THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [May r, 1890: 
tion for a fresh grant, as per list drawn up at last 
meeting, was still before Government. (4) There had 
been a good deal of correspondence as to whether 
Melvaretn was chargeable on cardamoms grown on 
land taken up by planters for tb at cultivation alone; 
and it bad been decided by the Dewan that this rent 
should he paid on such cardamoms. This, and the 
low rates allowed by Government, to say nothing of 
the very unsympathetic attitude of the Forest Depart- 
ment towards the interests of planters, prohibits them 
from making this cultivation a profitable business; 
and those who had unfortunately taken up land for 
the cultivation of the spice, would find themselves 
considerable lofers thereby : (5) The Madras papers 
had been asked to give telegrams stating the average 
price of Ceylon tea for the week, and this the Mail 
had kindly promised to do, but beyond publishing the 
London market reports which most planters saw tbe 
telegrams on tea had not been given. Doubtless the 
managers of the Mail and Times would reconsider this. 
The Honorary Secretary then having tendered his 
resignation, the ballot for new officebearers was taken, 
and Mr. H. M. Knight was elected Chairman, and 
J. S.Valentine re-elected Secretary for the coming y ar. 
Mr. Knight, upon taking tbe chair, having suitably res- 
ponded, the following resolutions were passed : — 
I. That this Association view the action of the 
Peermade planters, in having dissolved their 
Association, with great regret, and considering 
the limited number of planters now in the 
country, invite them to reconsider their decision ; as 
it is the more necessary now that we should continue 
as one body. 
II. That everyone knowing the difficulty there is in 
recovering small debts from kanganie3 and coolies in 
Travancore, the Chairman and Secretary be requested 
to take legal advice as to the best method of dealing 
with this matter. 
III. That the Secretary be nsked to write to Govern- 
ment, pointing out that the share cf the cardamoms 
allowed to cultivators is quite inadequate, and oarely 
pays for colleoting the spice ; and leaves nothing for 
keeping the land clear ; and asking for a fairer 
allowance to those who cultivate. 
IV. That the attention of H. H. Government be 
drawn to the damage done to life and property by 
wild elephants in the vicinity of Mootocoolie, Pinna- 
mannaar, Coultapoolay and Culdoorty, that several 
rogues had beoome a terror in the neighbourhood of 
these places ; and that Government be asked to give 
b> reward for the destruction of these dangerous 
animals. 
V. A_ vote of thanks to Mr. Fitz Gerald for taking 
the chair ; and the opportunity was taken of express- 
ing the deep regret with which the meeting heard of 
his intended departure from Travancore : and with him 
muoh success in his new field of life, wherever that 
may be. Carried unanimously. 
The meeting then terminated. 
J. S. Valentine, Hony. Secy., T. P. A. 
INFERIOR CASTOR CAKE. 
79, Mark Lane, London, E.C., 
March 28th. 
Dear Sir, — Planters who are in the habit of using 
white oastor cake as a manure for tea and coffee 
estates will do well to have the quality of such 
cake tested by occasional analysis. 
Genuine white castor cake when pure should 
contain 7$ per cent of nitrogen, and not more than 
7 per cent of mineral matters or ash. A full 
analysis of such a cake will be found in the T.A. 
for 1886 made by myself for the information of 
planters. A few months since a friend of mine 
in !n I'a, who had hern induced to purchase castor 
lot manuring purposes by reading the favourable 
r< ports of the writer, thought it desirable to forward 
a ample to London for special analysiH, and the 
result was bo unsatisfactory and the quantity of 
dirt and sand so great, that it seems necessary to 
direct attention to the fact, that although pure 
white castor cake, when genuine, is undoubtedly an 
excellent fertilizer, still if mixed with dirt and 
useless rubbish its value becomes reduced in 
proportion to the extent that it has been adulterated. 
As the manuring season is coming on it may be 
useful to direct the attention of planters to this 
matter and if necessary to call in the assistance of 
the local analyst. — Yours faithfully, 
JOBN HUGHES. 
(From the Journal of the Society of Arts for April.) 
INDIAN CATTLE MANURE. 
In connection with the interesting paper on " Indian 
Agriculture," read at the Society's rooms on the 13th 
inst.,by Professor Robertson, the following analysis of 
cattle manure, as collected from the field (in fact the 
usual sun-dried bratties used for fuel), may be of in- 
terest. 
The manure was sent specially from India, and care- 
fully analysed in my laboratory some three years sisce, 
and may therefore be taken as a reliable sample, though 
ofcourse the quality of such manure will vary with the 
nature and richness of the food according to the pasture 
f ed upon, and the time of the year: — 
Water (dried at 212° F.) ... 7 22 
*Organic matters 65-32 
Lime 1 96 
Potash -63 
Soda trace 
Phosphoric acid -54 
Magnesia, chlorine, sulphuric acid, 
&c 5-71 
Insoluble siliceous matters ... 18-62 
100-00 
From these results it is evident that every ton of such 
sun-dried manure contains in round numbers the fol- 
lowing quantities of the important plant food consti- 
tuents : — lb. 
Lime 43 
Nitrogen 33 
Potash 14 
Phosphoric acid 12 
102 
When such manure is burned, the nitrogen, which 
exists in the form of organic matter, becomes converted 
into gaseous products in the process of combustion ; 
but the mineral matters, which include the lime, potash, 
and phosphoric acid, remain in the ashes, and if these 
were returned to the land the only loss would be the 
33 lb. of nitrogen, equal to 155 lb. of sulphate of am- 
monia, for every ton of cattle manure so employed. 
John Hughes, p. c. s-, 
Consulting Analyst to the Ceylon Planters' Association. 
79, Mark-lane, March 17th, 1890. 
MR. DRUMMOND DEANE'S GREEN TEAS. 
Nuwara Eliya, April 11th. 
Dear Sir, — Some few days ago an " unbiassed 
expert" writing to your paper gave it as his opinion 
that much would depend as regards the success or 
otherwise of my " green teas " as to whether they 
resembled China or Japan greens. 
I enclose the report of some New York brokers 
Messrs. Beebe & Brother made to Messrs. Busk 
& Jevons of that city to whom Messrs. Katbbone 
Brothers sent a set of samples of my teas which 
decides the question as to what class of teas 
they resemble. Whether these teas will continue to 
get the fancy prices I obtained for my first break 
is probably doubtful. — Yours faithfully, 
H. D. DEANE. 
New York, March 6th, 1890. 
Messrs. Busk & Jevons. 
Dear Sirs, — We have carefully examined the samples 
of Ceylon Teas sent us, and find they draw an ex- 
