January i, 1889] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
475 
" HOW THINGS ARE DONE IN DIKOYA :" 
TEA ! PROSPECTS OF FLUSHES AND PRICES — HOW TEA 
IS TREATED BY LONDON BCLKERS ! A NICE LITTLE 
GAME. 
Dikova, 17th December. 
This has been on the whole a very favorablo 
season for tea, and estimates are well forward 
for the time of the year. Not much was expected 
from coffee, and that little will in many cases 
not be realized. The weather has lately been 
rather cold with a hard wind, which will tem- 
porarily keep back the flush in tea, but it is too 
early yet for dry weather to set in, and next shower 
will doubtless bring it on as lively as ever. Tea 
prices are disappointing, and much below last 
season's at the same time of the year, but I 
don't think anyone can lay this at the door of 
the tea-makers on this occasion ; so far as I oan 
judge the quality is as good as ever it was, ex- 
oept in those estates where they are taking in first 
tippings after pruning. 
I trust the London branoh of the P. A. will not 
rest until they have settled this matter of " Loss 
in voyage " and " Allowance to buyer." The former 
I heard very simply accounted for by one who 
had been some years in a leading tea-brokor's 
office in the Lane. In describing the bulking process, 
ho said the boxes were opened with a crowbar, the 
tea chucked out on the floor, the lead often follow- 
ing ; the tea was shovod baok anyhow, and in 
repacking the tea might be put back in the lead, or 
alongside of it. The bulking men having shovelled 
back the tea in the boxes and tramped it down 
with their hobnailed boots spread a sheet of brown 
paper over it and knock on the lid. On my sug- 
gesting that it was impossible to put all" the tea 
back in that rough manner if it had been carefully 
paoked at this end, he said that of course it was 
not all put back, only as much as they conve- 
niently could, and that the rest was "Lost in voyage." 
He also described with much humour how useful 
this loss on voyage was to undorstrappors like him- 
self, as ho could - always buy seme good tea for a 
small price, resell it to his friends, and thereby 
make a very desirable addition to his pocket money. 
I havo no doubt there is a good deal in all this that 
would help to throw light on the subject, if a 
parcel of tea was carefully followed through the 
warehouse and the bulking process ; and the sooner 
it is seen to tho better, as, if tea is to go on 
falling in price, we cannot afford these littlo per- 
quisites, however useful they may be to the young 
men in the Lane. Those who are acquainted with 
tea and hew susceptible it is to damp when ex- 
posed, will havo no difficulty in accounting for the 
bad keeping qualities of tea subjeoted to treat- 
ment of this sort. 
The Kelani Valley Tea Association, Ltd. — 
Wo call attention to tho Report of this 
Company on page •1(17, and to the ovidenco 
I Of rapid progress which it affords. This Com- 
pany has now 500 acres of virgin forest land planted 
with tea, with a reserve of '200 acres of forest land. 
1 h ilessa, which is tho namo of their plantation, 
has (lie advantage "( beii.g elo-,- tn the Yatiyantota 
Ij buzaar and to tho river and curt road, so that 
fueilr ■ i for cheap supplies ai d transport are ex- 
I qeptiouul. tf the young tea does as well as tho 
only field in bearing, at tho same nge, it is quite 
I oloar that tho Company's prorarty will bo a very 
| valuable one, and wo aro quite sure that no effort 
has been wanting in tho part of Mr. l'urt<.r, tho 
Company's Manager in tho island, nor of Mr. 
wllmns, Superintendent of Pogulessa, to get good 
work dono in planting and all other estate arrange 
I litems. 
Planting in British North Borneo.— The last 
British Consular report from British North Borneo 
describes tho progress which is being made there in 
tho introduction of new plauts. Last year pepper ap- 
peared for the first time among the exports, and much 
is expected in future from it. It is a remunerative 
crop, and is rapidly extending in the Bundoo distriot, 
where there in such a large infusion of Chinese blood 
that tho pooplo may almost be said to belong to that 
thriving and industrious race. In the neighbourhood 
of Satidnkan Bay a British company is planting Manila 
hemp and pineapples for the fibre. The same company 
is also proceeding with the cultivation of Liberian 
coffee and pepper, and coffee estates are being laid 
out elsewhere. It is purposed shortly to give attention 
to india-rubber and rattans. Both of these plants 
aro indigenous, growing wild in the forests, so that 
there can be no doubt of the suitability of the country 
for their production, while, owing to their growing under 
natural forest shade, their cultivation will not be attended 
with the expenses incident to the opening and mainten- 
ance of ordinary estates. During 1887 applications for 
278,335 acres of land were received by the Commissioner 
of Lands, 218,000 by Dutch and about 60,000 aores by 
English planters or companies.— Loudon Times. 
Digestive Tea has been a feature among 
exhibits at reoent home Exhibitions, and there 
seems to be a large sale to judge, by rival prepa- 
rations. The best known perhaps is that of the 
Universal Digestive Tea Company Limited of Man- 
chester, who publish a long series of medical and 
other testimonials to the value of their " digestive 
tea dried and prepared on a new principle by 
which the tannin is entirely neutralized and 
the injurious oils to a great extent extracted." 
Another preparation is referred to in a paragraph 
in the Chemist and Druggist as follows : — 
Lodge's " Dietetic " Tea. — This article is brought 
under the notice of chemists by Messrs. Lodge, of 
Broad Street, Birmingham, as one which is " free 
from injurious tea. and most suitable for invalids and 
persons with weak digestion." This claim obviously 
makes the tea a good liue for ohemists. We have 
tried it, and find it to bo a good liquoring tea, of full 
body and flavour, and rather under the average degree 
of aatriugenoy. It is attractively put up in tins. 
We have had the opportunity through tho kindness 
of Mr. Wm. Walker of trying the Manchester 
Company's tea from a packet about whioh Mr. 
Walker writes as follows: — 
" I have tried the heat quality siuoe I came to Ceylon, 
and found it not at all satisfactory. It seemed to 
leave a consciousness behind it of having taken some- 
thing that was not digestive, but the reverse. I had 
the same experience on the voyage, and therefore 
gave up using it. This was a disappointment, as I 
had been using it at home, and had got to like it. 
What we used at home cost 3s per lb ; the packet 
we tried here cost 3s 4d per lb. The Company's 
Secretary at homo wrote to mo that their process 
was applicable to India and Ceylon teas as well as 
China, and that in the 3s 4d quality there was a 
go id proportion of Iu.lia und (or 1 ) Ceylon. I am 
not disposed to hope for much from this process. 
I think that the right thing for those who suffer from 
indigestion after taking tea, is to see that they use 
a fine quality of Ceylon tea, and use it after it has 
been only a few minutes infused. It is the bitter 
long-infused lea that works mischief in the stomach. 
In this I feel certain that you will agree with me." 
Thero can be no question th.U Mr. Walker is right, 
that in nino cases out of ton the infusion rather 
than tho tea itself— due regard being had to the 
smaller quantity of Coylon or Indian than of China 
toa requirod at a tide Is to blame for tho objec- 
tions raised about tannin and indigestion. Hut 
contraiy to Mr. Walker's experience, our tri.ilofthe 
" digestive tea " left a favourable imprwiitftt ol a 
mild, pleasantly flavoured preparation, though tho 
infusion i; by no m. •tins equal in its rofro-diinn qua- 
lities tn that of our average Ceylon U*n. 
