282 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
,[OCT.  I,  1896. 
wliile  its  consumption  of  bananas  may  be  com- 
paratively larj'e,  still  its  3UU,<Ji)U  of  population 
is  small  in  comparison  to  the  large  number  of 
cities  and  towns  which  draw  their  supplies  from 
the  Sydney  emporium.  The  population  of  Aus- 
tralia, leaving  (Queensland  out  of  the  question, 
amounts  to  close  upon  3, 000, COO. 
If  this  barrier  of  Custom  wdiich  presents  itself 
is  inimical  to  the  ])rotitable  conduct  of  the  trade, 
the  sooner  it  is  broken  down  the  better  it  will 
bo  for  all  concerned.  If  the  middle  men  of 
Sydney  will  not  co-operate  with  the  shijipers  of 
this  colony  in  their  elf'orts  to  put  fiuit  on  the 
market  on  more  practical  economic  conditions 
then  they  will  only  have  themselves  to  blame 
if  other  means  are  taken  to  reach  the  consumer 
without  their  as.sistanc.e.  By  last  mail  we  are 
in  receipt  of  advices  from  Sydney — “ Don’t 
send  any  bananas  in  cases.  If  you  do 
so  they  will  not  realise  charges.”  It 
would  be  well,  then,  if  the  exporters 
were  to  meet  together  and  consider  this  matter 
in  all  its  detail.  The  ncces-sity,  under  any  cir- 
cumstances, of  casing  a large  portion  ot  tlie 
fruit  is  shown  by  it  being  done  when  it  arrives 
in  the  colonies.  As  we  are  all  aware  in  this 
country  much  of  the  finest  fruit  fall  off  the 
bunches  and  never  reaches  the  consumer,  with- 
out it  haiipens  to  be  the  colonial  wharf  longer. 
Again,  much  of  the  best  fruit  is  on  the  .smaller 
bunches  which  are  not  considered  of  full  size 
in  the  market  acceptation  of  tlie  term  but,  cut  up 
and  sent  to  market  in  cases,  the  fruit  would 
be  much  ap))reciated  by  the  consumer,  and, 
at  tlie  same  time,  the  waste  which  is  at  presen 
entailed  would  be  avoided  and  the  extra  profit 
that  must  accrue  would  also  be  much  apprc* 
dated  by  the  producer.  It  is  the  timely  con- 
sideration of  all  these  small  detail  in  economic 
working  conditions  that  make  the  dilf'erence  bet- 
ween profit  and  los.s,  and  as  the  contest  for  posi- 
tion in  the  market  goes  on  apace,  it  wore  well 
that  they  be  not  disregarded  until  too  late  in 
the  day. — Fiji  Times,  Aug.  S. 
VARIOUS  PLANTING  NOTES. 
M.VCIHN’K-MADK  Te.V  IN’  (Aiina.— A Uolomlo 
mei’chant  in  sending  us  an  onlcr  writes  : — “(  'ertain 
friends  in  (’liina  have  asked  me  tn  scud  them  the 
best  book.s  on  the  above  subject  as  they  seem 
In  think  there  is  a chance  of  making  tea  in 
China  by  machinery.  1 can't  say  I share  my 
friends  Views,  but  I must  com)dy  with  their 
request  nevertheless.  The  Chinese  will  never  use 
machinery  as  long  as  the  tea  gardens  are  owned 
and  managed  by  Chinese.” 
Tomato,  a Thiurr  ou  Vegetaule.— The  Tomato, 
from  a botanical  standpoint,  is  a fruit.  It  is  also 
used  as  a dessert  fruit  by  many  people.  In  regard  to 
exhibiting  this  vegetable  product,  it  has  been  found 
convenient  by  most  societies  to  include  it  with  the 
vegetables  or  salad.s,  and  the  decision  of  the  judges 
in  your  case  was  by  no  means  extraordinary.  In  the 
IttUes  of  Juihiini),  issued  by  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  which  for  the  present  should  be  the  recog- 
nised authority  for  the  settlement  of  such  points,  is 
the  following: — “ Tomatos  are  only  recognised  as 
dessert  fruits  where  specifically  admitted  by  the 
particular  schedule,  thus  * Tomatos  admissible. 
— Gardener's  Chronicle,  Aug.  15. 
The  Best  Soaps  for  Warm  Climates  are 
CALVEK'rS  TOILET  SfJAP  ((id.  Tablets)  and 
PKlClvLY-llEAT  SOAP  («'!•  ft'"*  Is.  bars),  plea- 
santly i)erfume<l,  fui  Bath  or  Toilet  containing 
10  per  cent,  of  Pure  Carbolic.  Very  serviceable 
as  preventives  of  Prickly-heat  and  other  skin 
irritation.  Sold  at  Chemists,  btores,  &c. 
f.  C-  CALYEPT  & CO',  Mauciiester. 
