PART TT. sufficiently great to nullify completely all effort to keep prices up, and in the event even bring them down to a level lower than actual production cost. Production monopolists in general therefore can only arbitrarily force the price of their commodity which is so essential to the life of the community that it is beyond the power of the consumer to modify the demand. Furthermore, the position of the Brazilian Coffee producers in particular is rendered more precarious by the existence of many other sources—potential as well as in no inappreciable measure actual from which coffee may be obtained. This means that if the Brazilians continue their policy of forcing enhanced costs on to the consumers, those consumers will be all the more ready to resort in self-defence to retaliatory tactics on the lines indicated above. For if they find that the coffee they require can only be obtained from Brazil at a very inflated price, they will turn their attention to other countries where coffee can be grown which will undersell Brazilian and yet leave producers’ profits satisfactorily high. Such a position of affairs is well within the bounds of possibility, and would undoubtedly awaken an increased interest in the coffee markets of the Hast. Satisfactory prices on a consistently remunerative level would be ensured, for the Brazilian producers—owing to the cost of combating Stephanoderes—are no longer in a position temporarily to cut their prices down to a level below that at which their competitors can profitably produce. Indeed the boot would be on the other foot; for it would appear that a price is quite practicable which would give a satisfactory profit to countries untroubled by Stephanoderes while entailing a loss for producers involved in an Anti-Stephanoderes campaign. It is an ill wind which blows nobody good, and it would appear from the statement I have quoted that the misfortunes of the Brazilians from the ravages of Stephanoderes is going to open up new markets for coffee growers outside that country. The Brazilians will no doubt do their utmost to maintain their position and might very likely be successful along the lines the Java authorities adopted, under similar stress of introducing the parasite of the Stephanoderes. In the meantime other coffee producing countries have an opportunity of gaining an entrance into the markets. RoBUSTA AS A CROP FOR UGANDA. I should like now to say something with respect to Robusta as a suitable crop for Uganda. I have already observed that Robusta has a wide distribution as an indigenous plant within our borders and adjoining territories, and I think we may claim with a great deal of justification, Uganda as the home of Robusta. It was grown by the natives long before the advent of the European in Central Africa so that we are not dealing with a plant in an experimental stage. But apart, however, from its suitability in that respect and its resistance to the major pests which attack arabica in the country, it is a plant admirably adopted to native cultivation. I have argued before now 60