384 
fHF TROPICAI. AGRICULTURIST. 
[December i, 1891 . 
its own, bnt would deprive the Indian product of 
an important cheapening and diluting agent, and force 
it to stand on its own merits. Unfortunately, Foochow, 
in the rnsli after fortune, has for years past paid 
less and less attention to quality. Easy and Eometimes 
fabulous returns stiainlatcd over-production, over 
production depressed prices, and depressed prices further 
depressed quality to such a point that younger rivals 
could step in, and with the aid of scientific appliances 
which ensure more uniform manipulation and results 
and greater independenea from seeaons and weather, 
wrest from China the last of its ancient monopolies. 
The outlook is gloomy indeed. Many of the old 
famous districts are stocked with old used up trees ; 
the present generation grown up in o time of pros- 
perous over-production, lack the experience, onrsfnl- 
ness, and patience of tho old lea planters ; and with 
depressed prices, depressed markets, and annually 
declining demands, where is the stimulus to como 
from for that improvement which alone cm reconquer 
tho lost position ? In this emergency it is generally 
felt that tho Government nlono cm help j without 
its intervention, aid, or permiMion, no change can be 
effected and it is therefora with auxicus interest that 
its action is luokod forward to by the tea merchants 
of this port. In 1889 tho lossss of the native tosmr n 
were computed at §3,00;i,000, and this year thoir 
losses are held lo bo even greater than last vear. 
While the year 1839 was disastrous to both Chinese 
and foreign merchants, of wbiob latter no less than 
seven firms either closed or failed, the present year 
has fallen heavily upon tho Cbineso chiefly, and, in 
the consequence, hss witnessed the withdrawal of 
four native ten merchants, and tho failures of seven 
opium merchants, two t ,s hongs, and two piece good 
firms— fifteen firms in all. In sympathy with this 
general depression, the value of foreign honso property 
has declined enormously, a largo niuuher of ofllces 
and warelionsos are standing omply, and rents have 
declined fnlly 50 per cent. — L, and C. Ejuirest. 
Tun nsos of the electric light appear to be endless 
The latest American proposal is to gather f ' nit after 
nightfall, electric lights being utilised for the needed 
illumination. “ There is certainly no reason why this 
should not be done,” says an exchange. " Fruit that 
is gathered during daytime is so heated that it needs 
to bo ocoled off before it is packed in cars for Eastern 
shipment. This would bo obviated by gathering tho 
frnit at night. Tlio pickers would doubtless prof or th e 
night work as well, too absence of ths e.xtremo heat 
of the sun felt during tho day being moat grateful. 
There are times, too, when the fruit ripens so rapidly 
that much is lost which ooubl be saved were the 
gathering to go on continuously day and night,”— 
Jlildura ( 'ultivalor, 
Mn Hobkbts on the (Juahty of CKYt.fN Ika. — 
Meeting Mr. Koberts, whose authority upon all 
questions oonnooted with your tens you knew I set 
such a high value upon, he told mo in reply to 
my query as regards tho low prices of late obtain- 
able from your teas that, although, undoubtedly, 
the quality of those of late sent home had beou 
very inferior, yet that it would be a mistake to 
assign to that reason solely the unromunorativeness 
of the rates obtained: — “We are too apt,” bo 
said" to assign these bad times wholly to quality. 
We overlook the many other oonditions which affect 
tho market. Tightness in money, for instance, 
will often rastriot buying for a timo, and there 
are a thousand and one other oauaea which may 
operate tr depress prices. Still, your planters should 
not send sGoh a largo bulk of bad stuff ns we 
have rooently received. It hangs on hand dread- 
fully. Fortunately the later shipments have groatly 
improved, and at tho present mornont there is 
little or no reason for grumbling at the quality of 
the Ceylon teas reaohing us, and the market for 
these is now improving and seems to have a steady 
upward tendency, though I should not like just 
at present to speak with oertainty as to its oon- 
tinuanoe.” —London Cor. 
