December i, 1891. ] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
433 
MANA-GIUSS EXPElllMKATS AND THE 
COMPLAINTS UEGARDINO CEYLON 
TEA CHESTS. 
London, Oot. 30. 
We have heard nothing very recently about what ia 
to be done respecting the mana-graes tea chests. We 
preaumo that those concerned are yet awaiting the 
result to their reference to Ceylon. But Mr. 
Bogivue, in his letter asks very particularly as to the 
chances of his being supplied with such tea ohests. 
He writes that those wooden ones in which ho 
receives his consignments of Ceylon tea are very 
bad, and that they do not bear the long railway 
journeys. In his opinion “ it would bo a great 
thing if they could be replaced by bettor ones." He 
would evidently bo well pleased if ho could receive 
his tea in stronger and more durable chests. We 
can readily understaud that this would bo so, for 
the distanooa to bo travelled by railway inBussia 
are so enormous that the weak' boxes which are 
now received from Ceylon cannot be wall calcu- 
lated to stand the shaking and rough handling they 
are certain to receive. It might be as well, should 
your estate superiutendents know that they are 
packing teas to be forwarded to Mr. Bogivue 
if they would give a little extra strength to 
the boxes. Mr. Elwood May, we know, makes 
similar complaints as to your tea chests, 
and that be intends repacking all the tea he dis- 
tributes throughout the States in highly finished 
boxes of local manufacture. These complaints 
are not only well founded, but they should act as 
a stimulus and encouragement to those who are 
now working the Stanloy-Wrightson Syndicate in 
conjunction with the mana-grass experiments. 
I forgot, when quoting Mr. Bogivue’s latter, to 
tell you that the principal points of encourage- 
ment mentioned in it have been communicated to 
Messrs. Travers & Sons of 119 Cannon Street, and 
that that firm propose to give them publicity in the 
PrHuce Markets Review. A letter from the firm 
shown to me evidences that they think it question- 
able if China tea can be further displaced here to 
admit of a profitable market being found in Great 
Britain for the large, annually-increasing produc- 
tion of Indian and Ceylon tea, and that they are 
therefore fully alive to the necessity that exists for 
you to open up new markets abroad.— Loudon Cor, 
• 
CROPS IN SOUTH INDIA. 
SEASON TKI.EQBAM TO THE OOVEENMENT OP INDIA, BE- 
VENUE AND AOBlOODTORAt DEPARTMENT, CALOUTTA. 
Week euding 7th November. Kainfall continued 
heavy in Madura and Tinnevelly ; fair aud moderate in 
all otner southern and western districts, northern parts 
Qaujsm and at three stations in Vixagapatam ; else- 
where in five northern coast districts and in Cnddapab, 
Kuruool aud Bellary little or none. Anantapur light 
rain tolerably general. Weather on 8tb, Bellary, pro- 
mising. Some improvement Gaujam aud Anantapur, 
but more tain nrgeully required there audio nplauds 
of Kistna, Nelloie, Kuruool, Bellary Cuddapab, where 
crops withering aud cultivation greatly retarded. Pas- 
ture aud water-supply improving in ell soathoru dis- 
tricts, but dry fodder soarce. In Bellary, Anantapur 
and Kurnool pasture and fodders scarce aud cattle 
suffering, but no general want of water. Previous 
high prices oonliuue generally, though fallen slight iu 
Ohinglepiit, Sooth Aroot, Taujore, Trichinopoly, Tinno- 
velly and on West Coast and risen slightly Madura 
Cuddapah.Vixagapotam, Ganjam ; sharp rise Kurnool, 
Bellary and Anantapur. Works — numbers employed 
— Obingleput 6,1>2G, WanJiwash 918, Polur 1,091, 
Kalahosti 2,779, Cuddapab 561, Coimbatore 4,233 aud 
Salem 3,864, total 19,0^6, against 22,303 last week, 
on 
Kitchens— unmbers fed — Obingleput, 1,443, inclnding 
831 children; Wandiwash 665, including 883 children; 
Pnlur 132, including 100 children ; Kalahasti 1,519, 
including 1,120 children ; Coimbatore 866 and Salem 
24, including 116 children ; total 4,869 ; decrease from 
lust week 6/3. Lrane disbursed from commencement 
of distress— Obingleput 113,70,146, Wandiwash aud 
Polur 1,52,069, Cuddapab, Nellore, Coimbatore, Tinne- 
volly. South Arcot aud Salem 1,81,046. Wells con- 
structed — Obingleput 1, '109, Wandiwash and Polur 209, 
aod six other districts 216. Wells under oonstrnotion 
— Chinglcput 2 466, Wandiwash aud Polur 1,257, and, 
six other distriot-s 998, 
SOUTH AFRICAN DIAMOND MINING. 
The production of the diamond mines of Oriqua- 
lund West, South Africa, has been steadily declining 
during the past three years. This does not, however, 
appear to bo due to any falling oil in the supply of 
the precious stones, but rather to the measures 
taken for the restriction of prodnolion by the larger 
companies which have recently absorbed many of 
tho smaller undertakings. The great object of the 
consolidation of a unmber of small companies aod 
subsequent rcstriotion of output was to increase the 
price of diamonds, aud it seems from the 'statistics 
of diamond mining in South Africa that this step has 
been so far euccossful. The amount and value of the 
output of these mines in 1890 has not yet |been 
officially returned. For tho three years preoeding the 
statistics are ns follows: — 
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The Kimberley mine, which is now practically in 
the bauds of the Central Diamoud Afiuing Company, 
bad been opened in 1877 to a depth of 740 ft.; in 
1888 it was sunk to 825 ft., aud in 1889 to 845 ft. ; no 
further depth is reported in 1890. In 1887 the De 
Beers mine was down 790 ft., and iu 1888 805 ft. A 
great development of the underground system took 
place iu 1889. This raiue is owned by the D» Beers 
Consolidated Mines Company, which iu 1889 also secured 
control of thaBultfontein property, which had attained 
a depth of 480 ft. at the close of 1887, and 680 ft 
