June i, i888.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
793 
FUEL FOR ESTATES. 
A correspondent, writing to us from London, 
expresses the intorest he has felt in the several 
letters which have appeared in our columns deal- 
ing with the above subject, and specially, as re- 
gards tho calculations made by Mr. Rutherford 
and communicated by that gentleman in his letter 
to the Observer, as to the annual rate at which 
our present sources of supply are likely to be used 
up. It is a subject, our correspondent thinks, the 
importance of which cannot bo too highly rated ; 
and he adds to the discussion his own view that, 
however widely and spoodily Mr. Rutherford's advice 
to plant quick-growing trees on and about our 
tea estates may bo followed, the result is not likely 
to be soon enough obtained to avert, what he terms, 
a fuel famine occurring, which will do much to 
hinder tho economical preparation of our island 
teas. He thinks that a remedy for this appre- 
hended evil must bo sought in another direction, 
in the provision of some efficient, but cheap mcan3 
of transporting firewood from the lowcountry. There 
can bo no doubt, that long before all the present 
available supplies arc exhausted, or even approach 
exhaustion, the cost of fuel on our estates will 
have reached a rate which must bo almost pro- 
hibitory of successful competition as to price with 
the cheap varieties of tea from China and Java; 
and, if we are to avoid being exposed to this 
dilliculty, it may be wise to look early for other 
sources of supply to supplement that which is 
now close at hand, but must soon rapidly diminish. 
Our friend suggests to us that there is every 
probability that wire tramways — as they are some- 
what illogically termed — are the means best adapted 
for tapping the abundant resources which the 
base of the hill-country can furnish, and he be- 
lieves that large groups of neighbouring estates 
should combine to erect such wire-rope railways, 
by which not alone lirewood, bit timber lor tea- 
boxes also, could be brought up from the lowcountry 
at a cheap rate. 
It is doubtful, he thinks, if our main line 
of railway could be an economical carrier ol 
wood fuel. Already, our railway management ex- 
periences a dearth of supply sufficiently contiguous 
to the linos to enable it to keep down working 
expenses, and it is manifest, therefore, that it can 
hardly afford to carry material, tho provision of 
which would be in direct competition with its own 
needs. Beyond Mutale, no doubt, there exists ample 
forests to be drawn upon, fuel cut in which could 
be transported to the distant station to be built 
at Haputale ; but the cost of transport over 
such a mileage and up the steep inclines of 
our mountain railways, must prohibit such a 
source of future supply being considered avail- 
able ; and, with the heavy traffic already ex- 
isting on our line and the large development 
we may expect it to receive, it would be 
impossible for the railway to carry up fuel at any 
rates which would render supply from such a 
fiourco practicable. Somo time back, we wrote as 
lo improvements made in the construction of wire 
rope tramways which seemed specially to tit them 
for adoption as branch (oeders to our railway, for 
tho conveyance to tho stations, or to specially 
constructed Hidings, of our estates produce. We 
think that thoro is ovory possibility that some day 
or another, wo may see that suggestion acted upon 
very widely, and we can realize that tho improve- 
nit nts we thoro referred to, would greatly facilitate 
a further adaptation of the idoa to the object of 
bringing up (uol, at certain points, from tho low 
country, as wo huvo above suggosted. 
Tho cost of such au anrial lino is not great, and 
the construction ol 6»y,2Q miles of it, would not ba 
100 
an overpowering burden for a considerable group of 
estates to undertake. Such a length of liue 
would probably tap ample reserves of forest in 
which firewood in any quantity could be 
cut. It would be possible, we should say, in 
nearly every instance of such lines being erected, 
to obtain water-power for working them. The 
precise localization of their termini would not be 
matter of importance, so long as they delivered 
their supplies within tho neighbourhood of the 
group of estates subscribing to erect them, and 
therefore, there would be a wide latitude available in 
so placing them that water-power oould bo utilized 
in every case. We by no means want to dis- 
courage the following of the wise advice of Mr. 
Rutherford and of other correspondents who have 
obliged us on the subject with their counsel, to 
plant quick-growing trees wherever land available 
for doing so can bo found; but we are inclined 
to agree with our home correspondsnt in the view 
lie takes tiiat, long before such planting can largely 
supplement our existing supply, the cost of wood 
fuel must be very seriously enhanced. His sug- 
gestion, therefore, that rope tramways should 
be utilized as above described, is not with- 
out its value, and we should be glad if those 
interested in the matter would think the proposi- 
tion over, and communicate to us their views 
relative to it. 
The proprietors of each large group of estates, 
»>ight form themselves into Limited Companies for 
the purpose of raising capital to construct and 
work the lines. One such aerial railway would 
probably suffice to work an area of some 5 000 or 
6,000 acres, and water-power being, as we have 
said, available more or less in every case, the cost 
of working would be little more than the wear 
and tear of the line itself, for the bundles of 
lire-wood could themselves bo slung to the travelling 
carrier. Everyone seems to be agreed that it is only 
by maintaining the present low cost of production, 
that our tea can in the future meet the compe- 
tition sure to have to be faced, and cheap fuel 
must constitute one of the chief items of insurance 
of success in that competition. 
There is, however, one fact left out of view by the 
home correspondent who deals with this subjeot, 
namely, the prospect of some other cheap fuel being 
supplied. Let us hope for the realization of the 
expectation entertained, as mentioned by ui 
recently, that good lignite from Siam may be 
laid down in Colombo at Ro per ton, specially 
low railway rates rendering it available for estates. 
♦ 
CEYLON TEA FOR AMEKICA. 
We call attention to the forcible remarks (page 801) 
on this subject of our Uva correspondent in his lively 
series of " Mountain Echoes." Tho feeling is evidently 
growing stronger that the milder Ceylon teas— so well 
suited to the American palate— should be worked 
separately from the stronger Indian teas, so that 
the best thing our planters can do is to go in 
for supporting Mr. Pineo and Mr. MacCombie 
Murray. Let Mr. i'inao have tho ti.OOO lb. tea 
required for distribution in packets, sharp, at least. 
Mr. l'iueo writes to us as follows, and wo es- 
pecially call attention to the very concise announce- 
ment of his " plan of campaign " given by Mr. 
Elwood May in his letter to his Ceylon repre- 
sentative. This experienced New York capital: i 
evidently means " business " : — 
The Club, Colombo, '21th April 1886. 
The Ct'tjlon Qb*<rv<r has done mo a very great 
kindness, in poiutiui; out the gravo oinisnion of 
