194 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
FOR ALL INTERESTED IN “TEA.” 
There is a great deal of instructive,^ if not 
practical, information in this issue of the Tropical 
Agriculturist. First, we may call attendou to the 
letter of our old contributor, Mr. John Hamilton, 
who, to experience as Ceylon planter and est ate pro- 
prietor, has long added that of a London merchant 
and expert. Mr. Hamilton has always proved 
a good friend to Ceylon planter, and they 
will think all the more of him if his surmise 
in a private note to us, proves true when he 
says ; — “ It seems probable that we liave now 
reached the end of unsatisfactory (tea) prices 
for the present.” But to turn to his letter 
rc the Bulking and Packing of teas, it will be 
observed that Mr. Hamilton throws (p-iite a 
new light on the situation. He avers that much 
of the trouble arises from overpacking and occa- 
sional carelessness in retiring, on the part of 
the Ceylon planter. The temptation to get as 
much tea as can be squeezed into each chest 
is it seems, a very real one with some ot 
our Superintendents and Tiiischief results in 
several ways as pointed out by Mr. Hamilton. 1 he 
latter is even doubtful if refiring does not do more 
harm than good; while he is strong about the 
unequal gross weight of packages in a_ ucaU. 
We commend the letter to the careful con- 
sideration of planters and should like to hear 
what “ Senex ” and some others think ot it. 
We have next to draw attention to the 
valuable review— given on page 19o— by the 
Investors' GimrcUcm oi •Sw\j lUth of the working 
of Indian and Ceylon Tea Companies tor 
1896 with reference to their value as an 
invekrnent. Our contemporary has taken con- 
siderable trouble in the matter, and, as a 
leadino- Colombo merchant writes to us, “the 
article” is well-written and the figures appear to 
have been carefully comihled.” The comi)ari- 
sons and results cannot fail to attract consider- 
able attention in this community. The surpris- 
in" fact brought out by this examination ot the 
accounts of 94 Tea Companies is that the total 
result shews a larger net profit for those belonging 
to Ceylon than for India, though “ Ceylon teas do 
not reach anything like the high-water mark of the 
best Indian Companies.” The highest average in 
the case of an Indian Company is 12 45d lor the 
Assam, the net profit being 20 per cent on the 
ordinary shares; while in Ceylon, our highest 
averaoe is lO’SOd for tiie Nuwara Eliya Co., 
the net profit being only 6 per cent. But the 
Guardian editor should really have had a note 
to say that 1896 was the very first year of the 
latter Company and could therefore scarcely be 
taken as a fair criterion. At the same time 
there are high average (1218d or 10‘75d) Dar- 
iiling Companies which only pay 6 and less 
per cent. Nevertheless, the Indian Companies 
with fine teas show the highest .percentage— 
11 62 p. c. as compared with 7.48 p. c. (medium 
class) and 9.17 low-class teas ; while in the case 
of Ceylon the result is quite the reverse, the 
high-ciass teas averaging only 9.10 per cent. 
a"ainst 12.5 for low-class teas and 9.90 per cent 
for “ Not classified.” This is a matter which 
surely requires to be looked into in Ceylon, 
or the reputation of Conijiaiiies owning high 
estates must be affected. As the Guardian says, 
“ the Companies in Ceylon which have pro- 
duced tea below the average of 8.25 d per lb. 
have given a much better result for the investor 
than the better class, the percentages being 12-5 
for the former and only 9.1 for tlie latter. 
[Sept, i, 1897. 
We await the further article of our con- 
temporary on the subject with considerable 
interest. 
We have further to note the good feeling mani- 
fested at the annual meeting of the Indian Tea 
Association in London as to the joint Tea Cam- 
paign in America and the confidence felt in the 
good work done througli the Agency of Me.'^srs. 
Mackenzie and Blechyndcn. The Grocer— ever 
snarling at Indian and Ceylon, and unduly 
praising Cliina, teas — has been at its old game 
it seems, while the editor also deprecates any 
further reduction in the British tea duty. Both 
tliis (jiiestioii and that of “bulking” are likely 
to be the subject of consideration shortly by 
Committees representative of tea interests in 
India and Ceylon. 
THE TRINIDAD GOVERNMENT 
STOCK FARM. 
The working of this establishment for the 
past year ( 1896) is reported to have been a 
moderately successful one. The following are 
some pan iculars relative to the dairy. The total 
out|iut of milk was l.'l:l,151 quarts ; the daily 
average number of cows milked wa.s 64, and their 
yield 5'55 quarts per day. The yield, which is 
apparently less than in 1895, is said to be 
due not to any fault of the cows, but to the 
Colonial Hospital suddenly discharging its in- 
mates in the midille of the ye.ar for the pur- 
pose of clearing the building, with the result 
that the demand for milk simultaneously ceased 1 
On this account as many cows .as ))Ossible were 
dried otf to save feeding. Tb ■ yield of the milch 
COW' is regulated by the qiiantii y required by the 
medical institutions. Any sur|dns after meeting 
these demands goes to the calves. As re- 
gards the feeding of the cow's, rye meal was 
supplied all through without any ill-effect. With 
it was mixed “middlings” (a fourth crushing of 
whe.at), (rotton-seed meal, .and coconut meal. The 
actual cost of the food, 8 lb. per day, is about 
10 cents. The liealth of the cattle was sati.s- 
f.actory, the total mortality being 7 head, 
that is 1 cow, 1 bull, and 5 calves. The 
following remedy for ticks is recommended by the 
Manager: — 2 gallons coconut oil, 1 quart kerosene, 
and sufficient Stockholm tar to colour well. This 
mixture vvill dress 20 head of cattle at, say, S^d 
per head, if they are not too much troubled. It has 
to be well rubbed in with a piece of old sacking 
all over the animal. The price of milk in Trinidad 
as sold to the hospitals is only 5 cents per im- 
perial quart. 
We have referred at some length to the dairy 
as being that part of the Trinidad Stock Farm 
which is of most local interest, but it should 
be noted that the breeding of cattle and horses 
is succe.ssfully carried on as well. In writing 
to us, the Man.ager, Mr. C. W. Meaden, says 
that the ye.ar 1896 “ has been fairly successful, 
though in all such establishments it must be 
e.xpected that the success and profit will fluctu- 
ate. I enclose a photograph of a group of our 
milch stock. It is hard to define the origin of 
them, but they are the product of creole cows 
by Indian bulls (‘Harrina’). These cows give 
400 to 500 imperial quarts of milk per month 
and produce excellent working oxen.” We thank 
Mr. Meaden for the excellent photograph and 
his satisfactory report, and wish the Trinidad 
Farm continued success. 
