March r, 1882.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
807 
October. 
13 days rain aud wot 6 days showery. 
7 „ rain. 
18 „ fine 18 „ fine, 
Ambacotte and Gangawatte are two immediately ad- 
joining estates, where leaf-disease, as usual and in 
common with the bulk of estates in Dumbara, had 
been showing up since July, being particularly bad 
in October and again at the end of December, during all 
which time Gangapitiya was almost absolutely free. 
The estates nearer Kandy, Pallekelly for instance, get 
a little more ruin during the S. W. monsoon than the 
estates above referred to, but so far from the greater 
rainfall having resulted in a greater show of leaf-dis- 
ease, there was ou the contrary in October last less 
at Pallekelly than further up the valley. We would 
again draw the attention of planters to the facts estab- 
lished by Mr. Schrottky's experiments, viz. that leaf- 
disoase can be successfully checked during all the 
seasons of a year, and that given the commencement of 
the treatment at a favourable time of the year aud 
systematic continuance, the disease can practically be 
kept out of an estate as long as the treatment is 
continued, though surrounding estates may keep up a 
continual supply of spores. 
The treatment being compared by Mr. Sehrottky, 
at an early stage of his experiments to a weeding, 
the reapparance to some extent of leaf-disease at Ganga- 
pitiya, after the discontinuance of the treatment, affects 
its merits as much or as little as the reapparance of 
ordinary weeds affects the merits of weeding. Ganga- 
pitiya has again been visited by Mr. Sehrottky a 
couple of days ago, and, though leaf-disease has been 
found prevalent, the estate maintains its superiority 
over adjoining estates ; there has been no leaf-fall 
and no dying-back of wood has taken place. Mr. 
Sehrottky says that leaf-disease throughout the valley, 
rainy weather notwithstanding, is passing away. 
Since the above was written, we learn that the 
weather reports from Senegahawella have been ex- 
amined. This was one of the estates at the end of 
the Dumbera district, the immunity of which from leaf 
disease in December was supposed to qualify the re- 
sults obtained at Gangapitiya during the last South- 
west monson. Counting from the begiuuing of June to 
the beginning of October, we learn that the days 
on which rainfall is reported from Gangapitiya aree 
double those reported from Henegihawella ! 
THE TEA-PLANTING ENTERPRISE OF CEYLON. 
Out of a very apparent and tangible evil, good 
his undoubtedly resulted in the case of Ceylon as a 
planting colony. Had it not been for the persistent 
ravages of leaf-disease, we very much doubt if our 
plant ft would ever, as a body, have been persuaded 
to turn their attention to the cultivation of any oi her 
product save the one staple, coffee, and a country 
dependent for its prosperity on any one product would 
always have been in a very hazardous position. The 
persistency of the fungus 1ms changed nil that, and, 
though wo are far from concealing the overshadow ing 
importance of coffee even now, yet there is, we 
suppose, no district and no planter today without 
an interest in "new products" which interest will 
steadily increase season by season, if not month by 
m >nth Leaf-disease may bo said to buve done its 
work, and if any faith is to to placed in "cycles," 
it ought now to leave us ; but, even if it does, the 
low price! for coffee bid fair to accelerate and intensify 
the procese of substituting now products lor the old 
stnpl«. Among the former— cinchona, cardamoms, cocoa, 
Indiurubber, Liberian coffee, wax-plant — few are as 
promising as tea. Wo have frequently remarked that 
the western and the greater portion of the central 
divisions of Ceylon wore evidently intended by nature 
for a tea-growing country. "Leufago" is the predo- 
minant characteristic of the vegetation, and the constant 
humidity and the almost uninterrupted monthly 
rainfall— often so adverse to blossom and fruit-formation 
—are just the conditions in which the tea-plant ought 
to rejoice aud bring forth flushes more abundantly. 
The fact is being generally recognized, but the scarcity 
and comparative dearness of seed have hitherto pre. 
vented that "rush" into tea-plantiug, which under 
more favourable circumstances we should probably 
have witnessed. Nevertheless, that a great deal more 
has been done than is generally understood may be 
inferred from two facts mentioned to us the other 
day "at the kraal" by Mr. Elphinstone :— the tea 
seed sold from Horagala estate alone last year realized 
R16.000, and the area planted with tea on this 
gentleman's group of properties now aggregates 1,500 
acres. Of course a great portion is young, not yet 
in bearing, but the shipments from this quarter alone 
in 1882 ought to equal 100,000 lb. For the current 
season we shall be disappointed if the total exports 
fall short of 500,00) lb., no great quantity when 
compared with the millions from India or the hundreds 
of millions from China, but nevertheless a quantity 
which affords good promise of the greater things to 
follow. 
The planting of tea— even if there be no special 
"rush" — ie sure to go On rapidly in Ceylon. Every 
Indian planter of experience who has seen our plant- 
ations, convenience of transport, and mode of work- 
ing labour, has acknowledgfd the great advantages 
we possess. The latest testimony has come from 
Mr. Cameron— an old Assam planter and proprietor, 
who is for a time watching the tea production and 
preparation on Windsor Forest estate. This gentleman 
has had to do, in days gone by, with the establish- 
ment of several Assam Tea Cauipauies, and, he 
speaks in terms of unqualified approval of the pros- 
pects of our local enterprise. He is prepared to do 
all in his power to convince English capitalists and 
authorities on tea that Ceylon is destined to be a 
tea-producing coun ry of very considerable importance. 
Both in the lowcouutry and far up on the Adam's 
Peak range, there is virgin forest laod well adaptrd 
for the cultivation, while a good deal of cleared 
laud that ought never to have been opened with 
ceffee, is still capable of being profitably utilised for 
the sister plant. 
Wo need not refer to the fair prospect of increas- 
iog demand and remunerative prices for Indian and 
Ceylon teas the only condition in our case being 
improved preparation, for whieh machinery no less 
than close and skiful attention is required. The 
latest evidence of this fact is contained in a com- 
muuica'ion from a Ceylon resident now in Englaud, 
Who i- well quditiod to look into the matter, and 
the results of whose investigation are deserving of the 
careful consideration of om l <-a planters. He writes: — 
"Since my arrival in E.iglaud, I have taken ad- 
vantage of every opportunity to ascertain the opinion 
