20 
THE 
TROPIC A.L  AGRICULTURIST.  ijuLY  i,  1896. 
The  only  satisfactory 
And  yet  it  is  notable  that 
the  Indian  export 
tidned  'ev.^  nniv  sn.r.isTacLoiv  feature 
is  the 
ciji 
from 
val , 
being  the  chief  market. 
in  spite  of  thi-.  great  increase  in  i 
of  cigars,  of  vvhict. '.ve  hear  so  ninch  ^ 
wiih  Earl’s  Court  Exhibiiions  and  ^he  hke  r- 1 
ports  of  foreign  cigais  ^e  neverthe.ess  lucreas  .d 
value  during  tlie  past  decade  from  al  oiu 
to  4 lakhs.  The  Indian  cigar  is  not  ® 
kin'i'  in  liis  own  coimti'v  ; and  if  we  were  to  ti  i 1 
and  cigarette  tobacco  into  the  reckoning  aEo  we 
should  find  that  the  value  of  the  tob  <cco  /c’’ 
into  India  is  far  greater  tiian  that  ot  the  tobacco 
that  goes  out.  Altogether  then  our  trade  in  tobaccO 
cannot  be  said  to  be  in  a satisfactory 
aid  has  been  suggested,  but  Goveniinent  has  de.idecl 
against  it,  and  probably  with  wisdom.  assist 
atice  has  not  been  found  necessaiy  with  >’td  ^ 
coffee,  and  it  was  withdrawn  in  the  case  of  tea  a 
a stage  when  that  industry  had  niade  much  less 
progress  than  tobacco  has  done.  I'loneo,  xfay  >• 
ITANTINC  AND  rUDELTCE. 
An  Old  Comppaint. — We  publish  eisewliero  a letter 
from  “Shareholder”  complaining  of  the  exclusion  of 
reporters  from  certain  meetings  ot  tea  companies. 
Attention  has  been  called  to  this  matter  several  times 
ill  these  columns,  but,  witli  few  exceptions,  those 
companies  which  sinned  in  this  respect  at  the  time 
w'e  wrote,  continue  to  follow  the  same  course.  The 
shareholders  in  these  concerns  for  the  most  part  ac- 
cept the  siuiation.  The  directors  therefore  having 
become  so  accustomed  to  ihcse  private  gatlierings 
resent  the  idea  of  publicity,  feeling  perliaps  that 
the  public  have  no  concern  witli  their  Inisiiiess, 
and  liiat  in  graciously  dcclnring  a dividend  when 
there  is  one  to  declare,  and  saving  as  little  about 
it,  as  possible  when  there  is  not,  they  are  doing 
all  that  is  required  of  them.  Shareholders,  we 
know,  ought  to  receive  dividends  with  all  humility, 
and  they  should  behave  with  due  decorum  when  there 
ai'e  none,  but  for  all  that  a domestic  and  family  read- 
ing of  the  Companies  Acts  is  not  in  harmony  with 
the  spirit  of  the  age.  Moreover,  ills  in  the  interests 
of  investors  and  the  tea  industry  geuenilly  tliat  pub- 
licity should  be  given  to  the  proceedings  at  these 
meetings.  If  a company  or  garden  has  not  liad  a 
good  year  the  fact  is  sure  to  Icalc  out  if  adverse  com- 
ments are  made,  and  it  is  better  that  tec  reason  why 
should  be  known  and  explained  at  the  proper  time  and 
place.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  there  is  good  news  to 
give  the  shareholders,  why  suppress  tlie  account  of  the 
proceedings  when  they  receive  it  ? 
Goon  Advick. — Tlie  Anieric.au  drocrr  is  impartial 
in  its  advice.  It  encourages  the  drinking  of  Indian 
aoh  Ceylon  tea,  and  it  also  tondeis  useful  informa- 
tion on  the  subject  of  coffee.  In  a note  which  is 
“ most  sarcastic,”  it  informs  its  readers  tliat  the 
true  way  to  kill  a coffee  trade  is  “ Keep  package 
substitutes!  Keep  stale  roasted  coffee!  Keep  low 
grade  coffee!  Work  everybody  clse's  brand  oi  blend 
but  your  own,  and  you  will  soon  do  very  little  busi- 
ness in  coffee.  On  the  other  hand,  make  drinking 
quality  the  lirst  consideration;  style,  the  second,  llave 
coffee  fresh  roasted  at  least  every  day,  and,  if  the 
trade  will  warrant,  ‘ frcsli  every  hour.’  Urge 
your  trade  to  buy  the  highest  grade.  Grind  coffee  to 
order,  but,  better  yet,  induce  customers  to  buy  tl  e 
whole  bean,  and  Lj  grind  coffee  as  royuired.  The 
coffee  department  ought  to  be  o.je  of  the  most  pre- 
litable  in  the  store,  it  attracts  trade  and  serves  to 
hold  customers.  There  is  more  of  pleasure  for  tlie 
palate  in  a cup  of  fragrant,  good-bodied,  well-made 
coffee  than  in  anything  which  goes  on  the  American 
breukf.iit-table.  Good  coffee  covers  a muitiiude  of 
sins;  exhilarates,  gives  tone  to  the  sys.ein;  fits  one 
to  enjoy  life,  for  Jiaeon  said  ; “ It  coinfoi  telli  the 
heart  and  aidotli  digestion.  ’ 
Japan  anj>  ns  Tka  Tkade  — Jaiaiii  will  probably 
(jpou  Biibsidibo  a lino  to  the  Australian  ports,  chicHy 
with  a view  to  the  greater  development  of  her  tea 
trade.  The  first  steamer  of  the  new  monthly  service 
to  Europe  by  the  Jap.anese  Company,  Nippon  Yuseu 
Kaisha,  is  the  “ Tosa  Maru,  ” of  5,789  tons  gross.  The 
vessel  was  due  to  leave  Bombay  about  the  middle  of 
April. 
