Edible Products. 



228 



[April 1907. 



Elevation 



District. 



above 



Sea Level. 





Feet. 





Feet. 



Dikoya, Maskeliya, Ramboda, Uda Pussellawa 



3,000 



>> 



5,500 



Lower Dikoya, Kellebokka, Knuckles, Rangala, Kukulu Korale, 









Medamahanuwara 



2,500 



>5 



4,500 



Rakwana, Nilroupa, Haubane, Dolosbage, Lower Hewahetta, 









Passara, Hunasgiriya 



2,000 



J) 



4,000 



Wategarna, Kadugannawa, Ambagamuwa ... 



1,500 



)? 



3,500 



North Matale, Morawak Korale, Galagedara ... 



1,000 



5) 



2,500 



South Matale, Dumbara, Kurunegala 



700 



>» 



1,500 



Kelani Valley, Kegalle 



300 



9 9 



1,000 



Kalutara, Hauwella, Mahara, Mirigaraa, Henaratgoda, Weligama 



100 



JJ 



300 



Districts whose elevation varies greatly: Alagala, 700 to 2,700; Badulla. 

 1,500 to 5,000 ; Balangoda, 1,800 to 5,000 ; Haputale, 2,000 to 5,500 ; Kotmale, 2,000 to 

 5,000 ; Madulsiraa, 2,000 to 5,000 ; East Matale, 1,200 to 4,000 ; West Matale, 1,500 to 

 3,500 ; Monaragala, 600 to 3,500 ; and Ratnapura, 100 to 4,000. 



Ceylon teas used to be all black " English Breakfast" teas, but the planters 

 have turned their attention of late years to the manufacture of green teas for the 

 American market. Although not completely successful, the Ceylon planter is 

 such a go-ahead fellow that he is bound to hit off the right thing before long.— 

 Tea and Coffee TroAe Journal. 



THE TEA INDUSTRY OF FORMOSA. 



Opening the map of the Eastern Hemisphere, one will find an island lying to 

 the west of the boundless Pacific, with the Philippine Islands in the south and the 

 mainland of China in the west. This is no other island than the one to which the 

 Portuguese, sailing in ancient days round the coast thereof, gave the euphonious and 

 yet appropriate name of " Ilha Formosa" (beautiful island). 



In the year 1895 the island was ceded to the Japanese Empire as the result of 

 the China-Japan war, and has since been growing with years under the successful 

 administration of the Japanese Government. The territory of Formosa is estimated 

 to be about 15,000 square miles in area, intersected by a range of lofty mountains 

 through nearly its entire length. The climate is semi-tropical to temperate towards 

 the northern part, and the island is quite free from damage of frost and snow, with, 

 however, an abundance of rain consequent on moisture continuously brought in by 

 the north-easterly winds. The cold tide of the Pachi-li B iy coming in its course into 

 contact with the warm one in the channel of Formosa, uniformly gives rise to 

 occasional fogs in the island. In the plains, and especially in the lovely valleys 

 amidst the mountains, the soil is, as a rule, eminently good, containing rich organic 

 clay and copious iron in its composition. 



As has been described above, in all the conditions of nature, the island of 

 Formosa can safely be looked upon as a most delightful realm for human habitation. 

 True, all the portions of the island abound in inexhaustible natural resources as well 

 as in sundry agricultural products. For example, camphor, tea, sugar and rice are 

 among its staple ones. What stands foremost, however, in the lengthy list of these 

 products, is undoubtedly the tea that has highly bright prospects for its future. 



As for the origin of the cultivation of the tea-plant and of the manufacture 

 of tea, we regret to announce that we have no authentic records at our disposal. 

 According to some tradition, tea-plants are supposed to have been found growing 

 wild on the hills of Formosa, while some tea experts insist that the shrubs were 



