December i, 1889.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST,, 
439 
tea must be east the responsibility for the love 
of alcoholic liquors which is common to all peoples 
inhabiting the colder climate of the north. 
Other climes have other custom?, and whether 
it may be possible to graft among peoples less 
exposer to vicissitudes of climate than are those 
of the more northern regions of Europe the tastes 
for milder forma of stimulant, which is, we are 
happy to think, now succeeding in great part to 
the ooarser tastes of a former generation, remain 
yet to be seen. Tea undoubtedly supplies to the 
nervous system much of the excitation formerly 
sought to be derived from alcohol ; but without 
being followed by the disastrous physical and 
moral deterioration produced by undue indulgence 
in the lastmentioned. This fact yet remains 
to be realized by our French friends ; but 
the very strength of the crusade against the 
innovation would almost seem to show — by the 
extravagance of the arguments employed — as if 
the thin end of the wedge had been introduced to 
the extent at least of rousing opposition and fierce 
and unjustifiable denunciation. 
Much of the prejudice and the insenate abuse 
of tea, however, are doubtless due to the fact that 
the product is now so largely grown and manu- 
factured and sent into the markets of the world 
by the capital and enterprise of " perfidious Albion." 
♦ 
FRUIT DRYING. 
Among the prominent objects which were to be 
seen at the Windsor show of the Royal Agricultural 
Society last June, was the fruit-drying apparatus of 
Ph. Mayfarth & Co., of Frankfort-on-the- Maine, Ger- 
many, and 16, Mincing Lane, London, E. 0. the appar- 
atus was awarded the 1st prize at the show in question, 
and it consists of a mantle-oven furnace, connected with 
the drying-shaft, which is elevated at the end, so as to 
ensure a better circulation. The fruit to be dessicated 
is placed on wire trays, which are then introduced to 
the oven, which is in two chambers, and each capable 
of receiving two or three series of trays. We have seen 
samples of Gooseberries, Cherries, Apples, Pears, 
Currants, Cabbages, Leeks, &c, dried by the apparatus, 
and the results appeared in each case satisfactory. The 
apparatus is constructed in six sizes. — Gardeners' 
Chroncile. 
Shade foe, Coffee, Tea, and Cocoa. — The present 
time seems a period in which shade for all products 
is being widely tried. We hear of a Matale estate 
being planted up with San as a shade for tea j cocoa 
planters have long gone in for shade ; and now coffee 
planters are purchasing jicus ghmerata seed, and hope 
that the umbrageous shelter of those fig-trees will help 
to restore coffee to its old vigor and robustness. It 
will be very interesting to watch the effects of a 
more general cultivation of shade throughout estates, 
for the Ceylon planter of the olden days was generally 
very averse to shade of every kind, believing that it 
affected the yield of crop. If we are to believe the 
stories we have heard of the wonderful effects of the 
ficus ylomcrata, coffee under it is benefited so con- 
spicuously as to suggest that this good result is due 
to some effect which the roots of the shade tree must 
have upon it. The mere shade afforded cannot account 
for this, as it is difficult to believe that the shade 
cast by one tree differs, except in intensity, from 
that thrown by another, and planters are very largely 
of opinion that there is some special virtue in the 
ficts aloiaerata. We are led, therefore, to suppose 
tint this is derived from the roots of the tree in 
opening up the soil and in absorbing qualities harm- 
ful to the coffee, or in giving forth properties of 
benefit to it. Altogether the subject is very interesting, 
and we should be glad of further information on the 
matter.— Local " Times." 
Victohia Regia. — In compliance with a request from 
the Manager of the Botanical Garden, Hakgala, Ceylon 
seeds o f Victoria regia were forwarded, together 
with the following hints as to their treatment : — 
" The seeds should be sown in a small flower-pot, and 
placed about, an inch under water in a large pot. When 
the leaves of the seedlings are about 3or 4 inches broad, 
re-plant each in a basket filled with good soil, and, after 
a fortnight or three weeks growth, plant them out 
finally, basket and all, in the tank where they are to re- 
main. Occasionally the seed takes some time to germi- 
nate, but, so long as the seed remains hard, it is all 
right." — Proceedings of the A. H. Society of Madras. 
