Nov. X, 1886.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



333 



small, counting apparently as a full pound — and 

 so, if the actual gross of a package was Hi lb. 

 8 oz., the actual tare 24 lb. 1 oz. and the actual 

 nett 90 lb. 7 oz., yet when this package came to 

 be weighed at the Customs, the gross would be re- 

 turned as Hi lb., the tare 25 lb. and the net, 

 weight 89 lb. This is doubtless an extreme caset 

 in which the planter having ingenuously made a 

 present to the buyer of 7 oz. tea in excess of his 

 invoice weight, would be punished for his generosity 

 by being mulcted in a further 10 oz. If, however, 

 this be the system on which weights are taken in 

 London, it is scarcely fair that buyers who — prima 

 facie — must be admitted to be sufferers to an equal 

 extent, should call on the 2)Iante7- for a further 

 sacrifice to recoup them for the result of an in- 

 equitable system. Eather let it be an argument — 

 if the system be unalterable — for an agitation to abo- 

 lish additional trade allowances under the name of 

 draft. In face of the loss due to such a system as 

 the above, the trifling loss due to sampling in 

 Colombo sinks into insignificance. 



Planters will doubtless note the stress laid by Mr. 

 Hamilton on regularity in the weight of packages. 

 No doubt irregularity is often met with, but in my 

 own experience, and dealing with my own standard 

 chests, I have not found this difficulty at all in- 

 superable. In the first place, care should be taken 

 in making up a break to have packages of as nearly 

 as possible the same weight, and this can as a rule 

 only be secured by paying regard to the seasoning 

 of the wood — and getting together packages so to 

 speak of equal ages ; which will in most cases 

 ensure even weights. The next thing, as there will 

 always be differences of ounces in the weight of 

 shooks, is to sort out, after putting together, the 

 chests according to weight. Thus m 100 chests it is 

 possible that 25 might run to 22 lb. 25 to 22^ lb. 

 25 to 22^ lb. and 25 to 22| lb. each. In making 

 up a break take all 22J (quarters), or all of some 

 other equal weight, but do not mix them— and 

 still less do so if the difference in weight be greater. 

 Then too in order to secure uniformity it is neces- 

 sary to have a stock, and as the drier the wood 

 gets, the more it loses in weight, it is advisable to 

 check the marked tares on stock chests imme- 

 diately before use. Uniformity of weight in lead 

 linings is easy of attainment, but even here care 

 should be taken to mould the linings, on a similar 

 plan, so as to leave the same amount of flap in 

 each. Much tea lead is wasted by inattention to 

 this point, and lead cuttings can always be utilized. 

 To show the need for greater attention in checking 

 tares on the estates immediately before weighing, I 

 may mention that I have known packages lose 

 apparently as much as 2 lb. on the way down in the 

 gross weight, leading to the belief that tea had 

 been abstracted en route ; but in nearly all cases I have 

 found the discrepancy to be really due to inaccuracy 

 in the tares, and the actual netl weight correct. — 

 Yours faithfully. C. W. HORSFALL. 



PADDY GROWING : CHANGE OF SEED- 

 IRRIGATION. 



15th Oct. ISSG. 

 Dear Siit, — The Council will soon be voting away 

 large sums of money for irrigation purposes which 

 is unquestionably right if these are judiciously 

 spent, which I think is open to question. Water 

 is an essential element in paddy cultivation, good 

 seed is equally so, and while our Government go 

 on building bunds, erecting sluices, and cutting 

 channels, the matter of seed is almost entirely 

 neglected, lience the miserable returns for the large 



amounts spent on waterworks. The native cultiv- 

 ator goes on sowing successively — and has been 

 doing so for how far back, no one knows — the seed 

 his own field produces. Is it any wonder the 

 grain is in so many cases miserably light and a 

 great proportion of it simply ' husks ' ? In passing 

 through a broad extent of paddy-fields, some months 

 ago in lower Sabaragamuwa, with the owner — a 

 native headman — I remarked, you have very good 

 crops this year ? ." You would think so, sir," he 

 replied, " but they are very poor. There is plenty 

 straw, but the paddy is very light. We get no 

 good heavy paddy as formerly." " What seed did 

 you sow ?" I asked. " The seed was all right," 

 he replied, " we never sow any seed but our own." 

 On my recommending a change of seed from a 

 disance, he smiled, and no doubt pitying my ignor- 

 ance — said, " We don't know why our grain does 

 not fill, but we know there is no fault to the seed." 

 Is it not surprising that this important matter 

 has escaped the notice of our able Governor, whose 

 mind is so much set on irrigation ? and why does 

 the Government Agents ignore it in their Admin- 

 istration reports ? Probably some of these sapling 

 A. G. A.'s promoted out of due time, neglect the 

 matter in their reports through ignorance of 

 agriculture ? So it is time it were dealt with the 

 the press and brought to the notice of the Council. 

 — I am, sir, yours faithfully, LOOKER-ON. 



The Great Value of Coffee is beginning to be 

 properly estimated by the fortunate ones who still 

 own an acreage with our old staple in good heart. 

 We may be sure that full justice will be done 

 to such, now that the prospect is of extreme high 

 prices with a gradual falling-off in the produc- 

 tion of Brazil. Every eifort will be made in Ceylon 

 to help the trees to throw off the effects of the 

 leaf fungus, bug and grub. As illustrating one 

 phase of the attention given to coffee in Uva, we 

 may quote from a circular recently issued by a 

 proprietor to his superintendents on the subject 

 of "handling" coffee and its general treatment 

 with a view to crop : — 



" Now that the price of coffee at home promises to 

 rule verp high, and will probably continue to do iso 

 for some years to come, it becomes necessary to re- 

 mind Superintendents that it is very desirable that 

 the fullest attention should be paid to the condition 

 of their trees. There can be no doubt that the 

 seasons liave changed and that no longer cau periods 

 of drought be counted upon with tlie same certainty 

 as they could in the past. Such being the case, it 

 seems more than ever necessary that the trees should 

 be constantli/ Itandled. Where this system has been 

 strictly carried on good coffee in Uva has, todai/, a 

 fine crop ou it. We know of an estate of about 

 .3300 acres coffee that lately produced not more than 

 3 or 4 days ago a fine health}/ blossom addimj quite 

 2,00U bushels of parchment to the crop ah-eady set, 

 and there is another in spike on th ebigher coff'oe; yet, 

 close by, estates that have ignored this factor of 

 constant handlinc/ have missed fire ! No doubt had the 

 anticipated drought been experienced in due season 

 these estates might have had large crops too, but as 

 they have comparatively uotliing thei/ have suffered 

 from the constant rain, while constantly handled estates 

 li.ave not. Therefore act in future so that every ad- 

 vantage may be taken of whatever sun power you 

 may get. Ifandle out the trees well and constantly, 

 keepiiu/ a swppU/ of younc/ wood (nursery in fact) al- 

 ways ill readiness on the trees and you will get good 

 paying crops when others fail and work jierhaps only 

 to a loss, j'ear after year. — This is proved by many 

 estates we might mention. The net results of both 

 systems have this year been invariably the same. 

 Wherever poor cinchona interferes with ffood coffee it 

 is a question if it shou uotld now be removed." 



