Nov. I, 1897.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
357 
and Liquorshops are an evil ; buc they are 
the lesser of two evils ; as, in their absence, 
illicit traffic is inevitable. (9) Just, firni treat- 
ment of the coolyis the great panacea foiTabour 
troubles and discontent ; and to secure this, 
the master must be in touch with his men, 
sympathise with them, and not be too often absent 
from the estate, whether on pleasure or busi- 
ness. 
^ 
PROGRESS IN THE STRAITS. 
From a Report by the Commissioner of Lands 
and Mines, F.M S., dated Kuala Lumpur, 12th 
August, published in the Neyri ^embilan Govern- 
ment Gazette oi Oct. 15th, we quote a few passages 
of planting interest : — 
After driving for sonie thirteen miles, fiom Serem- 
ban, through a succession of coffee estates — all 
except one of which are in the hands of European 
owners, and tbe healthy growth of which, notably in 
the case of the older pianta ions superintended by 
Mr. Dunman, is a pleasing augury of future success 
— we exchanged the dogcart for our horses, and rode 
for another thirteen miles on a track running through 
continuous kampong and sawah land to Chenoug, 
where we halted for a midday rest. 
The country lying between Kuala Pilah and the 
foot of the hill is at least as noticeable for picturesque 
scenery and continuous cultivation as any which we 
passed thiough during the course of our tour. The 
long valley by the side of w*ich the road runs is one 
extensive padi field, and every little valley which 
diverges from it is utilised for the same purpose. 
The higher lands which fringe the valley have evid- 
ently been under cultivation tor a large number of 
years, the fruit trees being for the most part ma- 
ture, and, in many instances, of grand proportions. 
, I have seen stretches of country in other parts o^ 
the Native States exhibiting the same features o* 
valleys emerging from among the spurs of the hills, 
apd alternating with higher and undulating ground, 
but never have I seen any attempt to form those valleys 
into padi fields in a manner or to an extent which 
will bear even momentary comparison with what is 
regularly done in the Negri Sembilan. These States 
are not naturally more productive than other places. 
What has been done there can be done elsewhere, 
and for some considerable period in the future the 
States of the Negri Sembilan (old) will stand as an 
example of what can and should be done for the 
land by the native agriculturist. 
Then from Report of the District Officer, Tampin 
for July, 1897. 
On the 22nd we left Kuala Gemencheh, at 7-30 p.m., 
and walked over the footpath to Kelamah Tapioca 
Estate and thence to another estate at Chembul. 
The distance walked was about 20 miles, aiTd the 
journey occupied the whole day. Between Kuala 
Gemencheh and Kelamah, at a place called Ladang, 
there is a beautiful expanse of padi country, at 
present abandoned ; I trust, however, it may ere long 
be brought into cultivation again by a scheme which 
I have proposed in a separate communication. 
At Kelamah the managing partner of the estate, 
Li Kah, met us. and accompanied us to Chembul, 
where we stayed the night at a very nice little 
house erected by Li Kah for his own use. Li Kah, 
who manages both Kelamah and Chembul Estates, 
complained that owing to the bad state of the Malacca 
roads he had hitherto been unable to export much 
of his tapioca and had 1,000 bags at Chembul and 
2,000 at Kelamah awaiting export. As (owing to the 
dry weather) the state of the roads had improved, 
he asked assistance to enable him to get these large 
quantities of tapioca out as soon as possible. I have 
since detailed a clerk to weigh the tapioca at his 
factories, with the result that over 2,000 pikuls were 
weighed and exported during August, bringing in 
about $500 duty. 
DRUG REPORT. 
{From the Chemist and Dniggist.) 
London, Oct. 7. 
The Markets show several interesting features this 
w-eek. Quinine has betn the chief centre of interest. 
The spice-boom is still raging, but has shifted from white 
pepper to cloves. 
Vanill.v.— T he following figures are supplied to us as 
being the “authentic” p.irticulars relating to the Eastern 
vanilla crops of 1897 and 1893 
Place. Bourbon. Seychelles. Mayotte. 
Mada- 
gascar. 
kilos. 
2,600 
2,000 
Mauritius. 
kilos. 
2,500 
2,000 
kilos. kilos. kilos. 
