288 
THF TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [October i, 1889. 
To the Editor. 
CEYLON TEA IN SWITZERLAND. 
819 Neuwiesen-Strasse, 
Winterthur, Aug. 30th, 1889. 
Dear Sib, — Will you please add my name to 
your list of benefactors of the Ceylon Tea Industry. 
Last winter I had the pleasure of staying in your 
island, and since July 1st. I have begun busi- 
ness on my own acccount, one branch of my line 
of business being the sale of genuine Ceylon tea. 
The majority of the population of Switzerland 
preferring by far coffee to tea, the results obtained 
by me so far, are not great, but I hope, that 
this will improve. If you wish, you may ask in- 
formation of my character from Messrs. Volkart 
Brothers, through whose medium I buy my tea. 
—I am, dear sir, yours truly, 
CHARLES OSSWALD. 
[Mr. Osswald's name will be added to our published 
list. He sends us a copy of his German circular 
"On Ceylon Tea and on the Use of Tea in General," 
in which a sketch is given of the rise of the tea 
industry in Ceylon, directions are given for the 
keeping and preparation of tea, and an extract 
is added from Dr. Wiel's " Diatetic Cookery Book 
for the Healthy and the Sick," consisting of some 
remarks on tea. — Ed.] 
CEYLON GREEN TEAS IN AMERICA. 
Colombo, 9th Sept. 1889. 
Dear Sir, — I was much pleased to learn, from 
Mr. Deane's letter appearing in a recent issue, that 
his green teas, are so favourably reported on from 
America, fully confirming the opinion I expressed 
at the time of manufacture that they were teas 
possessing a character especially suitable for the 
American taste. Beyond reporting on and classi- 
fying the teas in question and pointing out any little 
defects they had, I had very little to do with the 
favourable result obtained. I oertaintly gave Mr. 
Deane a full report on the tea quite in a business 
way, but beyond this the entire credit is due to Mr. 
Deane himself, who was wonderfully successful in 
obtaining from the first what was wanted in green 
teas for the American market. In fact I may say 
that in the whole course of my experience of the 
trade I have not come across green teas with a 
better cup character than that possessed by Mr. 
Deane's Kintyres. Without Mr. Deane's permis- 
sion, which I hope for the information of his 
brother planters he will accord, I cannot of course 
send you a copy of the report on his teas. I may 
however mention without any breach of confidence 
that I have received samples of similar teas from 
several other planters, and that I have, in my 
reports, strongly reoommended the parties interes- 
ted to make a small break of similar teas with 
a view to testing the market. 
Speaking generally the green teas I have seen 
in Ceylon have been a much greater success from 
Oolongs.— Yours faithfully, 
F. P. STREET. 
PADDY CULTIVATION IN THE MATARA 
DISTRICT. 
Matara Kachcheri, September 9th, 1889. 
Sir,— Ab being of public interest in connection 
with the recent discussion as regards the possible 
proiitj of paddy cultivation, I have the honour to 
annex a statement showing the results of cultivation 
of 3 fields which entered into competition for the 
prizes offered in the enclosed notice published in 
September 1888. I attribute the absence of com- 
petition to indifference on the part of the headmen. 
— I am, sir, your obedient servant, 
H. P. BAUMGARTNER, Asst. Govt. Agent. 
Notice:— Prkb Paddy Cultivation. 
With a view to encourage improved systems of paddy cul- 
tivation, sums of R100 and KESO are offered as First and Second 
Prizes respectively, for the largest yield in bushels per acre 
from any extent of paddy land in the Matara district, cul- 
tivated for the forthcoming Yala harvest. Anyisyitem of cul- 
tivation may be adopted and any description of paddy be sown. 
Conditions. 
1. The extent cultivated shall be not less than one 
acre. 
2. Witbin ten days from the date of sowing compe- 
titors shall give notice to the Assistant Government 
Agent of their intention to compete and shall state the 
name and extent of land sown. 
3. Not less than five days prior to the date of reap- 
ing, competitors shall f urnisn the Assistant Government 
Agent with a statement in writing giving the name, 
situation, extent and boundaries of the field to be 
reaped, the date on which it is to be reaped, and the 
name and place of abode of the proprietor or cultivator. 
4. No second prize will be awarded if there are not 
three or more competitors. 
5. Any competitor disregarding, or committing a 
breach of, the conditions will be disqualified. 
6. The Assistant Government Agent with the Dis- 
trict Mudaliyars shall form a Committee for the pur- 
pose of ascertainitng the yield of competing crops and 
of awarding the prizes. 
Their decision on any matter of dispute to be final. 
Suggestions. 
Experience has shown that the yield is always in- 
creased by the use of the Howard's Oingaleee plough 
(which will be lent on application to the Assistant Go- 
vernment Agent) in the preparation of the soil when 
dry, and if the field be afterwards cross-ploughed when 
wet with the native plough. 
An interval of not less than six weeks should be al- 
lowed to elapse between the completion of ploughing 
with the improved plough and the commencement of 
cross ploughing with the native plough. 
If in addition to the above process in the preparation 
of the soil, the paddy is planted out, instead of sown 
broad cast, the yield will be still further increased. 
H. P. Baumgartner, Assistant Government Agent. 
Matara Kachcheri, 3rd September 1888. 
RESULT. 
No. 1 — Competitor : J. P. Gunatilaka ; land Otuiri- 
konda in Kapuduwa ; extent cultivated : 4,640 square 
yards or about 1 acre; reported ordinary yield per acre 12 
bushels or six fold ; — method of competition in cultiva- 
tion, planted out not sown broad cast ; — competition 
yield:40. 1. 6. ; — competition yield per acre: 40 bushels. 
No. 2 — Competitor: Don Dines Abeyegooneratne ; 
land: Neluwala in Siyambaladuwa ; extent cultivated: 
5,650 square yards or 1 l-6th acre ; — reported ordinary 
yield per acre: 30 bushels or 15 fold ; — method of 
competition in cultivation : partly planted ; — competition 
yield: 54. 1. 0- ;— competition yield per acre: 46J 
bushels. 
No. 3 — Competitor : Vidane Arachchi of Godagama ; 
land : Tota Kumbure in Hittatiya ; — extent cultivated : 
2,610 square yards or about 5 acre (half was entirely 
damaged by flood); — reported ordinary yield per acre: 20 
bushels or ten fold ; — method of competition in culti- 
vation : planted out ; — competition yield : 15. 2. 4. ; 
competition yield per acre . 30 bushels. 
No manure used in any of these fields, nor extraor- 
dinary expenditure incurred, except on account of the 
additional labour required for planting. 
H. P. Baumgartner, A. G. A. 
Matara Kachcheri, September 9th. 
