93 



GOPFEB. 



The largest export of plantation coffee and the maximum 

 average rate of production, 5^ cwts. (616 lbs.) per acre for the 

 country, were obtained in 1870. The effects of leaf disease, which 

 had that season made its appearance all over the coffee districts, 

 •were at once manifested in the falling off in the succeeding year, 

 and the alternate ^bad and average crops since realized^ notwith- 

 etanding the greatly increased area in cultivation. 



In the year 1878 the crop fell behiad that of the previous year 

 neariy thirty-four per cent. ; in 1879 it rose above the average for 

 eight years, but again feU 126,313 cwts. behind in 1880. The 

 exports from Ceylon for the past eight years have been as follows ; 



It will be observed that while the out-turn of plantation coffee 

 varies greatly, one season falling and another rising, and the past 

 season giving a return considerably below the average, in nativft 

 kinds, on the other hand, the export has gone steadily down 

 almost year by year, until now Ceylon does not ship much more 

 than one-third the quantity of native coffee despatched eight 

 years ago. There can be no doubt that the native gardens have 

 suffered greatly from leaf disease, more in proportion than well- 

 cultivated plantations. 



The value and magnitude of the coffee enterprise in and to 

 Ceylon is shown by the following extract from the " Ceylon 

 Directory and Almanac : " 



" From the year which is usually taken to represent the com- 

 mencement of the coffee enterprise in Ceylon, namely 1837, to 



