Mr.  Monsarrat,  of 
Honolulu,  is  building  his  houses  and  mailing  im- 
provements preparatoiy  to  the  commencement  of 
active  work.  He  will,  as  soon  as  possible,  clear  and 
plant  at  least  fifty  acres.  Mr.  Carl  Bnchholz,  him- 
self, leaves  fur  Germany  soon,  but  his  brother  is  left 
in  charge. — tlUe  Tiihnne  in  Ilawuiian  (’oninifrcial 
Journal,  Dec.  Bl. 
Tea  in  the  Wynaad.— rhe  Madras  Mail 
has  an  editorial  on  this  subject  which  we 
(piote  elsewln'ie.  ( kuiiparisoii  is  made  with 
(.leylon,  and  the  opinion  is  expressed  that  when 
the  aiimml  returns  for  the  young  estates  that 
have  just  come  into  lie./n  iiig  are  pnldished,  it  will 
he  found  that  so  far  as  mere  (plant ity  of  leaf  is 
concerned  the.  Wynaad  is  abb*  to  hold  its  own 
against  any  tea— growing  district,  in  the  world. 
'J’he  liealthiness  of  the  district  is  also  defendeil. 
