May 2, 1898. j THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 745 
in February, 1897, tlie improvement is most 
markerl. Thus, dealing; witli “good and line'’ 
sorts, we make out the prices to compare as 
under : — 
Firsts, 
s 3 d 
1897 .. 1 to 1 6 
1898 .. 1 to 1 11 
Seconds, 
d 3 d 
Hi to 1 5 
lOi to 1 8 
Thirds, 
d 3 d 
lOJ to 1 4 
9 to 1 6 
Fourths 
d 3 d 
10 to 1 1 
8 to 1 3 
The above prices suggest carelessne.ss in the pre- 
paration of fair and medium bark, the minimum 
prices eom])aring unfavourably with those for last 
year. It cannot be that the demand was slack 
for other than the be.st brands; for “unwoiked” 
spice — that is quilled Cinnamon which is not re- 
sorted and made up again in the London ware- 
houses — also registered an advance on last year's 
prices. Curiously enough, in chip.® there was a 
falling off — the prices having ranged from 2gd 
to ,3Jd, against 3Jd at the corresponding sales 
last year. 
Altogether, the outlook for Cinnamon seems 
more hopeful just now than for any other of our 
staple exports, seeing that prices have advanced 
or been maintained for four or five years, in the 
face of increasing exports ; but, being a luxury 
and nob an article of diet, there is a limit to the 
demand, as growers found to their cost during the 
fifteen to twenty years before the recent improve- 
ment in price. Two cautions are necessary : — (1), 
the avoidance of large extensions ; and (2) care in 
preparation. One safeguard against reckless ex- 
tensions is to be found in the fact that the 
preparation of Cinnamon is a caste industry ; and 
that the maintenance of gangs of good peelers is one 
of the severest trials of planting' life. Bur few 
Europeans are likely to rush into Cinnamon in 
any case. The following is the Report of a 
leading London firm in the trade on the last 
sales : — 
London, 1st March, 1898. 
Cinnamon. — The first periodical auctions of the year 
were held yesterday, when 1,9.56 bales Ceylon were 
offered, against 3,090 bales at the November sales, 
and 1,248 bales in February 1897. There was a full 
attendance of buyers, and a good demand prevailed, 
resulting in about 1,500 bales being sold under the 
hammer at generally improved prices. The greater 
part of the offering consisted of “unworked” quill 
with a very large proportion of low coarse cinnamon, 
while well-known brands of good and fine “worked” 
plantation spice were in smaller supply than 
usual. 
“Good and Fine ” sorts met spirited competition 
and all sold at an average advance on last November 
sales’ rates of Id to 2d per lb., while the medium 
and ordinary kinds mostly realised Jd to Id per lb. 
better, except low coarse sorts which frequently ruled 
cheaper. 
“Worked” quill sold, firsts, fair to superior Is to 
la lid, seconds, fair to superior lOJd to Is 8d, thirds 
medium to superior 9d to Is 6d, and fourths ordi- 
nary to fiue 8d to Is 3d per lb. 
“ Unworked” (as landed) brought 9d to Is 2d per Ih. 
for ordinary to good firsts, 7^d to la for low to good 
seconds, 7d to lOAd for low woody to good thirds, 
and 6d to 8|d per lb. for low to good medium 
fourths. 
Chips, Ac. — Of about 820 bags offered, 400 bags 
sold at prices ranging from 2gd to 3Jd per lb. accord- 
ing to quality. Quillings and pieces brought from 
6gd to lljd per lb. 
Stock of Ceylon— 4,193 bales, against 1897, 2,790; 
1896, 4,727; and 1895, 3,371 bales. 
The next auctions are fixed for 6th June. 
Fokbes, Fokbes & Co., Limited. 
THE HORTICULTURAL SHOW IN 
COLOMBO: 
POULTRY (AS W- ELL AS FLOWERS AND 
FRUIT) TO BE INCLUDED. 
The upcounlry lady correspondent who sug- 
ge.sted the luldition of Poultry to the Flowers 
and Fruit originally proposed for this Show, will 
— along with many more interested — he very glad 
to learn that “Poultry” have lieen included in 
the draft catalogue. So we are informed by the 
Honorary Secretary, Mr. C. Drieherg, Principal 
of the Agricultural School. We have no doubt 
that a full and varied show of poultry will be 
offered in June, and we trust altogether that the 
Exliibition will be a .success, and the occasion 
for much innocent recreation, emulation and in- 
struction. 
NOTES FROM NORTH-WEST PROVINCE 
COCONU'IS. 
Marawila, March .30. 
C.ATEBPiLbARS.— We, Oil the Western and North 
W^estern side.s of the island, do not sutter ,®o much 
from catei[)illar as the good peo[)le of Batticaloa, 
as witness Mr. Green’s report. Occasional and 
partial visitations are not unknown. It will be 
remembered that some years ago the trees round 
the Slave Island station were badly affected and 
I have seen patches of trees affected in this 
district, but not to such an extent as to cause 
alarm. The lower leaves .alone were affected; 
while those in the top, which principally per- 
form the important functions of assimilation, were 
intact. I have never seen or heard of nursery 
[ilants or nuts being affected. The suggestion to 
cub down and burn the affected branches i.s a 
very good one, as most of the caterpillar.s will 
be burnt before they Iiave been transformed into 
tlie active and mischievous moth. I do not tliiok 
that smoke however dense, even when impreg- 
nated with sulphur, will do any good in the 
open, as the caterpillar is safely entrenched within 
a kind of cocoon wliere smoke cannot reach him. 
Fires at night will do good for the reason which 
is well-known that they attract moths to their 
destruction. Little fires at intervals should be very 
beneficial. 
KANGRA TEA PLANTERS AND RAILWAYS 
AND ROADS. 
The Kangra Tea Association has reserved its 
greatest bid for fortune for another, and it is to 
be hoped a favourable opportunity. It wants two 
tilings both of an imperial nature, and it will 
nob be happy till it gets them. It is anxious 
to represent them to the Vicery on tlie 5th April. 
One is a railway from Pathankot to Palampur. 
At present it costs ns fourteen annas a maund 
to send our tea from Palampur to Pathankot, a 
distance of 71 miles, while from Pathankot to 
Karachi, a distance of 918 miles, only costs Rl-9-9. 
There is a horrible tax on the industry, absorbing 
at least fifteen per rent of its meagre profits# 
Nay more, a tax on the entire trade of Kangra, 
Knlii and Mandi. For a cart road between Palam- 
pur and Byjnath— only a skip of ten miles— would 
join the existing Mandi Cart Road to tlie former 
place, and enable the prouced of a vast extent of 
fertile country to he transported to Palampur 
on wheels instead of on the hacks of oxen or 
the heads of coolies^ and therefrom poured out 
