April i, 1898.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
in the consumption of Formosa teas, some five 
million pounds, it is now estimated, having been 
shut out from this country by the action of the 
New Tea Law and the regulations in force. 
GENERAL REMARKS. 
In the last paragraph I referred to the New Tea 
Laws, Soon after they came into force it was 
found that the regulations intended to give them 
effect were so framed that they would exclude 
practically all but our coarse teas. These regula- 
tions read that our teas were to be tested with a 
number 16 sieve, and when more than 10 per cent, 
of leaf passed through the meshes it was to be 
classed as dust, and the tea either rejected or 
the excess “dust” removed before importa- 
tion. I had to deal at such length with the 
matter at the time in my letters to the com- 
mittee that it is needless for me to enter 
upon it again here, or to point out the hard- 
ship and injustice of this rule. It was not so 
much the actual harm that was done at the time 
(though one firm alone had some 45,000 lb of packet 
tea excluded at one time), but the effect of the 
rule on firms importing tea was to leave them in 
doubt as to what would be passed as tea and what 
classed as dust. Ihe order hit the packet firms 
■■ particularly, as in their case when tea was found 
to contain more than the 10 per cent, of fine leaf 
each packet would have to be broken open, the 
tea bulked and passed through the sieve, and 
then re-packed. After a good deal of trouble and 
much agitation and pressing the rules were 
revised in our favour, for which ’t was neces- 
sary to convene a meeting of the merchants, 
who acted as an advisory committee to the 
Treasury Department in drawing up the rules. 
Owing to the circumstances surrounding the 
case the tea importers most deeply interested 
found that they could not act as vigorously as 
they might wish to do, and the active work 
therefore rested with the associations, which be- 
ing independent bodies, had nothing to gain or 
fear fiom being in a position of seeming opposi- 
tion to the wishes of important members of the 
trade. The position I w’as forced therefore to 
occupy for a time has brought me a recognition 
far beyond anything I merited from some of the 
leading importers, who the day before Christmas 
presented me with a very handsome letter and 
a cheque for 500dols. to mark their appreciation 
of what the associations had done. — H. and C. 
Mail, Feb. 25. 
OUR TEA industry AND A 
YEAR’S LOSSES. 
We preached “caution” the other day in 
view of the outlook in the local money market. 
“A Man of Rusiness” emphasizes the lesson 
after a startling fashion in dealing elsewhere 
with our staple planting industry. He shows 
that the tea planters of Ceylon have received, 
approximately, ten million rupees less in 1897 
than in the previous year for their produce ; 
and he rightly infers that if exchange is to con- 
tinue as adverse as at present and if prices do not 
improve, the outlook for our planters is a serious 
one. Already, we hear the question of abandon- 
ing tea fields yiehling less than 300 to 350 lb. per 
acre is being considered, and certainly there should 
be a w'arning to our authorities, both here and at 
home, in the figuresso far adduced, and in the out- 
look so far as it can at present be estimated. 
“ Caution ” in dealing with the general revenue 
ought to be a primary consideration. 
697 
MEXICAN PRODUCE AND ESTATE 
SYNDICATE, LTD. 
This Company, of which our readers have 
already heard through the letter of our London 
correspondent, is going in for a very large in- 
crease of capital. 
This Syndicate was (says a contemporary) 
formed in October, 1897, to take over certain 
options to purchase properties in Mexico, and 
to send out an experienced Ceylon Planter, to 
report upon same, with the view of subsequently 
forming a larger Company to purchase such pro- 
perties as were reported upon favourably, and 
which could be obtained on resonable terms. The 
Syndicate secured the services of Mr. Cecil O. 
Naftel, who is well-known in Ceylon, having held 
for many years the responsible post of Inspector 
and Valuer of Estates in that Colony. Mr. 
Naftel proceeded to Mexico in November last, 
accompanied by several other Ceylon Planters 
interested in the Syndicate, and the results of 
his inspections so far are favourable to several of 
the properties reported upon, but inasmuch as 
the owners are disinclineil, at present, to extend, 
the options for such a period as -would enable 
the Syndicate, if the shareholders thought fit, to 
form a larger Company for the purpose of acquir- 
ing them, it is submitted to the shareholders, 
that the best course to pursue is for the Syndi- 
cate to make a start by themselves by ’ pur- 
chasing one property outright, and the “Tapia” 
estate has been selected, as the most desirable 
under the circumstances. Mr. NafteTs very 
favorable opinion, it is stated, is shared by 
Messrs. John Clark and J. G. Fort, both ex- 
perienced Ceylon planters, who have lately re- 
turned trom Mexico, having visited that country 
in order to satisfy themselves, by ocular proof 
that coflfee cultivation there answered to the 
favourable descriptions given of it. As compared 
with Brazil, the advantages of coffee cultivation 
in this district of Mexico are declared to be 
immense— labour, transport, and freights are as 
cheap, or cheaper, whilst the quality of the 
coffee is so much superior to that of even the 
finer grades of Brazil coffee, that at the 
present time, when Brazil coffees are fetching 
prices of from 30s to 40s, according to quality, 
the product of the “ Tapia” estate finds buyers 
at from 65s to 85s per cwt., sales having re- 
cently been made in Mincing Lane at these prices. 
The Syndicate has the offer of the estate for 
$.300,000, inclusive of the present crop which is 
almost ready for shipment, but the Directors hope 
to obtain some reduction in this price. Accord- 
ing to Mr. NafteTs Cvstimates, which the Direc* 
tors are satisfied have been made with great pru« 
dence, the nett income from coffee alone during 
the coming season (1898-1899 cro[)) will be fully 
$40,000, on the basis of the above value of 55s 
per cwt., besides which the Directors are informed 
there was last year a profit of $6,000 from sundry 
sources, cattle etc., which amount this year should 
be larger. After allowing for interest on the 
Mortgage Debentures, and the London expenses 
of the Company, this will leave a return of not 
less than 10 to 12 per cent on the share capital 
and were the ))resent market value for this coffee 
realised, the returns would be considerably larger. 
The proceeds of the in-gathered crop of 1897*^98 
which IS, as already stated, included in the price 
to be paid for the estate, Avill be utilised as work, 
ing capital, and for opening out new coffee plan- 
tations. The amount thus realised should be 
ample for all requirements. As the Syndicate ie 
