U THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [August i, 1887. 
Of la te we hear constantly of the cry of increasing 
drunkenness, the extension in the sale of obnoxious, in- 
toxicating liquors and protests against the spread of 
the outstill system ; why not combat this evil, by offer- 
ing a cheap health-preserving beverage to the people 
as a substitute; instead of inveighing against the in- 
roads of drunken habits and calling for repressive meas- 
ures to check the sale of intoxicating liquors. We see 
in this direction a great future for the Indian tea 
trade which while benefiting the industry would exer- 
cise a great influence for good on the people. Doctors 
and Missionaries without detriment to their calling 
could do much to make tea-drinking popular with the 
people of this country and the more enlightened section 
of the Native community might co-operate and com- 
bine in their efforts to encourage it. We recommend 
this suggestion to the Calcutta Tea Association, but 
must leave them to concert practical measures for carry- 
ing it into effect. 
Tea at four annas a pound or a 4 oz. packet for an 
anna, packed and made up at the factory in stanial, 
labelled and marked, should be saleable in every bazaar; 
retail dealers being allowed a liberal discount for intro- 
ducing it. The Tea Syndicate should prepare a 
standard quality to insure uniformity, as much as 
possible, besides providing a label with a registered 
trade-mark. 
The disposal of cheap common tea in India, upon 
which all intermediate charges weigh comparatively 
heavily, would not only curtail the amount for export to 
other quarters, where it merely helps to depress the 
market, but would gradually open a large local market 
and restore the tea industry to a healthy and pro- 
sperous condition. If it once becomes a habit with the 
population of this country to consume tea, we shall see 
a growing demand for an article which is now forced 
by over-supply in excessive quantity in the home market. 
(The writer of this article, was not at the time aware 
that his suggestion about selling the low class teas iu 
this country had already been taken up and was being 
practieilly dealt with.) — Indian Financial Itevieir. 
PLANTING IN NETHERLANDS INDIA. 
(Translated for the Straits Times) 
The cinchona planters in Java hope to make head 
against the low prices likely to rule in the near future 
by devoting their energies to the production of bark 
containing a high percentage of quinine. In their 
opinion, this new departure will improve their prospects 
considerably, provided care be taken to keep cinchona 
planting within moderate bounds. Those interested in 
the movement intended to send out an expert to Ceylon, 
to see how matters stand there with his own eyes, with 
instructions to judge for himself and not rely on hear 
say. He will be commissioned to make diligent en- 
quiries on the spot, and make an approximate estimate 
of how long it would take for the output of bark in 
Ceylon to be checked for good. These planters also pur- 
pose, by means of joint action, to aid one another in 
passjnjr through the expected period of low quotations 
acco mpanied by production ©f inferior barks. 
The advantage of having more than one string to 
a bow has signally become prominent in the case of 
Java tea. For instance when the London Market proved 
slack, that article oftentimes found ready sale on the 
continent. Hence it is that, last season, Java tea did 
not show any great decline in operations, and some- 
times realised higher prices than Indian tea of like 
quality. This mainly arises from improvements in the 
article arising from the more^general use of seeds from 
India and Ceylon. 
Among the countn people in Palembang, the Govein- 
rni iit has been making strenuous effoits to push on 
coconut growing. Each family has been directed to 
plant at least ten coconuts. The people did nor fail to 
follow the injunction. This result has provrd * neour- 
aging enough to induce the Government to go a step 
further in the same direction. The alarming dimin- 
ution in t he number of India rubber trees in consequence 
of the reckless felling to which they had been subjected, 
tffci aroused the local authorities to take active 
masnres to stay the mischief. The natives have 
hence been enjoined to set to work planting these 
trees so far as lies in their power, more than they 
have hitherto done, but without ueglecting the 
planting of rattans and other us'-ful articles. 
In Palembang, plantation enterprise has made a 
start under circumstances of considerable d rliculty 
iu keeping together coolies recruited at heavy ex- 
pense. These fellows notwithstanding contracts and 
agreements, take every opportunity of shirking the 
work they had stipulated to do. The planters 
finding themselves quite at the mercy of their 
labourers, have applied to the Netherlands Indian 
Government for protection in the shape of a drastic 
coolie ordinance. The planters there confidently hope 
for something of the kind being conceded to them 
erelong, from the powerful influences at their com- 
mand in official circles at Batavia. 
On the East coast of Sumatra, planting enterprise 
is in a sufficiently forward state to admit of a rail- 
way in Langkat being taken in hand. The success 
hitherto of the Deli railway is a stimulus to further 
ventures in the same direction. From political 
point of view, the more railways there the better. 
More rapid means of communication will form the sur- 
est mean to curb disorder and check tribulent Elements. 
♦ 
THE FUTURE OF CINCHONA BARK CROPS 
FROM CEYLON. 
We have been favoured with the following ex- 
tracts from the letter of a well-known proprietor of 
estates in Southern India now in England, and 
who is very anxious — like so many more — to get 
reliable information in reference to the Ceylon 
cinchona enterprise and the future prospects of crop- 
harvestings. The information he seeks is much more 
easily put in the form of questions than it is to 
supply the answer thereto. Here is the letter in all 
its snggestiveness : — 
We all iu England are most puzzled about cinchona 
in Ceylon : the reports we get are entirely contradictory. 
who lately returned from a tour through Ceylou 
speaks of the "uprooting" as enormous, yet the root 
bark sold in London last year was only 1,029,000 lb. 
which at the rate of 1 lb to a tree would give only 
1 ,029,000 as trees uprooted out of the estimated 50,000,000 . 
The following figures published by Woodhouse & Co. 
are both instructive and puzzling, but you may take 
them as correct, as Woodhouse & Co. are most care- 
ful :— 
Analysis of Ceylon 
bark offered 
at public 
sales for 
the last four 
years : — 
Renewed 
Natural 
stem. 
Root. 
Branch : 
per cent. 
per cent. 
per cent. 
per cent. 
1883... 
. 16 
30 
3* 
41 
1884 .. 
36 
17 
4 
43 
1885... 
38 
9 
5 
51 
1886 
26 
*43 
64 
22 
4 months. 
1887 
35 
*50 
9 
6 
* This seems to point to much coppicing being done, 
but then why does the branch,fall off so much. When 
a tree is coppiced, it gives its proportion of branch 
as well as stem. 
Then again the relative proportions of renewed and 
bianch in the years 1884 and 16t>5 seem strange as vl hon 
much shaving and stripping go on, but few branches 
are cut. 
I shall be exceedingly obliged if you will give 
me your opinion as to the prospect of Ceylon 
bark shipments lor the future and answers to the 
following questions As I have a copy of this, the num- 
ber to the answer will do. It is I know impossible 
to answer these questions with any accuracy but please 
make guesses for my private information :— 
1. What is the probable total yield of bark (dry ) 
per tree uprooted in Ceylon taking the average of all 
trees uprooted large and small, dead and dying ? 
2. Of the total yield of dry bark per tiee uprooted 
what would be the proportion of root ? 
