Feb. t, 1898.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
avo had a very fair time of it getticg all along 
2 cents per lb. Superintendents must be unanimous, 
however, and the agents should insist on the reduc- 
tion as it makes fully 2 cents per lb. on cost of the 
lb. of tea. 
Labour. — Coolies, both Tamils and Sinhalese, have 
been with few exceptions sufficient for requirements. 
The Chetties are having rather a rough time < f it, 
as also the Caddy men, and Plante: s feel that these 
people have a lot to do with unsettling of Eamasamy 
and that they induce the kangonies to ask their 
tundn and leave. If Government were to insist on 
a pretty big stamp being put on tundus, it would 
not only stop this much-abused system in a 
great measure, but it would be a very fair source 
of revenue, as most districts are swarming with 
them. Our worthy Police Magistrate continues 
to give satisfaction, but he is terribly overworked. 
The best thing for cooly, kangany and all concerned 
would be if W'e had a penal clause in oiir wretched 
Labour Ordinance, which would enable employers of 
labour, with debts of over E20 due the estate, to be 
in a position to refuse either notice or tundn while 
so in debt. This would at once not only raise 
Eamasamy from the dreadful state of doubt he is 
now in, but it would also be a direct blow at dis- 
honest bolters and the rotten advance system, like a 
cancer gnawing out the very vitals of our planting 
enterprise. The Tamils have a most v holesome 
dread of being held in service for any specified teim; 
so, I think, if being indebted to an estate or to his 
kangany over a certain amovnt held him if not in 
service, or limited him to the boundary of the estate till 
debt is paid ; his condition, as also that of the 
planting employees, would be improved, for he would 
not be so fond of borrowing. Let him sever his 
contract of service by all means, but if indebted to 
the estate, or to his kangany over a certain amount, 
make his stepping over the boundary and finding 
new employment impossible until he has paid the 
utmost farthing. Other colonies have such laws for 
insolvent debtors (white men); why shouldn’t we for 
coolies. If we had, our P.M. would have no work to do! 
Eoads — Mostly in very bad order and showing up 
the MacBride system in its true light. "What a grand 
thing for the Colony a change of blood occasionally is. 
Health. — There has been a good deal of sickness 
during the year, but the average number of patients 
in our hospital has not been higher than usual. 
I never can make out what our Gampola Local Board 
is doing. The streets are a disgrace. 
IMPORTATION OF SEED OF SHADE 
TREES INTO B.C. AFRICA. 
We are authorised by the Commissioner to publish 
the following extracts from aletter from the Director 
of the Eoyal Gardens at Kew to the Foreign Offii e 
regarding the introduction of the seeds of shade tites 
into the B.C. A. Protectorate from India. 
“ The coffee disease was introduced into Fiji thiough 
the instrumentality of tea seeds from Ceylon. Not- 
withstanding the splendid attempts i, adeby Sir Wil- 
liam MacGregor to stamp it out, it ultimately 
completely destroyed the coffee industry, which wa.s 
the most promising planting enterprise in the colony. 
The Germans by some unknown means have suc- 
ceeded in introducing the disease into their African 
territories. 
“ In the face of these undoubted frets it would in 
my opinion be the he'ght of folly (o run the smallest 
risk of inticducing the disease into British Central 
Africa where its presence wculd le an irreparable 
disaster. 
“Knowing the mechanical way in which such work 
is carried out by native cfficials in India, I do not 
think that any stipulation as to locality is of the 
smallest value 
“Whatever was stated to the contrary, the first 
parcel of seed would in all probability come from 
a plantation reeking with disease. 
“The present request is the more unnecessary as 
according to a coffee planter in Nyasaland who is 
531 
well acqiminted with coffee cultivation in Ceylon, a 
local African tree ‘ Albizza fastigtata' is admirably 
adapted for a shade tree for coffee. Xf this is no 
sufficient the rain tree or ‘ Pithecolobium Saman’ 
might be tiied. The seed can be obtained in abun- 
dance from Tamaica and that would be perfectly safe. 
“ In view of the opinion of so high an authority 
danger of introducing shade-tree seed from 
India H.M. Commissioner cannot consent to any 
mfringement of the provisions of Clause I. of the 
Queen’s Regulations for the prevention of Coffee 
di.sease in British Central Africa.’’— “ B.C. A. Gazette,’’ 
Nov. 7. 
B. C. AFRICA : CURRENT CHAT. 
A sale of 683 acres took place at Cholo a short time 
f’fTO. Xhe land is od or Dear to the Mowazi. 
1-35 bags of Nyasaland coffee were sold in the last 
week ot July at prices ranging from .58s. to 94s. 6d 
Ihe tone of the market at last advises was fiimer. 
We arc glad to hear that H. M. Commissioner has 
refused to allow any recruiting of labour for export 
from B.C. A. to take place. Captain Sewell leaves 
errand having been so far fruitless 
We hope he will meet with more success in districts 
where there is not the same need to conseive labour 
as here. 
Mr. Selby of the A. T. T. Co., who was up in Central 
Angoniland recruiting labour, has retnrned to Blan- 
tyre. He was successful in obtaining some 300 
la^urers who are being sent on by the Administration. 
Our veteran pioneer, Mr. J. W. Moir, who has just 
returned from furlough, has been spending a few days 
at Blantyre before going on to his estate at Mla-nje. 
which fell at Blantyre on the 29th and 
30th October have been of great benefit to the plant- 
ations there and a good spike has been brought out. 
They seem to have been very local however, as only 
shgnt showers are reported from Zomba and some 
parts of Cholo. — Cerdral African Times, Oct. 1897. 
PRICES OF COFFEE. 
The New Yoth Tournal of Commerce says: — “Prices 
of Brazil eeffees are now ruling at about the lowest 
figures in the history of the trade. In December 
1882, February delivery sold at 5'24c. Since that 
date until the current year the range has been be- 
tween 6|c. and 19c. During this year, however 
there has been a gradual decline, and on the 9th 
instant November was quoted on the excbai.ee at 
4-45@4'60c. W. H.CroBsman & Brother, large receivers 
and authniHes on coffee matters, say The decline 
is the result of a coffee production treater than the 
consumption. The quality of this crop in both Rio 
and bantos is the beet that W’e have seen for twelve 
or fourteen years. The average is belter than any 
crops,, except the large ones of 1681-82 and 1882-83 
It IS jrcof positive that it is the product of youn? 
tree and not old trees. The quality of the old trees 
was so roor that during the year of 1893, 1894 1895 
and l!96 any coffee grading better than No. 7’com- 
manded a heavy piemium and resulted in the hieh 
. fferences made on the Coffee Exchange last year 
The quality of this crop was certainly not expected 
by anybody. On the basis of the receipts up to date 
nobody can figure less than 5,250,fC0 to 6 >=00 0(0 
bags Sanlos and 4,00(',000 to 4,250,000 bag’s Eio 
From two parties in Santos estima'es have been re' 
fneoncil’ srowing Santos crop is as large as 
6,000 000 bags. In one case it was estimated that 
including the new-crop coffee, which comes in during 
May and June, ibe receipts for Ihe twelve months 
could not be figmed at less than 6,000,000 bags 
And while this is a very high figure, actual receipts 
so far argue strongly in its favor. The coming crop 
has been estmmleu as high as 6,00('000 bags for 
bantos and 4,000,000 bags for Eio. And for the 
present crop, as theic- aie new trees and a laige 
number that will bear fiuit for the first time next 
year, it does rot seem so unreasonable. I: will 
certainly, I should say insure low prices for a long 
time to come.’ ’’ * s 
