January t, 1890.I THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 511 
fibres that are used and are suitable for making bind- 
ing twine on the free list, and to use every means is 
his power to have the bill passpd at the earliest possibe 
date. The President was petitioned to call the atten- 
tion of Congress to the matter, asking immediate 
relief. 
«. 
TEA MAKING AND OOLONGS IN HAPUTALE. 
The manager of Gonomotava is good enough to in- 
form us that — "Last November a break of ' Oolong' 
tea made here sold in London at one-and-sixpence 
a pound ; blaok tea sold at the same time and made 
from leaf plucked in the same way averaged Is 2d or 
4d per pound less ! The enclosed is a report 
from Mincing Lane Brokers : 
" ' The samples of Oolong being praotioally the 
same, we are sending one to New York for report, 
There is something wanting about them, not in 
the appearance, which is much better than former 
samples, nor in the infused leaf or color of the 
liquor, but they lack that indescribable pungency 
which the Chinese Oolongs possess and which we 
take it must be acquired by the different style 
of firing. 
" ' If our Ceylon friends are really going in for 
Oolongs would it not be worth while for them 
to get the Consuls of Foochow or Amoy to send 
down two or three experts? " 
We really do not see that Ceylon planters 
require to learn from Chinese experts even in 
respect of "Oolongs": surely Is 6d alb. is good 
enough proof of what can be done, and with further 
experience, our ' Oolongs ' will no doubt be pro- 
nounced 'perfect.' 
«. 
THE CEYLON GEMMING AND MINING 
COMPANY, LD. 
We are pleased to be able to state that one of 
our leading firms assisted by some well-known old 
friends of the Colony in England have success- 
fully floated the first " Ceylon Gemming and Mining 
Company," the necessary capital having been 
subscribed for in London and Paris. 
No less than £50,000 sterling of the Company's 
capital, or say seven lacs of rupees, have been re- 
served for mining; and this is estimated to be ample 
to do justice to the valuable gem lands which have 
been, so far, secured by this Company. These 
include some of the; bpst parts of the Eakwana 
gemming country. Mining whether it be for gems 
or plumbago has ever been a purely Sinhalese in- 
dustry, and the promoters have done wisely in 
associating themselves with two Sinhalese gentle- 
men who are well-known not only as leading 
members of the Sinhalese community, but as 
successful plumbago mine-owners of many years' 
standing. 
Government we feel sure will only be too ready 
to assist and facilitate the operations of a bona 
fide Company willing to expend so large a sum in 
developing the mining industries of the Island, as 
such extensive operations will give employment to 
large numbers of natives of the country ; and fmm 
what we know of those connected with this Com- 
pany and of the land they have secured we pre- 
dict for it great puocess and a brilliant future. 
Details having only come to hand by telegraph, we 
reserve fuller particulars until these are confirmed 
by mail advices shor ly due. 
Meantime wc may mention that considerable ex- 
citement prevails among " gemmers " at differ- 
ent points in Sabnragamuwa. Natives who have 
have made little or " big " fortunes in gems of 
recent years are coming to the front: Mr. Joseph 
Fernando is one such fortunate individual, and he 
had a large interest in a sale of some E17.000 
worth of gems which was to come off in Rakwana 
on Saturday. These were found, we understand, on 
part of the land secured by the first Cnmnany. A 
Mining Manager and Machinery will phnrtly be on 
their way out and we mav expect to have the 
operations of this, the first Company, fully under 
wnv before the present year is far advanced 
The Svndioate which has sent out ; Mr Barrington 
Brown will fpel that they have been to a certain 
extent forestalled ■ but there is plenty of room for 
all, inoluding the third Company whose promoters 
seem to be " waiting on providence." We may be 
sure that if success attend the early mining ope- 
rations, we shall see a rush of capital if not Com- 
panies. The latest news of Mr. Barrington Brown 
is that along with Mr. Saunders he had 
passed up from Batnapura, travelling via Everton 
and Booletenne on through Rakwana district. 
« 
CEYLON UPCOUNTRY PLANTING REPORT. 
Jan. 6th. 
Whatever may be the future of the price of 
Ceylon tea, there are people here who believe that 
it is destined to keep up. I heard of a contraot 
perhaps to extend over two years, and the price for leaf 
fixed was 10^ cents. It is to be hoped that, both 
the contracting parties will find this rate profitable. 
We are wanting rain now, and it looks as if it 
were not very far off. If the N.-E. has 
signally failed, we have so far been spared the 
usual cold winds which prevail at this time. 
Of course we are not out of the wood, 
and may have more than enough of it yet, but every 
day less is a gain. 
Cacao which has just borne is resting, and not 
likely to do much in the way of blossom for some 
months yet ; trees however which have been liberally 
treated are full of promise, with lots of blossom 
now visible and to come. 
Coolies are plentiful, and sometimes difficult to 
provide with profitable work. The news from the 
Coast of a threatened famine — now happi'y averted 
I trust — is rather choking off those fellows who 
might have relieved the somewhat congested force 
by a visit to their native land : you hear more of 
a willingness to recruit, and of the desir&bility 
of giving out advances earlier, and in a liberal 
fashion than of a wish to be paid up. 
Peppercorn. 
LETTERS FROM JAMAICA : — NO. 30. 
To the Editor, 
WEATHER AND CROPS — B1UE MOUNTAIN COFFFEE — LEAF 
DISEASE AND COFFEE PROSPECTS IN BRAZIL— MONSOON 
RAINS AND DAMAGES — MATTEHS POLITICAL — THE LA- 
BOUR QUESTION — LEAVING A CERTAINTY FOR AN UN- 
CERTAINTY — THE RAILWAY POLICY — THE FORTHCOMING 
EXHIBITION— PENNY POSTAGE. 
Blue Mountain District, Jamaica, 
For Packet of October 23rd. 
Dear Sir, — It is a long time since I last had 
this pleasure, but I have really not had sufficient 
materials with which to compose a letter : even 
now I fear this epistle will not be as interesting 
to your readers as mav have been some of mv 
previous effusions. Judging from what I read in 
the Overland Observers you kindly send me 
every mail, our brother planters in Ceylon appear 
to have suffered as much as we have here from 
an unduly wet spring and summer. Ever since the 
commencement of March we have had a great 
deal of wind and rain, with very few fine days in 
between; the Iconsequenoe is JthatJIwel are; |in] for 
