May i, 1888.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
79i 
ments from their experience gained from ihe 
cultivation of considerable quantities of seed im- 
ported from Java and guaranteed pure Ledger seed, 
and sold at enormous prices. Now what has been 
the result from this fine seed. My own experience 
that they are worthless as to growth and frora 
published analysis worthless as to results. I have 
a few Mattakelle ledgers planted at same time, 
which havo grown with vigour, the Java ones have 
struggled to exist. It would, however, be well to have 
the results from others, but if my experience is 
general, we can form a pretty good idea of the 
quality of the Java ledger trees. 
The results of the analysis from Java bark must 
be received with caution just now, for there is con- 
siderable jealousy between London and Amsterdam 
to secure the future market for this bark which 
leads one to doubt the bona fides of the actual 
outturn.— Yours truly. CINCHONA. 
THE TEA ENTERPRISE IN TRAYANCORE. 
Colombo, 21st April, 1888. 
Df.au Sik, — I was agreeably surprised to see in 
your T. A, for April, page 089, that some friend, 
who signs " M., Travancore," had thought it worth 
his while to notice my letter on the tea enter- 
prize in Trava'icore, which is in the T. A. for 
February. I thank him for the epithet " cheery" 
which he has applied to my report, and I hope 
that our prospects will continue to deserve the 
same. 
But your correspondent requires a little friendly 
correction for his intimation that in my report 
I gave "only hearsay information.' On seeing this. 
I felt bound to reier to my report ; and, after 
reading it over again, I could not avoid the con- 
viction that anyone who thought its information to 
be "only hearsay" must be characterized more 
by length of ears than by clearness of eyes. In 
reply to his aspersion, I refer him to that report, 
only asking him to read and le&rn, remember- 
ing also that the same report was as a 
supplement to tabulated statistics which ac- 
companied it, and which will appear in your 
new Directory. Your correspondent is pleased to 
tefer to a small field which I planted with tea 
ho long ago, that on account of it he would bring 
me into prominence as the oldest tea planter in 
South Travancore. But I deserve not that honour, 
and humbly decline it. He also shows some de- 
sire to know the result of that little held, but I 
object to admit anything of a personal nature into 
consideration ; and even if I were to tell "M" that 
the aforesaid little field of tea is not in existence, 
it would Dot in the least affect the general state 
and prospects of the tea enterprizo in Travancore. 
To bring these into more general notice was my 
only object in writing ; aad these, notwithstanding 
whatever "M*' or others may write or think, are, and 
will be, " cheery " still. 
It is true, that I was silent as to " yield," and 
1 gave good reasons for being bo. I look with cou- 
lidonco for tho proper time to give them, not as 
"M" in his letter brings up some " hearsay " toles, 
but by carefully collected facts. 
By a happy coincidence, on thu same day that I 
saw "M'a" letter when I was upcountry, I saw also 
your Supplement to the Obtener fur 1 ltd April, 
end fur tho encouragement of poor "M," I cannot do 
belter than refer him, and any others (if such there 
b. ) who «gr«« with him, Ij the following extracts 
from that supplement: — 
•' I'uom Ck • W'iiii. xio'n. Anmm Inhun. Ckvi.on. 
and .1 *va Tv\ EtSFOBT. 
T.'iii.l'in, .11 11 •huri'h Sr., K V., Mixrrh li'lli. 
Comparative y 1 ility of iho outturn rji the differ, ot 
district! lor tho past tliruu ItMOM'. 
Nkilohbhkies and TrfAVANConE. 
"18-36 chop. — Only a limited quantity has been received, 
and this generally of worst description. It is said that 
most of the best tea in the former district is used for 
local requirements. 
"Fr"m the latter, some very desirable parcels have 
come tu hand, similar in fl ivour to Oeylons. 
"1887 CROP. — Most of tlio shipments ff-rn the former 
have been of the inferior makes, and it is evident 
that the bpst teas are used locally. 
"From Travancore, however, some choice flavoured 
parcels have ayain been received ; and this compara- 
tively new district promises well." 
Tlie above conBrnis the reports from other experts 
which I gave before, and while 1 do not accuse "M" of 
a desire to run down the country Travancore, I feel 
sure that it will run up without his aid.— Yours 
truly, JOHN T OOX. 
Tn>: French VinKyabus (like our coffee 
estates with green bug after the leaf fungus. — Ed ) 
are in for another pest. It would seem as 
if they were getting completely worn out, and were 
useful only as breeding-grounds for animal and 
vegetable parasites. The new pest, which has at- 
tacked the vines in the south of France, is a 
fungus known to botanists as Coniothyrium diplodi. 
ella. Its direct action is to attack the grapes and 
cause them to shrivel and dry completely up. — 
Australasian, March 10th. 
Cotton Spinning in India: a Difficulty Overcome. 
— One of the great difficulties Indian cotton spinners 
have to contend with in the hot dry weather is the 
electrical disturbance of the air inside the mills, 
owing to which the fine cotton dust raised by the 
working of the machinery takes a very long t me to 
settle. An ingenious apparatus, called the Aerop- 
hore, which has recently been introduced, overcomes 
this obstacle by damping the air. Jets of water are 
forced through a series of minute holes and turned 
into an almost impalpable spray, which spreads 
through the room or mills, and has a wonderTul 
effect in laying the cotton dust. Not only do the 
rooms become more pleasant and healthy, but there 
is a great improvement in the working of the machi- 
nery. The same apparatus, charged with a disin- 
fi cting liquid in place of ordinary water, is found 
very useful in hospitals or other places where pure 
air is essential. Of course a disinfectant could in 
case of nerd be use in mills, and thus serve a double 
purpose. — The Englishman, 
l'lSTlUi;i:T10N OF CEYLON EXI'ORTS. 
(From 1st Oct. 1887 to 26th Apr. 1888.) 
COUXTRIBS. 
Cchona 
Brunch I Oarda- 
Coffee St Trunk Tea. O'eoa momi. 
cwt. lb. 
lb. 
cwt. lb. 
To United Kingdom ... 
,, Marseilles 
,, Genoa 
„ Venice 
„ Trieste 
;„ Odessa 
„ UaruburR 
.. Antwerp 
., Hreraeu 
., tlnvre 
., Kutterdum 
,. Africa 
„ Mauritius 
.. Ii >im tc Kastwar J .. 
., Australia 
,, America 
T. lal Kxporl» trom Oct . I 
1SB7 to Aur. Mi 1881 
Do 1VSO do I 
10 1888 do IS* 
bo IttSl do IDS' 
i«.-iu-. 
69971, HOlltWa 
072 
48| 
4S77 
8) 
Mil 
0 .1 
aw 
9207419 0948 1140S3 
3721 4-H ... 
«OD 
158 ... 
aoo ... 
8U 
012 liio 
I WU| ... 
■.•000 
U'7«0! 
ir.o.a 
V8 
15 
I :.<* 877 
m; 1 0. -j 
881 
[88881 
