January 2, 1888.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
449 
reply, " but my orange groves are my delight in 
my retirement." The Maltese lemon and citron 
did not appear tome to compare with those produced 
along the coast of Sicily from Syracuse to Mes- 
sina, where a most careful husbandry is carried on 
in a splendid soil, by means of irrigation from 
wells. Most of the vegetables and fruit for the 
supply of the garrison at Malta and the crews of 
the Mediterranean fleet are here grown. The sup- 
plies are put on board native crafts at sundown, 
and are delivered at Valletta harbour at dawn on the 
following morning. At Messina I saw a large steamer 
being loaded up with country wine for Bordeaux 
— also large barrels lined the quay which were 
being filled with sliced lemon peel. The peasantry 
brought down large baskets of peel, which were 
weighed and paid for on the spot. It was thrown 
into the barrel and then drenched with a syrup 
— after each layer had been packed. The cask 
was covered in when nearly full with crystal- 
lized sugar and then headed up and shipped. 
On arrival at Bordeaux, I fancy this became the 
candied peel of commerce. 
The finest lemons I have seen are grown in the 
Western Riviera in the neighbourhood of Mentone 
an 1 1 , Lordighera. They are quite smooth in the 
skin and look, when ripe on the trees, like a 
gigantic magnum bonum plum. Swift schooners 
take most of the crop to New York and St. 
Petersburg. It must be a profitble trade, for 
the Mentonese are all engaged it in and during 
the season talk and think of nothing else than 
the golden harvest they are gathering. The lemon 
trees are all grafted on bitter orange stock. 
The fruit trade is an expanding one, and I see 
no reason why this island should not secure a 
share of it. We want the introduction of best 
varieties and we want instruction in their cultiva- 
tion. The trees must be produced from grafts 
grown on hardier stocks before we can secure 
the best quality. It is a field of usefulness which 
Dr. Trim en and Mr. Nock might take up with 
greut advantage to the country. 
There is a tradition amoi gst the Sinhalese that 
long ago there existed extensive groves of superior 
oranges round l'aluganiu, which were devasted and 
desuoyed during a raid made on this part of Uva 
by their hereditary enemies from Saffrugam. 
I in iv is no etoubt thut at the base of these lime- 
stone rocks, all the conditions tavourable to orange 
and lemon cultivation exist, if only shelter could 
be provided from the terrible south-west wind6. 
Dr. Bonavia s uilicle on this cultivation in the 
Tropical Agriculturist opens up a world of possibilities. 
Discussion may result in more attention being drawn 
to this cultivation and unother product added to the 
cultivation of the island— Yours truly, G. A. D. 
CEYLON TEA IN THE UNITED STATES. 
Iloolankundo, Madulkcle, l&th Nov. 1887. 
D>AB Sih,— While fully alive to the necessity of 
pushing Ceylon leas, there remains a little doubt 
in my mind us to whether the course proposed 
(that of scutteriug largo quantities of tea broad- 
oast and santusam) is the course likely to be pro- 
ductive o( tho most puying results. 
It goes without »uyiiig that our Yankee friends will 
bo very glad to receive a present of a lb. or two of 
pekoe ; but would they not be likoly to bestow a 
little more thought and consideration on the tea, 
if they had to pay something (or it ? I throw out 
this suggestion, bucked by tho fact that 1 have 
received an order (rum my agent in Virginia for 
fiOO lb. of loa, ull of which is bespoken, at the 
London delivery rate of In lOd pi r lb. in bulk.— 1 am, 
yours (ti.thlully, E. CORDON REEVES. 
[The laot mentioned is gratifying, and wo trust 
further and larger orders will follow. Nevertheless, 
the prejudice generally is so strong that the scheme 
of distributing ounce packets is gcod.— Ed. J 
COCONUT PLANTING AND TLANTEKS. 
Kundy,20tb Nov. 1887. 
DkahSih, — I have read a series of letters in your 
journal from your Hapitigam and Siyane Korale corres- 
pondents on coconut cultivation. Your Hapitigam 
Korale correspondent "W. B. L." is no doubt an old aiad 
experienced planter. An opinion given by him could 
satcly be relied on, as he is a thoroughly practical and 
scientific man, well read on all subjects referring to 
agriculture. He could count over 30 or -10 years' experi- 
ence as a planter. I remember the time when he had 
charge of several coconut and cinnamon estates in the 
Kadarana, Ekelle and Ratmalaua districts. He was 
one of the leading planters of the day, and was in charge 
of the fumous Oelambalam estate in Kadarana, where 
monuments of bis work could be seen up to this day. 
As a curer of copra and manufacturer of oil and cin- 
namon there was none to surpass him. Poor Johnny 
Koch,|Raoul Piachaud and Minto. his assistant, and after- 
wards in charge of Yalla in Ekelle, were rivals of " W. 
B. L." who could never compete with him. His oil, 
copra and cinnamon fetched the highest in the English 
and local markets, and he carried all the prizes at the 
exhibitions in the Englii-h as well as the local market. I 
believe he was the first man in Ceylon to work his 
chekoos with horse, and the work done was enormous. 
I would advise my old friend ''W.B. L." not to discuss 
coconut planting and manuring with your Siyane 
Korale correspondent. From his writings lam able to 
judge that he has no personal experience, but that he 
picks up scraps from books and gathers information 
from his coolies and villagers. From what I could 
gather from hie writings on coconut cultivation, his 
t n i s must be in a jaded condition. In his opinion he 
fancies everybody is wrong and that he is right. I would 
advise him to fcuke lessou.s on coconut and general culti- 
vation from " AV. B. L," F. Schrader and William 
Jardine and J. F. Diieberg, such thoroughly practical 
meu. If he does not wish to go to their feet who 
are not- his country men, I would advise him to go to 
Mr. J. F. Drieberg, his countryman. I mention Mr. Drie- 
berg as I had occasion to see Professor Wallace and lie 
spoke of him on highest terms as a practical planter. 
\\ ell ilone young Ceylon. I wonder it Mr. Diieberg is 
brother of the late Mr. A. Drieberg whom I used to meet 
very often at Bedford Square iu 1857. — Yours truly, 
S 1 T^ 
CULTIVATION OF BARLEY. 
Farmer's Cottage, Bundaragama, Nov. 21st, 1887. 
Sin, — There is a good deal of land well adapted to 
the cultivation of barley here iu the Rayigam Korale, 
but nobody that 1 have met with knows how to 
cultivate it. If this should meet the eye of anyone 
acquainted with this subject, I for one would be much 
obliged by full information. 
Your insertion of this at your earliest couvenience 
will greatly oblige, your obedient servant, 
J. A. JNO. RODRIGO. 
[Barley is not likely to flourish iu our lowcouutry 
climate.— Ed.] 
CULTIVATION OF CUBEBS. 
Matale, Nov. 21st. 
Sir, — It is curious that even among planters who 
are specially well informed regarding all sorts of 
" new products," comparatively little seems to be 
known about tho cultivation of cubebs Glancing 
through the Chemitt and Druggilt the other day, I 
find notice repeatedly called to the growing scarcity 
of this drug, and 1 note in a recent issue of the 
t.bscrvtr that the price now obtainable i- from 23 
to 25 shillings a hundredweight. Peppers of all 
kinds have been notably successful here, partic- 
ularly in low-lying ground, the vines twining over 
cotton or jak trees most luxuriantly and covered 
with clustering fruit. As I am certain the raising 