Lectuiie  .vr  the  Society  or  Arts  on  Tea  Plant- 
iNO  i.x  ilARjEEEiNG. — Mr.  Christisou  will  read  his 
paper  on  “ Tea  Planting  in  D u-jeeling  ” before  the 
Society  of  Arts  on  Thursday,  the  14th  instant.  The 
chair  will  be  taken  at  half-past  four  o’clock  by  the 
Eight  Hon.  Sir  Richard  Temple,  Bart,  g.c.s.i.,  c.i.e. 
“PRIVATE  AND  CONFIDENTIAL.” 
To  the  Editor  of  The  Ho/iie  and  Colonial  Mail. 
Sir, — As  a shareholder  in  several  tea  companies 
I protest  against  the  policy  pursued  by  some  of 
these  companies  in  endeavouring  to  keep  their  affairs 
dark. 
I know  that  you  have  commented  on  this  strongly, 
and  I quite  agree  with  your  comments.  Unfortu- 
nately the  shareholders  on  some  tea  concerns  are 
so  weak  in  the  knees  that  they  submit  without 
protest  to  a custom  which  is  not  only  out  of  date 
in  these  days,  but  is  distinctly  detrimental  to  their 
interest. — I am,  sir,  yours,  &c.,  Shareholder. 
ACREAGE  OP  TEA  COMPANIES. 
To  the  Editor  of  The.  Home  and  Colonial  Jfnil. 
Sir, — Under  the  heading  of  “Market  for  Tea 
S'l.u-es”  in  your  valuable  paper  of  yesterday,  I notice 
a paragraph  stating  that  the  Eastern  Produce  and 
Estates  Tea  Company  is  the  largest  single  tea  com- 
pany in  existence.  Now',  I beg  to  point  out  that  this 
is  incorrect,,  as  both  the  North  Sylhet  Tea  Company, 
Limited,  and  the  South  Sylhet  Tea  Company 
Limited  have  much  more  than  11,000  acres  each 
under  cultivation.  I should  feel  obliged  by  your 
liiudly  giving  this  fact  publicity  in  your  next  issue 
f jr  the  information  of  all  interested. — I enclose  my 
card,  and  remain,  yours  faithfully, 
London,  May  ‘2,  1896.  J.  Hutchinson. 
ABOUT  BANANAS. 
The  following  account  of  Captain  Raker,  the 
Banana  King,  will  be  interesting  to  many  people 
in  the  colonies  : — 
About  twenty  years  ago  a Yankee  skipper  knock- 
ing about  with  his  schooner,  called  at  some  of 
the  ports  on  the  easterly  side  of  the  island. 
Bananas  were  plentifully  offered  him,  and  knowing 
the  taste  Americans  were  fast  acquiring  for  the 
fruit,  which  was  then  scarce  in  their  market,  he 
began  to  study  out  a plan  to  convey  the  fruit 
in  a sound  condition  to  the  United  States.  As  soon 
as  his  arrangements  were  completed  the  shipment 
of  bananas  lo  America  became  one  of  the  leading 
industries  of  the  island,  and  is  Yearly  growing  in 
magnitude 
The  name  of  this  skipper  is  Captain  Lorenzo  D. 
Baker,  of  Boston,  the  president  and  tropical  manager 
of  tho  Boston  Fruit  Company.  He  is  known  as  the 
Banana  Ring,  and  resides  at  Bowden,  a grand  plan- 
tation on  the  south  side  of  the  island.  Tne  steamer 
’*  Bowden  ” was  named  after  tho  captain’s  home.  The 
Bucknian  Fruit  Company,  of  Baltimore,  is  largely 
connected  with  the  Boston  firm. 
Captain  Baker’s  company  owns  the  largest  banana 
plantations  in  Jamaica,  and  controls  the  Wentworth 
coconut  plantation  at  Port  Maria.  Tlie  company 
owns  and  charters  twolvo  stoamers,  which  run  on 
schedule  time  betw'eeu  Jamaica  and  Boston,  Balti- 
more and  Philadelphia,  carrying  passengers  and  mails. 
In  1877  this  great  enterprise  rolled  up  its  sleeves 
and  went  to  work  to  make,  a new  Jamaica.  It 
owns  30,000  acres  of  land  and  has  about  16,000  acres 
leased.  Nearly  1,000,000  bunches  of  bananas  are  the 
annual  shipments,  besides  5, OtK), 000  coconuts  and  vast 
quantities  of  allsjiico,  oranges,  coffee,  cocoa  and  valua- 
ble woods. 
Ihe  labour  performed  on  the  Coinpanv’s  plantations 
1^' a'  •coolies  and  as  maiiy  iuoro  negroes, 
bix  luiiuircd  mules  are  always  iu  service  carrying 
