6S8 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[April  r,  1896. 
THK  COFFEE  CHOP  IN  ,IAVA. 
^ According  to  a telegram  from  the  Oovenior- 
(leneral  of  Netlicrlamls  India,  dated  19th  inst., 
the  Oovernment’s  (!ofiee  crop  in  Java  for  this 
year  is  now  estimateil  at  299,991)  piculs.  — L.  caul 
C.  Express,  Feb.  2S. 
COCONUT  OIL. 
Ci'.VLON. — The  placing  for  consumption  early  in  the 
week  of  the  lots  of  speculative  oil,  wliich  have  been 
like  a '•  wet  blanket  ” hanging  over  the  market  for 
some  months,  has  imparted  more  strength  to  prices, 
and  given  both  holders  and  buyers  more  confidence 
in  the  situation.  Cables  to  hand,  giving  cost  for 
shipment  from  the  coast  equal  to  about  .5gc.  here, 
induced  a large  importer  to  gather  up  v\hat  stray 
lots  they  were  offering  on  the  market,  and  at  the 
close  to  5Jc.  was  quoted,  though  a small  lot  might 
be  had  at  5c.  The  sales  comprised  200  tons  early 
in  the  week  for  consumption  in  the  West  at  4Jc. 
less  1 per  cent,  for  sharp  cash.  Later  25  tons  at 
4'85c.,  25  tons  do.  at  4'90c.,  25  tons  at  4'D2^c.  and  25 
tons  at  4’95c.,  all  on  regular  terms. — 0.  V.  D.  liegister, 
Feb.  17. 
INDIAN  TEA  ASSUCTAriON. 
Abstract  of  proceedings  of  a meeting  of  the  General 
Committee,  held  on  the  17th  F’eb.  1890: — 
Read  letter  of  14th  January,  from  Mr.  W.  T. 
Carter,  resigning  his  seat  on  tlie  Indian  Tea  Fund 
Committee  on  departure  for  England.  This  was  or- 
dered to  be  recorded. 
As  the  remaining  Members  of  the  Indian  Tea 
Fund  Committee  were  also  members  of  the  General 
'Committee  and  tiicrc  appeared  to  be  no  longer  any 
special  reason  for  carrying  on  the  former  Committee, 
it  was  decided  that  it  should  be  dissolved  and  all 
business  in  connection  with  the  American  Market 
Fund  should  be  submitted  direct  to  the  General 
Committee. 
Letters  of  1st,  8tb,  15th,  22nd,  and  29th  Novem- 
ber; Cth  IJth,  20th,  and  27th  December;  ;!rd, 
10th,  17th,  and  21th  January;  with  their  re.spective 
enclosures  and  accompaniments  from  the  Secretary 
of  the  Indian  Tea  Association,  Loudon,  were 
brought  up  for  record,  having  been  previously  sub- 
mitted to  members  in  circulation  ; also  letter  of  22ud 
December  from  the  Honorary  Secretary,  Travancore 
Planters’  Association,  forwarding  111,472-10  6 on  the 
American  Market  Fund,  for  which  the  special  thanks 
of  the  Committee  had  been  sent. 
A statement  was  submitted  showing  the  total 
amount  collected  to  February  15th,  under  the  pre- 
sent levy  to  be  1185,382  3-9,  of  which  1138,921-102 
being  the  equivalent  of  £2,250  had  been  remitted  to 
London.  Payments  in  Calcutta  amounted  to  111,283 
13  8 and  the  balance  in  hand  was  1148.115  G 2.  Tire 
amount  outstanding  had  been  reduced  to  Rl, 105-5  0. 
It  was  decided  to  make  a further  attempt  to  induce  the 
linns  holding  aloof  to  subscribe. 
Considered  letter  of  11th  January,  from  Messrs. 
yVaUon,  Sibthorp  & Co.,  stating  that  a very  con- 
siderable quantity  of  sound  high  chuis  tea  had  been 
shipped  from  this  market  to  Persia  for  seme  seasons 
past;  and  asking  the  Committee  to  place  on  record 
[lieir  statement  as  brokers  for  tlie  largest  buyers  for 
the  Persian  market,  that  so  far  as  they  knew  no 
unsound  tea  had  ever  been  shipiied  from  this  port. 
Considered  letter  of  IGth  January,  from  .Secretary 
to  the  Covernnicnt  of  India,  Revenue  and  Agricultural 
Jleijartment,  forwarding  a eopy  of  tuither  corres- 
pondence with  Messrs.  T Christy  A Co  i;espectiiig 
the  manufacture  of  Theine  from  low  grade  Hidian  leas. 
T’his  correspondence  had  been  re  printed  and  cir- 
culated for  the  information  of  Members,  and  the 
letter  was  to  be  acknowledged  with  thanks. 
