tl6 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [August i, 1889. 
Any information you or any of your numerous 
readers can afford will be gratefully received and 
be of value to other planters living near to the 
towns. — Yours faithfully, G. F. 
[Bone-ash, the result of subjecting bones to 
combustion, is a useful manure, although it must 
be certain that a large portion of the ammonia 
must be lost in the process of burning. The main 
constituents of the ash are 80 per cent phosphate 
of lime and 20 per cent mad9 up of carbonate 
of lime, phosphate of magnesia, soda and chloride 
of sodium (common salt). If large quantities of 
bones are used, we know of no better means of 
getting them broken or ground, coarse or fine, 
according to wish, than at the mills in Colombo, those 
of the Commercial Company and others, who 
prepare the substance for tea and rice culture. If 
the quantity is Bmall or the distance from the 
mills great, the bones can be broken up with a 
hammer, or by having a garden or road roller 
passed over them. Then made into a conical 
heap and liquid cattle shed manure poured over 
them until they heat under cover of gunny cloth 
or similar material. This process repeated several 
times will render the bones fit for use. But 
correspondents may suggest a better way.— Ed.] 
THE GEOLOGY AND MINEBALOGY OF 
CEYLON : A GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 
DESIDERATED. 
Colombo, 1st July 1889. 
Sir, — I read with interest a letter on " Gemming 
in Ceylon," signed " Sabaragamuwa," in which the 
geological side of the question is touched upon. 
The article in Once a Week referred to, I have 
not seen, and therefore am unable to notice the 
arguments brought forward to support the theory 
that gems are produced from ordinary rock by 
means of electricity. There is, however, what a 
geologist would call positive proof of certain pre- 
cious stones having been formed by processes of 
chemical combination and deposition, chemical ex- 
change, and infiltration, while others as surely 
indicate their origin from igneous agencies — fusion 
for instance. I have lately quite accidentally seen 
a large number of stones that would suggest 
and warrant a search for gems in the locality. 
On an estate in Jaela I saw a cutting, made 
into what was plainly an old river-bod, which 
contained a vast amount of smooth pebbles im- 
bedded in clay that was nearly pure kaolin, and 
where stones of the sapphire and ruby type were 
common. On another estate at Ukuwela there 
was abundant evidence of the existence of gar- 
nets (which I afterwards saw specimens of), with 
jasparous stone in various interesting stages. In the 
latter place the original rook had been plainly 
upheaved by plutonic agency, showing here and 
there a schistose character, and containing a large 
admixture of iron ore. Now in both these localities 
the conditions and the evidences required no remote 
hypothesis to explain the origin of the precious 
stones found. 
The question started as to whether Ceylon too 
experienced the ' great ice age ' is very interesting. 
While driving from Nuwara Eliya to Hakgala some 
weeks ago I was remarkably struck with the con- 
tour of the hills, which instantly suggested to me 
— at a time I was seeking no evidence of the fact — ■ 
that the country must have been at one time sub- 
jected to glucial action. The lloches Matonnes 
were more typical thai) ever I had seen them in 
countries where the glacial period undoubtedly 
prevailed, 
But in this connection, a question I would wish 
to ask is — why don't we have a geological survey 
of the island made ? — Yours &c, C. D. 
CHINA SCENTED TEA. 
Colombo, 5th July 1889. 
Deae Sie, — Mr. A. Melville White desired me to 
send you the enclosed report on the tea referred 
to by him in the letter whioh appeared in your 
columns last night. — Yours faithfully, 
F. F. STREET. 
Report on Sample of China Scented Tea received 
from A. Melville White, Esq. 
Leaf- — Yellow, and little blackish, very loosely 
and lightly rolled, of the appearance of a Ceylon 
congon or low class souchong, containing consider- 
able woody stalk, mixed and scented with dried 
Mok-Lee blossoms. 
Liquor. — Bright, yellow, pungent, good Foochow 
scented orange pekoe water. 
Tea with the rough yellow sun-dried appearance 
this possesses is unsuitable for any European market 
that I know of. It is consumed by the Chinese. 
The liquor, as a scented tea, is extremely good, and 
had it the neat twisted tippy appearance of the 
souchong or pekoe exported to England from Foochow 
it would be worth somewhere about Is 4d per lb., 
the cup quality and scenting flavor being exceedingly 
good. The infused ie;if is mostly very soft and 
tender to chew, and it is easy to see that the tea is 
made from young leaf, though not plucked or sorted 
according to the Ceylon plana. 
The flower used in scenting this tea is a sort of 
jessamine cultivated, for the purpose, in the neigh, 
boorhood of Foochow. The flower left in this tea is 
always removed by the Chinese in the souchong or 
pekoes sold to foreigners in Foochow. 
The export of scented pekoes and capers from 
Foochow to foreign markets last season were: — 
Europe .. .. ..1,077,1341b. 
America .. .. .. 33,944 „ 
Australia and N. Zealand . . 688,321 „ 
Colombo, 5th Julv 1889. F. F. Street. 
Rice-Growing Experiments. — Mr. Elliott fur- 
nishes a very interesting and instructive reply to 
the criticisms which were passed on his recent report 
by a brother civilian. We see no reason to doubt 
the accuracy of the original return and statement of 
cost ; but great allowance must be made for the differ- 
ence between cultivation on a small and on an 
extended scale, while it must also be borne in 
mind that the conditions in the Batticaloa, Galle, 
and Matara districts are far more favourable than 
in the majority of grain growing districts in Ceylon. 
" Days op Old." — Government Advertisement : — 
"Whereas it is deemed expedient by the Government 
to encourage the manufacture of Coconut Oil at 
Point de Galle, Notice is hereby given — that a 
Steam-Engine of ten-horse power, the property of 
the Ceylon Government, will be sold, subject to the 
following conditions. The engine will be delivered 
to the purchaser, at the Customs-House of Point 
de Galle. The Purchaser will be permitted to pay 
by instalments, as may hereafter be agreed upon. 
The Purchaser shall engage to set up the engine 
in the neighbourhood of Point Galle and to manu- 
facture, by means of the engine, not less than 
200,C00gallons of Coconut Oil, within five years after 
it shall be delivered to him. The Engine shall remain 
the property of the Crown, by way of security, 
until payment of the price be fully made, and the 
stipulated quantity of oil manufactured, after which 
the interest of Government in the concern will 
cease. For further particulars application may be 
made to the Deputy Secretary to Government, who 
will receive tenders until the 15th January next. By 
His Excellency's Command, (Signed) P. Anstruther, 
Dep. Sec. to Govt. Chief Secretary's Office, Colombo, 
November 18th, 1831." 