I,ow pruuiug is advised by some fruitgrowers because 
more of the fruit can then be picked by standing on 
tbe ground, which is cheaper and oa«ier. When trees 
are low pruned there are also few windfalls, the tree 
gets a better growth, is Ic.vs liable to blow over, and, 
tho ground being shadol around the roots, it grows 
faster. Low branches keep the gronnd moist and in 
hotter condition for oultivatioo. — Mlldttva Cultivator. 
Tea_ and Coffee in Sabawak. — Consul Trevenen, 
reporting on a visit to Sarawak, made by invita- 
tion of the liajah of Sarawak, states ; — There are 
116 acres under ooffee, and 60 acres under tea, 
while 70 acres more are being planted with the 
latter. These plantations, like all experimental 
oultivation in Sarawak, are Government estates, 
and are: owing to the initiative of the Bajab. — L, 
and G, Express. 
Tuk Government Botanist, Madras, has been 
direoted by Govonment to submit a ptograramo for 
tho botanical sorvey of the several Distriota and 
provinces assigned to him in tho general sohemo 
for a botanical survey of India, with an esiimatoof 
tho cost of carrying out the survey. Mr. Lawson will 
prepare his programme in oonsnlation with Dr. King 
of tho Calcutta Botanical Gardens, and Dr. Trimon, 
Direotor of the Botanioal Gardena in Ceylon. — HI. 
Mail. 
Hop Tea.— -Beproaentativos of the Proas were 
yesterday invited to Maidstone to inapeot tho works 
of the Hop Tea Company, tho foreign patents of 
which have boon acquired by the Hop Tea Foreign 
and Colonial Syndicate (Limited). The Company 
claim that by mixing the hops with Indian and 
Ceylon tea the flavour of tho tea is not only 
improved by giving it n malty aroi la, but that 
hops, being a sedative, oounteraot tho too-exoiting 
effect of the tea upon tbe nerves, aol while pre- 
venting waste of nervous energy promote intelleotual 
aotivity.— L. C. Express, Got. Ifltb. 
A PnoTooBArn recently reproduced in the Earth 
IFesUm Lumberman showed a redwood plauk of extra- 
ordinary size, mHaHuring nixteon feet five inches in width 
by twelve feet nine inches in length and five iaolies in 
thickness. It was cut from a tree thirty-five feet in 
diameter aud three hundred feet tall, being hewn out 
of the stump after tho troo was out at about tweuty- 
oight feet nbove the ground. A locomotive, attached 
to a block and tackle, was needed to lower it, and two 
men were occupied for a month in roughly preparing 
it for shipment. The price of this labor, added to the 
ooBb of transportation, amounted to some $3,000, after 
tho plank had been taken by water to San Francisco. 
The tree aton.l in Humboldt County, California, and 
the plank, after being exhibited in vsrioous oities, will 
probably be a feature of tho World's Fair at Ohieago. 
A aproislly coiistruoted car is required for its trans- 
portation. — Garden and Forest. 
C.U'AriTv OF ToDnY-yiELDiNii Trees. — A sorioa 
exjMriiiients have been conducted by the Madras 
Abkari Doparment to test tho yield of tho various 
toddy-yieldiiig palms. Tho oxporiiiionts show that 
tho sago palm heads the list with an average yield 
of J:(0 gatlons per year. This palm is only tapped 
in tho Slalabar District, and the agency tracts of 
tho Northern Circars. The coconut pabii yields on an 
average about 70 gallons a year, and tho yield is 
continuous. In IVlalaliar, the land of tho coconut, 
the quantity is gi-ealor than anywhere else ; 
then follow Coimbatore, Tricliinopoly, South Canara, 
Taiijoro and South Arcot. Tlio yield of palmyra 
and date jialiiis is about !I0 gallons a year, but varies 
oousidorably in different localities. In I’alghaut the 
palmyra yields about 90 gallons in a season, while 
at Tuticorin and Kuttanguli it is only about 15 
gallons. In the case of dates the yields at 'Villapuram 
'*1 gallons, while it is as low as 8 gallons at. 
Mogaltm', the extromo dryness of tho country around 
IiUicoriu and Mogaltnr being aeuguutable for thg 
dilferQn<}e,-j 7 „(;,.(„ 