Pepper Cultivation. — We understand that pepper 
cultivation on the Kodacherry Hills has not been 
a failure. A year ago a German gentleman of this 
station — highly respected and well known in social 
circles — had taken up lands on the Kodaoherry Hills, 
to try experimentally the cultivation of pepper. 
A young gentleman who was placed to superintend 
the plantation, and with whom we have had an 
interview, informs us that a small crop was obtained 
this year. As the pepper vine will mature only 
after a few years, we expect a handsome orop will 
be harvested, in the course of a few years, and the 
concern worth a deoent value. We wish the under- 
takers every happiness, and hope success will crown 
their endeavours. — Cochin Argus. 
CEYLON EXPORTS AND DISTRIBUTION 1889-90 
Plum- 
bago. 
1889 
cwt. 
216021 
O OS 00 
O GO CD 
co m co 
81009 
QO r- rH CO 
co as 0 co 
■^1 OS CO CD 
O CO ^ CO 
it Oil. 
1888 
cwt. 
U3Q O «0 — < rH 
rn co -n : o ; as ; 
=> CO 
CO 
• : ■ • '3s rH 
: . . . in 
UO -H CD 00 
CO O X t-» 
o 
Q 
1889 
cwt. 
20285 
"201 
202 
3509 
1999 
201 
loot* as 
av n cq 
: : n ?i : o ■ 
• . in rH : co : 
rH CM 
COQ t>t- 
CMM HO 
iO CO CO 
Cinnamon. 
Chips 
lb. 
105156 
14011 
"600 
560 
.. 
120327 
34573 
48084 
170460 
Bales 
lb. 
299095 
5000 
10130 
44300 
5000 
10600 
isoo 
7600 
15000 
397325 
306240 
341548 
444870 
Carda- 
moms. 
* 
CO 
rH 
lO CO 
?o : 
' CM 
as © o 
r- OS t- 
<X CO >1 TO 
CO IN ICS CO 
Cocoa. 
CO 
CO 
C? O 
1416 
129 
606 
357 
Tea. 
00 
00 
5698730] 
CO 0 0 000 
OO QO iQ OUOtH 
; CO rH : I 1 
0 --1 CO OS id CO 
: co as ?i cm o o : 
L- CM lO t- iO • 
r-G)H 
lr* «C fc- 
lQ O CO 'O 
t— CO Oj -rfl 
os as 10 w 
CO OS 0 
OS tO ^ CN 
tO CM rH 
Cinchona. 
1889 
Branch & 
Trunk lb.! 
1437336 
"30412 
"l*8863 
~ J ~ J? 
CM CO O ITS 
^ CD 00 
t- •£> Q 
in CO <0 t~* 
rH CM rH CM 
Total. 
CO 
CO 
O 
: : w : : : ; 
; ; ' rH CO * 
: : : cq : 
© rH M rH 
CO Xj CO O 
CO CO m CM 
OS rH OS rH 
| 
<D 
a 
*) 
0) 
> 
rH - 
o 
I— 
0 
; 0 
rH Tfl 
365 
1064 
1669 
282 
Co 
Plan- 
tation 
CO 
CO 
CO 
CM 
qo co as 
0 as 
• * • ;h co ; 
: • : : cm • 
9265 
10317 
7893 
10919 
t 
COUNTRIES. 
To United Kingdom w 
„ Marseilles 
„ Genoa 
ji Venice 
„ Trieste 
Odessa 
3i Hamburg „. ... 
Antwerp ,.. ... 
Bremen ... ... 
J} Havre ... 
„ Rotterdam & Amsterdam 
„ Africa 
|S Mauritiusiand Eastward 
India ... 
Australia ... ... 
America 
„ Barcelona 
Total Exports from 1st Oct. 
1889 to 5th Dec. 1889.. 
3 888... 1888 
1887... 1887 
1886... 1886 