Read  letter  of  1st  Fcbruaiy,  from  Secretary,  Cal- 
cutta Tea  Traders’  Association,  drawing  the  attention 
of  the  General  Committee  to  the  delay  in  issuing  the 
revised  estimates  of  the  Tea  crop  for  1895  as  com- 
pared with  1893  and  1894.  The  Assistant  Secretary 
having  stated  that  the  estimates  in  question  were 
issued  about  twelve  days  later  in  1895  than  in  the 
previous  year,  but  that  there  were  special  reasons  for 
the  delay,  it  was  decided  to  re2ily  to  the  Committee  of 
the  Tea  Traders’  Association,  stating  that  every  effort 
would  bo  made  to  e.xpeditc  their  issue  in  future,  but 
that  it  had  been  found  in  practice  quite  impossible 
to  obtain  the  information  from  gardens  under  a period 
of  one  month. 
Considered  letter  of  1st  February,  from  the  Chair- 
man, Assam  Branch,  conveying  his  views  on  the 
Memorandum  by  the  Reporter  on  Economic  Pro- 
ducts to  the  Government  of  India,  on  the  subject  of 
a scientific  officer  for  the  tea  districts. 
Mr.  Buckingham  thought  the  first  step)  should  be 
to  secure  the  services  of  an  agricultural  chemist,  as 
it  could  hardly  be  expected  to  secure  the  services  of 
a scientist  whose  experience  would  embrace  all  the 
subjects  on  which  information  was  wanted.  Mr. 
Buckingham  did  not  see  any  difficulty  as  i-egards 
the  equipment  of  a laboratory.  The  Committee 
decided  that  it  would  be  now  advisable  to  avail  them- 
selves of  the  offer  of  an  interview  with  the  Hon’ble 
Mr.  'Woodburn  on  this  subject,  and  the  Chairman 
and  Mr.  Ormiston  undertook  to  represent  the  Com- 
mittee in  the  matter. 
Considered  letter  of  10th  February,  from  Messrs. 
Begg,  Dunlop  A Co.,  enclosing  letter  addressed  to 
the  Chairman  by  Mr.  'W-  H.  C.  'Whigham,  Manager 
of  the  Hautley  Tea  Estate,  Assam,  giving  an  account 
of  certain  insect  pests  which  did  considerable  damage 
to  the  tea  bushes  in  his  garden  from  which  he  sent 
some  cuttings. 
It  was  decided  to  submit  the  letter  and  specimen 
to  Dr.  Walt,  the  report  on  Economic  Products  to  the 
Government  of  India  and  to  ask  him  for  the  favors 
of  his  report. 
TEA  JN  AUSTRALIA. 
There  has  been  a good  demand  for  China  tea,  and 
sales  are  reported  at  700  half-chests  common  congou, 
2,350  half-chests  panyong  at  4jd  to  5gd,  650  half- 
chests  pianyong  at  Gd  to  GJd,  50  half-chests  panyong 
at  7d,  100  half-chests  pianyong  at  Sd,  350  quarter- 
chests  buds  at  Gd,  200  quarter-chests  buds  at  8d,  200 
half-chests  kooloo  and  ;!00  quarter-chests  S.O.  pickoe 
at  GJd.  Of  Indian,  300  packages  h.avo  been  sold  pri- 
vately at  7d  to  9d.  Business  in  Ceylon  covers  470 
piackages  at  G.jd  to  9d,  and  100  piackages  at  lOid  to 
Is  Id.  At  auction,  on  Tuesday,  104  packages  Ceylon 
were  sold  at  Gd  to  8jd.  At  auction,  on  Thursday, 
1,9GG  chests,  147  half-chests,  and  50  quarter-chests 
Indian  ex  New  Guinea  were  offered,  and  sales  were 
made  publicly  of  1,198  chests,  147  half-chests,  and 
50  quarter  chests.  The  bidding  at  first  was  rather 
slow,  as  some  of  the  earlier  lots  were  rather  uu- 
attractive,  but  .as  the  sale  advanced  the  bidding 
became  animated,  and  the  prices  realised  w'ere  firm 
all  round.  The  sales  were  as  follows: — Orange  pekoe, 
333  chests.  67  half-chests,  and  50  quarter-chests  at 
7d  to  lOd ; piekoe,  550  chests  and  80  half-chests  at 
GJd  to  lOd ; piekoe  souchong,  315  chests  at  GRl  to  7Jd. 
— ^luslralatsian,  Feb.  29. 
Coi'KLt;  I’lantim:  in  Nlgiu  .Slmhigan.— From 
the  report  of  the  Acting  Collector  and  Magis- 
trate, Coast  district,  for  the  month  of  January 
RS9G,  published  in  the  Negri  ^cmbilan  (luLxni- 
nicni  Udzette,  we  iiuotethe  following  : — 
On  1st  January  Mr.  J.  R.  Watson,  manager  of  the 
Port  Dickson  ('o)foe  Conqjany’s  estate,  arrived  from 
Johor  with  110  Tamils  (men,  women,  and  children),  and 
conveyed  them  by  spiecial  train  to  the  estate,  which  is 
at  the  10th  mile  on  the  Railway.  \’ery  good  work 
has  been  done  by  this  Coin|)any  during  the  past  few 
month.s,  300  acres  of  forest  having  been  felled,  nursorios 
made  juid  cooly  lines  constructed.  A large  number 
of  coolies,  consisting  of  ('liincsc,  Tamils,  Malays  of 
the  country,  and  Banjor  Malays,  are  employed  and 
Mr.  Watson  reports  favourably  on  their  health. 
