THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
INDIAN TEA; EXPORTS FOR 1897-8. 
CLOSE OF THE SEASON ; INCRE4SE OVER 
1896-7 ONLY H MILLION LB. 
Messrs. W. Moran & Co.’s Calcutta Circular 
of 7th April gives us the total exports for the 
past season and previous two seasons as tol- 
Total quantity of Tea passed through Calcutta from 
1st April to end of Season : 
1897-98. 1896 97. 1895-96. 
Great Britain . .133,782,962 13?,.599, 882 121,174,380 
Foreign Europe . . 797,313 439,800 2,6,333 
America . . 2,086,369 1,937,799 1,086,419 
Asia .. .. .3,601,532 4,415,342 5,135, ,27 
Australia . . 6,802,579 6,171 ,380 6,845,32, 
147,070,755 145,564,203 134,513,186 
It will be observed that the increase last year 
over 1896-7 is only 1,506,552 1b. As regards the 
coining season, the circular before us has the 
following : — 
Shortly after the date of our last, rain was re- 
ported from CacJiar, but not in sufficient quantities 
to be of much service. By letter we hear that rain 
is again badly wanted, but by telegram we are in- 
forined that slight showers have fallen near Silchar. 
In parts of Assam there has been good rain, also in 
the Dooars, but in this latter district accompanied 
in some instances with hail which has done some 
damage. A few gardens in the T<rai and some in 
Dooars are well ahead of last year in manufacture 
but on the whole, the season is not likely to be 
early. 
PLANTING NOTES. 
Fine Coffee Blossoms are reported from 
Uva— one planter writes that he wishes now he 
“ had 1,000 acres of the old King’ ! The great 
question in Uva seems to be how to get cheaper 
rice for the coolies and cheaper transport tor 
tea— every fraction per lb. being now a considera- 
tion in striving for a profit 
1 _MAY 2, 1898. 
The “ Tropical Agriculturist.”— M ajor A. 
J. Boyd, writing from Brisbane on March 22, 
says “ Since taking possession of the Editorial 
chair of the Queensland Agricultural Journal \n 
May last year, I have had the greatest dithculty 
in obtaining your most valuable and interesting 
Magazine. I consider it one of the best, if not 
ready the best of Tropical Agricultural publi- 
catio'ns and I derive a vast fund of information 
from it. I find that other olheers of the depart- 
ment hold the same opinion.’’ 
West Nyasa.— Mr. C. A. Cardew reports that Mr. 
A. Estermann, and Mr. A. Watkmson, are making 
rapid progress on their new plantations at Kawia, 
ten mdes south of Bandawe. They are very Confi- 
dent of the suitability of the land for coffee culture. 
Mr. Estermann has 600,000 pits ready, and these 
will bo nil planted (luring February. _ Mr Estei- 
mann has also gone in 
has collected some ?,300 lb in the last two month.. 
He is confident that rubber culture will prove a 
naviuc industry. It costs about 4d per Ibtocollett. 
and the creeper from which the rubber is ohtainea 
is plentiful m the district. If a specimen of this 
rubber and the creeper are sent to this office they 
will be aubniitled to the Scientihc Department m 
the first instance for the purpose of compauson 
with the rubber vine at Chikal-a, and afterwards 
for the opinion of an expert at home ni rcgaid to 
quality and actual value. Plumbago is 
(allied^ in abundance from the vicinity of the Bua 
River. A specimen of plumbago was recently sent 
home for inspection, 
Chikala.— Mr. George Hoare is making an rx- 
haustive census of the Chikala sub-district. He re- 
ports that rubber is plentiful at Chikala, of the same 
kind as the Mangoche rubber. The sample sent in 
is much whiter than that usually obtained from the 
landolphia creeper. I have sent a specimen of it 
to an American expert for a report on its value, 
and some hints on the best method of obtaining 
it, as well as suggestions for the proper cultivation 
of the vine itself. The result will be published in a 
future number of the Gazette. 
The Coffee Market and Brazil Crop.s are 
thins di.scussed by Messr.s. I. A. Rucker and 
Bencraft’s on March 24th 
Today, for the first time, we can talk of 9,000,000 
ba»s (Brazils) receipts as an accomplished fact, and 
it 'only remains to be seen how far we eventually 
exceed 10,000,000 bags for the whole season. We 
have therefore entered, as it were, an unexplored 
country, and we can only hope that ex rtmelylow 
retail prices may become current in Europe, and 
that increasing consumption may successfully grapple 
with these enormous crops. The receipts are very 
heavy at the moment, 42,000 bags on Tuesday up- 
setting many expert calculations, and values on term 
and the Brazils are lower. We hear little or noth- 
ing about next crops, but it seems to be accepted 
that they are smaller than current ones. The spot 
market is lower. The fancy values current at the 
commencement of the season, in a majority of 
cases having disappeared. We may go lower, but 
it has to be remembered that the Java colory 
crops are very short, and colory coffees will be 
scarce in the late autnnin. 
Mr. Geo. Ciiristison, the well-known Dar- 
jeeling planter, whom, writes Planting Ognnion, 
we unfortunately missed during his sliort stay 
in Coonoor, gives his opinion thusly on Nilgiii 
tea: “I like your district in many ways. Your 
soil generally is very good and your tea looks 
healthy and well. Of course without btirg with 
you ail the year round, 1 oanno; form anj very 
reliable opinion . . . .4s you must know your 
tea bas not been in good favour in tlie London 
market. This may, I think, be remedied in some 
measure.” M'e quite agree with Mr. Christison,- 
The capabilities of the Nilgiris are sliown in tlie 
success of perhaps only two or three gardens at 
most. Tlie soil is good, the climate very good, 
but the jat is — mostly— vile. Until a fuller ap- 
preciation is shown of tlie virtues of a better jat 
of tea than is now commonly grown on the 
Nilgiris, and until the present style of three acres 
and a factoiy aie given up the prospects of the 
Blue Mountains as a modern tea district, will re- 
main ultramarine. 
A Ceylon Planter on our Coffee Industry. — We 
had a desultory talk with Mr. Trubiidge shortly 
after his arrival in Blantyre in which, although it was 
not a formal interview he gave his opinions very 
freely as to the Coffee Industry of B.C.A. He had 
just come straight out from London and his object 
was to see and report upon the suitability of B. C. 
A. as a field for the investment of capital in coffee 
ami he would probably make a six months’ stay in 
the country. Coming to the subject of coffee, Mr. Tru- 
britlge stated that he had seen some five plantations 
and ai regards fertility of soil, piaut growth, climate, 
rainfall, etc., he thought this was an ideal country for 
coffee. He was, however, very mnch disgusted to 
see how the weeds were allowed to grow up in 
many gardens and stated that weeds were a proli- 
fic cause of light berry. A special point to which 
he had directed attention was the presence of disease 
in the coffee. He said he had looked minutely for any 
trace of leaf disease, and (our Indian friends please 
note) had not so far seen a sing'e speck of it. Mr. 
Trubridge has foi -Aied a most favourable idea of the 
capabilities of B. ' A. asa coffee growing country 
judging from the little which he has seen. — Central 
Africa Gazette, Feb. 26 
