8 3 8 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[May i, 1885. 



COFFEE AND TEA PLANTING ON CEYLON 

 HILLS. 



GROWTH OF TEA AT HIGH ALTITUDES— MAGNIFICENT AP- 

 I'EAKANCE OK COFFEE — A SIGHT OF KEAUTV — COFFEE 

 DOOMED — CN FULFILLED PROMISES. 



Llndula, 10th April. 



In order to see how well-suited high altitudes in 

 this region are tor tea, oue has but to look at 

 the wonderful growth of eighteen months old on 

 the new clearing on Inverness. But, belore treating of 

 the prospects of tea in high altitudes and at low levels, 

 I really cannot retrain from noticing the truly beauti- 

 ful, 1 might say magnificent, appearance of coffee up 

 here. I walked over a considerable portion of the 

 estate whence I write this morning, and my com- 

 panion and 1 could not refrain from exclamations of 

 delight as we beheld expanses resembling emerald 

 strewed over and adorned with rolls of aggregated 

 snow crystals, the idea of snow being at ouee, how- 

 ever, dissipated by the sweet jasmine like odour which 

 loaded the hot, moist atmosphere. Than a well kept, 

 carefully and evenly pruned coffee estate such as tuts 

 is when in full blossom, there are few sights more 

 beautiful. But I am bound to confess that the spect- 

 acle on which I first looked was surpassed \s hen 

 we arrived at the confines of au adjoining property, 

 higher up the Diniouldauda valley, where coffee had 

 yielded such disappo.utmg results, that, prepaiatory 

 to its super-session by tea, a single long sucker had 

 been allowed to grow up on each bush. Tuose suck- 

 ers, several tcet 111 height, pyramidal in form and 

 with regular tiers of branches growing out from the 

 main stem, were covered with a perfect blazj of blos- 

 som, and the effect of an expanse of snch bushes was 

 as much more striking tban what I have already 

 described, as a grove of natural growing trees is 

 superior in beauty to the m it evenly pruned hedge. 

 But it is not for beauty of blossom or sweet odour 

 that we cultivate coffee, and, 1 fear, the period is not 

 far distaut when the well ptuued cofi'e^ 1 referred 

 to will be subjected probably to the same forcing pro 

 cess so as to secure one or two good crops of berry 1 1 1 ire 

 the fiat of execution goes forth against the trees which 

 have ceased to respond to cultivation with compensitii g 

 fruit, however rich they may be in blossom, and, m 

 periods like the presen", wh u leaf-fungus and scale 

 insect are absent, luxuriant in foliage. Looking at 

 collections of withered leaves beneath the bashes, 

 we know how the energies of trees have been ex- 

 hausted in clothing them elv s with repeated coats 

 of foliage, and therefore we have ceased to hope for 

 fruition ii any proportion to the promise of bio 

 List year, we felt we had a good right to exp ct, if 

 not 2,000 bushels of parchment ciflee, at least l.GUO. 

 But the result was only 1,400, and, although tins was 

 far better thin the outturn 111 other cases, it was 

 no more remunerative than several previous crops had 

 been, and when, even with the richest promise 

 in the shape of green foliaged bnsbei and mi >wv 

 blossom redolent of sweet odours, returns of crop in 

 successive years become •'small by degrees and beauti- 

 fully less," it is of little use to exhort us ust to 

 lose our faith in a product which, when we do ob- 

 tain it, goes to a bad market. Estate owners will 

 not spend money on the upkeep of coffee e.ther, 

 merely to prevent a lepetition of the mistake os 

 having wide unbroken expanses of one cuhivated 

 product. Necessity as well as reluctance to abandon 

 what has cost so much will prevent the reckleaj 

 destruction of coffee, but, you may rely ou it, that in 

 a large proportion of cases, even the best code is 

 only retained as yielding the means for its own super- 

 session by tea. But more ou this point hereafter. 



