Edible Products. 



112 



[February, 1912 



by manufacturers and merchants show 

 considerable variation for the same 

 sample. The reason is that in the case 

 of tobacco such as this, which is on the 

 whole of rather poor quality, two applic- 

 ations are possible. It may be used for 

 cheap cigars, if on trial it proves good 

 enough for the purpose, but if not it will 

 be used for "cutting " into cheap pipe 

 tobaccos. For the former purpose it 

 will realise a higher price than for the 

 latter. Both the manufacturers who 

 were consulted in the present instance 

 considered that certain of the tobaccos 

 would do for cigar purposes, and the 

 valuations given by one of them are 

 based on that view. The merchants on 

 the other hand were of opinion that all 

 the tobaccos would only be suitable for 

 cutting, and the valuations they gave 

 are based on that opinion. 



The two firms of manufacturers who 

 were consulted were asked whether they 

 would like to purchase the whole or part 

 of the consignment if it were offered for 

 sale in this country. Both firms stated 

 that they would be glad to consider this 

 question after seeing " dock samples " of 

 the consignment on its arrival in London. 



The merchants stated that they would 

 be willing to take charge of the tobacco 

 if it were shipped to this country and 

 sell it to the best advantage. They 

 pointed out that for the purpose they 

 had in view, viz., the sale of the tobacco 

 for cutting purposes, it would be advant- 

 ageous to divide it into four grades 

 instead of nine, and they suggested that 

 of the present grades the following 

 should be mixed together. (For con- 



venience the present grades are de- 

 signated by the distinguishing letters 

 A to K, used throughout the schedules 

 in this report) : — 



New Labels on 



Grading. Samples, original samples. 



1. A, D and K. " Sumatra No. 1," 



"Sumatra No. 2" 

 and "Java top- 

 ped." 



2. B and-F. " Sumatra No. 1 " and 



"Java No. 3 (S. 

 Brown leaf)." 



3. C and E. '• Sumatra No. 1 



(mouse seed leaf)" 

 and " Java No. 2.' 

 1. G and H, "Java No. 3 "and 

 "Java No. 3 (S. 

 Dark leaf)." 



It is possible that this re-grading 

 would further diminish the value of 

 those grades which are possibly suitable 

 for cigar manufacture, and the consign- 

 ment would then be suitable for cigar 

 manufacturers' use. The decision as to 

 whether the merchants ' suggestion for 

 re- grading should be adopted will there- 

 fore depend largely on the relative 

 amounts ot the nine grades available. 

 If a large proportion of the consignment 

 consists of the grades which are shown 

 by this report to be suitable for cigar 

 purposes, it would probably be best to 

 consign the tobacco to this country 

 according to its present grading, or to 

 slightly modify it by adopting the 

 merchants' suggestion so far as grades 

 represented by small amounts of tobacco 

 are concerned. 



EDIBLE PRODUCTS. 



VOA VANGA. 



Vangueria edulis, or Voa-vanga, is an 

 interesting fruit tree which belongs to 

 the same Natural Order as Coffee 

 (Rubiacece), and has been introduced 

 from Madagascar, its native home. It 

 is a small shrubby tree, producing a 

 large number of smooth, round fruits of 

 the size of a small apple. This when 

 ripe becomes yellowish-green, the sub- 

 acid sweetish pulp suggesting the flavour 

 of the "Velvet Tamarind" (Dialium). 

 The tree thrives and fruits at Peradeniya, 

 and would seem to show much promise 

 of improvement, by high cultivation and 

 selection. It may be propagated by 

 seed or cuttings. The large shining, 

 light-green leaves are said to be used in 

 medicine in Madagascar. 



POTATO CULTIVATION IN CEYLON. 



Potatoes are more or less successfully 

 grown in many up-country gardens, 

 both for market and for private con- 

 sumption, but seldom, indeed, one sees 

 in the Tropics such a uniformly fine 

 crop as is shown in the above photo- 

 graph, which was taken recently by 

 permission of Mr. A. J . Kellow, Albion 

 Estate, Nuwara Eliya. This moreover, 

 is not a mere specially-favoured garden 

 patch, but a fair-sized field of several 

 acres in extent of reclaimed patana 

 land. It may be said in regard to pota- 

 toes especially that the proof is in the 

 eating, but the writer can vouch for the 

 size and quality of these potatoes being 

 such as would compare favourably with 

 any produced in temperate climes, and 

 any one who has been lucky enough to 