189G . . 98,000 25,000 13,000 
1897 ..100,000 13,000 8,000 
The total output in 1897 is therefore about 13 per cent 
less than last year -viz. 125,' 00 kilos, against Ul,o00 kilos. 
In these figures no account is taken of the small pro- 
duction of the West Indies, Ueylon, &c., nor of the large 
crop of Mexico. The Loudon market remains firm, anda 
fair amount of business has taken place privately at steady 
rates since the last auction-. It seems likely that prices 
will keep at their present level until Christmas and New. 
Year’s wants have been filled. 
ClNCHOXA.— The average quinine content of the manu- 
facturing barks at last Thursday's auctions at Amster- 
dam was the highest on record. Not so very long ago 
a 6 -per cent average was considered a high one; last 
week it was 6T0 per cent. The richest parcel offered 
was one of 27 bales le geriana crushed bark, analysing 
9 24 per cent. This realised 58c. per J kilo. The tiighest 
unit paid was 7c., at which 2,120 kilos of bark changed 
hands, the lowest ojc., at which 921 kilos sold. The tone 
was very an, mated throughout the auctions, and im- 
proved steadily towards the end. The general opinion is 
that a further advance is imminent. uruggists’ barks 
realised irregular but generally higher prices. There 
was an especially good competition for crushed Succi- 
rubra, which was readily brought by cinchoiiidine m.nu- 
facturers. The following figures show the result of the 
first eight Amsterdam auctions (Jan.-Oct.) of the past 
five years 
■S.o 
Year. 
■S ^ 
a‘5 
S p3 £2 
§ S-S 
kilos. 
kilos. 
per cent. 
kilos. 
1897 
4,005,504 
221,0.8 
6-26-6’fO 
186,444 
1896 
4,528,277 
240,309 
6-03-6-83 
212,426 
1895 
4,633,859 
226,337 
4-03-5-17 
141,314 
1894 
3,443,031 
101,639 
4'01-5T2 
1-5, 7i7 
1893 
3,930,594 
172,982 
4 '23-5 -02 
97,679 
H 
kilos. 
34,014 
3i,L83 
84,C53 
35,932 
75,303 
xne exports or cincnona-uarK irom iviaracaiuo, S. America 
in 1896 amounted to lOl cwt. 
C0C0A-13UTTER.--At auction on Tuesday 200 2-cwf. cases 
of Cadbury's best cocoa-butter sold at froin 12J.r to 13d 
per lb., being an advance of 2d on the last public 
sales. For 150 cases of Dutch cocoa-butter a i id of lo^d 
per lb. was i-ejected, and the lot was bought in at 
lljd per lb. At the Amsterdam public auctions held 
0 4 Tuesday about 80 tons of Van Houten’s cocoa-butter 
were offered. Of this quantity 28j tons sold at up to 
60c. per half-kilo. The only other j arcel sold tvas one 
of 7 tons Dutch (“ Hammer ”) cocoa-butter, which 
realised 66jc. per half-kilo. Several lots of different 
brands were bought in. The market generally is quiet. 
Kola.— The demand has been .slightly better recently 
but Loudon holders have some difiiculty in competing 
at present, Hamburg and Liverpool both offering at lowm- 
rates. In the last-named place there seems to be a big stock. 
Kola-nuts are held for higher prices at last Thurs- 
day’s auctions. Ordinary slightly mouldy good bright 
West Indian sold at from 4jd up to 8d per lb., and 19 pack- 
ages wormy and mouldy African kolas were also dis- 
posed of. 
Essential Oils.— Lemongrass oil is rather dearer, and 
the cheap lot-s offering in London at2)d per oz. liave been 
bought up, and 3d is now asked on the spot, 'To arrive 
nothing is offering. Citronella oii steady at Is 2^d per lb. 
in tins, and Is 2d in drums. To arrive the quotation is 
Is Ijd per lb. in drums, c. i. f. terms, shipment to end 
of year. 
An essay describing a really 
genuine Cure for Deafness. 
Ringing in Ears, &c. , no matter how severe or long 
standing, will be sent post free.— Artificial Ear- 
drums and similar appliances entirely suiier.seded. 
Address THOMAS KEMPE, Victoria Cham- 
bers, 19, SOUTHAMPTON BUILDINGS, HOLBORN, 
London. 
DEAFNESS. 
