9o8 
THE TROTnOHL A««Wm.TOm8T, 
[SEPTEMnER I, 1891. 
A. B. G. P. The Cinnamon from the Goluanokuna 
Estate has long topped the market; and the ex- 
planation of the demand for it having continued, 
while the trade generally was averse from the first 
qualities of Spice, la that it has been a favourite 
in Spain, aud that a large buyer always laid in a 
heavy stock for the Spanish Market. Taking M- 
vantage of the fall in prioes, another, generally 
small buyer, wished to possess himself of a largo 
quantity of the finely prepared spice. The old buyer 
— fearing that the effect of such a purchase would 
be that he would bo undersold, and that hia eon- 
atituents would have their favourite spice at less 
than the price which they bad always been ready to 
pay — thus resulting in a loss to himself on the large 
stocks we bad ajready sacruod at advanced prices 
— entered keenly into the competition. Hence the 
realisation of old prices. tVliatevor the cause, the 
result is satisfactory to the proprietors of Golna- 
pokuna. At least, they have fared better than the 
owners of other Estates whoso spice found no 
buyers. 
■ It is very clear that the principal buyers have sot 
their faces against the more expensive makes of 
Cinnamon, and that the inauofaoturers of the finer 
qualities must he prepared to accept even lowes rates 
than had obtained during the past few years. But 
how is this change to be accounted tor? It has 
been said, and no doubt with truth, tliat consumers 
have probably found that the coarser qualities would 
serve sufficiently well for most uurposcs; but liow 
has this fooling been brought about ? Ghieliy, we 
think, through the direct importations of tlio’ coar- 
sest qualities into the Continental markets, siiioo 
tlio opening of tlie Suez Canal. 80 long as the Capo 
rnnto was inevitable. I.ondou mauitained its supre- 
macy as the emporium of tlie world, without question. 
It doubtless holiis the same position yet ; but with 
this difference that other centresatlract afar larger 
volume of trade tlian they had liitherto done. Thus, 
even so late as of l,7!tO,S72 lb. of cinnamon 
in liales exported lieuoe, no loss than 1, .">10,87'.) lb. 
ronohed Ijondon. the remainder or less than ono-sixth, 
having hoen distributed throughout the world. East 
year, of 1 ,h!W, 51-4 lb. fexported, only 1,08-1,837 lb. 
found their wav to London, the rest, or nearly a half, 
having been shipped direct to other markets, chiofiy 
Continental. This year, up to date, of 770,848 lb. 
shipped, 44-2, Off! wont to the United Kingdom, the 
rest, or nearly a half, having gone to other ports. 
Now, the. effect of til’s redistribution of produce 
lias been to place williin the reach of consumers 
tlio coarser qualities of bark at the cheapest rates 
at which Continental Firms ostablisliod here could 
supply tlu'in. London Buyoiw would thus bo at a 
disadvantage; and the really finer quality of spioq 
—which is all shipped to the United Kingdom, ami 
which they secure for their constituents c-lsewhero 
— is not held to be sufficient to explain the difference 
in price between purchases on the spot, and pni'chasos 
through Loudon. We believe it is the demaii.i for 
lower prices from their consitnonts which has led 
to the drop which wo are now considering, and 
which has compelled London Firms to advise their 
Ceylon Principals to devote tliomselves chiefly to 
medinm makes at a reduced cost of manufacture. 
And this view of the influence of the shifting of 
markets, as explaining both the fall in price and 
the slack demand for all qualities, is coimniird by 
the good statistical posiiiou of Cinnamon in London 
which .\gcnt 8 report. If the aliipmenta are not dis- 
posed of as fast as they arrive, tlioro should bo 
an aocuimilatlou of stocks— assuming tho imports 
to remain the same — instead of favomable stocks 
as at present reported. It is greatly to bo feared 
tliat tho advice, at least as regards reduced rates, 
will tall on deaf ears, as Cinnamon I’lautcrs, depend- 
ing as they do on mon of a particular caste to 
Imrvest their bark, do not find themselves strong 
enough to combine to reduce rates. Tho only remedy 
we can see is to ship the liest qualities to the chief 
Continental markets. Who will inaugurate a Cinna- 
mon Fund Committee, on the lines of tho Tea Fund 
Committee ? — Local “Examiner." 
The Ohanoe Blossom is one of the most delicate 
of flowers ; its very mission is of a tender nature, 
and yet its great helpmate in exportation is tho 
potato. Sinoo ihe exportation of the flowers from 
California has become a large trade, it has been 
found that the best method of preserviug the 
orange blostom is to push the stem into a potato. 
