352 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [November t, 1888. 
"in the trade " lose. The merchant has not so 
direct a cause for complaint as the producer, nor 
can he assert positively that proper weights of tea 
have been leaded up in the boxes, unless he re- 
bulks before putting his packages on board ship in 
Colombo. I have patiently endured the loss on 
my teas shipped to London for these past years, 
thinking probably like many other Ceylon pro- 
ducers, that it was beyond our reach trying to 
remedy the evil. Recent disclosures, however, of 
pilfering (if we call it by no harsher term) ap- 
pear to give us an opportunity for "grasping the 
nettle." I feel sure if the subject is taken up 
and properly handled by the Planters' Associa- 
tion and Chamber of Commerce, aided by London 
merchants interested in the tea trade, a cleansing 
from all such untidiness as "two waggon loads of 
samples," or a trifling matter of two to four per 
cent loss in weight on tea to Ceylon growers 
would be effected. " Two to four per cent " appears 
to be a very large order, yet, so I have worked it 
out, over a series of tea sales in London, and I 
have no doubt but many a Ceylon planter will find 
a similar sad experience if he turns over his London 
invoices. From information recently received, blame 
for loss in weight of Ceylon tea in London appears 
to be thrown upon the producer ; the arguments 
used are that Government supervises the weighing 
of our teas in the London docks, and that the 
weights mentioned on the invoice could never have 
been put into the packages. This is no doubt a 
strong disclaimer, yet we have these " two waggon 
loads " of odds and ends to create suspicion ; and 
moreover we need further information on many 
points. Is the sampling done prior to this Govern- 
ment supervision of the weighing? Is it not 
possible for Government supervisors to be in collusion 
with samplers ad hoc ? Is it likely that breaks of 
tea from the same factory weighed carefully and 
packed under European supervision would varyin loss 
of weight to the following extent : — If per cent, 2| per 
cent, 4 per cent, 2J per cent, 3 l-16th per cent, and 
3 per cent for years past, unless unreasonable quanti- 
ties were extracted for sampling purposes? Is it not 
the usual practice for Ceylon growers to put in each 
chest, or A chest J- to J lb. extra of tea, so as to 
make up for any samples which are taken ? 
An ordinary garden would ship say 30,000 to 
40.000 lb. of tea per annum : it is therefore a serious 
matter for a proprietor to face a loss of even 2 per 
cent, which would represent 600 to 800 lb. of tea in 
the year, without considering the \ at \ lb. given 
gratis to the samplers. — I am, &o., 
SHELTON AGAE. 
Fresh Supplies of Cupbea Baek ready for 
Harvesting. — In the unlikely case that our bark 
supply from other quarters of the world should 
tail, or if prices should again become sufficiently 
remunerative, we may expect (if a German autho- 
rity is to be relied upon) a renewed influx of large 
quantities of Cuprea bark. It has hitherto been 
generally believed that the reckless destruction of 
tlie Cuprea forests between 1879 and 1884 had 
practically exhausted these sources of supply, but 
we now hear that while the forests in the Lebrija 
and Sogamossa valleys of the Republic of Colombia 
were actually destroyed, other woods have escaped; 
and that, moreover, fresh trees have by this time 
grow up from the roots of the trees felled seven 
or eight years ago. The Cuprea roots, unlike 
those of the Colombian C. LancifoUa, are value- 
less for manufacturing purposes, and thus, while 
the 6'. LancifoUa trees have been hopelessly ex- 
terminated, the second generation of Cupreas is 
now again ready for the axe. — Chemist and Druggist, 
September 29th. 
Cotton Growing in the Gampola District, — 
Mr. Blackett's clearing of cotton now shows 
bushes approximating to a foot above the ground, 
certainly an average of 8 inches in height in six 
weeks from date of dibbling in the seed. The bushes 
look healthy and promising. 
Hoolankande E state (Mr. Gordon Reeves) 
has the honour — according to Messrs. Rucker & 
Bencraft — of sending to the London market " per- 
haps the finest invoice of tea ever despatched from 
Ceylon." This consisted of 70 packages, aver- 
aging Is lOJd (pekoe souchong Is Gfd ; broken 
orange pekoe 2s 8|d ; pekoe 2s ljd; dust Is 0£d). 
This shows what fine picking (under 100 lb. per 
acre) and careful preparation of a high-grown tea 
can do. Messrs. Gow, Wilson & Stanton give the 
average at Is lljd. 
Silk (writes a Coventry ribbon manufacturer) 
has been very cheap for some years. If Ceylon 
can grow silk to a profit now, it need never be 
afraid ; for, unless through panic, as in a revolution, 
it is not likely to go lower in price. Enclosed is 
a small pamphlet on the subject and if any further 
information is required, I feel sure that Mr. Wardle 
of Leek, Staffordshire, would gladly give it. It ia 
his special study. He has compiled a work on 
" Silk. Its Entomology, History and Manufacture." 
The Specimen of Quinine manufactured by the 
new process on the Government Cinchona estates 
submitted to Government for approval, is said to 
be as good as Howards. Steps will be taken to test 
its pharmaceutical strength as soon as a sufficient 
quantity is available for distribution. It is pre- 
mature to form an opinion merely on an experiment, 
as between the manufacture of a specimen and 
quinine in bulk, there is a great gulf fixed. We have 
no doubt our practical Director and Quinologist will 
be able to produce quinine »s good as that obtainable 
at Darjeeling. — South of India Observer, Sept. 25th. 
"New Diseases." — Those words (says Dr. Tay- 
lor of Science Gossip) are ominous. The too-well-known 
potato disease was unknown till about the year 1846. 
The vine diseases are equally modern. Coffee- 
planting has been ruined in Ceylon since 1872 by 
the fungus. Are we developing new diseases ? It 
looks like it. The latest news is of another and 
hitherto-unknown species of potato disease which, 
under the name of " scurf," is attacking the potato- 
crops in Germany. Dr. Thumen also describes a 
new species of vine disease in South Tyrol, which is 
destroying the immature berries, and which is due 
to a hitherto undescribed species of microscopic 
fungus. 
Fibre. — Scientific enquiry or often times chance 
bring to light resources unthought of in the vegetable 
world. Mons, J. de Turck, Lille, is using in his 
mills a quantity of what he calls " lin exotique." It 
is the product of the dolichos of Tonquin — the doli- 
chos catjang of Cochin China — known through Ton- 
quin as dau, one of the chief food crops of the 
country. The fibre, which resembles ramie, is, when 
decorticated, long and lustrous, and while possessing 
great strength can be used in the manufacture of 
the finest laoe or strong cord. It is spun without 
combing, a great saving as compared with common 
flax, and it can be worked up with flax, cotton, or 
wool. The cost at Marseilles is from 10 to 20 cents 
per kilogramme (2J lb.) This plant, which is much 
cultivated as a clearing crop, is grown from seed sown 
in February or March, and ripens about a month 
before the rice crop. The pods are gathered in bas- 
kets by women and children, the stalks being mostly 
ploughed in or used as bedding for the buffaloes. 
Apart from the food-producing quality of the plant 
the economio value of the stalk would recommend its 
cultivation, and it would probably suit warm valleys 
in Natal.— Natal Mercury. 
