THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [February i, 1889. 
Chakley Valley Tea. — Having tasted an 
infusion of Mr. De Soysa's tea, an invoice of which 
realized so high a price in the London market, we 
can testify to its superior flavour and strength, 
qualities which are certainly striking, if, as we 
suppose, the packet sent to us is a fair average 
specimen of broken pekoe. 
Gigantic Feeding Boots. — Here in Ceylon 
where mangolds are unknown and turnips weigh 
only a few ounces, it takes away one's breath to 
read what follows from the London Time's account 
of the Smithfield cattle show: — " There is as much 
beauty in a well-formed Swede as can be evolved by 
the highest art, and probably no portion of the stand 
could be pointed to with greater pride than a group of 
yellow globe mangold, grown by Lord Wantage, and 
with which the champion prize open to all England 
(given by Messrs. Eyiand and Proctor) was this year 
won. The crop was one of 60 tons per acre. Next 
to this stand was that of Mr. King, of Coggeshall, 
and here also was a very nice lot of roots. The well- 
known firm of carters had a very grand display, the 
leading feature being the elephant swede, one of 
which weighed no less than 30 lb. The form was 
perfect and the group quite a picture." 
Ceylon Tea fob Australia. — In reviewing 
Mr. Caine's new book, the Australasian refers as 
follows to our tea versus China tea : — " ' Ceylon 
bids fair to rival the most important districts in 
Northern India in its tea growing capacity. The 
teas are of high character, fine flavour, and per- 
fectly pure, and I see no reason why India and Ceylon 
• Bhould not in course of time supplant China teas to 
a very large extent.' So' writes Mr. Caine. In the year 
1886 this colony imported from China tea of the 
value of £588,425, and that country did not take 
from us one shilling's worth of merchandise in 
return. The account had to be balanced either 
directly or indirectly by bullion. On the other 
hand, while our imports from Ceylon were only 
of the value of £45.508, our exports thither were 
of the value of £222,332 ; so that we have every 
reason to discourage the consumption of Chinese 
tea, and to encourage that of the Cingalese leaf 
in Victoria. The planters there are our own 
countrymen, and the probabilities — perhaps it 
would be more correct to say the certainties — are 
that an increasing importation of tea from Ceylon 
will be followed by an augmented exportation of 
Victorian produce to that island." 
Coffee in Bast Java. — The Soerabaia-Cou- 
rant of December 20fch has the following " Malang 
Coffee Intelligence," dated Soerabaia, Dec. 17th: — 
" The reports regarding the 1889 crop are of a 
cheering nature ; the estimates of crop are ex- 
pected to be exceeded generally. The weather is 
favorable ; rain falls daily, but not in excess. 
High-l>ing plantations are bearing heavily, so 
much so that props have had to be used. The 
whole of the 1889 crop (some 2,000 piculs) of an 
estate on the Smeroe has been sold during this 
week to a Soerabaia firm at f45, and the produce 
of a land on the Southern Mountains (estimate 
1,500 pic.) at f42. During the 11th and 15th inst. 
a dull rumbling was heard in the distance, sup- 
posed to be working of the Smeroe; one may, 
however, be easily deceived in this , by a thunder- 
storm at a distance. Scarcity of rice still continues 
to cause many laborers to come to the estates. 
With regard to leaf disease nothing has been heard, 
which may be considered as a favorable sign. 
Thefts of coffee libit [bibit, Javanese for 'seed'l 
took place gauflnilly towards the cod of the plant- 
ing season ; now it seems to be otherwise, for 
BcajtQely has the planting season begun than we 
hear of oases, without one being ablo to catch the 
jiftrpetratora." 
Madura Crops — The Madura Mail says, that al- 
though there has been an improvement in the general 
prospects of cultivation in many places in the 
district, the crops have been raised so late that 
the outturn is expected to be below the average. 
There are still many tracts, the major portion of 
the Melar Talook and the Terumar Firka in the 
Madura Talook, where there has been little or no 
rain yet, and where even the punjat crops have 
again failed. But the collection of rent having 
begun the people are in a sad plight. — Indian 
Agriculturist. \ There is, therefore, likely be a 
large emigration of coolies to Ceylon.— Ed. T. A.] 
Gum Trees in Italy. — Among many interesting 
items noted, Mr. Cook says: — " I am muoh amused 
to see that our old friends the gum trees are now 
beginning to dominate the scenery of this classic 
land. They soon shoot up head and shoulders 
above the olives and other native trees, and are 
rapidly transforming the aspect of the landscape. 
They keep up their old topsey-turvey colonial habits, 
and are unconsciously blooming away now as though 
it were really spring ! The mosqiitoes are at the 
present time very much in evidence, and seem 
quite in keeping with the gum trees, and, together 
with the swarm of flies, generally suggest very 
forcibly what an inferno this place must be during 
the fervid heats of summer !" — E. Mail. 
Ceylon Coffee Planters scarcely want to ' 
be encouraged to fight " green bug " or do all they 
can to conserve what is left of our old staple; 
but certainly if they do want to be assured of 
bumper prices in the future, the news from the 
one really great coffee country left, Brazil, is all 
in favour of scarcity of produce and dear coffee. 
A Manchester paper has the following: — 
Mail advices from Rio de Janeiro, dated November 
24tb, say that the increase in the receipts of coffee was 
apparently due to an improvement in railway facilities. 
Recent rains, however, seemed likely to affect the sup- 
ply adversely. It will have been observed from the 
telegram that there has been a falling off lately. The 
opinion seemed to be extending that most people in 
Rio de Janeiro and in Santos hid been too enthusiastic 
over the outturn of the present cr' p ; the maximum 
of the latter port is now estimated at about 2J million 
of bags, and that of Rio remains doubtful ; if we may 
accept the published advices from the coffee zmes, 
next year will prove to be one of the most unsatis- 
factory known in the trade. The province of S. Paulo 
may save the situation. It is, however, admitted that 
the outlook fur Brazil will be gloomy if the anticipa- 
tions of a coffee famine are verified, 
. " Desiccated Coconut ", from Fiji. — In quot- 
ing the following paragraph from the Fiji Times, 
we venture to infer that "desiccated coconut" means 
coconut kernel so prepared as to be suitable for 
use by confectioners ? If that industry succeeds in 
Fiji, why not in Ceylon? 
The first illustration of a practical outcome of the 
Governor's suggestions, for the prosecution in the 
colony of some of the industries which may be suc- 
cessfully undertaken here, has been afforded by the 
export, per Gunga, of half a ton ot desiccated coconut. 
This has been manufactured by the Pacific DessicatiDg 
Company, and has been shipped for London, through 
Messrs. A, M. Brodziak and Co. of this town. With 
a laudable desire to help the experiment by ail means 
iu their power, and thus to promote in some degree 
the interests of the country, those gentlemen have 
given their services gratuitously ; a very commendable 
course of conduct. The result of the trial shipment 
will be awaited with very namiul anxiety; as upon 
that the future of the in lustry will largely depend. 
No doubt is entertained as to the characti-r of the 
returns, but certainty will do much to encour ge 
further enterprise in this direction. The spirit dis- 
played by the Company is much to be commended 
and it is to be hoped they will secure the success 
they bo thoroughly deserve. 
