July i, 1897.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
2r 
The total quantity of desiccated coconuts exported 
last year was over 10,000,000 lb. which would he 
equivalent to about 30,000,000 nuts. The falling-otf 
in the export of oil, however, represents about 
100 million nuts ! Thus, last year we sent 
away only 343,000 cwt. of oil — the lowest figure 
for the past ten years, if we except 1887. In 
1892 the exports amounted to 5.50,000 cwt. The 
difference, therefore, between 1892 and 1896 was 
as much as 217,000 cwt., and each hundred- 
weight of oil may be taken to represent 500 
nuts. The present year shows no improvement 
in the demand for oil. On the contrary, there 
is a falling-off, though not very considerable, 
up to date ; while the price b.as been about the 
lowest on record. The explanation of the last- 
mentioned fact is that tallow has been uncom- 
monly cheap in Europe and in America, naturally 
affecting the demand for oil for soap-manufac- 
turing purposes. Happily, India has come to 
the rescue, and taken away much more than 
America and the United Kingdom combined. 
And Singapore, too, has proved a good customer, 
having taken away over 15,000 cwt. as against 
10,000 by America and 20,000 by the United 
Kingdom. The leap by India, from 16,000 for 
the first months of last year to 47,000 cwt. 
for the corresponding period this year, is promising; 
but still, both the total quantity of oil exported 
and the prices which rule, prove that the markets 
of ICurope and America must govern prices ; and 
the prices of nuts must be largely governed by 
the ruling price of oil. We are not of those 
who believe that the desiccating business has 
no influence on coconut prices. Such a belief is 
obviously untenable, in presence of the facts 
and experiences of the past few years. Still 
the 250,000,000 nuts which may be taken a.s a 
high average for the oil we export, must have 
a greater influence on the market than the 
30,000,000 which the desiccating business repre- 
.sents. The fall in prices of nuts this year, as 
compared with last year, represented by K5 to 
R6 per thousand, illustrates and gives point to what 
we mean. 
This fall cannot but be due to a very great 
extent to the restriction of business caused by 
the tightness of the money market. But for 
this stringency, we fancy Messrs. Akbar’s Mills 
at Negombo vvould have continued, to work — 
notwithstanding the sad death of their proprietor. 
One other establishment at least, not far from 
Colombo, owned by natives, ho,?-, been obliged 
to stop work, owing to the stringency of the 
money market , during the whole of this year. 
Naturally, this has told on the local demand for 
niits,-of which the working mills took advantage. 
The resolution of , the Orient Mills to have an 
establishment in the Chilaw district, supplement- 
ary to the large and flourishing concern which 
has existed for' several years at Veyangoda, is 
in imitation of the exaniple of Messrs. Vavas- 
seur & Co. , who last year opened a branch estab- 
lishment in the same great coconut district, where 
the ruling price for nuts is controlled to a great 
extent by the cost of transport to the port of 
shipment. Escablishments like those we are 
considering take count of the lower cost of 
transport of the manufactured article — the cost of 
manufacture itself being lighter in the rural 
districts where labour is cheaper than in Colombo 
atul the neighbourhood. A large proportion of the 
nuts of the Chilaw district, which found its way 
to Colomlm in the shape of copra, will liow go 
to the two desiccating mills there ; ami if 
copra becomes scarcer (and dearer) the re- 
action must be in favour of nuts which will 
thus command a higher price ! At least 
such is the hope of the coconut proprie- 
tor ; while the calculation of the mills is said 
to be that pricc.s will be easier, when the nuts 
of one district are not wanted for the manu- 
factories of another. The reasoning would be 
intelligible if there is to be no advance in the 
quantity of desiccated coconuts; but so long as 
tlie new mills lead to larger exports, there must 
be keener competition for nuts, and with it 
better prices. Another fact which should cheer the 
hearts of coconut projmetors is the purchase 
of the Akbar Mills at Negombo by the Ceylon 
Tea Plantations Company. We sugge.sted a couple 
oj years ago, that this flourishing , and wealthy 
Company, which has been investing its reserve 
in coconut estates, is not lUvely to be content 
with disposing of their produce to manufacturer.s. 
Its enlistment among manufacturers is to be 
welcomed by estate proprietors ; and if only the 
demand for oil is fairly maintained, prices for 
coconuts may rise again to the figures of last 
year. But tlie oil market is ever a slippery one ; 
and we would prefer not to prophesy before the 
event ! 
^ 
CEYLON AND ORIENTAL ESTATES 
COMPANY. 
There is no indication in the Annual Repoit 
of the Directors of this Company — given on luawe 
23 -of a change of name as recently intimated 
in a local print. It will be seen that the Report 
IS a full and satisfactory one givini^ due, details 
as to selling price of tea, exchange, yield, &?. 
and the latest statistics of each estate as to 
cultivated area, *Scc. I he dividend declared 
aggregating 7 per cent for the year— must be 
considered satisfactory in view of the strono- 
position taken by the Comi)any with its 41 per 
-cent debentures. To have tlie Chairman of the 
Bank of England on the Boanl is a great advan- 
tage and no less to have Mr, Huntly Thring for 
Man.aging Director ; while among the Directors 
are such well-known and esteemed names in 
Ceylon as Messrs. T. J. Lawrance, Reiss and 
Hancock. The Company has our best wishes for 
its continued prosperity. 
FREE GRANTS OF LAND OFFERED 
IN BRITISH NORTH BORNEO FOR 
PLANTING. 
We direct attention to the notice, in the daily 
issue of the Cci/lon Observer from the British North 
Borneo Comp.aiiy, offering free grants of land 
to young men with a capital of £2,000 and up- 
wards. The grants of land are of 500 acres each 
suitable for the cultivation of coffee, tea, cinchona, 
etc. Other lands suitable for tobacco, rhea and 
Indian rubber can also be had on favourable 
terms. 
PRODUCE AND PLANTING. 
Lii3EEi.tN Coffee.— The production of coffee in 
.Liberia is increasing enormously. The coffee exiiortcd 
Quriijg the fi.scal year, 1896, amounted to 600,00016 
wliile the exports for the year ended June oJ ISOfi' 
amounted to 3,000,001b, Farnier.s, iiiercliants,’ aiid 
people generally have turned their attention to 
