Jan. I, 1898.1 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 461 
COFFEE IN MEXICO. 
In continuation of our remarks yesterday, we 
may add that it vill be interesting to Ceylon 
and Indian coffee planters and ex-planters to 
hear of the great interest which is at present 
being taken hy “ Bi uisliers’' in coffee cultiva- 
tion in Mexico. In that country the coffee in- 
dustry is nov/ making rapid strides and coming 
well to the front. It has been known for some 
^ears that there existed in Mexico vast tracts 
of the finest coffee land, hut it is of comparatively 
^recent date only that the exploitation of coffee 
in tliat country has been taken up in a scien- 
tific and well-organised manner. 
The recent visit of experienced Ceylon planters 
did much to open the eyes of both London 
gierchants and Ceylon planters in London, to the 
immense advantages that Mexico offers for the 
cultivation of the bean ; and during the last few 
months an influential Syndicate has been formed 
of merchants and planters in London, with a 
view of acquiring and working some of the 
promising plantations and of opening up new’ 
lands for coffee. Not three but four experienced 
Ceylon men, viz., Messrs. John Clark, Cecil 0. 
Naftel, J. G. Fort and P. F. Hadow are now 
in Mexico on behalf of the Syndicate and should 
their Reports, as it is expected they w’ill, con- 
firm tho.se already in the hands of the Syndicate, 
it looks as if a very big thing were likely I 0 
come out of it. Possibly this may prove the 
finest chance that Ceylon planters have yet had 
to take up their old favorite industry in a new 
country and those first in the field will no doubt 
obtain the pick of the land. 
We understand that the name of the Syndi" 
cate is the “ Mexico Produce & Estates 
Syndicate, Limited,” of 138, Winchester Hou.se, 
London, E.C., and any Ceylon man interested 
in the matter cannot be wrong in placing himself 
in communication with the Secretary. 
CEYLON TEA IN AMERICA. 
The “ tea campaign ” of Ceylon and Indian 
planters in the United States, is cei tainly 1 eginning 
to tell when Messrs. Gow’, Wilson and Stanton 
ean send us such satisfactory figures as those 
which are appended to their letter elsewhere. 
It W’ill be observed that during the nine months 
up to 30th September last, the demand for Ceylon 
Hiea has increased by 50 per cent over the quantity 
taken for the same period of 1896. The Rood 
Lane firm sum up the case for both Ceylon and In- 
dian tea as follows : — 
“ I'lie use of Indian and Ceylon tea in North 
Anierica shows decided progress, being 8,464,749 
]b. taken during the last nine months, against 
5,562,994 lb. during tne same })eriod of 1896. This 
increase having occurred in face of somewhat ob- 
structive legislation, the develojimentis very grati- 
fying. As these restrictions are likely to be re- 
nioved there is reason to believe that the use 
of British grown tea will become even more 
general.” 
For the whole year 1897, w'e may hope that the 
total of Ceylon tea taken will not fall much short 
of 6 million lb., and of Indian, 5 million or 11 
million lb. of both and the improvement ought 
to go on steadily year by year now, seeing that 
the taste is spreading for sound teas among the 
people of the United States. 
COFFEE PLANTING IN EAST JAVA : 
“WHY GO TO MEXICO?” 
This is the question asked of us today w'ith 
reference to our article on Mexico. “Why 
.should young planters in Ceylon with .some capital 
go across the seas to far away Mexico, when there 
is far better scope and encouragement near at 
hand in East Java ? ” We have had the pleasure, 
through Mr. Fairweather of Yataderia, of meet- 
ing the pioneer of coffee in East Java. This is 
Mr. Frank Adam with 23 year.s’ experience of 
Java and the Straits and who has just come 
from Burmah on a month’s visit to tlie Ceylon 
planting districts. Mr. Adam goes to Yataderia 
tomorrow’, and afterwards he W’ill visit his 
cousin, Mr. Mooyaart-Uenison in Kandapola, and 
Messrs. F. and W. Stewart Taylor, Passara, and 
see some of the estates in Haputale, Passara, &c. 
Mr. Adam first thought of coffee in Banjoe- 
wanjie. East Java, in 1890, but he was 
scoffed and laughed at for going so far 
afield, to a district separated by 30 miles 
of “ w'ilderness ” from the occupied parts 
of the island. However he jieisevered, and there- 
sult now is some of the finest coffee plantations 
seen in Java (notably that of Glen Nevis), in 
the opinion of competent Ceylon and Java men ; 
a capital road all the way, apart from steamer 
communication ; and while labour was 90 cents 
(of a guilder) per man per day, to begin with, 
it is now down to 45 to 50 cents or lOd per day. 
Mr. Adam w’ould fain see more Ceylon men turn 
their attention to East Java ; and it must indeed 
be a certain proof of labour being abundant, that 
we find Mr. Fairweather and his partners se- 
conding this proposition ! For, what has been 
the cry for years in Ceylon ; but that “ a good 
thing is no sooner found than it is spoilt by 
too many hearing of it.” Here, however, we 
can assure young capitalist-planters that they 
will be welcomed to East Java and that the 
advantages in rich land, good labour, easy rent 
and taxes— nothing to pay for five years and 
then about 2s 3d jier acre rent with 2 per cent 
tax on produce — seem very decided indeed. We 
have no doubt that Mr. Adrm while in Ceylon 
will be very glad to give information to any 
ap])licant. The Company comprising Messrs. 
Fairweather ard Staiey have 4,000 acres land 
with 1,000 in coffee ; while Messrs. Talbot and 
partners have 300 in coffee out of 1,000 acres. One 
coffee cro]) is reported at 5.000 piculs (136 lb. each) 
of coffee, and that 1,000 c f these cover expenses ; 
while the coffee as cured is ranged with “ M. P. 
Cl ylon ” at 100s per cwt. ! 
PLANTING NOTES. 
Ramie Fibre.— Messrs. MacDonald, Boyle & 
Co., of 39, Victoria Street, S.W., write in reference 
to a note on “Ramie Fibre,” that appeared in 
these pages recently, that we must have been 
misinformed. The Midlands Spinning Co., of 
Long Eaton, have been W'orking Ramie under their 
process for the past four year.s, and tons of the 
yarn hiive been turned into lace and other niateiials. 
— Garden ers' Chronicle. 
The Effects of Eaetiiqu. ke on Trees.— 
Two or three corresjjondents of Indian Gardening 
says that since the earthquake in June the fiu'is 
on their Papaw-trees have not increased in size 
nor ripened, but lemain in the same state as 
before the earthquake. New growth, however, and 
a fresh crop of fruit has been jirod need .since the 
catastrophe, leaving the previously-formed fruit 
airesled. 
