January i, 1889] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 45* 
Dikoya Association; G. A. Talbot, Chairman, Dimbula 
Association ; J. H. Starey, Kandy, R. Porter, Kandy, 
and A.Philip, Secretary, Planters' Association of Ceylon. 
I. The notice calling the meeting was read. 
II. Tho minutes of proceedings of a meeting of the 
Standing Committee held at Nuwara Eliya on Friday, 
the l'2th day of October 1888, were read and confirmed. 
III. Head letter from Mr. Edward Hamlin intima- 
ting that the directors of the Oriental Bank Estates 
Company (Limited; have authorized the continuance of 
the Company's subscription to the " Tea Fund" for 
another year on same terms as before. 
IV. Head letter from Hon. Thos. North Christie 
acknowledging receipt of resolution regarding Go- 
vernment grant towards tho efficient representation 
of Oeylon tea at Paris Universal Exhibition 1880, 
and intimating that he will have pleasure in attending 
to the request of the Committee. 
V. Head letter from Mr. T. S. Dobree in reply to 
resolution of the Committee at last meeting. 
VI. Head letter from Mebars. Lee, Hedges & Co. 
Resolved :— "That in reply Messrs. Lee, Hedges & Co. 
be informed that subscription to the 'Tea Fund' is 
not compulsory, but that the Standing Committee 
hopes that Messrs. Lee, Hedges & Co. will not think of 
discontinuing their subscription to the 'Fund,' as in 
the opinion of the Committee the necessity for the 
Fund ' is as great as ever, and the Tea Fund Com- 
mittee have numerous engagements still to carry! out." 
VII. — Read letter from Mr. W. Taylor, Darrawella, 
Dikoya, in reply to the resolution of the Committee 
passed ut its last meeting. 
Resdved (1):— "That Mr. R. R. Taylor, Trinam, 
(Janl srbury, New Zealand, be appointed an agent of tho 
Plant* r.s' Association of Ceylon in New Zealand, the 
conditions of the agency being that the only tea Mr. 
Taylor shall sell is pure Ceylon tea." (2.) "That Mr. 
Tayl< r be further informed that the Standing Commit- 
tee oi the ' Ceylon Tea Fund ' does not see its way 
to Bending him a grant of tea at present, as such grants 
are oonflned to entirely new fields." 
VI 11 — Read letter from Mr. "Walter Agar explaining 
that under certain conditions he ie quite agreeable to 
continue his subscription to the Tea Fund and would cer- 
tainly support tho Fund provided results shows its 
operations to have been good- 
lillANT OK TEA FOH FREE DISTRIBUTION IN SHW 
ZEALAND THROUUI MR. J, FT5NTON WINGATE. 
Head (I) lotter from Mr. Wingate ; (II; letters from 
Messrs. J. M. Robertson & Co., Colombo, intimting- 
the purchase and shipment of six uuudred and twenty 
(t!20 1b)of Ceylon tea to Port Lyttleton, New Zealand 
and unclosing invoice for R495'94, also letter acknow- 
ledging payment of this amount. 
GRANT Or TLA FOU FREE DISTRIBUTION IN Tilt CITIES 
OF Till-: ARGENTINE REPUBLIC TKROU6H KB. i.i. 
ANDERSON. 
Uead (1) letter from Mr. T. ('. Anderson ; (2) lotters 
lr in Messrs. J. M. Robertson & Co. intimating Ihs 
pin mo and shipment of four hundred and sixty ponnds 
(4tin|l>.) Ceylon tea and enclosing invoice for K201*Sti 
also letter acknowledging payment of this amount. 
CEYLON TEA IN AMERICA. 
/ /. I'lmo-t'AuvoJ May 8ch*me for Taking Up and 
PujAtnp the Sale of Ceylon Tea throughout America. — 
Read le tter from Mr. R. E. Pineo and other norres- 
pondeuce on the subject. Resolved :— " That in 
.ieu i t Mr. Piueo's letter dated 6th December and 
from the infi rnmtion received by the Association the 
Standing Committee of the 'Tea Pund ' considers it 
inadvisable to recommend to the Association tho 
appointment ol Mr. S. Btwood May as its ngcut in 
America tor the sale of Ceylon tea." 
