44 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[July i, 1893. 
»nd more vearing and tearing than in the old coSee 
days, and ealariea rule lower, eBpeoiali; to S. D. 'e. 
Oommenoing at BlOO per month used to be the 
orthodox start. More often fiSa'.SS le now the rule 
and eometimes lesB ; for I have beard of KbO per 
month being offered and aooepted by Europeans I 
That this is really a uerious matter to Superin- 
tendents, espeoially to married ones, the following 
list of commodities &o., for whioh we have to pay 
in sterling, will clearly prove : — 
Olothes, medicines, groceries, oilmanstores, hard- 
ware and ironmongery, stationery, literature and 
periodicals, steamer passenger lares, wines and 
liquors. Tennis and cricket material, sporting 
requisites generally, and finally health-trips home 
and children's education. 
It has been objected that the proprietor element 
is too strong in the Associations for the agitation 
to prove successful. I cannot and will not yet 
believe it. Many proprietors have been Bupenn- 
tendents themselves and know from ezpeneaoe a 
little of the worries and anzieties in making both 
ends meet, and Ming a " stocking" lor the bealtb 
furlough, and trip to see the old folks at home. 
When a public Company can shew that it is 
directed by men with hearts and consciences (like 
the Ceylon Tea Plantations Oo. with its generous- 
hearted and just-minded managing director H. E, 
Buther(ord) — vide your evening contemporary of 
May 16th,— we may surely hope and expect the 
private individual proprietor to have a share of 
that deepest source ot all the keenest and most 
lasting joys of life, the human heart — and I oonh- 
dently recommend my fellow planters tu have a 
shot, a firm, steady, united and well-aimed shot at 
this fair game :—*' HALr pax iM eisblinq."— Yours 
faithfully, SUf££INI£ND£»T. 
Civil Servants in the Colony are also interested 
in this question 1 
HOW ESTATE OAYNERS LIVE BY EXCHAI^GE. 
Colombo, May 30th 
SlE,— The crop of an estate io the 
year 1891, oost ,. E18,292 17 
The proceeds (net) of the crop were 34,178 83 
Rl 5,886 66 
Taking the exchange at Is 4d (a higher i»(e than 
at present); there wonld have to be deduoted ftom 
the proceeds of crop to ehow what thei result woald 
be with exchange at the old par 2s, aboat S3* cent 
or say Rl 1,389 01. 
So the account with exohange at 2s \vould stand 
Proceeds ... R34,178 83 
less diffetence io exchange 
between 28 and le 4d ... Rll,389 
Expenditure 
01 
E22,789 
18,292 
Profit with exchange at 
In sterling the profit would be 
Exchange at Is 4d on R15,886 66 
Exchange at 2a on .. R4,497 65 
Yours obediently. 
R4,497 66 
Advertising for pupils to learn tea planting is 
I think, a most undesirable procedure, to pot it 
mildly. The advertiser presumably will know 
nothing of the character or antectdents of his 
pupil, and he will probably induce men to come 
to Ceylon, who would not othbrwise do so , whilst 
many of them will come under a mistaken idea 
of the prospects and lite awaiting them here I 
am, therefore, quite at one with you in your 
strictures on the advertiser for pupils. 
Apart from this point of the question, I, and I 
fancy almost every planter ot experience in Cttylon, 
am constantly asked by friends and relations at 
home to start protege i ot theirs as tea planters. 
For the last two yfars I have invariably oppoeed 
the idea in the case ot young men without capital, 
though previously lo that I wbb of opinion that 
the growing lea industry would aflord openioga 
tor steady and energetic young men. At present 
I am of opinion that Ceylon offers as fair an 
opening as any country for young men with moder- 
ate capital, and 1 much question whether there is 
any colony where investments can be made with 
less risk. Now, as regards the term on whioh 
pupils " are to be started on their career. I 
Bhall be glad, sir, if you will mention any pru- 
feEtiioa in which inexperienced mtn are taken 
and a salary (their board and lodging is 
equivalent to a salary) given unleee under an 
agreement for a term of years, by which the 
employer looks to getting the set vices of his 
employed at less than their value lor the latter 
part of the term in consideration ot hie ueeless- 
nesB during the beginning of his apprentice- 
ship. When a profession has to be *earnt, and 
when no agreement ot the kind is entered into, 
I question the possibility ot hading any one to 
Start a young man for nothing. Most men up- 
country are in charge of estates which already 
maintain the staff necessary for proper manaKe- 
ment, A manager so circumstaciced is asked 
whether he will receive and train as a planter 
a young man fresh from home end newly enter- 
ing upon the world. The charge is one of great 
responsibility, and often is in many ways extremely 
inconvenient. 
The pupil is eeeentially a snpernamerary, and 
it is preposterous to suppose that under such cir- 
oumstances he will be taken, led and lodged lor 
a year, tanght Tamil, estate accounts, and tbe 
working of a tea concern, without the payment 
of a fair and reasonable gum in return. 
Personally, I have always considered that in 
taking pupils in response to the pressing wish of 
friends, the obligation is entirely cn their side, 
and I should be sorry to accept the responsibility on 
any other understanding. I enclose my card and 
remain,— Yours &o. 
AN UP-COUNTEY PROPRIETOB. 
June 4th. 
1,059 
2 2 
449 15 
NEMO. 
"PUPILS" AND TEA PL iMBS. 
Sib,— The subject of " pupils " on tea estates 
and " premiums," has several tin m been alluded 
to in your columns, and in thoE ,e of your con- 
temporaries, probably a " Madras {taper " in your 
issue of the 2nd instant. I thin? t that much that 
has been written shows an impe [jfeot appreoiajiion 
Of all tbe facte of tbe oase. 
" THE BITTER CRY OF MINCING LANE :" 
OVER CEYLON TEAS.— No. I. 
Colombo, May 27, 
Sib,- The letter signed " Philpot " regarding the 
present quality of our Ceylon Teas has,! hope, drawn 
the attention of some to a most important feature 
in the Ceylon Tea Industry. It must be admitted 
the writer has some good ground for his statements 
and as one interested I am inclined to join issue 
with him as to the " preventible causes " by which 
tbe superiority of our teas over both Indian and 
China can be maintained. The fact remains that 
climatic causes play a most prominent part in 
tbe growth and mauufaoture of Ceylon tea and 
