s66 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Oct. a, 189J. 
especially near the high road. The cost of this 
■ plantation np to rtate has been over R190 per acre. 
Blladalwwa Plantation. — Of the 27'5 acres added 
' duriupf the year, aa ahowa in torm 6, only 2 5 acres 
were fully stocked; the rbmainder wa^ only cleared 
and holed. This plantation is a decided uuuoes!), thesapu 
espeoially showing up very well. 
Hapotalh Plantation.— This is only 44 acres in 
extent, an nttempt to enlarge it haying fniled. It oon- 
sista of Eccdyptm rohwita with a few Aucia melamxylou, 
the latter beiuff suppressed by the former. The younger 
trees have formed complete leaf canopy and are doing 
well. 
Bandaeawela Patana Plantation. — This was aban- 
doned during the yfiar, the land being wanted by the 
Railway Extension Department. Two new plantations 
were startled by order of the Goveromet Agent at Ban- 
darawel", one near the railway tank and another near 
the depftt. The land was only cleared and holed, but 
DO plants put in. I do not put any faitb in scat- 
tered small plantations. The cost ot plantations in 
Cva amonutJ up to date of R102 05 per acre. Appendix 
B ahowe (he measurements taken in the different plan- 
tations by the ABrtistant Conservator. 
ProviNOE OF 8ABABAGAMDWA. — Para Rubber Plan- 
tations. A hm»ll additi'iu waa made to the Edangoda 
plantation, and 21 acres were added to the Yattipowa 
plantation. This addition was however not fully 
planted up before the fn I of the year. The delay 
was mainly due to the contractor, who put oflf clear, 
ing the jungle nn'.il the rains came on, with the 
result that the wood had all to be collected and 
removed bi*fore anything could be done in the way 
of planting, and by that time the season was over. 
The seed procured for this piece was therefore put 
in a nuraory and will be planted in 189:^. At 
Bdangoda the trees planted in 1890 are ovei 20 ft. 
high on an average, and look moderat»ly healthy. 
They are, however, as yet far too lanky for their 
height, notwithstanding the amount of light which 
reaches them ; and it is to be hoped that during the 
next few yetirs they will develop in girth rather than 
in height. The same remarks apply to the young 
trees of 1891 planted at Yattipowa, which a^e liable 
to be knocked ovtr by wind. It is evident that this 
tree requires shelter from wind, and a good soil. At 
Yattipowa the growth ou the tops of the knolls is 
very poor, and Mr. Lewis and I have agreed that it 
will be advisable nut to plant them with rubber 
trees in future. 
At Edangoda the plantation was extended 10 acres 
above the road with the object of atcertaining whether 
jak can giow on ordinary jungle laud. The experi- 
ment has been a snccess so far except where cattle 
has been able to get at the young plants. Should 
this plantation continue to be a success, there is no 
reason why hundreds of acres of poor ohena land 
adjoining the Kalu-ganga should not be planted up. 
There is now a very great demand for this valuable 
timber, and it is to be feared that unless steps be 
taken by Government to satisfy (his demand the 
gardeBs near Colombo and Moratuwa will be stripped 
of their fruit trees, 
A small attecapt was mads by the Assiatant Conserva- 
tor to plant hal and nedun on the low ground in the 
Para plantations, andithis been made apparent that 
both of these trees require some shelter to start with. 
Hal was only moderately successful, while nedan was 
a total failure. It is worth noting that some natural 
seedlings of nedun, which had sprung up on the edge 
of the jungle, and were separated from those planted 
only by a few yards, are doing well. Sundry experi- 
ments were tried by the Assistant Conservator with 
the object of ascertaining the effect of light, shelter, 
and total exposure on young seedlings, with the result 
that he h^ig come to the conclusion that most young 
plants indigenous iu the wet zona require shelter to 
start with. 
The teak plantations of Gab eli. a ha J to be abandoned. 
Not one of the plants survived a second j ear. It is 
evident that the soil was not favourable to this specias. 
The cost of plantations in this Province up to date 
is K78 84 per acre, or, after deduoiing revenue ob- 
iaiaed-from the acres pTauto '", over' R70-27 per aire. 
Improvement Fellings and Cbbbpeb Outtikm. 
— Small improvement f<;lliogB have be«D mad« here 
and there, but without any system. An I bav«- stated be- 
fore, I am very anxious that this work should be started, 
but Assistant Conservators do not sbow particular teal 
in this respect. Perhaps rome of them, like the Asaii- 
tant Conservator, Central Province, consider that 
improvement fellings should invariably be payin(( ooB- 
carns, and that it is not worth while attempting any, 
unless it gives an inmediate return. If such falla- 
cious ideas are allowed to prevail, the forests will 
benefit very little from tiaving special officers 
appointed to look after their welfare. 
The area in tbe Kalagala foreit, Kuranegala 
Distriot, over which creepers were cat in 1891, is 
reported to show marked improvement. In the 
Eastern Province ISO acres of the halmilla forest of 
Veraaa were cleared of creepers at a cost of R236 76, 
or Bl 58 par acre. 
Experiment in Exotiof. — No new exotics were 
tried this year. The Deodar plants at Nuwara Eliya 
have failed, and Pinuri longifolia is coming op well 
only in the nursery. At Bandarawella it was a failure. 
CEYLON, INDIA AND CHINA TEAS IN 
AUSTRALIA. 
(From Rowhotham d Go.'t Monthly Tea 
Market liqort.) 
SxoMii, Aag. 3lBt, 1893. 
Chqia. 
The " Gathrie," with the first shipment of the 
new season's China teas, arrived on the 3rd in- 
stant, and the month's buainess has been chiefly 
confined to the disposal of her cargo. About 22,000 
packages were printed for the first sale on the 6th. 
AlthoQgh only a few lots were eventually passed 
in, there was a great want of animation in com- 
Earison with past years. Bidding was slow and 
esitating, and buyers appeared andecided as to 
their intended operations. Irregular prices were the 
natural result. Several lines have been turceiJ over 
since the sale at a fair advance, and similar bids 
refused for others. A bold, consistent buyer would 
have done a good day's business for himself, and 
made a considerable difference to the sale ; but the 
present general state of trade is undoubtedly a 
check on speculative enterprise even when the 
prospects are moat favorable. The liquor value ob- 
tained for the prices paid is about the same as last 
year, but the make of leaf is muoh inferior. There 
is also a much larger proportion of dust than usual. 
This is specially noticeable in the finer grades ; 
and although it has doubtless improved them in 
cup, it has, in several instances, seriously depre- 
ciated their local market value. Referring to the 
laid down cost, in comparison with last season, 
we do not see that any advantage has been reaped 
on this side from the fall in exchange, and we 
rather incline to the view that, taken all round, 
the teas have cost more than they did last year, 
and that results, so far, have not been satisfactory 
to importers. The bulk of the shipmeut consists 
of Panyong and Ching Wo kinds. Kaisows seem 
to have been avoided. A few Padraes were shown, 
but not of the finer grades. 
India. 
Arkivals. — " Mombassa," from Calcutta 416 
packages. 
Some small shipments ex " Mombassa " and the 
mail steamers have arrived, and met with ready sale ; 
the greater portion of them being Darjeelings with 
more strength and more color in the cup than is 
usual with the early pickings. Prices have ranged 
from 7id for useful whole leaf pekoe soacb'.mgs 
to Is 3d for fine, true flavored orange pekoes, 
Ceylon. 
Arrivals. — " Victoria," from Colombo, 700 packages 
" Ormuz,'' from Colombo, 650 packages. 
