8i6 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIS  F. 
[June  i,  1896. 
Prance  in  rondiclierry.  The  exidanatory  letter 
press  supplies  interesting  information  bearing  on 
tlie  Peuilatory  .States,  ami  is  followed  by  a tabu- 
lar statement  in  whicli  wo  lind  the  name  of  eacli 
State,  its  extent,  population,  Military  Force,  the 
name,  age  and  title  of  the  Cliief,  his  date  of 
succession,  and  the  salute  to  wliich  lie  is  entitled. 
Including  those  with  territories  less  than  dUO 
square  miles  in  extent,  the  Cliiefs  number  no 
fewer  than  631 — a fact  which  alone  is  suggestive 
of  the  immense  responsibilities  wliich  must  devolve 
on  the  Government  of  India.  We  can  only  briefly 
indicate  the  contents  of  the  dcepl3'  interesting 
pages  between  tlie  first  and  tlie  last  Maps  to 
which  we  have  referred.  The  Geological  Map 
distinguishes,  by  means  of  bright  colours,  the  six 
main  formations  which  characterise  the  country 
— the  alluvial  and  the  archean  predomiiiating.  A 
large  map  and  a series  of  eight  charts  are  ilevoted 
to  climate  and  rainfall,  and  distinguish  the  re- 
gions according  to  the  rainfall,  the  varying  in- 
liuence  of  the  cold  weather  and  hot  weather 
seasons,  the  incoming  and  retreating  monsoons, 
the  direction  of  cyclonic  storms  I'cc.  The  canal 
systems  of  India  are  illustrated  in  one  Maj), 
wliile  diagrams  show  the  area  irrigated  in  the 
dill'erent  provinces,  distinguishing  the  acreage 
irrigated  from  Canals,  M^ells  and  other  sources. 
Droughts  and  Famines;  the  Distribution  atd 
Nature  of  Agricultural  Crops— a separate  chart 
being  devoted  to  each  of  the  more  important 
products,  such  as  cotton,  wheat,  rice,  barley, 
linseed,  jowar,  gimrellj',  bajra,  tea,  coffee,  jute, 
and  indigo ; forest  conservancy  tlie  tints  indi- 
cating the  different  classes  of  Forests,  and  the 
lines  the  principal  kinds  of  trees;  horses  and 
ponies  and  live  stock  ; economic  minerals ; Rail- 
ways, and  almost  every  conceivable  subject  round 
which  interest  centres  and  which  lends  itself  to 
illustration  by  Maps,  Charts  and  Diagrams— all 
lind  a place  in  this  excellent  repertory  of  valuable 
information,  in  which  facts  and  figures  are  set 
forth  with  marvellous  lucidity  and  in  forms  which 
facilitate,  and  indeeil  imite,  reference. 
TiiF  HIGHLAND  ESTATE.S  COMI'ANV  OF 
CEYLON. 
The  estates,  referred  to  in  the  Observer  as 
having  been  acquired  liy  the  Highland  Estates 
Company  of  Ceylon  which  has  been  registered 
in  London  are  Glenorchy  in  the  Nuwara  Elij’a 
District  and  Chiystlers  Farm  in  the  Dimbiila 
District.  The  former  is  1S4  acres  in  extent,  161 
acres  being  in  tea,  and  the  latter  -176  acres,  -fUO 
acres  being  in  tea. 
I’L.VNTJNG  IN  HLHTISH  NEW  GEJNEA. 
In  a letter  avc  have  by  this  mail  from  Messrs. 
Hums,  I’hilp  N Company,  Limited,  Port  Moiesliy, 
Hrilish  New  Gu'nea,  it  is  stated  : — 
Interest  in  planting  has  fallen  off  for  the  tinio 
being,  all  being  absorbed  in  the  good  news  ot  dis- 
covery of  gold-bearing  country  at  the  head  ol  the 
Mimebare  River  not  60  miles  from  here  as  the  crow 
flies  17  ozs  were  obtained  in  2 weeks.  Only  d or 
•1  settlers  have  so  far  tackled  planting  in  earnest; 
one  has  20,000  nuts  planted  at  Deddc  anu  another 
has  or  is  planting  16,000  at  Mniwa,  whilst  one  cr 
two  arc  planting  colfco  and  rubner.  It  niay  in.crest 
von  to  know  that  we.  have  sent  away  about  (.,000  lb. 
’weight  of  rubber  during  last  six  months,  which  re- 
alizes good  prices  in  London  and  Sydney.  \\e  paj 
1;6  to  ‘2/  per  lb.  locally.  Indigenous  tree,  krowu 
gs  Maki. 
