COFFEE. 



47 



that locality, and in large tracts, or tliere would hare been twice the 

 number of estates in cultivation. In 1848, the G algawatte estate, 

 situate in this range, at an elevation of 4,000 feet, containing 246 

 acres, of which 72 were planted, v^-as purchased by Mr. E. D. 

 Gerard, for £1,600. 



The quantity of land which had been brought under cultivation 

 with coffee in this island in the ten years previous to the last re- 

 duction of duty in 1844, was, in round numbers, 25,000 acres ; 

 but so rapid was the subsequent increase, that in the succeeding 

 three years, that extent of land was doubled ; so that, in 1847, 

 there were upwards of 50,000 acres of land under cultivation 

 Avith coffee, giving employment to 40,000 immigrant coolies from 

 the continent of India, and upwards of two millions of capital 

 were invested in the cultivation of this staple. 



The quantity of land under culture with coffee by Europeans, 

 was about 55,000 acres in 1851. Allowing 20,000 acres to pro- 

 duce the quantity of native coffee exported, and 5,000 for that 

 consumed in the island, the total extent of coffee cultivation in 

 Ceylon, European and native, will be 80,000 acres. 



The produce exported in 1849 was 373,593 cwt., while in the 

 year 1836, when attention was first directed to this island as a 

 coffee-producing country, the croj) was not more than 60,330 cv/t. 

 Large profits were made by the first planters, more capital was 

 introduced, until, between the years 1840 and 1842, the influx of 

 capitalists, to undertake this species of cultivation, completely 

 changed the face of the colony, and enlarged its trade, and the 

 produce of coffee in sixteen years has increased sixfold. 



The general culture resembles the practice in Java. Of the 

 Ceylon coffee, that grown about Kamboddi fetches the highest 

 price, from the superiority of the make, shape, and boldness of 

 the berry. The weight per bushel, clean, averages 56 lbs. ; 57i lbs. 

 is about the greatest weight of Ceylon coffee. The lowest in the 

 scale of Ceylon plantation coffee is the Doombera, which averages 

 54| lbs., clear, per bushel. The following have been the prices of 

 good ordinary Ceylon coffee in the port of London for the last eight 

 years in the month of January, 1853, 46g. to 48s. ; 1852, 40s. to 42s. ; 

 1851, 38s. 6d. to 40s. 6d. ; 1850, 56s. 6d. to 57s. 6d. ; 1849, 31s. 

 to 32s. 6d. ; 1848, 31s. 6d. to 33s. ; 1847, 39s. 6d. to 41s. 6d. ; 

 1846, 49s. to 50s. 



Forest lands are those usually planted in Ceylon, and the ex- 

 pense attendant on clearing and reclaiming them from a state of 

 nature, and converting them into plantations, is estimated to 

 average £8 per acre. The lowest upset price of crown lands in 

 the colony is £1 per acre. 



Coffee planting has failed over a considerable portion of the 

 southern province of the island, where the experiment was tried. 

 The temperature was found to be too equable, not descending 

 sufficiently low at any time to invigorate the plant ; which, though 

 growing luxuriantly at first, soon became weak and delicate. ISTur- 

 series are established for young plants. The districts in which 



