f UNE I, 1881.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
INTRODUCTION. 
We have already announced that our " Hand- 
took of Information for Ceylon " published this 
year is the last bulky volume of the kind that will 
be issued from Our press. 
In future, we trust to present annually a compact 
Directory volume with every-day informal ion 
which is needful to the planter, merchant, civil serv- 
tot, fife. This will necessitate the exclusion of 
papers bearing on planting subjects such as have 
occupied a prominent place in successive Hand- 
books during the last twenty years. The difficulty 
Lis always been to find space for the information 
which we would fair publish for the benefit 
of our readers. Almost every issue of the 
Daily and Weekly. Observer contains informa- 
tion which t he planl er would be glad to preserve 
in a convenient form for reference, and we have 
been frequently pressed to supply this want by 
au issue separate from the Directory. There is 
abo a great deal of information bearing on 
the cultivation of new aud old products to 
he found in Home and Colonial periodicals 
which we should like to make generally known, 
but for which it is impossible to find space in 
I he pages of an ordinary newspaper. 
It is to provide a fitting medium for all 
such literature thai we have determined to pub 1 
lish " The Tropical Agriculturist." This will be 
issued monthly, and, as may be observed, in a 
form suitable for easy reference, aud for binding 
in either half-yearly or yearly volumes as may 
be desired. 
helixed to each issue a table of "Contents" is 
■yen which is of little more than nominal value, 
but at the end of every half-year a thoroughly 
useful and complete Index will be appended, so as 
to make the information under each topic, or 
respectitig each product, readily available. 
The publication will he made as soon after 
the first of each month as possible. Our present 
preliminary issue, which we distribute gratis to 
the number of 2„OOjO copies, cannot be taken as 
a fair specimen of what will follow either ia 
respect of contents or punctuality : indeed the 
second issue is, at this date, almost ready for publi- 
cation. It will be our endeavour to find a place 
in these pages for everything bearing on the 
practical work of a tropical planter, our space 
being no more restricted than our will to serve 
our constituents. It will bo observed that our 
contents on the present occasion include papers 
and much useful practical information on th.6 
following among other subjects : — 
The Cultivation of Cinchona, Tea, Cacao, Liberian 
Coffee, India-rubber, Tobacco, Vanilla, Fig, Aloe, &c. > 
on the Preparation of Tea ; Adulteration of Tea and 
Coffee; Manuring of Plantations; the use of Lime; 
the Coffee Leaf Disease ; on Apiculture and Ceylon 
Bees ; Tea and other Products at the Melbourne Ex- 
hibition ; Planting in Natal, Jamaica, &c. 
In our second and third numbers we shall 
endeavour to find space for the portions of 
the past letters of the Commissioner at Mel- 
bourne for Ceylon, which Tea planters and 
merchants would wish to keep by them. We 
) shall be glad to receive suggestions from any* 
of our readers for the benefit of out new venture. 
| We have endeavoured to make the subscription 
as low as possible to Observer subscribers, an 
average issue of from 7.0 to 80 pages being 
guaranteed monthly. 
" Observer " Office, 21th June 1881. 
" THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
FORM OF ORDER. 
TO THE PUBLISHERS, 
"Ceylon Observer" Office, Colombo, Ceylon. 
1-1. 
Dear Sirs, — Please enter my name as a subscriber for "The Tropioal Agriculturist " (monthly) 
at eight rupees per annum (being a subscriber to the Daily or Weekly Observer), or at twelve rupees 
per annum (not being a subscriber to the Dai!;/ or Weekly Observer). 
Yours truly, 
