672 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [April i t 1*95. 
well, who are handling Ceylon tea so as to gt 
best possible results from the exhibition rnd the 
quickest possible demand. 
"With the success of the Cotton States and Inter- 
national Exhibition, I trust that Mr. Tlioinaa A. Cock- 
burn and myself will be favorably considered and 
intrusted in conducting the Great Canadian Inter- 
national Exhibition in 18% in the interest of Cey- 
lon with the Baltimore Centennial and International 
Exposition in 1897. 
As to remuneration and commissions that I leave 
entirely to the liberal decision of your valued, Cpm- 
mittee feeling assured that by doing my work well 
Ceylon will be only too glad to compensate me ac- 
cordingly. 
Respectfully submitted to the Delegates for (Vvlon. 
Siu Cii/KME H. D. Ei.phinstonk, Bakonkt ; ami 
William Mackenzie, Esq.. 
By faithfully yours, 
S. BIE11ACH. 
New York City, N.Y. 
Jan. 9th 1895. 
■n H. — My scheme is to make the exhibit in- 
teresting in every way and I only ask for such 
exhibits that I know will aid materially in tlie 
success of the representation. 
I have a good Ceylon flag 0 by 5, but would require 
another, as also some specimens of Kandyan painted 
pottery. 
It is also my special desire, and, in my opinion 
essential, that in the management of the Ceylon 
interests at Atlanta that Mr. Thomas A. Cod, burn 
be appointed with me in conducting the enterprise. 
The requirements will be such as to warrant this 
step and I am sure as the exhibition progresses the 
practicability of the Association will be demonstra- 
ted to the full satisfaction of the '■ Thirty Com- 
miittee " and the Planters' Association. Also 1 desire 
that not less than eight native servants bo sent 
out for the Atlanta Exhibition. 
In the course of the Exhibition it may bp desira- 
ble to make demonstrations as several of the other 
Southern Cities with the leading dealers. It will 
be our aim to make a lasting impression on the 
Southern Trade and by so doing our work thoroughly, 
I am quite positive that we can bring about t.ie desired 
results. — S. B. 
[The sketch for the proposed Ceylon Court for 
the Atlanta Exhibition can be seen by any one 
interested.— Ed. T.A.\ 
PLANTING IN THE NILGIKIS— SUCCESS 
OF TEA : 
AND NOTES ON CEYLON DOINGS. 
Nilgiri Hills. March 7. 
Dear Mk. Editok,— Did you ever know a Ceylon 
man— at least one who has spent the best and hap- 
piest years of his life in that island— who did not 
want to return to it ? I have known many who. had 
to go back whether they liked it or not, and others 
who much as they would have liked to return were 
prevented from doing so by the iear of a too warm 
reception, having over-looked some " trilling out- 
standings" in the hurry of departure. My negli- 
gence m sending you some notes from " The Blue 
Hills " (as the Nilgiris are called} must be attri- 
buted to the fact of my nearly having to return 
myself {nolens -lulens) a couple of months ago. 
Ceylon differs from my own native country in tins 
respect, it is said: Ireland is a good country "to live 
out of" whereas the "Spicy Isle" is certainly a 
good country to live in, My experience of Ireland 
is that it is too good a place for half the people who 
live there (the half who want Home Kule and won't 
get it). As long as you are not a landlord, you are 
" fairly " safe there. 
Your recent issues have been rather interest- 
in-/ reading, especially the P. A. meetings. Yvheie did 
Mr. Gibbon pick up that language which .he gave 
Messrs. Skrine and Davidson a " taste " of : he is 
the last man I would have expected it from. I am 
glad to see my old friend Mr. 'Forsyth (I don't 
mean to infer he is old whatever he may look) 
made out such a strong case for the K. Valley 
railway. A railway in the K. V. with its at- 
tendant bustle, the bin ill whistle of the guard, 
and the anxious face of Piughaiui u> he holds 
the points firmly with his big toe will be 
rather a contrast to my first experience of that 
part of tbe world aliout J.3 years ago. No beefbux 
tor a couple of weeks, and even when the river 
did subside it was a case of " Please, sir, bull ruu- 
. ning into jungle, catching next week." Ii it had nut 
i been for a " universal provider " in the shape of 
Charh-s Byrde. none of ua would have survived to 
tell the tale. 
