38 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
[June i, 1881 
and. quite concur. Government very properly sold barks 
to repay expenses, and that being done, it has no 
right to trade ; moreover that was not the object 
in introducing cinchona cultivation into India and 
Ceylon." 
It is simply renewing the old East India Company's 
trading powers which were taken from them 50 years 
ago, and on a parallel with our old Government Cinna- 
mon Garden affairs. 
Unquestionably we can confine them to the limits 
I have mentioned, and restrict their trading powers, 
and I shall use my best endeavours to organize a 
deputation to some member of Parliament who will 
espouse our cause, and you and our friends in Ceylon 
must back us up. No time is to be lost unless we 
wish to be swamped. — Yours truly, 
Thomas Dickson, Managing Director. 
P.S. — I have stirred up many of the Ceylon houses 
here, who all agree something should be tried. I have 
brought the matter before Messrs. Matheson & Co. 
in hopes of securing the influence of Mr. Hugh 
Matheson, M. P., and also Sir Jas. Elphinstone. 
I asked Sir David Wedderburn, but am sorry I 
did not succeed. I have just seen Mr. Magniac, M:P., 
of Messrs. Matheson & Co., who has kindly promised 
to interest himself^ in the matter, and is clearly of 
opinion the India Government have no pretext so 
long as we can show the plantations are self-sup- 
porting. 
The statistics he requires are as follows :— 
(1) What may be the annual production of the 
Government Gardens ? [360,000 lb. at Sikhim, all manu- 
factured ; 250,000 lb. Nilgiris, all shipped and sold. — 
Ed. C, O.] 
(2) What may be the estimated requirements ? [Of 
bark by Government to make a febrifuge for the 
population, it is impossible to say. — Ed. C. O.] 
(3) Are they extending their plantations ? — [Very 
little.— Ed. C. O.] 
(4) Are their gardens still in debt ? — 
[No :a source of profit.— Ed. CO] 
Can you procure these, and we will then have it 
brought before Parliament, if not sooner ? [Refer to 
our Ceylon Handbook and Markham's new book for 
the latest and most authentic information. — Ed. C. O.] 
Copy of Letter from Mr. Marhham. 
" The object of introducing cinchona cultivation 
into India was to bring the febrifuge within reach 
of the masses of the people. It was right to sell 
the bark until all the capital outlay, with interest, 
had been recovered. This has been done, and the 
whole of the Government bark ought now to be 
worked up in India for the use of the people. I con- 
sider it a breach of trust, and an act of doubtful 
legality for the Goverment to continue to sell bark 
for profit in London Market. 
" The Government cinchona plantations were not es- 
tablished for any such purpose. Their objects are to 
discover the best methods of cultivation and of har- 
vesting to establish the best species to supply plants 
and seeds, and distribute them widely so as to ex- 
tend the area of cultivation, and to manufacture very 
largely, the cheapest form of the febrifuge for the 
use of the people of India. 
"Successive Secretaries of State, Sir Charles Wood, 
Lord liipon, and the Duke of Argyll have adopted my 
views on this subject and impressed them on the 
Government of India and Madras. 
" Certainly any one is entitled to quote my opinion : 
it is published, and is public property." 
Mr. Dickson would do well to ask our late Governor, 
Sir Wm. Gregory, to interest himself on this question, 
and, perhaps, to call Lord Kiinberley's attention to 
it. As we have already stated, Mr. Clements Mark- 
ham is entirely with the planters in their claim. Sir 
Wm. Gregory's policy in Ceylon was based on the 
principles Mr. Markham laid down, namely, — Govern- 
ment gardens to supply seed and cuttings and to try 
experiments, while the cultivation for commercial pur- 
poses was left solely in the hands of planters. We 
feel sure that the House of Commons, if appealed 
to, would at once decide against the policy of the 
Madras and Jamaica Governments in growing bark to 
sell in the Mincing Lane market. 
Ceylon Coffee in the Home Market.— An ex- 
Ceylon colonist writes :—" Your readers will be 
happy to hear that Ceylon coffee is the only 
one keeping up its price — some fine bold fetching 
114s the other day, while some Jamaica ditto 
my broker shewed me only fetched 53s, which 
was worth 75s two months ago. In Brazil also 
there has been a heavy drop." 
Strength or Insects. — At a meeting of the Mary- 
land Academy of Sciences recently. Dr. Theobald showed 
a species of a beetle and gave the following figures : 
— Weight of beetle, 2 grains ; weight moved by it, 
54 ounces — 2.640 grains, or 1.320 times the weight of 
beetle. A man weighing 150 pounds, endowed with tht- 
strength of his insect, should therefore be able to 
move 198,000 pounds, or nearly 100 tons. — Madras 
Mail. 
Lacquered Tin Tea Boxes.— Mr. C. P. Jones, of 
Baillie Street, Colombo, has sent for our examination a 
couple of Harvey Brothers & Tyler's patent portable lac 
quered tin boxes which have been used to a great 
extent by shippers of Indian tea. The boxes 
are imported to Ceylon in pieces, and are 
then hooked and soldered together. They are 
made in convenient sizes. The largest of those sent 
to us will contain 20 ft> of tea, and costs BL65 
The smaller tin will contain 12 lb. Suitable repre- 
sentations of tea estates, and the processes of 
curing and packing tea, are portrayed upon them, 
giving them a very attractive appearance. We feel sure 
these will be well received if sent (filled with Ceylon 
tea) to Australia, as they will be bandy for carrriage 
away from the centres of trade. The difference in cost 
of these over ordinary packages is equal to fd. per lb of 
tea ; but the produce sold in these handy boxes sells 
for a better price and in fact the price of the box is 
more than repaid. Further particulars will be found 
in our advertising columns. 
Scindia's Paper Mill has at last been completed 
under the supervision of Mr. Cowasjee Wookerjee, 
who selected and brought out from Europe the 
machinery with all the latest improvements. The 
mill turned out really excellent paper several hundred 
yards in length, on the occasion of its first trial, 
which took place on the 9th instant. Yesterdaj 
(Thursday) Scindia, who had not previously been 
near the mill, held a special durbar in order to 
inspect the sample rolls of paper, which is here mauu- 
factured from karbi and rags and is pronounced 
to be of a superior texture. His Highness was much 
pleased to ascertain that the first European industry- 
established in his territory had so far proved a 
complete success. The mill is to be visited by 
Scindia in State probably next week. Great praise 
is due to Mr. Wookerjee for the untiring zeal and 
energy he has shown in connection with this scheme 
from which considerable results may be expected 
The mill, indeed, promises to be a great success, es- 
pecially as skilled European engineers and workmen 
have been employed to carry on the work.— India/ 
Agriculturist. — [When is a wealthy^ native like Mr. 
C. H. De Soyza, or Mr. Sampson Rajapakse, to establish 
a cotton or paper mill in Ceylon? — Natives carry on 
both successfully in India.— Ed. C. 0. 1 
