November r, 1887.! THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
293 
$ovrespondoncc, 
To the Editor of the " Ceylon Observer." 
OACAO AND ARABIAN COFFEE IN 
WATAGAMA DISTRICT. 
Frankland, Watagama, 2nd Sept. 1887. 
Dear Sin, — By this post I send you 2 cacao leaves 
which I believe are the largest yet sent you. 
No. 1 is 2 feet 1J inch long and lOj inches broad. No. 
2, is 1 foot 10 inches long and 11 inches broad. At 
the Matale Show the cacao pods from Goonambil estate, 
Watagama, were certainly the largest. A3 regards 
your correspondent who says cacao trees with large 
leaves do not bear much crop, let him come here 
and see. Large dark green leaves show health in 
tree and strength in soil with sufficient moisture 
and shade. The gold medal being awarded at 
Matale Exhibition to Goonambil estate for best 
collection of esiate produce, I cannot understand 
why that one medal was not given by His Excellency 
while many other medals of minor account were 
delivered. This was not fair to our district. I cannot 
say who was or is answerable for this. Lands are 
being opened this year in our district for tea and 
cacao and Arabio cofl'eo on this estate is still in 
good heart and giving good crop. Green bug is 
ohecked from doing much harm,— Yours faithfully. 
J. IIOLLOWAY. 
MESSRS. WM. JAMES AND HENRY THOMP- 
SON ON THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS RE- 
CARDING BREAKS OF TEA. 
London, 38, Mincing Lano, 7th Sept. 1887. 
Sin, — We think it will be useful to planters if 
you will consent to being the means of their being 
informed of the change in the rule regulating the 
sale of "small breaks" which was agreed upon at 
a meeting of tho Trade held last week. 
You aro doubtless aware that for some time 
the Trade has been faco to face with the difficulty 
of compassing the work involved in valuing the 
number of samples offered day after day, and with 
the hindrance to their business caused by the 
length of timo which they are compelled to pass 
in tho auction room. To meet these difficulties 
it was arranged some timo ngo that " small breaks," 
i.e., parcels containing less than 8 chests or half- 
ohests, or 20 boxes should bo sold (under the ham- 
mer) at tho conclusion of the sales. Under this 
arrangement the large buyers were able to retire 
when the sale of the larger parcels was over, 
loavini: tho smaller buyers to (compete for the 
small lots. 
Tho great increase in supplies, however, both 
from India and Ceylon, has so accentuated the 
difficulty of conducting business, that the buyers 
aBkcd tho sellers to raise the limits for tho size 
of breaks, and proposed that all parcels [of less 
than 12 chests, 20 hnlf-chests or ">0 boxes, .vhether 
from India or Ceylon, should bo classed as small 
breaks, and sold at the end of the auction. This 
was discussed at a joint meeting of representatives 
of tho Trade Association, with the result that tho 
sollcrs agreed to mako the limits for Indian tea 
12 chests, 18 half-chests and boxes, but at our 
instance it was agreed that until the 31st Decem- 
ber the limit for half -el/rut* of CrijUm should be 
12 ; after that dato limits for both Indian and Ceylon 
to bo tho saino No alteration has bton mado in 
tho rules as to sampling, so that everyono who 
wills can procure them from tho warehouse as before. 
The object of tho buyers in pressing for this 
change was, of course, two-fold. 1. — To shorten 
the time which thoy must spend in tho auction 
room. 2.— To stimulate producer; to make fewer 
and larger breaks. We, however, know the difficulty 
with which managers of young or small estates 
have to contend in making good sized parcels, and 
in common with our brother-brokers we have tried 
to impress this upon the Trade. To some extent 
we have succeeded : but we desire to impress upon 
producers that it is to their own interest to assist the 
Tradu by taking all reasonable steps to avoid the ship- 
ment of small lots. It is not a question of patience 
or convenience, but of the physical impossibility of 
dealing during the hours of daylight with the 
number of samples now oll'erod — and, of the loss 
to the seller whose samples have been passed 
over in favour of something more attractive. 
To the suggestion that the difficulty can bo met 
by sending all Ceylon tea unsorted, we prefer the 
alternative — for many good reasons — of continuing 
assortment but reducing it to three kinds ; and 
where the yield is too small to give a full-sized 
break of any kind, to keep back tho chests packed 
for a subsequent shipment. In such cases we 
adviso that each day's manufacture be packed oil 
at once as made, and not stored, but the bulking 
when necessary done here. Every consideration 
should be secondary to putting tea on the market 
in high condition, and although " factory bulking " 
where the yield is large and accommodation and 
appliances are adequate is preferable, we advise 
the alternative plan where circumstances are other- 
wise. — Yours faithfully, 
WM. JAS. & H. THOMPSON. 
PUSHING CEYLON TEA: GLASGOW BY 
ALL MEANS, BUT ALSO MELBOURNE. 
Nahalma, September 27th. 
Sin, — All interested in tea must have read with 
pleasure Mr. Rutherford's appeal for funds to 
push our produce in different markets. His facts 
and arguments ought to convince every planter 
that it is his duty as well as his interest to come 
forward and aid in the efforts being made to bring 
our teas into notice. Help and hearty co-opera- 
tion should come from all. Let no one hang back 
because his mite is so small that it cannot affect 
the issue. 
I am at one with Mr. Rutherford and the Com- 
mittees of the Nuwara Eliya and Dimbula meetings 
in recommending support to the Glasgow Exhibi- 
tion. But I join issue with them in overlooking 
the Melbourne Show. This, the best opportunity 
we may ever have of opening up a large market 
where wo have no friends, and whore dealers and 
importers are our enemies, is either quietly 
shelved or postponed for various and curious 
reasons. 
Mr. Rutherford says : — " It is a great pity we 
are not likely to be represented at Melbourne, as 
it is an opportunity lost which may not occur again 
for some time"; "Glasgow was brought forward 
early in the day, and we have men at home ready 
to begin work whenever they aro advised that the 
money will be forthcoming " ; " the Glasgow Ex- 
hibition was chosen (by whom, pray?) for the reason 
that Mr. Christie had made arrangements in the 
event of planters taking it up, and it was con- 
sidered desirable that, having done London and 
Liverpool, we might as well finish our efforts in 
Britain by attacking tho northern countries." Also 
that on account of the uncertainty as to amount 
of funds, although " fairly certain there will bo 
enough for Glasgow, it would bo better to do one 
Exhibition well than two badly." 
Noxt year, Mr. Rutherford recommends wo should 
begin our Colonial and Foreign orusado. 
These extracts fairly sum up Mr. Huthorford's 
reasons for supporting Glasgow and throwing ovor 
Molbourao. Mr. Ruthorford has shown how much 
