672 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[^PRIL I, j89B. 
in London. In his letter ot 2Cth November, the 
London Secretary staled that he had called on the 
Secretary to Her Majesty’s Customs in reference 
to the question ot granting further facilities for 
the bulking of India and Ceylon tea ot the same 
xnaik arriving by different ships, at the London 
Warehouse, and( he subjoined copy of the fresh regula- 
tions which had been issued on the subject,) which 
substantially conceded ail his Committee bad asked 
for: — “ The following Regulations, affording further 
facilities for the bulking of India and Ceylon tea 
are to be brought into effect in the Port of London. 
'• (1) Parcels of Indian and Ceylon tea bearing the 
same garden mark, but imported by different ships, 
may be bulked together for home consumption, ex- 
portation or ships' stores. “ (2) On request to the 
surveyor at the station at which any tea proposed 
to be dealt with under this order is to be ware- 
housed, the bringing to account of the first and 
subsequent consignments may be deferred until all 
the packages have arrived provided that no package, 
remain in warehouse for more than two months 
from the date of the ship’s report, without being 
weighed and brought into account ” The same letter 
contained an extract of a letter from the Managing 
Director of the Assam Company as follows: — “I am 
mtreh of opinion that the large quantity of tea- 
sweepings now imported, tends to lower the value 
of dust, and looking to the fact that we cair now 
obtain no more than 2d per pound for sweepings, 
leaving us certainly not more than Id per pound 
net, it is pretty clear to me that if all growers 
would cease shipping this stuff, we should be the gainers 
inasmuch as there is a good demand for theiue 
and if the manufacturers cannot get our cheap 
rubbish, they must come to the market and compete 
for dust. “ Please consider this, and see if you can 
get the views of other shippers.” After some discussion 
the Secretary was instructed to write to the London 
Secretary, and request him to forward particulars as 
to the demand in London for dust and the amount of 
dust and sweepings respectively imported. 
In this letter of 3rd December, the London Secre- 
tary stated that his Committee had tried in the past to 
introduce a reform in the system of nett weighment, 
but their efforts had not been rewarded by any per- 
manent improvement in the system of weighing tea 
in the warehouses. They would, however, give due 
consideration to the question again, in view of the 
expression of opinion entertained by the General 
Committee. 
He also stated that a meeting of Members had 
taken place, and in consequence of the views ex- 
pressed by those present, the iollowiiig resolution 
was passed unanimously, “That the Association 
regrets that it does not at present see its w'ay to 
induce Members to conform to any general rule in the 
matter of printing the place of bulking, and that 
Members be left to act as their interests may suggest.” 
—Indian Planters' Gazette, 
THE PLANTERS’ ASSOCIATION AND 
CACAO. 
The annual meeting on the historic “17tli’’ 
terminated with a very useful piece of business 
accomidished on the initiative of Mr. de Sanctis, 
by securing t lie consent of the Association to de^’ray 
the cost of niiuh needcd analyses in connection 
witli the cacao plant. We shall look with 
interest to tlte result of tliese analyses ami to 
the compaiisons which can then be instituted 
between <>ur trees and those of Trinidad 
and other cacao-growing Colonics, where a> alyses 
liave already been accomplished. We can quite 
understand how Mr. Willis in all good laith 
gave hi.s cqiinion at the lime he did to Mr 
Thistleton-Dyer, sgain.st the sending otit of a 
Cryptogamist. It must hate been after the 
decision arrived at by Mr. E. E. Green and 
himself that the fault of the cacao-planters 
trouble lay in unsuitable .soil, want of drainage 
or proper cultivation. However, now that a 
Cryptog.aniist has arrived and is at work, we 
feel sure that Mr. Willis lejoices in his presence 
and work (which will be valuable even if it 
proved a ‘ negative ’ as regar ds a fungoid enemy), 
and will be ready, if required, to recommend the 
supporr; claimed fronr Government by the Planters’ 
Association. 
A LUCKY BOX OE TEA. 
( Communicated . ) 
The aged and wealthy juoprietor of one of the 
firrest residential estates on Donside, Aberdeenshire, 
sat one autunrn day in his back parlour-. He lived 
a very retired life, seldom see’ng anyone and had a 
specially well-rooted objection to receiving his 
near relatives. 
A tea planter at home on furlough, was fishing 
in the Don — -the trouts were not taking— and the 
idea struck :him— “ I will go and call on the old 
hufler.” “Ah, yorr need not trouble yourself” .said 
a friend, “ for he has tor years declined to see 
tho^e rrrore sib.*” “ Kariirrn ilia,” said the planter 
as he strode rtp the steps, “ I’ll try knocked at 
the door and was admitted by air ancient butler, 
who took up his card and duly brought back the 
message that the master did not receive visitors 
but he might have anj' refreshments he wanted 
“ Then I do not want your refreshments,” said the 
indignarrt doi-ay as he walked out ujron the lawn in 
high dudgeon ; but scarcely had he got half down 
the avenue when the old appn overtook Irim — 
Gelrasi-like — but orrly to say, “ Please come back, 
nraster says he would like to see you, he did not 
notice you had come fronr afar.” So back went 
the free and easy planter— had a long confab with 
the rich old Laird, — the burden however of which 
w.as a chest of teathe latter had purchased and with 
regard to which he was wishful to know if he had 
been overcharged. “ By no means” was the ver- 
dict of the expert ; “ it is good tea, but we do 
n.ake better arrd I will send you a sample box 
when I return.” A promise which fortunately he 
did not ferget ; for no sooner had he returned to 
the weary toturn than he despatched a 40 lb. 
box of the best B. P. to Donside, which duly 
arrived while the old gentleman was swithering 
over his last will ami testament, when — 
impulse of the moment — down w'ent the nanre 
of the mindful giver of the tea, for the w'hole 
property :— a magnificent estate with £80,000 of 
accumulated funds ' 
Barely a, year passed by when one day as the 
irlanter w s sweating among- 1: his pluckers, up 
ran a coolie gasping, with a te.egiam in his hand, 
which ti legram hrb lly intimated the death of 
the old Laird a;il the f.act that he (the 
planter) had ber n left sole heir! “None of your 
practical jokes nn me,” said incredulous “ Pekoe ” 
as he pocketed i be missive and thought little more 
about it. But next day came another and another 
cablegram from Aberdeen Agents asking for 
instructions, when it occurred to the planter 
that the Aberdeen lawyers were hardly likely 
to wa.ste money on worthless jokes. So 
he wrote to his Colombo Agents to wire 
a reply ami ask for particulars. When, 
sure tnough the intimation was lepea ed : “All 
right, sole heir, the only condition being that 
he rciurns home, lives a decent life and invests 
the oveiplus capital in buying more land.” Need 
I say that that tea toturn had soon to seek 
* Anglice=neat-of-kin. 
