273 



The progress in shipment to countries other than the United 

 Kingdom may be noted. 



Exports of Tea from Ceylon to the following countries : — 









Ail Countries 





Australasia. 



Russia. 



outside 









United Kingdom 





lbs. 



lbs. 



lbs. 



1896 - 



- 11,062,832 



201,313 



14,205,051 



1897 - 



- 13,258,456 



439,349 



17,124,508 



1898 - 



- r 5, 1 26,89 1 



2,714,003 



23,635,i3 8 



1899 - 



- 15,606,833 



3,949,740 



25,946,032 



1900 - 



- 17,606,912 



8,917,185 



34,671,446 



1 90 1 - 



- 15,342,156 



6,959,327 



28,857,783 



Colombo is clearly destined to become a great market and dis- 

 tributing port for tea. How far its trade and importance might 

 be increased by the removal of cerlain restrictions, and the imposi- 

 tion of safeguards against the import and export of what is known 

 as " rubbishy " tea it is for those chiefly concerned to say. Mean- 

 time, confidently trusting in the judicious management of planta- 

 tions, practical experience being aided by science, I see no reason 

 to doubt the continued well-being of the great planting industry 

 of the Colony. 



Cacao is doing well, and on most large estates the canker has 

 been largely eradicated. Coco-nuts, cinnamon, cardamoms and 

 other smaller products have been in a prosperous condition during 

 the year. 



Of new products, rubber claims the first place. Exports of 

 appreciable quantities have commenced, and the prices obtained 

 have been most satisfactory. The latest market report contains 

 the entry "Best Para 3^. gd., Ceylon, fine Para, sorts, 4s-. 

 per lb." This cultivation may now be considered established in 

 the wet low-country districts. 



Camphor has continued to attract attention, and bids fair to 

 prove a paying minor product for many parts of the South-west 

 and the hills. Samples prepared from trees grown in the Botanic 

 Gardens have lately been valued at 126.9. per cwt. The yield of 

 camphor from clippings of leaves and young twigs is about 12 per 

 cent, and the preparation is cheap, so that in places where 16,000 

 lbs. of clippings can be obtained from an acre in a year, there is 

 little doubt that it will pay well. 



Of other minor or new products, tobacco continues to extend, 

 also vanilla, pepper, cinchona and tapioca; the roots of the last 

 named are, however, only used as yams, and not for the prepara- 

 tion of tapioca. Citronella Oil is in a very depressed state, owing 

 to overproduction and too low prices, with new competition in un- 

 adulterated oil from Java. The adulteration of our oils is so whole- 

 sale and so shameless that it is difficult to foresee any remedy for 

 the depression, unless the cultivation be taken up by large manu- 

 facturers. A detailed investigation has been made, and a report 

 will soon be published. 