! ' Ills I NIVEBSAI. EXHIBITION ltvV.>. 
Submitted correspondence on tho subject. 
LONDON O'MMI ITU.. 
Resolved : "That the Secretary be in drooled t-> 
auk Mr. Whittnll and Mr. L.nko to associate ihum- 
•elvei Kith Mr. Rhand in carrying out arrangements 
for the 'Tea Room' at |he Pane Isxhlbitton." 
OLASOOW INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION 1888. 
Submitted correspondence on the subject. 
Resolved: — "That Mr. Shand be informed that the 
Planters' Association's show cases may now be sold 
to best advantage on account of l he Association." 
BRUSSELS INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION 1888. 
Submitted correspondence on the subject. 
MELBOURNE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION 1888. 
Submitted correspondence and telegrams on the 
subject. 
Resolved : — " That in addition to the vote of R6.000 
already made a further sum £100 sterling be granted 
to the Melbourne Exhibition, and that this sum be 
remitted at once to Mr. Hugh Mackenzie, also that 
2,000 lb. of Oeylon tea be purchased, if necessary, and 
shipped to him for sale, the value to be repaid through 
Mr. Mackenzie by bank draft." 
The Standing Committee of the " Tea Fund" then 
adjourned. 
A. Philip, Secretary, P. A. of Ceylon. 
COCONUT PLANTING IN THE WESTERN 
PROVINCE : 
MANURING ANE DIFFERENCE? OF OPINION — AGRICULTURAL 
CHEMISTRY — UO.IlS NOT STIMULATING. 
Siyane Korale, Nov. 1888. 
As silence on my part on the remarks aimed at me 
in the notes on coconut planting by your veteran 
coconut planting correspondent is likely to be mis- 
understood, I take up my pen to answer them. 
My definition of manuring, as restoring to the soil 
the elements of fertility removed by croppiug, cannot 
be and is not questioned. The definition is general. I 
have been misrepresented in the application of that 
definition to the purposes of coconut cultivation. I 
have systematically opposed the teaching that it is 
wise to force young trees into premature bearing by 
the application of bones. Precocity is induced, and 
this is opposed to longevity. Helping forward the 
growth of young trees by breaking the soil and tho 
application of such mauures as help growth, I have 
not opposed, and I always carry on this mode of 
treatment. 
"Old Planter" has worked himself up to a state 
of unnecessary excitement and exhilaration ending 
with a "hurrah" for a semi-artificial coconut tree! 
Every planter with a head on his shoulders takes a 
£ s. d. view of manuring. "Old Planter" lubor6 
under the delusion that the system is peculiar to him- 
self. Coconut planters, as a whole, are not singular 
in their endeavour to make two nuts grow where one 
grew before. Agriculture is to all, even to the 
wealthy, a commercial undertaking, therefore the 
unmeaning hurrah might with advantage have been 
repressed till it could be used to some purpose. 
Does "Old Planter" in all seriousness advance in 
support of his assertion, that no matter what quantity 
of manure bo placed within reach of a tree, the roots 
will take up only just sufficient for the requirements 
of the tree ; that the mineral constituents of 
different speoies of plants occur in unvarying 
proportions ? Surely, Mirely so old a hand as " Old Plan- 
ter" is who has dived into tho mysteries of agricultural 
chemistry for so long, ought to bo aware that the pro- 
portions of the mineral constituents are unvarying 
prorelatively and not quantitatively. That is, that 
in every 100 parts of the ashes of the kernel of tho 
coconut there will be found 1*45 phosphoric aoid, - 21 
lime, and so one proportionately, and not that whatever 
tho crop may be the total of tho resulting aBhes will 
to iv- above. What is tme of the coconut tree is truo 
of a'l species of trees and plants and also of animals ■ 
whatever the. soil, climate, country, food, the propor- 
tion of mineral constituents is unvarying. And yet 
to account fjr this natural phenomenon there must 
needs be a resort to endow roots wt'.h •• super-ratioivil 
discrimination *' ! If roots do not take up al much 
us they are nbli ■ i tin . .iritnent that is within their 
reach in a soluble state, the appellation giTen to 
certain manures as stimulating s uiiucaniug, an I vol 
