Aug. 2, 1886.] 



rUU tROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



n^ 



■ ii M ii ii i fiiiKmT 



To the Editor of the " Ceylon Observer." 



TEA MAKING AND THE FUTURE FUEL 

 SUPPLY IN DIMBULA, &c. 



Dimbula Planters' Association, 7th July 1886. 

 Deak Sib, — I am requested to forward to you for 

 publication the enclosed interesting letter.- — I am, 

 yours faithfully, GEO. BECK, Hony. Secy. 



Lippakelle, Dimbula, Ceylon, 29th June 1886. 



George Beck, Esq., Hony. Secretary, Dimbula ! 

 Planters' Aasociatiou. I 



Dear Sir, — Seeing that many of the estates in the I 

 Dimbula district (and this applies equally to some | 

 other planting districts) are without reserves of timber | 

 and erelong will be forced to import fuel of some i 

 kind, not only for tea-making purposes, but some | 

 day even for their coolies, it oecomes a serious 1 

 question, and one which it behoves planters to take 

 in hand at once, how the cheapest fuel is to be ' 

 had. I need hardly point out at 'this moment, how I 

 necessary it is becoming to keep down at the lowest 

 point, everything that goes to make up the cost of [ 

 the production of tea, and it appears to me that 

 this matter of the fuel supply of the near future 

 is so vital, that it calls for the immediate consider- 

 ation of the Planters' Association of the island. 



The choice at present seems to be between coals, 

 patent fuel and petroleum, and it is more especially 

 to the last that I now wish to direct attention, not 

 only as now becoming procurable in any quantity, but I 

 as being less bulky, and, as I understand, in every 1 

 respect, a cheaper and, for our purposes, likely to be , 

 the most serviceable description of fuel. Placed as 1 

 Ceylon is between the Black Sea and Suez on the one | 

 band and Burma on the other, we ought to be most | 

 favourably situated as regards cost of carriage from j 

 all three. From the first the supply would appear to I 

 be practically unlimited ; the Red Sea promises great I 

 things ; and Burma, I know, from some experience of 

 that country, cJin now export a large quantity at low ' 

 cost. It is to the last named, which lies nearest our 

 doors, that I would particularly call attention. The { 

 oil wells are situated in Upper Burma, now part of . 

 the British Empire and within a mile or so of the i 

 river Irrawaddy and the produce is brought 

 down by boat (in bulk principally) to Ran- 

 goon, the voyage from which to Colombo is a ' 

 very short one. Hitherto this petroleum has been a \ 

 royal monopoly, but as the British Government cannot 

 recognize monopolies, the result will be, this industry ' 

 will shortly be thrown open to British traders, and 

 the production of the wells, which have so far been 1 

 worked in the most primitive native fashion, will in- 

 crease tenfold. I may add here the oil is very fine 



I regret that I am unable to furnish any statistics 

 of supply or cost from any of the above sources. My 

 object in writing is rather to urge the importance 

 of getting all necessary information without delay, 

 as to how far it is practicable to have our wants ! 

 supplied, which, I would submit, falls within the I 



Erovince of a Planters' Association. I think it would 

 e well to apply to the Chief Commissioner of Burma, 

 Rangoon, who can, no doubt, give much valuable inform- I 

 ation as to the supply, and also to communicate with the 

 Rangoon Chamber of Commerce whom it would be well 

 to inform of the probabiiify of a large demand springing | 

 up in Ceylon for petroleum. This will serve to call , 

 tbeattention oftbe mercantile community to a new open- 

 ing for trade, of which it is natural they should avail 

 themselves. I 



J portance of the Suez find of petroleum (fortunately at 

 this qvkX oftbe Suez Canal) the representative of the 



I British Government in Egypt ought to be able to 



I testify to. 



It occurs to me that perhaps the most practical 

 commencement in this matter of fuel would be, for 

 the different Planters' Associations to call for returns 



; from all tea estates of their probable fuel requirements. 

 There would then be sometbin? more or less definite 

 in the extent of demand to hold out to induce supplies. 

 The only other suggestion I have to make is, that 

 it would be well to consult makers of tea-driers like 

 Messrs. Jackson and Davidson how far it would be 

 practicable to burn petroleum without injuring the 

 tea, and how far, and at what cost, their furnaces could 

 be adopted to this purpose. — Yours faithfully 

 K. C. MAOIVER. 



COST OF TEA PREPARATION, &c. 



Balmoral, 9th July 1886. 



pE.\R Sm,— In your Tropical Aoriculturist of 

 this month I have carefully read the answers of 

 the Sub-Committee of the Maskeliya Planters' Associ- 

 ation on tea manufacture, and in the 34th answer 

 I find it stated that the "cost of manufacture 

 per lb. made tea including superintendence 5 cents, 

 plucking 12 cents, manufacture 3 cents, packing 3 cents, 

 transport 1 cent." Will you kindly explain why 

 manufacture is twice entered, first at .5 cents and 

 secondly at 3 cents per lb.? Will you also inform 

 me if in the charges abovementioned, the following 

 items are included, viz., chest, lead, hoop-iron, 

 nails and solder? An early reply will much oblige, 

 yurs faithfully, R. B. L. 



[We have referred to a good authority who 

 states : — Perhaps if the word ' including ' were 

 omitted the sentence would be more intelligible. 

 I believe it means: — Cost of manufacture per lb. 

 made tea — superintendence 5 cents ; plucking 12 

 cents; manufacture 3 cents; packing (including 

 chests, lead, Ac.) 3 cents ; transport 1 cent : total 

 21 cents." Thus, if superintendence, or more plainly 

 superintendents' salaries, be deducted, the actual 

 cost of plucking the tea. leaf making it into tea, 

 packing and sending it down to Colombo is cents 

 nineteen per lb. of made tea : these rates are con- 

 sidered low. — Ei>.j 



I would also sviggest that the British Consul, say 

 at Odessa, be written to for information regarding the \ 

 supply and cost of the Russian article which is now 1 

 largely consiraed in Russian steamers and mauu- 1 

 factories, the result of whose actual experience it would 

 be valuable to know, What may be the real im- I 

 U 



TEA-MAKING AND BURMA PETROLEUM 

 AS FUEL. 



Colombo, 10th July 1880. 



Dear Sir, — Referring to Mr. K. C. Maciver'g 

 letter, addressed to the Honorary Secretary of the 

 Dimbula Planters' Association, which appears in 

 your last night's issue, it may be of service to 

 those who take an interest in the matter discussed 

 by Mr. Maciver to know that our senior is pro- 

 prietor of the Rangoon Oil Company, at whose 

 works in Rangoon the crude oil from Upper 

 Burma is manipulated and made into the differ- 

 ent kinds of mercantile oils, such as Burning 

 Oil, Lubricating Oil, Ordnance Oil, itc, &c. If 

 those who widh information respecting supply, 

 prices, ttc. will be good enough to formulate their 

 enquiries and send them to us, we will be happy 

 to forward them on to the agents of the Com- 

 pany in Rangoon, who will be able to answer 

 them satisfactorily. The Company's Oils are not 

 unknown in the island. — ^Yours faithfully, 



CARGILL ct Co. 



CEYLON TEAS FOR THE UNITED STATES. 



Louisa, Talawakele, 13th July 1880. 



De.vk Sin, — I have to thank you for the kind 



notice you inserted in the Ohxerver at the 12th. 



We have almost decided to leave by the " Clan 



MacArthuv " on the 3rd September and I hope 