INDIAN  TEA  SAl.ES- 
From  Jralsoti,  liibthorpiL-  Co.’s  Tea  Ilej)  rl) 
Calcutta,  Sept.  Ifitli,  1896. 
82,231  packages  changed  hands  in  the  sales  held 
ou  the  10th  instant.  The  market  was  quiet  and 
prices  for  aU  grades  of  tea  were  again  lower,  full 
rates  alone  being  obtained  for  a few  lots  of  choice 
tea.  There  was  a good  demand  for  outside  markets 
and  buyers  secured  about  6,000  packages. 
The  average  price  of  the  32,231  packages  sold  is 
As.  7-6  or  about  Hid.  per  lb.  as  compared  with  24,123 
packages  sold  ou  the  12th  September  1895  at  As.  8-4  or 
about  8^d  per  lb.  and  18.967  packages  sold  on  the 
13th  September  1894  at  As.  8-9  or  nearly  9Jd 
per  lb. 
The  exports  from  1st  April  to  14th  September  from 
here  to  Great  Britain  are  57,079,453  lb.  as  com- 
pared with  55,709,797  lb.  at  the  corresponding  period 
last  season  and  54,951,184  lb.  in  1894. 
Note. — Last  sale’s  average  was  As.  7-8  or  nearly 
8id. 
Teleohams. — Reuter  telegraphed  from  London  on 
the  7th  instant — “Type”  7jd,  on  the  8th  instant 
— “ Typo  ’’  7Jd,  on  the  10th— Offered  29,000,  sold 
25,500  packages.  Generally  very  firm  with  full  rates. 
Average  lOJ.  “ Type  ’’  7 7-16d,  and  on  the  4th 
— “ Type”  7 916d. 
Exchange. — Document  bills,  6 months’  sight. 
Is  2p. 
Freight. — Steamer — £1-3-9  per  ton  of  .50  c.  ft. 
(From  William  Moran  Co.'s  Marled  Report.) 
C.'LCUTTA,  Sept.  16tli,  1896. 
T’EA.— The  sale  of  the  3rd  instant,  comprised 
19,725  chests,  of  which  19,491  sold.  Prices  generally 
were  rather  weaker,  finest  kinds  selling  about  half-an- 
anna  lower  and  medium  sorts  showing  a similar  or 
lather  greater  decline.  Common  descriptions  were 
slightly  easier.  Ou  the  10th  a large  quantity  was 
brought  forward,  32,910  chests  being  offere  1 of 
which  32,493  found  buyers.  Fine  teas  were  steady 
and  common  descriptions  very  firm.  Medium  sorts 
again  were  rather  lower. 
Total  quantity  of  Tea  passed  through  Calcutta 
from  1st  Apiil  to  It  .li  September. 
1896. 
1895. 
1894. 
Great  Britain 
57,537,427 
55,497,187 
5t,831,.379 
Foreigu  Europe  .. 
158,753 
161,288 
119,389 
America 
37i),811 
155, 'J88 
171,;457 
Asia 
2,035,389 
1,977,007 
1,592,3.54 
Australia 
2,474,113 
3,070,754 
2,213,874 
62,585, 5‘26 
61,162,221 
58,378,353 
^ 
ITtOPUCTION  01'  Es.SENTIAL  OILS  IN  SiCILY.— 
Ceybni  is,  to  some  extent  interested  in  the  fol- 
lowing informtatioii  : — 
Owing  however,  to  the  measures  taken  of  late  to 
guarantee  the  genuineness  of  the  Sicilian  es.sential  oils, 
these  have  redeemed  their  character  and  regained  their 
place  on  foreign  markets.  The  value  of  the  volatile 
oil  depends  wholly  on  the  variety  of  the  citrus  whence 
it  is  expressed,  and  that  squeeezed  from  the  peel  of 
the  beigaraot  is  the  most  highly  prized^  that  of  the 
lemon  coming  next,  while  the  orange  essence  only 
occupies  the  third  place  in  the  scale  of  values.  The 
quauiity  of  essential  oils  shipped  to  all'  countries 
during  1896  was  37,911  kilogrammes,  valued  at  588,085 
lire  (lire  9 9-16d),  and  the  large  proportion  of  .32,010 
kilogrammes  out  of  this  quantity  was  taken  by  Great 
Britain,  the  value  of  the  same  being  224, o70.  The 
figures  for  1894  were — total  62,422  kilogrammes,  worth 
733,908  lires  ; and  to  Greet  Britain  45,626  kilogrammes' 
valued  at  638,764  lire.  It  should  however,  be  mentioned 
here  that  in  this  instance  at  least  the  custom-house 
valuation  is  apparently  greatly  in  excess  of  the  actual 
market  value  of  these  Journal  of  the  tSocietif 
of  21. 