THE  TEA  ESTIMATES  FUR  LS96. 
The  Secretary  of  the  Indian  Tea  Association  has 
placed  at  our  disposal  the  following  figures  showing 
an  estimate  of  the  Indian  Tea  Crop  for  1896.  The 
total  is  put  down  at  141,803.523  lb.,  of  which  it  is 
considered  probable  that  128j  million  lb.  will  find 
their  way  to  England.  Rearing  in  mind  that  this 
statement  is  compiled  from  figures  sent  in  about 
last  November,  and  taking  into  consideration  the 
protracted  drought  in  several  districts,  the  severe  and 
general  hailstorms  in  Cachar  and  other  factors  in 
wliat  promises  to  be  a late  season,  we  do  not  think 
these  estimates  will  be  reached.  It  has  been  not 
unusual  of  late  years  to  hive  early  closing  seasons; 
if  1896  does  not  prove  an  exception  to  what  is 
more  or  less  the  rule,  these  figures  will  most 
certainly  be  found  to  be  in  excess.  However, 
should  a late  and  decidedly  gloomy  start  be 
counterbalanced  by  a brilliant  season  and  a late  close, 
we  may  turn  out  our  1 11  odd  mill.o.is,  but  we  may 
be  permitted  to  our  doots.  The  I.T.A.  gives  ex- 
pression to  this  doubt  in  its  foot  note  we  observe- 
We  append  the  statement  : — 
OHICilN.VL  ESTIJUTJi  OJ-'  CItOl'  OF  1896. 
.lbs. 
59.939  263 
19,519,8(W 
23,834,680 
8,384,760 
3.103,400 
21,225,560 
787,200 
238,800 
2,170,000 
2,000,000 
4,000,000 
144,303.523 
being  8,821,46,  lbs.  over  the  actual  outturn  of  the 
crop  of  1895.  Estimating  shipments  to  the  Colonies 
and  other  Ports  with  local  consumption  at  16  mil- 
lions (or  say  2 millions  more  than  last  year)  there 
wi  1 remain  about  128j^  million  lbs.  for  export  to 
Great  Rritain. — Yours  faithfully,  S.  E.  J.  Clarke, 
iSeceetan/. 
P.S. — Since  the  Estimates  from  the  various  dis- 
tricts w'ere  drawn  up,  there  have  been  severe  hail- 
sLorms  in  Cachar  and  e.xcessive  draught  in  Darjeel- 
ing, the  Terai,  and  the  Doars,  which  may  have  an- 
appreciable  effect  on  the  outturn.  The  above  esti- 
mate of  the  crop  for  1896  should  therefore  becon- 
sidered  a full  ouo.—Iiulian  I'lxnlers’  tfanettc,  April  18. 
Assam 
Cachar 
Sylhet 
Darjeeling 
'IVr.ri.. 
Dooars 
Chittagong 
Chota-JNagpore 
Kaugra 
Dehra  Dun  and  Kumaon  (Estimate) 
Private  and  Native  Gardens  (Estimate) 
THE  RONDURA  TEA  COMPANY. 
A meeting  of  the  Directors  of  this  Company 
was  held  in  Colombo  on  the  29tli  April  to  allot 
share 3.  On  Rroadlamhs  e.state  belonging  to  this 
Conutany',  the  Colombo  Commercial  Company  are 
.at  present  erecting  a large  factor^’,  which  will  nav  e 
a capacity  of  outimt  eijual  to  about  a (juarter  of 
a million  lb.  jier  annum. 

NOTES  FROM  HO. ME. 
DoveI!,  A]uil  6. 
It  is  curious  how  little  some  ,)ournali.sts  realize 
the  rei'olutiou  of  late  ,ye.ars  in  the 
TE.V  TU,\DE, 
by  which  Indian  and  (Yylmi  has  so  coin|)letcl,y 
ousted  China.  Here  is  the  Glat(]vi>'  Ihrald  for 
iustam’c,  discu.ssing  Mr.  Chamberlain's  pro\iosal 
lor  “ Free  'J'raile  all  round  within  the  Empire” 
and  giving  the  following  as  an  illustration:  — 
“ Then  take  such  an  article  as  ten,  which  is  both 
a Rritish  and  a foreign  product.  An  inter  Imperial 
duly  on  China  tea  might  be  very  agreeable  to  the 
producers  of  India  and  Ceylon  tea,  but  if  imposed 
it  must  have  one  of  two  effects.  It  must  either 
