April r, 1895.'] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
683 
is well advanced at Atlanta, and a letter recently 
received, advises that everything will be in readiness 
for the reception of exhibits on June 1st, so no time 
must be lost at your end. 
I lay stress on the Govei-nment being asked to 
lend countenance to the Ceylon Commission, as the 
Atlanta people may consider the Planters' Associa- 
tion a trading bowif, or " commercial concern," and 
demand payment in full, for alb space occupied, and 
as this would absorb a very large sum, quite half 
of what would . be required at this end, I think the 
expenditure of such a large sum on space, should be 
avoided if possible. 
From the latest Obserrer received, it appears as 
if there was some doubt as to the ability of Sir 
Gr. H. D. Elphinstone to reach here along with 
Wm. Mackenzie, Esq., I. hope this may be got over, 
and that the two 
J. DELEGATES 
will be in the . United States very shortly, as time 
uns on, and every day's delay is unfortunate for 
Ceylon's interests. 
In the list of exhibits required, forwarded by Mr, 
Bierach, I find no mention made of 
"ELEPHANTS TUSKS," 
These are very handsome, and formed a most at- 
tractive and showy ornament round the base of the 
Octagon in the Main Court at Chicago. I am sure if 
Lady de Soysa were approached by your authorities, 
she would kindly consent to lend § a doz: (say) with 
their handsome stands. 
Of course 
TEA 
is the main feature of the desired Ceylon show, and 
I hope individual estates, and large Companies, will 
make a grand showing of our staple product, but the 
other articles of commerce should not be neglected,, 
and a handsome block of plumbago, should be sent. 
Cinnamon bales, cinchona bark, cardamoms, coffee, 
eocoa, and coconut oil should be sent also. 
Mr. Bierach has, I notice, mentioned a large number" 
of estates, from which he hopes exhibits of tea will 
be sent, and I trust other estates not mentioned' 
will send exhibits, as I presume the names men- 
tioned are taken at random from the Chicago 
catalogue. 
Recently I addressed the worthy Chairman, Planters' 
Association, in reference to the awards gained by Ceylon 
at tne late exposition here, and I trust no time will be 
lost in communicating the wishes of the recipients of 
Medals, to me so as to enable me to order tnese 
medals and have them ready to hand to either Mr. 
E. V. Webster or the two Delegates, to take back 
to Ceylon with them. 
I have studied closely the plan of the proposed 
Ceylon Court for Atlanta, and find it admirable in 
every respect, and the Tea Exhibits being under 
glass, as well as in glass bottles of neat shape and 
air-tight, will be a great improvement, and preserve 
them from dust and damp. 
I note Mr. Bierach calls for 2 or 3 Sinhalese 
and 2 Tamils, but in view of the size of this Ex- 
position, and the near approach of the Great 
Canadian and Baltimore Expositions in 1890 and 
1897 respectively, I think eight natives should be 
sent over, (four Sinhalese and four Tamils) two of 
the latter should be women. These to be employed 
between the International Expositions, in assisting at 
Tea Demonstrations in the larger towns, four in the 
North and East (with Mr. Bierach I and four in the 
South and West (with myself) if my scheme, foi init- 
iated and ready for the Delegates, is sanctioned, or 
in part adopted by the " Committee of Thirty," lor a 
permanent campaign in this country. 
The long spell of rain has given place to some 
lovely weather for three weeks or so, and at the 
beautiful 
GOLDEN STATE PARK 
last Sundav. the ilrd February, the largest crowd that 
ever attended was present, listening to the music 
of the fine band. Ibis was the first appearance of 
the new conductor, w ho had a most nattering recep- 
tion. Thousands stood the whole time, as the 
; sitting accommodation was quite inadequate, and 
i was used up long before the music began. Others lolled 
about on the grass, think of this, while East and a 
i Chicago people are being frozen to death, railways 
i snowed up, and 50° below zero registered ! 
'* I doffed my extra winter waistcoat, and though 
■ I carried an overcoat, could not wear it, as the 
i weather was too warm ! A well-behaved crowd and 
j the traffic well regulated, carriages being made to 
drive one way into and another way out of, the Pai'k. 
I heard a very good story of a fair patient and 
her doctor recently. She enquired, " Is there no way 
of finding out what is the matter with me, doctor ? " 
He replied, "There is only one way, and that is by 
a Post Mortem Examination, we cannot tell, until 
that is made." Fair Patient, " Well, doctor, there is 
no use being squeamish at this time, go right aheda 
now " 1 ! ! 
The floods have subsided, and railways been re- 
paired, and all nature is smiling here once more. The 
ORANGE-GROWERS 
are elated at the prospect of fine prices for their crops 
now ripening, half the immense crop of Florida was 
" frosted," and this week telegrams have come from 
Valencia and Seville, that these ci-ops have been ruined 
by frost also, so that practically California has the 
market at her feet, and prices have gone up 200 per 
cent in New York already. It is a good thing, as no 
money has been made on this crop for a couple of 
years, I have some amusing experiences at the large 
and popular restaurant where I generally dine, 
meeting hundreds of business men, and in conversation 
I gather generally that hatred of England really 
means envy and jealousy of her. Conversation will 
sometimes wind up with, " Well, there is no use talking s 
(this is a favourite expression) this is a great cotni* 
try." Of course I always assent, but it is great in 
some unenviable ways. The other evening I agreed, 
"It is truly a great country" I said, — "a wonderful 
country in many respects, I was reading some official 
statistics lately and found there had been 9,800 mur 1 
ders committed in 1894, and 150 official executions" 1 1 ! 
I should say collapse followed, as great interest was 
taken in my remarks up to the figures 9,800, but 
when the next word came, it seemed to disappoint 
my neighbours somewhat. Of coui'se I was sorry f 
but could not help it. 
There is a moral wave traversing this State ( and 
we are to have a Lexow Committee similar to the late 
one in New York. They say the Police require 
it badly here, but the whole fabrio seems 
conceived in sin and born in iniquity. A very bad 
case of Jury bribing has just occurred, but one 
honest man was found and a nice trap was laid 
for the wouid'be briber after he had committed 
himself sufficiently. He told the juryman "There 
was money in it," " How much ? " " $100 now" and 
" $10,000 after acquittal." Now what we would like 
to know is where these large sums come from, 
The convicted briber is a poor man, he does not find the 
money and must have some one at his back. 
The jury-man had not then been summoned to 
serve, but the briber was to get him summoned and 
put on the jury. How does he control the Sheriff's 
department. 
The new 
CITY HALL 
has cost over £1,000,000 stg. been 20 years in build- 
ing, and will cost £500,000 yet to finish ! ! ! More 
than one-fifth of this vast sum has gone fii salaries, 
though the work is done by contract ; it is openly 
said that «m -third of the money has been "jobbed" 
and stolen I 
What a magnificent pile could be erected any- 
where in Europe for this sum. 
A new 
CLIFF HOUSE 
is to be erected in place of the old one burned at 
Christmas time, and will be very handsome. A good 
many of the seals have returned to their old 
haunts on the rocks, close to tho site of the well- 
known house. 
Now I must stop until my next, when I hope to 
have 6ome news of the Delegates,— Yours truh , 
I J. a, g, 
