February r, 1882 ] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
67S 
CEYLON PRODUCE AT THE MELBOURNE 
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION, 1881. 
To His Excellency Sir J. R. Longden, K. C.I. G., Go- 
vernor, &c, &c, 
We, the Committee appointed under Your Excellency's 
instructions dated 19tli January, 1880, to secure the repre- 
sentation of Ceylon at the Melbourne International Exhi- 
bition, have the honour to report that our duties are now 
completed. 
2. Although the time at our, disposal for the collection, 
arrangement, and transmission of exhibits was limited to a 
very few months, we believe that the natural and artificial 
products, which form the chief sources of the wealth and 
industry of the colony, were fairly represented. 
3. We annex for. record a copy of the Catalogue of Ex- 
hibits. The value of this catalogue was much increased by the 
Notes, Statistics of Commerce, and Epitome of Information 
regarding the Colony, for which the Committee were indebted 
to Messrs. A. M. and J. Ferguson. 
4. Your Excellency was pleased to approve of.the appoint- 
ment of Mr. A. M. Ferguson as Commissioner to represent 
the colony at Melbourne, and we are of opinion that the 
energy and ability displayed by him in that capacity attracted 
towards the exhibits of the Ceylon Court an attention which 
they would not otherwise have obtained. The endeavours 
of our Commissioner, in co-operation, wherever mutual in- 
terests were concerned, with the Indian and other Commis- 
sioners, to secure the introduction of Ceylon products, and 
especially tea, into the Australian market will, we confidently 
hope, result in substantial and permanent advantages to the 
colony. AVe shall be glad if Your Excellency will consent to 
express to Mr. Ferguson the thanks of the colony for his 
5. About 800 exhibits were sent by 78 contributors, not 
'including the interesting collections, containing over 500 
specimens, forwarded by the Government Agent of the 
Northern Province (illustrating the products and uses of the 
palmyrah palm) ; Dr. Trimen (exhibits from the Boyal 
Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya) ; and Mr. Dixon (Geographic- 
al and Mmeralogical specimens). Messrs. Leechman also 
sent a very complete collection of exhibits, illustrating the 
uses of the coconut palm. 
6. AVe annex a copy of the list of awards assigned to 
Ceylon exhibitors. There were awarded to the Colony: — 
Gold Medals 3; Silver Medals 21; Bronze Medals 4; 
Diplomas 3; Certificate equal to Silver Medal 1; Honor- 
able Mention 11; First Certificate of Merit 2; Second Certi- 
ficate of Merit 26; Third Certificate of Merit 53; Fourth 
Certificate of Merit 17; Fifth Certificate of Merit 7. 
Of these awards there were assigned: — 
For Teas.— Silver Medals 11; Cerlificates 24; for 
Coffee: — Silver Medals 7 ; Certificates 5; for Cinnamon: — 
Bronze Medals 2; Certificates 2; for Cinchona Bark: — 
Certificates 4; for Fibres :— Silver Medal 1; Certificates 2 ; 
For Oil's:— Silver Medal 1; Certificates 4; lor Plum- 
bago: — Certificates 4; for Gold and Silver Work and Jewel- 
lery: — Certificates 12; Honorable Mention 1; for Fancy 
Work:— Bronze Medal 1; Certificates 10; For Lace:— 
Certificates 4. 
7. The payments made by us on account of the Exhi- 
bition amounted toR28,057'55, the details of which are shown 
in the statements annexed. Deducting the sum of E7 ,286-64 
paid to exhibitors for goods sold, the cost of the repre- 
sentation of Ceylon at Melbourne amounted to E20,770 - 91. 
0f this sum K14,170'38 were spent in Melbourne and 
Hli,0W53 in Ceylon. 
8. AVe shall forward to the Hon. the Colonial Secre- 
tary for record our files of correspondence, minutes of our 
meetings, and detailed accounts of expenditure. 
