602 
t'HF TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
I February i, iSq*. 
the most of every available acre for the cultivation of 
Liberian. I have heard several discussions m the sul - 
jects of grafting and inarching, and 1 know that here, 
grafted and inarched plants of Arabioa and Liberian 
have been procured from Bangalore for the purpose of 
studying the process carefully, but from what 1 cau 
gather, it la not generally regarded as likely to be of 
nrnch use, the argument against it being, that it is the 
delicate thin leaves of the coffee Arabioa which aio 
susceptible to disease, and that merely grafting cauiu t 
alter their texture, or thicken lliein suflicitully to en- 
able them to re.ist the germs; whilst grnttiiig Li- 
berian Upon Arabica ia ridiculous on the Lee of it, for 
surtdy the Liberians own sturdy roots must bo tbo 
most suitable fur its well being. 
There is a good deal of talk about tea ; and I am 
verv glad to say, something a great deal more solid 
besides talk. Two well-known properties hereabouts 
are now being opened for t<a, end reliable rninours 
hints at an Agricnltural Company, with tea for its 
principal product, wliicU ia to be started before long. 
This will embrace some old abandoned estates, as well 
as properties still In cultivation, all admirably situated 
for the purpose, and this sboul t prove a good stop 
in a new direction. There cun be no doubt wliutever 
as to the suitability of Wynaad for a tea-growing 
country, and its introduction, practically, should com. 
mence a new and pro.sperous era for us all. It does 
not take so long to come into bearing as Liberian, 
which is also an advantage, and so far such as has 
been grown hero, has apparently been oxem|it from 
disease of any sort. An experienced Oeyloii planter 
lately gave it as his opinion that this district was 
in every way good for tea ; and expressed his surprise 
that it had so long been a neglected string to our 
bow. I hope in my next to tell you more of what 
I am at present only at liberty to mention as a 
rumour. We are bsginuing to ary out forraiu. There 
has been none since the middle of November, and 
the country baa begun to dry up considerably, which 
naturally causes us some anxiety on account ot onr 
young plantings. There is a really fine show of wood 
for next year, and the spike just beginning to sprout is 
healthy enough, and we are anxious that it should nut 
be forced by too early rains, so that wo feel semewbat 
like the farmer who, hearing there wore to be prayers 
fur rain, suggested that the petitions should bo on 
account of the cornfields only, as be had not then got 
in all his hay ! We want rain badly for the new 
clearings, and we do not want it at all yet a while 
for tbo spike. Starving cattle are being driven in 
already from Mysore, the price of grain is very high, 
and our Oanareseare becoming very bnmhle, and evi- 
dently wish to remain as lung as possible on tbo 
estates, instead of, as nsual, longing to hurry off to 
their own country. ^ 
By the way we have discovered a new and abomin- 
able pooohee, whioh some one cheerfully suggests is 
to be tbo fu'ure plague of tbo Liberian. This is 
a beetle, about an inch long, narrow, and grey in 
colour, shaded with black. It has very long anteucia 
and as one writer described it, "a mouth like a h’e'o- 
pliant, sir.’ Its particular talent is whittling. No 
American, however accomplished in that uutional 
pastime, could beat our beetle. It will work in one 
uigbt throngh a stem as thick as a man's wrist, ontiuig 
round and round with mathemttioal regularity and 
neatness, until so small a bit of wood remains that the 
branch breaks ott. It is not partiuular as to the plant. 
On three occasions I had flue orotons entirely 
destroyed, the main stems having beon cut through 
then the beetle wandered to the opposite side of. 
the garden aud cut down the loug, climb- 
ing stem of a beautiful Gloire de Dijon rose. His lust 
freak was cutting through a thick old branch of 
Bougainvillea. I hinted in vain for the culprit, aud 
tried my host to the motive for each seemingly piir- 
poaelesB mischief, I can only suppose that it is in some 
way connected with tbo depuaiting of its eggs. L iter on 
aspeoiracn was caught upon anober estate, which I put 
under a finger glase for observation. It seems to eat 
nioorikah leaves (Mri/thrina Indica) and it was absurd to 
^ce it go fgr a date stone, aud slinging round it oommence 
whitling. This did not last long, however, and by the 
next morning the beetle looked very sick indeed; and 
had not made much progres upon his date stone, 
I wonder if auy ot your readers cau give us some 
information about this beetle, especially as to its 
umtivo for felling shrubs in this uncousider-ite manner. 
