Nov. t, 1894.] THE TROPIC 4L 
AGRICULTURIST. 
To the Editor. 
THE MANURING OF TEA. 
11th Ser.t. 
Dkar Sir,— None have come forward to give their 
experiences as to whether or no manuring tea 
deteriorates the flavour. I hava noticed that the 
tea from one or two well-known estates (to name 
them would be invidious), where manure has 
biea regularly applied, has gone down in price 
considerably of late. Whether this is due to the 
manure or to coarser pluokii g, would be interest- 
ing to know. If the flavour does deteriorate, no 
doubt the extra yield obtained more than com- 
pensates for the lower price ; but still it is a 
ejuslion which Bhould be settled, and whether all 
manures act in the same way. What gives the 
t9a its flavour ? Is it nitrogea ? If so, nitrogenous 
manures should be oho3en where flavour is required, 
I am much obliged to the South of Italia Observer 
for their valuable nots on the minerals contained 
in bracken. I wish soma looal soientist would 
help not only m?j but all Ceylon tea planters, 
by publishing the names of our commons; t up- 
country plauts which do contain nitrogen.— Yours 
faithfully, AGRICULTURIST. 
"WAM ARA.JAH TEA COMPANY. 
Sept. 17th. 
Sir,— I see that the Chairman of the Company 
s'ates in his remark? that the Wanarajah C >m- 
pany has the lowest rate of capital per acre 
(R380) of any company in Ceylon. This is not 
oorreot, the Yatayantota, Weoya, and Yataderia 
companies, all have a much lower rate ot capita! 
per acre. 
The latter Company has 700 acres of tea in 
bearing or R271 per acre with a reserve fund 
of R2.000 which really means a capital of B243. 
—Yours, Z. Y. X. 
THE CASTOR OIL PLANT. 
Kotmale, 18th S<mt. 
Dear Sir, — Has the ouliivation of the Cantor Oil 
plant been tried to any extent in Ceylon ? Does 
it require rich soil, and is there any difficulty 
in extracting the oil ? 
The plant grows freely round oooly line?, and 
where the soil is of average quality yields a 
heavy crop of seed. 
Now that oastor oake is extensively used as a 
mauure, it might be worth while tryiog it on soma 
of the waste land so plentiful in the old coffee 
diBtriots, 
The imports I observe were valued at R86,893 
for 1S92. Those for 1893 and 1891 would show a 
considerable increase on this amount, and the 
Baviug in freight alone, if manufactured locally, 
would amount to a substantial sum every year. 
A. F. S. 
A TAX ON EXTENSIONS OF TEA. 
Dear Sir, — Messrs. Gow, Wilson & Stanton 
assort pos. UvJy the danger of a probable co.laiJto 
ot the Ceylon tea Industry. Of ouurse the Tea 
Industry is ol vital importance to your Colony, so 
much 10 thut you have been able to have a ctss 
put on all your tea for the purpose of opening 
new markets. When ono foresees a danger one must 
reco^ui^j the quarter from whioh the dUDger pro. 
eeeo'e. The danger in this case is from over- 
production, but this cannot fee classed as a poeitive 
danger if no more tea is planted. It st ikes me 
that you are raising money on the te^ now made 
in order to orj.-n markets for tea wrjich is not 
yet planted. I will leave you to judge of the 
clcss of Planter from whom the greate-t addition 
to the present tea area is to be feared. But 
whether the future plantations be owned by indi- 
viduals or by Mammoth Companies, it is equally 
ceriam that your preteat small proprietors are 
paying hardl) -earned money for their benefit. Ig 
lliere any particular difficulty in making the future 
owners of tea subscribe to the general subscription 
for openirg out new markets? 
You have the power to get your Government 
to tax the existing Planters. Why should you 
not insist on a Tax on Extensions of tea. The 
amount should ba sufficient ta defray ail Oampaigu 
Expenses ; and if made sufficiently severe to pro- 
hibit fresh Extensions, (whether by existing or 
prospective Tea concerns) there would be no need 
of Campaigns of any sort. 
In Australia and America when there was any 
fear of outside competition the people " took the 
law " and they stopped any fresh influx of com- 
retitors. 
How far this is feasible, or advantageous or 
possible, and a hoe of action to be imitated, I 
can have nothing to say in your case. I merely 
place the idea before you. 
I think it very hard that Planters should be 
ruked for the benefit of others who have the 
whole world before thorn, or of those already doing 
well and who wish to do better. If the very fear 
of overproduction keeps prices down, how will it ba 
when it has become a fact? 
A VERY SMALL PART-PROPRIETOR, 
AN INDIAN TEA PLANTER ON TEA 
TOPICS. 
PRIZE ESSAYS. 
Sir,— The awirl was give j for the best means of 
spanning 1(j0,C00 rupees in six months in introducing 
Ceylon Tea lo America. 
1 have thought out a p'an by which you could sell 
nearly 900 thousand pounds of tea and pos.-ibly have 
60 thousand rupees m hind. 
The idea is bred from the a<lvice given by an 
American to force our teas 011 their market at a loeai 
Let us estimate for a loss of 1 anna per pouud 
stesdily. I think that you coold manage monthly 
shif.m-ntP, with plenty or noise over their arrival. 
Es imate to purchase 100,000 rupees wtrth of tea 
in y.ur Colombo market at aa average of * rupee 
1st month you ship 2,500 maunda at 8 annas (the 
maund=80 lb. an.l the rupee equal to 16 aunas) aud 
you lo.-te 1 anna per pourd (R5); the loss i 3 12 500 
leaving a balauce of lttJ7,500. 
With eich balauce a fresh stock of tea is bought 
aLd tolil at a Iocs of R5 per maund 
In tabilar form it shows somewnat as follows- 
R. 
Md. Loss at R5. Balanoe. 
lb. 
1st. month 2,500 12,500 87 500 
2 d - 1,0 2,1874 10,936£ 76,5634 
3rd. do 
4th. do 
5th, 1I0 
6th. do 
1,9114 
1,674| 
1,465* 
1,285$ 
To.tal...ll,024i 
80 b. 
9,578* 66,9891 
8,373| 58,6154 
7,326} 51,289" 
6,4111 41,8/71 
881,980 
Prcc'uding this loss 01 12J per cent (whioh is not 
likely ovjr a penoi of 6 mouths) the plan offa< 