But I find I urn given to wandering in these note* in- 
stead of affording you some information on planting 
matters. What do you think of .">40 lb. uii acre at an 
elevation of fi,500 feet and the Darjeeling tl ivour for 3 
months of the year, — though I ice a co. respondent 
of the Nilgiri news says 2(X) lb. an acre s He aver- 
age yield for these hills. The rainfall iB a trifle 
short and not Nery evenly distributed ; for instance, 
we have had 72 of an inch (his year and there was 
no rain inDeceiuber. Plucking here is wonderfully cheap 
about 1 anna it; cis.) per lb. I saw 7 cts. commented - 
I on in your paper as a phenomenally low rate in 
Ceylon, other works are not proportionately low though 
j labour is cheap. Check Poll average being about 
! annas (21 cts.) On the whole we can produce (herei 
cheaper than teas grown at the same elevation in 
Ceylon. There is practically no land available for 
tea on these hills as Government reserve all forest 
that has been spared by the Badagas fa Hill tribe i. 
i Ceylon men might do worse thill turn their atten- 
tion to the South Wynoad which country possesses 
all the necessary qualifications for a first-class tea 
district viz. soil, rainfall, transport and cheap labour. 
I remark Ceylon exports to British Ind.a are 
about one million pounds tea yeiriy oh which vou 
have to pay a 5 per cent ad tiitorem duty', 1 had 
intended sending vou Mr. Editor some 11 ivonry Nil- 
j giri tea, but find t would have to pay 3.1 cts. >er lb. 
I import duty into Ceylon. L> this what yo call 
I "reciprocating"? I see a "geitleman" is go ig to 
I bring forward a resolution on this subject i the 
j next meeting of the Nileiri P.A., mj Mr. Lipton ami the 
native traders engaged in the export trade to 1'uJia 
will not have it all their own way. — Yours, T. 
MANUIUNG TEA: THE APPLICATION OF 
A LEGUMINOUS PLANT. 
March 8. 
Deak Sir, — You may be interested to hear dat a 
great discovery has been made that bids fair to 
completely revolutionise the art of manuring tea. 
It is no less than the discovery of a green manure, 
which applied sun dried, at the rate of 1 oz. only a 
tree would more than replace all the Nitrogen, 
Phosphoric Acid, Lime and Potash removed by six 
mauuds of tea per acre. Years of careful study, 
patient research and painstaking selection has 
produced this astonishing result. I hope very 
shortly to be able to forward you complete analyses 
of the plant : but at present I can safely state that 
the amount of Nitrogen and Phosphoric Acid is 
more than replaced by an application of 4 oz. a tree, 
and there are not wanting indications „hat the Potash 
and Lime are nlso more than supplied. This shrub 
that is marvellously rich in these important 
mammal constituents belongs to the Nat. Ord. Ltau- 
minbsa, and grows freely in very poor soil and seems 
to stand great extremes of heat and cold, and I've 
no doubt could be largely grown on poor hind, and cut 
two to three times a year. It is a perennial plant. 
Of the probable yield per acre I cannot speak with 
certainty, but I should think '2 tons a reasonable 
estimate. Thus one acre of poor abandoned land 
could be made to yield enough manure to keep about 
G acres of tea in a high state ot beariDg. The shrub 
has also the merit of being verv intolera^ t of weeds 
and once given a start seems never to give weeds 
a chance. I couid write much more about this ex- 
tremely interesting shrub, but refrain until I can 
send you detailed analyses from an analyst whose 
reputation is more than Indian. — I am, dear sir, 
ours faithfully, EX-CEYLON PLANTER, 
