404 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. (Dec. i, 1894. 
given in any work of reference I have. If Mr- I 
Cochran would add these to the analysis of grevillea I 
leaves that lie has already given, there would be > 
added useful data to the practical experimentalist ; 
though I think these and many others should be done at 
the expense of the Planters' Association and published 
in the book of proceedings for reference. 
One difficulty may bp to shew how grevilleas, 
toons, &c.,, start the disease which is supposed 
to develop the tubercles previous to the absorp- 
tion of nijtrqgen? At any rate, the fact is clear 
that a number of our shrewdest planters are 
agreed from close observation that the inter- 
spersing of grevilleas; and some other trees is 
beneficial to the tea bush. \Ye trust, therefore, 
that the Committee of the Planters 1 Association 
will lose no time in calling on Mr. Cochran to 
examine and analyse the leaves, &c., of t lie 
grevillea and allied trees referred to. That 
should be the first step ; while an examination 
of the roots ought to follow. Then, as our 
correspondent in a second letter suggeste, an 
experiment ought to be tried, with regard to which 
we want some information, as follows : 
An experiment with some " Serradilia'' would be 
interesting; but what is it, and where can the seed 
be got? What is the price of the sec: 1 . ;<nd will it 
grow in tropical countries? It is said to fix 60 lb. 
of atmospheric nitrogen or equal to a manuring of 
900 to 1,000 lb. of white castor cake or fish manure 
or to 500 lb. of nitrate of potash. The absorbed and 
fixed atmospheric nitrogen in this way is probably 
more active and available than the nitrogen of white 
castor or fish and less liable to be lost from filtra- 
tion through the soil than the soluble nitrate. 
The rise, at this end. in the price of nitrogenous 
manures makes this question a pressing one ; but if 
it can be solved in what appears a natural and 
simple process the difficulties and dangers ahead 
will be largely removed. 
In regard to " serradilia'' w-e find the following 
information in a Botanical authority which may 
enable our correspondent to judge that seed could 
he got from home— from Messrs. Sutton or 
Carter's for instance : — 
Ornithopus. A genus of leguminous plants of 
which one species, 0. perjmsiltm is a small prostrate 
herb well marked by its umbellate heads of minute 
cream-coloured flowers veined with crimson, which 
have a bract at the base ; and its jointed curved pods, 
which bear a singular resemblance to the claws of a 
bird, whence the name Omithojms, or Bird's-fcot. It is 
not uncommon on gravelly commons in Great Britain, 
but owing to its small size, is perhaps often over- 
looked. O. sativus, the Serradilia, by some considered 
a variety of O. jjcrpusilhis, a native of Portugal, is 
a valuable agricultural plant, introduced in 1818. and ' 
particularly worthy of attention frcm the fact of its 
producing an abundant ciop of excellent fodder where 
nothing else will grow to perfection. All the species 
are annuals. French, Fiedd'oiscau : Geiman, I'crjelfitiss. 
INDIAN TEA IN AMERICA ANo 
CANADA. 
lhe Indian Tea Association, Calcutta., has received 
the following letter, dated Victoria, British Columbia 
September, 8th, 1894:— 
Gentlemen, — I note with pleasure the efforts of 
the Association in pushing the sales of Indian tea 
in Canada and the United States of America. Hav- 
ing had some experience in selling tea on the Pacific 
coast since I left Assam, in 1886, I understand the 
difficulties you will have to contend with ; but I 
believe, if your enterprise is conducted cautiously 
and with system, that success will ultimately result 
at a moderate cost. 
Indian tea is well advertised in this city, and 
I purchase in 6 lb. parcels pay the same price for each 
purchase and expect to get the same standard of 
{e»j but in this respect I have frequently been dis^ 
I appointed. A friend to whom I recommended the 
| tea had an experience similar to ruin* and complained 
' to me that he had been deceived. 
Now, a grocer or dealer can ask for a certain 
brand of China tea and depend ujkjii getting, year 
by year, an article unifoiiu in all essential points. 
I mention this as a matter deceiving your consi- 
deration. 
I enclose heiewith the latest authentic returns of 
tea imported into the L ulled Htntos and Canada, 
and distribution thereof. I si. all be pleaded at all 
times to furnish similar or other available infoi mation 
if desired. Wishing you every success in your n«rw- 
fields.— I am, d'e, F." Kluorthy, Secretary, British 
Columbia Hoard of Tiade. 
The Customs' Districts in the T'nitcd States which 
took the largest quantities weie N< w York. Chicago, 
San Francisco, ftiinnesota. Detroit, and Omaha, in 
Nebraska. New Yoik took 60 million pounds. Chicago 
15 inillicii-. and ti.. ii there is a diop to 11 million, 
for Minnesota. 
Imports of lea into the Dominion of Canada 
during the year ending June 30th, 1K93 :— 
Block tea' from Great Britain. .">. W'.Xfl lb. ; British 
Knst Indies. KH.'ilH lb. ; British West Indies. 8.26S lb. : 
China. 1,566, 4 lit Hi. : Japan. U2.2C8fb. 
Green tea. fiom Great Britain. 1 .315. Oi7 lb. ; British 
East Indies. 400 lb. : China, 920,*Hlb.j Japan 
7,555,977 lb. 
Imroits of tea into the United States during the vear 
ending June 30th. 1893:— 
Cocntries from whence received ! — 
Geimanv. 658 lb.; Netherlands. 16,860 lb. ; Bussia, 
Baltic and White Sens. 1.3301b.; England, 2. ."146,499 
lb.; Scotland. 276 lb.; Ireland, 5«6 lb.: No\a Scotia, 
New Brunswick etc.. 16.336 lb.: Qoebec, Ontario, etc., 
674.187 lb.; British Columbia. 94.M6 lb.: Birtish West 
Indies, 1.600 lb.; Spanish West Indies, Cuba, C25 fb,; 
China, 45,653.172 lb.: British East Indies, 164,8061b.; 
Dutch East Indies, 6,746 lb..- Hongkong, 291.451 lb.; 
Japan 39,602.519 lb. Total 89X61.287 lb. 
«. 
CEYLON TEA IX AMERICA— AND THK NEFD 
TOR rXTL'MJLVG TEA CULTIVATION 
IN CEYLON l 
CRITICISM ALL ROUND— AND THE OTHER 
SIDE OF THE " EXTENSION " QUESTION. 
THE XKED OK A KKVISIOS OK THE CEYM.iX 
PLANTING DISTRICTS. 
An old Ceylon planter and one who has had 
much experience in pushing Ceylon teas in a 
variety of ways ought to have an opinion of 
value to give cn the great " tea q nest ion ' : of our 
day. namely, how to push the Ceylon staple in 
America. We, therefore, asked this London friend 
for his opinion of the " Ceylon-American " position 
and lie has been good enough to respond in a letter 
to us personally from which we venture to quote 
as below. It will he observed that criticism 
is dealt out freely all round : — to the Commissioner ; 
to our Prize Essayists ; to the Committee of Thirty 
and the planters at large — and certainly the loss 
of time "in starting this American Campaign" 
is enough to provoke a saint. Allowance may, 
therefore, well he made for the following out- 
hurst, remembering, too, that it is well "to see 
ourselves as others see us " : — 
' ' To begin with what was the Commissioner 
about ? He made a very good and attractive 
Show and behaved with urbanity to all ; hut 
that, any one with sufficient money and suffi- 
cient tact could have done and surely that was 
not all he was sent for and the large expen- 
diture was incurred ; and besides, he well knew 
that ; for, on his triumphant re-entry into London 
and Colombo, he matte a great mystery of, a. 