The patauasj are gradually passing from yellow to 

 green, while the luxuiiauce of all bush and tree 

 vegetation is rich beyond expression. The tea Hush 

 can literally "be seen growing," while the coffee blossom 

 is perfect in beauty and perfume. Would that in 

 tiie latter case we could count our fruit in propor 

 tion I But there is Certainly room for hope. 



REPOK/l? ON INDIAN TEA : 



GEO. 



London, : 



WHITE & CO.'S ANNUAL INDIAN TEA 



IlEPOKT. 

 !, eli-eat To»er Street, E. O., 20th March 1S85. 

 Close of last Season. — At the time of issuing our 

 last Annual in March 1884, we find that there was a dull 

 dragging market with an over supply of common and un- 

 desirable kinds, and prices about on a par with those ruling 

 at the same period of 1S83. After Easter there was a 

 better enquiry for good tea, but poor quality continued 

 very depressed, especially commou pekoes, a large quan- 

 tity of which were of old imports. During April and 

 May the enquiry for good to finest improved gradually, and 

 I prices hardened Id to 3d per lb., but common to fair me- 

 I ilium were neglected, though apparently very cheap. 



After Whitsuntide the demand was limited except for 

 good teas, and notwithstanding that May deliveries were 

 j the largest ou record, viz. 6,Uo2,000 lb. there was a very 

 1 quiet tone all through June. The first New Darjeelings 

 ' were offered on 5th of that month, and being above the 

 I average in quality sold well. Later arrivals did not meet 

 ! with so much attention. 



General remakes on present Season.— The Season, 

 1 which to all appearances will close earlier than usual, has been 

 on the whole rather devoid of interest and free from specul- 

 ation, and probably not a remunerative one, except to a 

 very few fortunate garden owners and shippers. The de- 

 pression in prices, most noticeable towards the close of the 

 year, was in a great measure due to the very large qua ut- 

 ity placed ou the market during October and Movcmber ; 

 aud it would be to the interests of Importers, if they 

 could regulate the shipments or the sales to some extent 

 in accordance with our requirements. 



Had the figures regarding the outturn and the quantity 

 available for shipment to Great Britain not been so mis- 

 leading, perhaps more of the Tea hurried forward for salo 

 at the close of 15M4 would have been held over for a time 

 and thus met a better demand. If, therefore, some meaus 

 of gathering earlier and reliable information as to the prob- 

 able export could be adopted, it would no doubt assist in 

 I eadier by giving importers some confi- 



11 occasionally holding back supplies from anover- 

 stoeked market. During the past few years also buyers 

 have not purchased freely until after the August hank 

 holiday, so that until then it scarcely seems advisable to 

 press sales, as the demand does not become general. 



Fine to finest with real quality have been scarce through- 

 out the season and have kept up well in price, but the 

 supply of common and medium has at times been in excess 

 of the demand. Tile quality of the crop has varied con- 

 siderably, for short periods it was very good (t. e., arrivals 

 in August, January and February) but on the whole poor, 

 and in many respects similar to that of 1882-3. The market 

 at the present time appears also to be very like that of 

 March, 1883, after which month there was a large business 

 at au advance ou prices previously ruling. 



The statistical position of both Indian and China 

 Tea is apparently good, and so far as can be gath- 

 ered the crop of 1884-1885 will at the present rate 

 of deliveries he all absorbed. In fact the consump- 

 tion, owing partly to the low range of prices ruling 

 for some time, has outstripped the increased production, 

 and though larger acreages are coming into bearing, es- 

 pecially iu Sylhet and Ceylon, it would appear that in 

 all probability the increase may be wanted to meet the 

 requirements of the future. Further complications be- 

 tween France and China also may check, if they do not 

 altogether for a time stop, shipments from the latter 

 country ; the extra duty of l|d per lb., making in all 

 3d to 4d per lb., which the Chinese Government proposes 

 to place ou the export of tea should moreover indirectly 

 benefit those interested in India, Ceylon and Java. 