I have boird of several ooffee robberies, but 
iioihing very seitioii-., and the police have undoubtedly 
been much more active this year thao usual. There 
was one rather amusing case some weeks ago, in which 
a gang of Pnnuiahs niaile a most deiermiiiod attack 
upon tho watchmen, returning throe times, and being 
as often phickdy repulsed by tho writer, who had come 
to tho rescue. It ended by seudi g for tho police 
who, however, failed to capture the would-be thieve*. 
Tliese, no doubt, belonged to a well-known robber’s 
villigo at the foot of the ghauts. 
Very high prices are being offered for ooffes, both 
psrohment and cherry, by the various Coast firms, 
Kl.1-4 for parchment, aud R8 4 tor cherry per bushel 
being locally eff.Ted, so that all expenses of curing and 
cartage to tho Coast are saved, and several of our 
planters have availed themselves of so conveuient an 
opportunity of disposing of their crops, without tho 
adddional trouble and expense of home shipment. 
There are se veral new openings being marie for ein- 
ohona, which shows there is still hope felt for the future 
of this product, iu spite of tho miserable prices at 
present offered, whioh make it hardly worth while to 
harvest our bark. » * • 
I think we all very heartily congratulate our fortu- 
nate-brethren in Coorg, aud rejoioo lot them about 
their spieudid crops, whilst we hope that we ourselves 
tray rauk amongst the lucky ones next year, Floreat 
Voffea\ wherever it may be.-M. Times, Jan. 7th, 
TEA LV VICTOIUA. 
From the review of trade and oommeroo for 1891, 
in the Malbonrna Argus of Jan, 1st, we quote the 
notice of tho tea trade. The record regarding 
Ceylon tea is similar to that from London, — increased 
import and consumption but quality and prioes low. 
The bcuellt of the increased consumption and the 
taste it must create will come iu following years. 
Tea. — Contrary to general antioipationa the trading 
rcKuliB of tho first half of 1891 were generally tm- 
satistaotory, caused mainly by the unexpected dis- 
covery of stocks iu bond, whioh converted a pros- 
pectively bare into an over-snpplied market. The 
repeated errors in our Customs department are beyond 
all reason, and have called forth the strongest con- 
demnation of its inefficiency from all branches of 
tho tea trade. However, it is gcncrslly bt lieved that 
tho stocks are now correctly stated, aud tba-. is some- 
thing. The second half of tho year has disclosed a 
rapid increase in the demand for blended teas, and 
oonsequontly ieoraasod sales of Indians and Ceylons, 
and a decreased sale ot all China kinds. There has 
been throughout an absence of excitement, and hold- 
iugs ill first hands have oontiniied almost nominal, 
which fact alone would have caused, in view of tho 
small quantity of leaf now afloat and tho stats of 
tho varions exporting markets, speouiative sales but 
tor tliQ iieco.esary caution now being exorcised in ail 
branches of trade in iho present unsettled financial 
slate of the minor monetary institations of Viotoria 
and adjoining O'lunios. The most marked change 
lias been the heavy increase iu shipments from 
Colombo, the total from May to November being 
‘2,l.'iU,00t) lb., as against l.oSO.OOO lb. for the same 
perioU last year. The greater bulk has, however, 
been of undesirable and inferior grades, and the re- 
sults to shippers unsatisfaotory. From Oalcntta, for 
the same p.-.iod, il o fl .urea a o respectively 3,750,000 
lb. Bgaiust 3,480 COO., .nd here again almost the whole 
has consisted ot co ..muner kinds, for which prices 
have throughout ruled well under cost, while for the 
few bctier sorts and fine teas competitiou has been 
sulfioioutly good to show covering rates. The -very 
low range of values that has existed for blending 
kinds of Ceylon and Indian teas have so far assisted 