F. E. Saundehs, F. M. Mackwood, Chas. Buuce. 
Colombo, 30th November, 1881. 
1.— Copy of Catalogue of Exhibits. 
I 2— List of Awards to Ceylon Exhibitors. 
I 4.— Account Current with Government. 
I I 5.— Statement of EipendiUu'o at Mulbouruc. 
CEYLON PEODUCE IN LONDON. 
. The quarterly cinnamon sales on Monday will present a 
total of 6,300 bags against only about 3,000 at the same 
tme last year, and you must not be surprised, if there 
is a very serious fall in price. In conversation with the 
leauing brokers in this article yesterday I was aked to 
explain how it came about, that after the repeated as- 
surances received from the colony in July and August, of 
an unusually short crop in prospect, something like 5,000 
bales had come to hand since. Were the statements made 
untrue, or was it merely that in consequence of the 
large rise in August, shippers had pressed forward sup- 
plies with unwonted rapidity ? I, was obliged to confess 
my inability to answer these pertinent questions, but with 
a view to the future it would be desirable that those 
interested in the trade on your side should give a categorial 
explanation, which I will take care reaches the right 
quarters. It is urged with great force here that if there was 
any truth at all in the short crop theory, it would have been far 
wiser for growers and exporters to limit the quantity arriving 
in time forthis sale at any rate to the normal figures, re- 
serving the balance for the P'ebruary sale, instead of 
stipping the plantations bare now, as must presumably 
have been the- case, and leaving very little for shipment 
during the next three months. Had this course been 
adopted, the prices of last sale might have been main- 
tained, not only in this sale, but in the next. I suppose, 
however that every one was anxious to take advantage 
of a rise believed to be permanent, and hence exceptionally 
high freights have been paid to get every available pound 
of the spice into the market as quickly as possible, but 
I fear the result will be to prove once more the truth of 
the old adage about the "more haste." It is believed 
that there are orders in hand here for about 3,000 bales, 
and it is obvious that if importers press more than 
double that quantity for sale, a very heavy drop is inevit- 
able. The present circumstances furnish a fresh argu- 
ment for a change from quarterly to monthly sales, for 
it is clear that the fluctuations in price would be far less 
violent if the sales were more frequent, The present stock 
of Ceylon cinnamon in London is about 3,000 bales in 
excess of this time last year. 
On Friday last there was a considerable sale of Ceyion 
tea amounting to 190 chests and half chests which were 
disposed of as follows : - Common lOd. pekoe dust Cfd, broken 
tea 10^d, broken pekoe Is ljdto Is 2|d, pekoe, souchong Is 
2|d, Tester lay Messrs. W. T. and H. Thompson sold 10 
packages of Kobanella tea at Is 2Ad per lb.-~''C. Times" 
London Cor. 
THE TOON TREE ATTACKED BY BORERS IN 
CEYLON. 
A planter sends us the following information about 
a trial of Ccdrela toona in Ceylon, which is by no 
means encouraging. It would be interesting to know 
if the trees at Peradeniya were attacked by borers. 
In Java the tree required good soil to flourish in, 
being in this respect different from Albizzia Moluccana, 
which grew on poor and worn-out patches. But we 
heard nnthing of insect enemies attacking the toon 
in Java. In view of what is now stated, perhaps 
Dr. Trimen will advise as to further trials with what 
is certainly a a very fine timber tree. Our corie- 
spondent writes :— 
" I notice your editorial in Observer received to- 
day about Eed Cedar or Cedrela Toona trees, and I 
think I may as well write a note to tell you my ex- 
perience of them here. I got seed from Mr. Gammie 
which came up splendidly in the nursery, and 1 planted 
out about thirteen thousand plants along the roads on 
the estates I superintend. They grew very rapidly 
where not windy, but in very windy places they 
were doiug no good. They grew better in the lower 
or middle parts of this estate than lrgher up, and 
evidently liked good soil. They grew for 1 think 
about two-and-a-lntli years, when in the dry wuiiher 
