45° 
THP TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [January i, 1890. 
furnish them with an example, from the result " 0 
Whioh a most useful lesson may be gained. 
We shall watch therefore with much interest the 
application of this very novel form of manure, feeling 
confident that Mr. Eutherford, with his usual public 
spirit, will publish full details of results compared 
with cost. We are told that the first shipment 
was to be made almost immediately, and pro- 
bably the next season's crop upon Mariawatte 
may furnish some indication to guide our 
planters generally. We feel quite sure, we may 
repeat, that Mr. Rutherford will not withhold 
from his brother planters any information it 
may lie in his power to afford them ; and if 
what he may have to communicate should be 
favourable, we may yet expect to see large crops 
of leaf upon our tea bushes developed from the 
oily waste of engine rooms, and, possibly, from 
the cast-off olothing of millions of tea drinkers 
throughout the world. There is much of affinity 
between the characteristics of the olive and tea 
shrubs, and as experience has demonstrated how 
the former has benefited by the application of this 
novel fertilizer, there is every reason to hope that 
tea may reap a similar advantage from it. 
Another substance rich in nitrogen is the fish 
manure from the Malabar Coast, now being locally 
advertised. Those who are trying it, will also, doubt- 
less, in due time, make known the results. 
INDIAN TEA EXPORTS 
ESTIMATE REDUCED 4£ MILLION LB, 
Indian Tea Association, Berigal Chamber of Com- 
merce : Caloutta, 18th November 1889. 
To the Editor, " Ceylon Observer." 
Dear Sir, — In their circular of the 26th April last 
the General Committee gave an estimate of the out- 
turn of the present Season's Crop of Indian Tea based 
Upon the following figures which they had been able 
to collect : — 
ORIGINAL ESTIMATE OF CROP OF 1889. 
lb. 
Assam ... ... ... 44,953,400 
Oachar and Sylhet ... ... 31,990,400 
Darjeeling, Terai, and Dooars... 20,460,620 
Ohittagong and Chota-Nagpore 1,536,740 
Dehra Dun, Kumaon and Kangra 4,500,000 
Private and Native Gardens ... 3,500,000 
106,941,160 
From figures which have since been obtained a 
revised estimate has been prepared based upon actual 
results to the 30th September, as follows :— 
Manufactured Manufactured 
to 30th Sept, 
1888. 
Assam... 
Oachar and Sylhet... 
Darjeeling Terai and 
Dooars 
Ohittagong and Chota- 
Nagpore 
lb. 
31,068,405 
19,628,759 
14,922,342 
889,200 
66,508^706 
to 30th Sept. 
1889. 
lb. 
32,022,022 
20,197,986 
16,152,137 
854,210 
69,226,355 
REVISED ESTIMATE OF CROP OF 1889. 
lb. 
Assam ... ... ... 42,030,564 
Cachar and Sylhet ... ... 29,750,064 
Darjeeling, Terai, and Dooars... 20.497,857 
Chittagong 1 and Chota-Nagpore 1,378,920 
Dehra Dun, Kumaon and Kangra 4,500,000 
Private and Native Gardens ... 4,500,000 
102,657,395 
The exports to Australia, America and other places 
for the past season amouuted to 4,278,809 lb-, and if 
thin quantity together with the requirements of Northern 
India now calculated at 500,000 lb., be deducted from 
the Revised Estimate there will remaiu about 98 
million lfe. for shipment to Great Britain during the 
season of 1889-90 against 92J million lb. shipped 
therein 1888-89.— Yours faithfully, 
S. E. J.CLARKE, Secretary. 
PLANTING IN DELI. 
Advices from Holland in the Deli Courant bring 
word of the departure of a party of Germans, 
under the leadership of an ex-lieutenant, to that 
Settlement. They aim at gaining experience in to- 
bacco cultivation and turning it to account in German 
New Guinea. 
At a meeting held in Medan the other day, the 
shareholders of the Deli Steam Navigation Com- 
pany decided upon raising 100,000 guilders through 
debentures bearing 5 per cent interest. The Company 
is said to be going ahead, and to have m ide arrange- 
ments for keeping up regular communication between 
Deli and Penang. 
In Assahan, the high prices ruling for locally 
grown tobacco have resulted in the district being 
overrun by land selectors, The consequent rise in 
the value of real estate has proved very satisfac- 
tory to the Sultan of the country. Fresh applicants 
are said to have hardly any chance, owing to the 
pick of the land having already been secured by 
planters earlier in the field. In consequence of 
the growing prosperity of the country, Tanjong 
£alei, the capital, has greatly improved in extent 
and appearance, the building of new houses being 
actively proceeded with. The only drawback to its 
attracting more population lies in a large portion of 
the town being below high water-mark. 
The Arendsburg Company, which works large 
estates in Deli, has it is said, acquired land in 
Borneo as well. 
On the 1st November, the Deli Company took 
over the adjoining estates of theLangkat Association 
thereby bringing two large stretches of cultivated land 
into one. 
Throughout Deli in October, as usual at that 
time of year, rain showers fell almost daily, the 
roads being in oonsequence rendered almost im- 
passable in all directions. This year's tobacco crop, 
however, has all been gathered, and, in all the 
estates, sorting operations have been actively carried 
on. Plantation roads and drains have been vigor- 
ously taken in hand preparatory to planting the 
next orop. Ploughs and hoes have been set to 
work in the lalang fields which have to be put 
under tobacco. Direct ooolie immigration from 
China continues, no less than 193 arrivii g on the 
2nd inBtant. — Straits Times, Nov. 19th. 
PATENT TEA CHESTS; TEA TASTING AND 
MR. JOHN HUGHES; MANURING OF TEA 
ESTATES. 
Next Monday ("Nov. 18) has been fixed for a trial be- 
fore those interested of the machinery for making the 
Stanley- Wrightson tea chests, but as some un- 
important hitches have occurred in its working on 
its first erection, it is possible that, if they are not 
overoome before the day decided upon, a post- 
ponement of the trial will take place. If present 
arrangements, however, are maintained, it will be 
possible for me to give you in my next letter some 
details of the proposed system of manufacture of 
the new tea chests. The straw boards supplied by 
makers in Holland have been so untruly shaped, 
that much difficulty has been experienced with 
them ; but this mistake will doubtless be rectified 
in the case of the next supply to be indented for. 
When making the suggestion in my last letter that 
possibly distillation of the water used for tea 
tasting might tend to equalize results as recorded 
