August i, 1881.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
To the Editor of the Ceylon Observer, 
COFFEE LEAF DISEASE AND THE GOVERN- 
MENT MYCOLOGIST. 
4th July 1881. 
Slit, — The planters have at present gained but little 
benefit from Mr. Marshall Ward's presence in the 
island. Was he brought out to trace the life history 
of I lie fungus, and thereby make a name for himself as a 
microscopist and mycologist, or was he brought out 
to combine this with practical experiments and thus 
help us to find a remedy for the disease. As yet 
we have not heard of one single suggestion 'n his 
part as to a cure — it is better to speak plainly while 
he is with us than to abuse him after he leaves lis — 
and it seems to me that, unless he soon commences 
to think of the practical as well as of the scientific 
part, of his work the money would have been better 
spent in bringing out an agricultural chemist, placing 
his services at the disposal of planters. — I am, dear sir, 
yours faithfully, W. 
[Wo think our correspondent is rather hard on Mr. 
Ward. His past reports shew that he has by no 
means confined himself to scientific investigation, al- 
though that has been fruitful in most important 
results, such as the discovery that the filaments had 
nothing to do with Hemileia vastatrix; but he a so 
engaged in a series of practical experiments, and we 
have no doubt these are still going on, as will be 
seen when his next report appears —Ed.] 
A eilALLE.VOK 10 ALL DISBELIEVERS IN 
ARABIAN COFFEE. 
Maria Estate, Wattegama. 
DEAR Sir, — Will you please allow me space in your 
paper to invite Mr. W. McKenzie and all other 
persons who have been crying down Arabic coffee to 
visit this and neighbouring estates and satisfy them- 
selves. Maria estate has been giving a crop of 6 cwt. 
per acre for the last three years and is doing even better 
this year, although there have been several attacks of 
leaf disease. Even now there is more or less about, 
though for a shori lime only as my simple remedy never 
allows it to stay long or do much damage. The soil 
blossoms being burnt oil first and when rain did come and 
theblossoms opened,(we had heavy rainlaud many people 
thought all the blossoms were lost. Yet, in spite of all, 
there is a good crop. Arabic coffee will and 
does pay, but it wants careful attention, nourishment, 
and a disinfectant on account of bad atmosphere. 
Come and see : seeing is believing. No Messrs. Ward 
or Schrottky required. — Yours faithfully, 
* J. HOLLOW AY. 
P. S. — You know, Mr. Editor, how anxious I was 
to get you to como last year (see iny letter 
of 10-7-80) This year I am even better than last. Talk 
about a model farm— here you will find a model estate. 
It may not be as cleau or buildings as elaborate as 
some people would like, but it answers the question 
does it pay? Y'ee, and improving more and more. 
HOW TO PROMOTE THE SALE OF 
CEYLON TEA. 
, Maskeliya, 4th July 1881. 
Djub Sir, — Your extract from the Home and Colonial 
Mai , hi >our issuo of 28th ultimo, shows that what 
the Ceylon t-a planters ought to do in London— viz. 
establish au agency for the sale of their teas— lias 
air ndy been done in Dublin by an energetic Indian 
Tea Company, with respect to its own produce ; and 
that the venture has been attended with success. At 
nothing better can be done, by all means form a Tea 
Syndicate to be affiliated with the Indian Syndicate ; 
but I maintain that, by the establishment of sucli an 
agency as I advocate, a great deal better can be done 
than affiliation with a Syndicate whose power is 
necessarily handicapped by having to find markets for 
and dispo30 of such large quantities. Another point 
in our favor is that Ceylon tea is more readily ap- 
preciated than Indian, which, though as good, takes 
longer than ours to accustom itself to the palates 
of people who have lecn" in the habit of drinking 
China tea. 
Thanks to the untiring energy of the Ceylon Com- 
missioner at Melbourne, and to Mr. Moody's cordial 
co-operation with him, a good market has been opened 
in Australia, but this will not take all our teas. The 
experience of Ceylon tea in Mincing Laue has not 
been encouraging, and, owing to the wretched priceB 
ruling, the London market is virtually closed to us. 
It is not so, however, with the English market. I know 
of many people at home who would drink Ceylon tea 
if they knew where to get it; and out of our 2,800 
European residents in Ceylon how many fond mothers 
and sisters are there in England who would not gladly 
drink Ceylon tea for the 'sake of the dear boys out 
here, if they only knew where to get it? And how- 
many do know ? 
As an instance of the difficulty experienced in pro- 
curing it at home I may tell you the following : -A 
planter who wae at home some six months a^o wished 
to make some friends a present of Ceylon tea : after 
a most laborious hunt, having tried nearly all London, 
he at last fuund a grocer, who said he had the real 
article, bid— the price was 5s per lb., and when he 
came to drink it it proved to be a very inferior stuff ! 
Many men approve of the idea of a Ceylon Tea 
Agency at home, but no one seems inclined to make 
a practical move towards starting it ; and I am not 
aware of any response having been made by Mr. P. 
R. Shand's suggestion of a meeting in Colombo to 
discuss the matter. 
Of course, the whole secret of success would be in 
advertising : and this should be done not only at 
home, but in the local papers here, with, at the foot 
of each advertisement, a "Note: To European resid- 
ents in Ceylon : Phase cut this out and enclose it in 
your next home litter P Say 100 only responded lo 
this, and each house used 2 lb. of tea a week— there 
are 10.000 lb. per annum disposed of at once ! 
Should anyone be still unconvinced, let him read 
the extract I have referred to in your issue of 28th 
ultimo, and he will come to the same conclusion as 
myself; viz. : that the "Ceylon Tea Retail Agency," 
once started, is bound to succeed. — Yours faithfully 
W. TURING MACKENZIE. 
THE CALISAYA LEDGERIANA TREE ON. 
EMELINA ESTATE, MASKELIYA. 
Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradcuiya, 8th July. 
Sir, — It may, perhaps, prevent some future miscon- 
ceptions, if 1 state definitely what has recently occured 
with reference to the Emelina cinchona so far as I 
am concerned. 
I have already mentioned in your columns that 
when Jlr. Moens and I visited the est it- la*t Spot- 
ember he noticed a single tree to be different to 
the rest of those he saw, and thought it probbaly 
U.Ledgeriana. But without the (lowers he could not 
be certain in his determination, and he risked Mr. 
Wilkinton, when the tree blossomed, to send mo some 
Bowers for examination. This Mr. Wilkinson has now 
done, and 1 have had the satisfaction oi verifying 
Mr. Moens' mpposition. The specimen differed n 
little from the pare type in having the (lowers rather 
