7:6 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[April t, 1S9S. 
there are 20,000 plants of Arabian and Liberan 
coflee, all looking healthy and vigorous. Some seeds 
of fine Mocha w’ere obtained from the Agricultural 
Department about three months ago, and they have 
outstripped all the other seedlings so far. Mr. Bart- 
lett finds that the local seed is so far before that 
received from Cairns. The latter seems to do better in 
the hotter Northern climate than in the comparatively 
cool climate of the South, whilst the former exhibits 
a far more vigorous growth. The best seed of all 
is that obtained through the Department from Mr. 
Grieve at Broadwater. 
In cleaving the land, all the timber except the 
native plum trees is burned off, the plum trees being 
left about 30 feet apart to afford the necessary 
shade. The standing scrub on the boundaries of the 
estate breaks the force of the winds. Belts of scrubs 
will be preserved at intervals of chains, and as a 
further protection rows of olive trees will be planted. 
Of these thirty are already planted out, and 100 
truncheons are, with the exception of three or four, 
giving promise of healthy trees. Mr. Bartlett says 
the Blanckall Range is uii ioubtedly the home of 
the olive tree. Hhvo rows of coffee plants will bo 
p'anted between the olives this season. Coffee will 
also be planted between fruit trees on a ii-acra 
orchard which has been cleared some eight years 
ago. Fi'ost is not to be feared here, the thermo 
meter in winter ranging 15° F. higher than on the 
site of the original nursery. The land faces the 
south-east, with a gentle slope towards Dbi Ubi Creek, 
which is always running. In addition to the main crop 
of coflee and olives, there are plo's of arrovvroo', 
sugar, maize and lucerne, whilst in the orch n-d may 
be" seen bananas, apples, oranges, 'oquats, pears and 
a large bed of splendid rhubarb. The Giant Tomato 
has also been planted. The cultivation is fenced iu 
with 14 gauge 36 inch wire-netting with a barbep 
wire 9 inches above the netting to keep out the 
marsupials. The whole of this work has beeu 
accomplished iu twelve months, and it is anticipited 
tiiat three years will see the estate self-supprrtiug. — 
Qu.enshnd A<jricnltund Journal. 
A CTKCULAR FROM MEXICAN SHIPPERS 
OF VANILLA BEANS. 
The principal Mexican shippers of vaullla beait s 
have forwarded to their New Y irk correspondents a 
circular letter contradicting certain published state- 
meuts concerning the crop and the present position 
of stocks. Reports that the actual vanilla crop of 
Mexico will amount to about 75,000 pounds have been 
widely spread, while it can be safely stated that the 
output this year and for several years to conre will 
not reach 35,000 pounds, including the vanilla cuts, 
due to the havoc wrought to the vanilla plants during 
the frost of 1895, which were not replanted owing to 
the long drought of the same year and of 1890 and 
part of 1897. It will take some time to replace them, 
and tlireo or foui' years must elapse before they 
begin to yb-M crop. It is wel! known that 'he Mexican 
vainila nas the most delicate flavour, and its worth iu 
every market is double or three times greater than 
that of other vanillas. Manufacturers of extracts in 
the United Htates know well that the active principle 
of Mexican vanilla is not only the most delicate; but 
also that it yields a grater peroeiitage of es.-ential oil. 
These are the principal reasons for the difference in 
value. The rise in prices is due to the insignificance 
of the last crops and the coming ones, economical 
reasons that regulate the supply and demand. And 
to this we may attribute the fact th.rt a; present 
vanilla from the French colonies is ali^o v.'.vrth twice 
as much as it was before. — Oil Paint and Dnuj licjjortev. 
- 
MINOR PRODUerS. 
L'Uiiiloil, Feb. ‘24. 
Coc.\ Leavks. — There is still nothing d .'/ug in these 
leaves, and good Truxillo kind rcmiius nominally 
worth 8d. 
Oil or Citronelle. — This is again a little easier, 
business having been done in 40 lb. tins this week 
at Is. ‘2J., spot. 
Oil of Lemoxura's. — A reaction appears to have 
taken place in this oil. The market will prohablv now 
become more settled, as it is undei'stood that nothing 
for arrival is to be had b.flore .Jul'-.Angu-t shipment. 
The present price of spot stuff is 5d.. and for July- 
August stuff fd. c.i.f. is looked upon as a bid pro- 
bably acceptable. 
Cinnamon. — Damaged Cld/ia. of wliich 22 bags were 
offered at auction this week, sold at 23d. ' t^iuills a.re 
firmly held, and in autieipation of next Monday's 
auctious, hohlers are not anxio'is to do business; 
prices are nomiually the same. — British and Co’onial 
L>ru<j<jist , Feb. 25. 
COCONUTS IN THE N.-W. PROVINCE. 
COCONUT CUT.riV.ATION 
ami if nothing unforeseen occurs, coeoiiut crops 
will be good. But prices are very (li.sappointing 
ami have been during the whole of hu-t year as 
well, theie'.iy seiiniisly allecting the income of 
estates. A con.solation is alway.s found in having 
com]. anions in di.stress and coconut estate ino- 
prietors have the grim satisfaction of knowing that 
the ramifications of exchange have smitten their 
tea-planting brelliren as Avell. Dividends of pros- 
perous Companies have been reduced by a half. 
THE NEXT SANTO.S COFFEE CROP. 
There was a meeting at the Associayao Com- 
mercial in Santos on the 1st in.st. to receive t he 
reports of the commissions appointed to estimate 
the next cofl'oe crop marketed at Santos. These 
commissions were instructed to vi.sit the ilistricts 
assigned to them and obtain the best informa- 
tion pos.-ible. They icported as follows— (he dis- 
triols being the three main raihvay .sy.stems of 
the state of SAo Paulo. 
Total e.stimate ot Santos crop ; 4, '250, 000 bag.s. 
— lUo Nev:s, Feb. 8, 
THE L.VTEST IN BARK AND QUININE: 
MANUFACTl'RERS VS. PLANTERS. 
Cinchona Bark dropped 20 per cent, in price at 
the last Amsterdam auctions, but over 60 per cent, 
of what was offered was either bought in or witb- 
dr.awn. That much we told our readers last week. 
We have now to add that quinine has beeu reduced 
.3d per ounce in price by the leading English manu- 
facturers, and 2d per ounce b ■ the large German 
makers iu the combination. Th's seems a simple 
■felatior, of cause ,-md elfect, bat we aie 'll cioens- 
toined by tiii- tim- to look for soniLuhin, much 
more my.sterious than such au easy explauatiou in 
the case of cinclioua bark and quiniue, and very few 
amongst the large buyerc and sellers of quinine who 
have thought about the subject, have contented them- 
selves with such a solution. 
It is the same with us, as our readers must know 
from what we have said on previous occasions. There 
has not been a case of a natural drop in bark fol- 
lowed by a natural drop in the refined product 
made from it. We know that strenuous efforts have 
been made of late to keep up the price of cinchona 
b uk to the satisfactory level it reached two auctions 
ago. and we conclude from fairly obvious signs that 
prrhaps equally strenuous, probably better managed, 
and cei tahily more successful efforts have been aiade 
to reduce the price. What was the reason for this 
lalter form of energy? If we bear in mind one or 
I wo of the latest developments in the quinine and 
bark markets we shall find one of the most satis- 
factory explanations. Java hark growers and im- 
porters have at last shown a willingness to com 
