August i, 1893.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
puffy Bort of strain ? Were this limited to the 
deBoribing of the natural beauties of the island, 
truth would noc be violated ; — but when the same 
inflated style is applied to our agricultural indua- 
tries — it may be at some saorifioe of veracity — 
and this invariably does harm, in the long run. 
The (act is this is a very poor country : one 
enterprise has failed after another, and but for 
the perseverance and special aptitude of Ceylon 
men for surmounting difficulties, the island would 
have been abandoned (byplanters) a while ago. 
Our standard product tea shows signs of instability; 
any how, it has had to take a hack seat against 
Indian tea, within last season or two, and for aught 
we know — may have to remain there. 
'•Is our tea deteriorating"? is the qupstion of 
the day. I would reply that any fsUing-ofi is yet 
but inappreciable, as regards quality. In fact 
with improvements in factories — and better appli- 
ances — our tea is likely, all round, to be much better 
made than formerly. Indian tea is stronger and 
harsher and more suited to disguise inferior stuff 
for the "canister" trade — which has developed 
enormously of late ; this with hard times at 
home — accounts for our low prices— and the 
difference to Indian tea. 
But it would be unwise to neglect precautions 
against " deterioration." Y<iU, sir, are instant in 
warning, on the subject of cultivation and the 
expediency of growing as many products as possible. 
There is wisdom in this. Neglect of such per- 
cautions can only end in disaster more or less 
emphatic. 
At tke higher elevations, wa are confined to 
the one product — tea — and there does not appeir, 
at present, any other product as an adjunct — to 
grow profitably, though something may be found. 
It was well remarked by that observant and highly- 
gifted writer " Old Colonist " that a lowcountry 
estate has the great advantage of being fit 
for a variety of products as compared with 
those situated at high and cool elevations. 
So it is ; but those in each condition must just 
work to gain all possible good results. Cultivation 
on the hills is most difficult, and no doubt 
deterrent in a measure from the not very certain 
results. . . . The first great drawback is the 
generally poor soil to be dealt with. The ex- 
oersive wash of the same from the heavy 
rains, which nothing can prevent, unless we 
could terrace the land on the stupendous soalc- 
praotised by the Etruscans of old. The soluble 
constituents of the manures applied are in part 
lost by this heavy rainfall. For months on end 
the suQshiDe is deficient and in the clear weather, 
cold nights do harm in retarding growth or 
"ttush." bliiU we sit down with folded hands and 
await the upshot of circumstances ? Certainly not. 
Much can be done, enough can be done; but is 
enough being done in cultivation? I fear sot; if 
BO, "deterioration" in quantity and quality of 
our tea, is a certain sequence, and not a very 
remote one. Some soils in pitches here and there 
in favoured localities may stand the strain on 
them for a contiderable t.m<-; but in general most 
require cultivation to keep them up to a profitable 
B'andard of fertility. To quote " Old Colonist" 
again. In writing on farming,' in Australia, he 
said that agriculture as a science is ihe same all 
the world over; no doubt about that, it only varies in 
practice to suit conditions of differences. 
Now, Mr. Editor, I must differ from your dictum 
that Ceylon is a good place to learn Tropical Agri- 
culture in — cidc your remarks lately regarding 
young men of the "Creeper" persuasion. All young 
men ciu learn much better in England or in 
some ot the oontiuental atatea the eoience of 
agriculture with practice combined. Tillage, 
manuring, rotation of crops, the effect of seasons 
and the thousand and one facts &c., belonging to the 
craft of the cultivator. The money sometimea 
given by " Creepers" in premium to men, without 
any special knowledge of " the reason why " in 
agriculture would have paid for a training at 
Cirencester College ! Here the usual routine is but 
weeding, pruning, and plucking &o., with the 
contingency ot seeing some manure put out at 
haphazard; this to a young man not to remain 
in the ifland is little worth his while.* 
One evil more in "Cheery Ceylon'" is our Labour 
Supply — always uncertain, dear and generally bad. 
It has undoubtedly "deteriorated." From the fairly 
good gangs of people in their prime which used 
to come to us in the good old days of coffee, we 
have come down to a lot of riff-raff, the aged 
and decrepit, "halt" "lame," and "blind" &c , bring- 
ing to mind the company (in the parable) invited 
to the rich man's supper. 
Tbis leads me to expatiate on the Advance 
System — a veritable curse to those concerned. 
It is allowed by all that our labour force is 
demoralized by the system, and there is no feasible 
remedy for it; at least experts say that the system 
can only be altered, abated or abolished by the 
united action of the employers of the labour. This 
union is, I think, just as likely to ocme in our 
time, as the Millenium! 
Now, Mr. Editor, you who in a few leaders 
with your incontrovertible facts and invincible 
figures, have done much already to alter the des- 
tinies of this " the land we live in " (and I believe 
"annexation to India" would in most respects be 
advantageous to Ceylon) can you not suggest a 
practical remedy for this "Coast Advance" evil? 
There can be no mistake, local advances amount 
in effect often to a species of bribery : employers 
with a press of work on, out-bid each other for 
labour. Kanganies will naturally go where they 
can get more money at the time, regardless of 
future consequences. Now if this is an evil, in the 
long run to both parties, I think the only and 
correct plan is that a law be made making local 
advances for immigrant labour illegal. For advances 
lona fide given for road expenses, some simple 
precautions might be made, such as the payment 
of the money in India d'c. 
I trust you will be pleased to look into tbis 
matter ; with your powerful position, in the matter 
of a thorough knowledge of both sides of the ques- 
tion it is not beyond you, but it is beyond the 
control of individual planters. A railway to join 
us to India, of which an annexation scheme is 
the precursor, would doubtless help us with labour 
amongst other benefits. — I am, yours faithfully, 
"SENEX" 
BIG TEA BUSHES: BALANGODA 
TO TEE FRONT. 
Halddmmulla, July 14th. 
Deab Observer, — As the big tea bush season 
appears to have set in again, I send herewith 
measurement of a tea bush that I measured laat 
week on Keenagaha Ella. They were taken 4 in. 
above ground surface : — 
Diameter 13 ft. and 10 ft. 
Girth of Stem 3 ft. 3 in. 
Several other buehes measured 11 ft. and S ft. 
' SiU'cly there is an advantage in learning liow to 
work coolie labourers, and in seeing how tropical 
planting and preparation whether of tea, cocoa, 
coffee, etc., lUu ciuiicU out.— En. T,A. 
