September i, 1881.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
stumped about 8 inches above the roots. Stumps will 
avow almost in any weather, if the soil is free and 
damp. The tree afterwards has a firmer hold than if it 
had been a plant, aud in some cases does away with 
the necessity of staking. In some very wet and cold 
districts they may not succeed so well, but in Dim- 
bula andDikoya they succeed perfectly. On Erlsmere 
estate in Dikoya, some officinalis trees were pointed 
out to me as having been grown from stumps. They 
were Only two years old .and magnificent trees for 
the age. The percentage of deaths is trifling, com- 
pared to that of plants, and 1 strongly advise planters 
to plant stumps, if they can get them.— Yours truly, 
CINCHONA. 
WOOD ASHES. 
Gas Testing Rooms, Colombo, 19th August 1881. 
Sit:,— I send you analysis of a remarkable sample 
of wood ashes received from Mr. Elphinstonc, 
passed through a sieve having 900 meshes to the 
square iuch, 1 '71 per cent of quartz was seperated; the 
remainder had the following composition : — 
per cent. 
Moisture ... ... "38 
Insoluble silica ... ... 2\35 
Soluble silica .. :.. "26 
Oxide of iron and alumina "75 
*Lime ... ... 56 00 
Maguesia ... ... '37 
Potash ... ... "54 
Phosphoric acid. . ... ■ Trace 
Carbonic acid and other consti- 33.35 
tuents 
100 00 
* equal to carbonate of lime 100 '00 
The remarkable feature of the sample is that it con- 
tains more lime than coral or the purest limestone ; 
indeed after separating the small proportion of quartz 
foreign to it, it contains as much lime as chemically 
gmre and dry carbonate of lime, A portion of the 
lime is in the caustic state. M. COCHRAN. 
CINCHONA CULTIVATION. 
Maskeliya, 20th August. 
Dear SlR, — Your correspondent "Cinchona" advises 
Stamping off plants at eight inches. My experience 
is that four inches from the collar is quite suffi- 
cient. The object to be gained is to secure a 
greater girth of stem and a corresponding increase in 
Die solidity and stamina of the tree. 
The Krlsmerc trees referred to are certainly very 
wonderful examples of what stumped plants may 
I become, but it must be remembered that there is pro- 
; bably not in the island a Gncr soil or more congenial 
climate for the growth of cinchona, than is to be 
found on that estate. Tho plants therefore having 
! been stumped doe3 not entirely account for their rapid 
I and vigorous growth. — Yours truly, 
STUMPSO. 
Cor pa. — Dr. Prank Cowan, an American, who has 
just returned to Japan from a trip in Corca, says :— 
"With respect to gold, lam of opinion that the 
next of the countries on the golden run of the Pacific 
ifter Pern, California, and Australia, to disturb tho 
monetary equilibrium of the world, will be Corea. 
ftrt m Pusan to Genzanshin, or the Gold Mountain, 
a distanco of 310 mil' s, tho geologic structure is not 
incompatible with tho theory that tin- whole region 
H productive of tl>c precious metal.' — Madras MaiL 
CEYLON AT THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION. 
Ceylon and Indian Teas in Australia. 
Melbourne, 1st Aug. 1881. 
On returning I find Mr. Moody of Messrs. Jas. 
Henty & Co. as active and earnest as ever in the cause 
of Indian and Ceylon teas. There is to bean extens- 
ive sale of the former on the 4th of this month, and at 
tho end ofthe catalogue there is a note to this effect : — 
"The Importers challenge comparison against the 
Indian teas for leaf, for strength, flavour and analysis 
against all or any of the China teas imported this season." 
Comparative analyses are appended which I hope 
will be copied into the Observer, as Mr. Moody tells me 
he has sent copies of the catalogue of the little pam- 
phlet which I enclose. Of this pamphlet 10,000 copies 
have been distributed and 5,000 more are being printed. 
Mr. Moody tells me that some of the Hookwood teas 
and those from Messrs. Whittall & Co. which have 
reached him recently are of high quality, but others 
(big leaf, on the one hand, and dust on the other) are 
not so suitable for this market. About this Mr. 
Moody, says he has written. While I am writing Mr. 
Moody brings me a specimen of stuff, coarse and 
mouldy which Mr. Rowbotham has attempted in vain 
to sell by auction as Ceylon tea. Mr. Moody says 
it is damaged, and he can scarcely believe it is Ceylon 
tea. The attempt to sell such trash as our produce 
is exceedingly injurious to the interests of pure Ceylon 
tea. A. M. FERGUSON. 
INDIAN TEA. 
Season 1S81-1882. 
Melbourne, 20th July 1881. 
The Calcutta Tea Syndicate, in conjunction with 
the Government of India, have determined to carry 
on their operations during Season 1S81-1SS2, with 
the hope of establishing on a firm basis the tea trade 
between Australia and India. 
During the last twelve months the export of lea 
from India to Australasia amounts to about 1,000,000 
lb. weight, of which quantity 671,000 1b. weight was 
actually sold in Melbourne. 
With the experience derived from the past season's 
operations, the Syndicate will be able to improve their 
selection of teas for the Australian markets, and 
eveiy attention will be paid to having the bulkr 
u iiform quality ; aud the various requirements of Te« 
Merchants, Blenders, and Consumers will have care- 
ful consideration, aud shall be complied with. 
India, with her lea gardens at altitudes of from 400 
to 7,000 feet above the sea level, her climate aud rich 
soil, possesses advantages unequalled in the world. 
Her teas are prepared under the immediate super- 
vision of Europeans, and with the help of the best 
machinery procurable, and many of the Indian lea 
growths are as much in repute as some of the far-famed 
N. B. — Mr. James Inglis, Commissioner for India to 
the Melbourne International Exhibition, in a letter to 
the ArjjUS dated 25th June, 1SS1, says — 
" There has never yet been placed on record an 
instance of adulterated tea having been sent from au 
Indian warehouse. I challenge the world to show 
one instance. The tea is made by our fellow-subjects, 
under the direct supervision of our fellow-couutn men, 
who drink our wine, wear our wool, ride our horses, 
burn our caudles, long for- our beef, cry out for our 
timbers, want our flour, our fruits, our Imps, our dairy- 
produce, and who have never yet in one solitary 
instance turned out anything but pure, aromatic, 
fragrant, and genuine tea." 
Mr. A. M. I'Yrguson, Commissioner for Ceylon to the 
Melbourne International Inhibition, in a letter to the 
/!</••, dated 15th June, 18S1, taye — 