This method might be employed lor flowers in 
table decoration, but if considered more artistic, (be 
potato should be bidden from the vulgar gaze, 
— Port-of-Spatn Qutette. 
Early Tea Erineiho is thus noticed in the 
AmtrieoH Groctr : — 
In the early days of New England, tea and ooffee 
checked the use of alcoholic drinks. Weeden, in hia 
economic history of New England, in alludiug to tea, 
says that “in this litlle Chinece leaf wss folded the 
gem which enlarged into American i, dependence." 
As early as May, 1714, one Edward Mill, .Sudbury 
street, Boston, advertised, "very fine gneii tea, the 
best for color and taste." In 1718 the hiatoriaus at 
Lynn state that it was “ little u«ed.” When the lair 
dames went (or a gossip ami drinking, each carried 
her own tea cup— very small— «iib saucer an.I spoon. 
The following old E'lglish loiter «how.s that tea drink- 
ing was a matter of corauieut as late as 1740. " They 
aie not much esteemod now that will not treat high 
aud gossip about. Ten has now become the darling 
of our women. Almost every little tradesman’s wiw 
must sit sipping lea for an hour c r morn in a morning, 
aud it may be again iu the aitt riioou, if they can got 
it aud nothing will p'eise them to sip it out of but 
ohiuaware, if they can get it. I hoy talk ot beslewiug 
3fl or 40 shillings upon a tea c(|uip«ge, as tiiov o.ill it. 
Tliare is tho silver <p. ou“, silver tongs, and many 
other trinkets tliat 1 1 : iiii ot name." 
Tea-parties gradually cslabliehcd thcmaelvea after 
this. It is ri'iaiod of a bachelor tutor al llaiv iril, that 
when his hostess asked him if ho wool I have feu 
strong or weak, he answurnd : “ Ulroii^ cl the tea, 
tlroiiy of the myar, and gtrom of tli > arnm." 
Timdeb ion Tea Estates.— On this subjeot Mr. Ln 
Meauricr has tho following romaiks in liis ollioial 
diary for 1890 
(lovorumeul must, I think, supply tlie wood, or 
the tea enterprise would he seriously oripplo 1 in nniny 
hicei : aud the host method to adopt, is I think (1) to 
ave central depdU to supply ontates tliat arc at a dis- 
tance from any Uovocnmuiit forest, and to issue firewood 
at rales that will give a good profit, siifflcicii*, thnt is, 
to cover all expotsosol cultiog, trunsport, tnpervision 
&o. and a royalty of say HI per yard. (2) To sutvev 
all the Orowiithro.ls, liord, riug tjslsl.e, into rimul'l 
hloolt.s of say, five acres eiiob ; tocalriilutu tho vnlue of 
ail the firewood— i. the timber tliat m not fit lor 
tiiubcr purpo«es--iii each block, say lU pi r cubic foot, 
and to soil tho right to ciit tiiia firewood st tlie estima- 
ted value to such estate.- in the neigohi-nrl.oiid as wish 
to take it, no estate being allowed uioro llmii me hicok 
at a umc, and only a certsin acresge per annum proiior- 
tiouate to Tho e.xteut of its own cultivated acreage; 
each block to bo coiiipletely olrared of nil liut tho 
timber trees, whieh sliould be narcfuUy marked by the 
Frirest U.-partment and left uiiLouotod (e.xorpt hv thcra- 
selvos, should tlioy rcqiiiio liruher), hefere any now 
block is taken up ; and ns each l>lork is oleaicd it 
sbouUl bo replanted by IhoF- vcrt Departineu'. Any 
iiilriDgouier-t of the ©mdiiious 01 the permit tn cut to 
ho liable to n conoellation of liio permit and a refusal 
to sllow any morn to bo out. Govnrimioiit wcu'd thus 
got the value of the wor-d smi the planter his firewood 
with tlie smalle-t uiuount of intsrFeience, whicii is tlie 
groat thing to aim at in this II, utl.iT ; and there ivrulil 
he little danger or cheating. 'I'lio withdrawal of a pi- r- 
mit would be nioh a srnioiia inatt- r to him th it tlio 
planter would take osre that the oonrlitions of the 
licensa were oarofu ly observed. Tho Hocks being 
replautod by the Forest Uepartmont as soon us they 
wore cleared would provide ytac by year a reserve of 
wood to replace what was taken away. 
