Vol. IX.J 
COLOMBO, FEBRUARY ist, 1890. 
LNo. 8. 
THE PLANTING ENTEEPBISE OF 
CEYLON IN 1889. 
Beview : — Tea, Coffee, Cinchona Cacao, Cardamoms, 
Coconuts, Cinnamon, Grain, Tobacco, Cotton, 
New Products. 
N respect of the great plantin 
industry of the Colony — in 
tea, coffee, cacao, cinohona 
bark and cardamoms besides 
minor products — we are accus- 
tomed at this time of year, 
not so much to look back to 
to take stock of the position attained and 
to look at the prospect before us, giving revised 
estimates of the current season's exports based 
on the experience of the quarter expired as well 
as on the latest distriot reports. But before doing 
so, we may say, that 1889 has been by no means 
a favourable year for tea ' flushing,'— oropping— or 
for the plantirg of new fields, in respect of rain 
distribution and the season generally. On the 
contrary, in the face of the irregularity of the 
monsoons and the almost entire failure of the 
" North-east," estimates of tea crops in many 
districts have not been realized by a very con- 
siderable percentage and the general opinion now 
seems to be that our own and Mr. Butherford's 
anticipation of tea export for the present seasons 
will be found above the mark. We have en- 
deavoured to get the opinions of all the Inspectors 
of Estates in the oountry as well as of some other ex- 
perienced planters, and taking the average'of about 
a Ecore of returns before us, the result will be found 
in the table we publish below. In the same way we 
give the average of estimates for the other principal 
staples of estates deduced from the information 
oolleoted, and add finally, our " Bevised Estimate" 
based on the respective value attached to different 
returnB : — 
SEASON 1889-90. 
Export Estimates : 
Average 
Observer's Shipped up to of Planters' Observer's 
October 9th Jan. estimates revised 
estimates. received, estimates. 
Tea, lb. ...42,000,000" 9,278,091 
(Last year 7,448,807) 
Coffee, cwt. 90,000 27,042 
(Last year 24,709) 
900,000 41,000,000 
85,000 
1.500 
Cinchona 
Bark lb... 7,500,000 2,311,745 
(Last year 3,506,677) 
Cocoa, cwt. 16,000 7,353 
(Last year 2,601cwt.) 
Cardamoms 
lb. ... 300,000 92,469 
(Last year 66,719) 
6,850,000 7,250,000 
15,500 15,500 
276,000 300,000 
« Mr. H. K. Rutherford estimated at 43,000,000 lb. ; Messrs. 
Bomervlllo & Co. estimated at 42,650,000 j and Messrs. Forbes 
& Walker at 40,000,000 ^ 
In the case of Tea we are going on the fact that 
while one planter's estimate is so low as 30 millions (1) 
and another from a shrewd quarter stands at 38 
millions, yet the majority of our returns are not 
under 40 millions, while two very experienced 
observers go even now as high as 42 and 42£ 
millions lb. respectively. There is also the fact that 
in the first quarter of the season — by no means 
considered a favourable one this time generally — we 
have shipped no less than 9£ million lb. We do not 
think, therefore, taking all into consideration that 
Ceylon should export to all quarters — the Colonies, 
America and the Mother-country— less than 41 
millions during season 1889-90, of which leas than 
39 millions may be sent to the United Kiogdom. 
Considering the falling-off in China exports and the 
faot that the Indian tea crop is below the 
estimate, this quantity should be readily taken off 
and the statistical position of our staple, especially 
in anticipation of a reduced imperial tea duty, 
must be considered very good. The year in faot 
opens with very encouraging prospects all round 
to the planter — the only little cloud at present being 
perhaps found in rather higher rates for rice than 
are usual. Here is what an experienced tea planting 
authority says in sending in his estimate : — 
" Prospects generally are I think good. Labour is 
plentiful, and in Home cases more than is required 
ia the immediate present, and whenever inquired for 
is easily obtainable from the Coast. The num ber 
of ' permanent settlers,' I may call them, on es- 
tates has largely increased. Sinhalese take to estate 
life readily, and seem to have no wish to retu r n to 
their villages. In nearly all cases where they are 
resident on the estate, they work under Tamil kan- 
ganies, and have adopted the Tamil coolie dress and 
the Tamil language. They work as well ani as regu- 
larly as the Tamils, and we have here a new and 
stendily increasing source of labour supply, at the 
higher as well as at the Io^er elevatious whioh on 
all accouuts we should endeavour to encourage." 
Tea in Uva. 
The past year has given evidence both in yield 
of crop and prices obtained that (with the facilities 
for safe, cheap transport the railway now making 
will secure) there is no reason why Uva should not 
become a first-class tea-producing division of the 
oountry. Here is the opinion of an experienced and 
oautious planter in the Badulla division and 
what he says of tea doing well on patana (natural 
grass land of which there are great reserves at a 
good altitudes in this provinoe) is specially note- 
worthy : — 
" With regard to tea prospects in Badulla district. — 
Tea is doing very well indeed on all places where the 
lay of the land is fair and where the soil is uot gone, 
it is doing especially well on patana. We have no 
old tea, none I fanoy much over four and half years, 
