THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[March i, 1882. 
thousand feet above the sea-level, about the latitude 
of the tropic of Capricorn; and frost is not uncommon in 
the hollows during some periods of the year. But coffee 
thrives on the slopes, bearing abundantly, some ten 
cwt. per acre, and all good plants luxuriate ; mankind 
alone being absent, excepting a few small tribes 
of roaming savages, all the way across the dip of 
Rio Plata and other great rivers, to the roots of the 
Andes, some two thousand miles. 
Labor from first to last ever being the chief factor 
affecting all operations in Brazil, and the enormous 
distances having to be dealt with, Government pledged 
its then hopeful credit in contracting great loans to 
construct railways, to bring the imports and exports to 
meet, and to foster its. great enterprize, setting free 
for employment in extension large bodies of men 
hitherto employed in transport service. There was no 
lack of the needful capital. Brazil thus extended 
fabulously its investments in reproductive industry, 
producing enormous exports of coffee, and leading to 
further loans for railway extension, with the inevitable 
interest to be met. The United States, when Brazil 
was exporting a million cwt. took about half : now 
that the exports are about seven millions she takes the 
half. But for this where had we been as coffee-growers 
in Ceylon ? However, Mr. Blacklaw is of opinion that, 
were coffee growing reduced in Brazil to the bare 
question of so much cash down for cost of produc- 
tion, as is the case with us in Ceylon, Brazil 
coffee could not be shipped for fifty shillings per 
cwt. Hence the plain English of it is that she is 
already entrenching on her capital for current ex- 
penditure. Her slaves, valuing the able-bodied at two 
hundred pounds, do not return interest on that valu- 
ation by proceeds of their labor, and how many years' 
purchase are they worth in the face of probabilities ? 
America opens a wide gullet for coffee How is it 
to be filled when Brazilian exports diminish, not to 
say collapse ? R. B. TYTLER, 
December 1881. Aberdeen. 
THE EXPERIMENTS IN CHECKING COFFEE 
LEAF-DISEASE IN THE DUMBARA VALLEY. 
Gangapitiya estate was again visited on Saturday 
last by Mr. Schrottky, accompanied by the same gentle- 
men who took part in the last inspection. The 
following facts were established at this visit : — 
Regarding the bulk of the estate, no falling-off in the 
general appearance, such as luxuriance of foliage and 
vigour of trees, is observable. There is considerably 
more disease about than there was at the previous 
visit, and, in parts of the estate, it is bad, especially 
in patches in the ten acres which were not treated 
during October and November. Ordinarily speaking, 
one would say that the estafe was on the eve of an attack ; 
but this loses greatly in significance, when it is borne 
in mind that more than a month ago the resident 
manager reported to that effect. There was at least 
a fortnight of showery weather since his report, and the 
attack is still found undeveloped in by far the greatest 
part of the estate. New wood is being rapidly made, 
and there is no fall of leaf perceptible, past or present. 
The ten-acre field near the river, to the leeward of a 
native estate, where the disease shewed up consider- 
ably towards the end of the south-west monsoon, and 
which was specially treated in November last, has 
much improved and looks very well now. Most fields 
of coffee in adjoining estates that were slill looking 
luxuriant early in December are now looking bare, 
having dropped most of the leaves. The only clearing 
that can now be at all compared to Gangapitiya in 
general appearance is one of about 20 acres (adjoining) 
from which shade had been removed about 7 months 
ago, and which of course has greatly benefited thereby 
in every way. Broadly speaking, Gangapitiya is now 
by far the best looking estate of any that were seen on 
the way to it. 
THE COFFEE EXPOSITION. 
The Bio News gives the following account, of the 
great coffee exhibition for which Brazil has been so 
long preparing : — 
The tirst national coffee exposition in Brazil was 
opened on the 14th instant in the rooms of the Typo- 
graphia National, in the presence of their majes- 
ties, the Emperor and Empress, and of the ministers 
of state, diplomatic corps, and a large number of 
prominent individuals. The interest manifested in 
this novel undertaking was very general, and contrib- 
uted very largely not only to the brilliant opening 
but in greater measure to the large and interesting 
display of samples. 
Of the exhibition itself very little can be said. It 
comprisfs about 1,200 samples of Brazilian coffee, and 
a few samples of foreign coffees obtained through the 
efforts of Messrs. Berla Cotrim and Co. There is also 
an exhibit of coffee in its various stage of prepara- 
tion, from the cherry to the best selected, product, 
and an exhibit of the plans of the various machines 
employed in its preparation. The pleasant rooms of 
the national printing-office also contribute largely to 
the good effect of the exhibition. Since the opening 
day, the exhibition has befn visited by large num- 
bers of people. 
Of the character of the exhibition, outside of those fea- 
tures which may interest and please the casual visitor, 
there is now no need of comment. The exhibits, as 
far as they go, are very creditable and show a product 
of which this or any country may well be proud ; but 
they do not go far enough. The samples are almost 
wholly of the higher grades, and do not therefore give a 
stranger a correct idea of the total and average product. 
One is impressed also with a fear that the samples have 
been so carefully selected that tney will not repre- 
sent the corresponding qualities when placed upon the 
market. Certainly no country can show a finer selection 
of samples then are here exhibited, out in a practica 
sense that is not enough. We want to know the 
average product, the quantity per a given area of 
grouud, the costs of production, the the quality of 
soil, and the costs of transportation. These are economic 
factors of very great value, and would be invaluable 
to every Brazilian planter. They would make this enter- 
prize something more than a mere exhibition. 
Of the foreign exhibits there is very little that can 
be said. They are interesting, because we can look 
at them and smell them ; but for purposes of com- 
parison they are worthless. They have no other label 
than the name and country ; of their grades and 
market values we know nothing. It is to be regretted 
that these necessary facts were overlooked, because it 
prevents a fair comparison between them and their 
corresponding grades of the Brazilian product. We 
sincerely hope, however, that these defects in the present 
exhibition will lead to a very great improvement in 
the next. 
We are naturally reminded of the desirability of 
haviug in our local Public Museum specimens of 
Brazil, Java, India, Guatemala and other coffees which 
we residents in Ceylon and also visitors might be 
able to compare with the coffees we produce. So 
with teas, cinchona barks, &c. We may admit the 
necessity as the general rule that only articles, the 
products or manufactures of Ceylon should be ad- 
mitted while space is limited. But exceptions should 
