824 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, [Junk i, 1895. 
VARIOUS Pt/ANTINU NOTKS. 
Ceylon Tka in Ameimca. —An upcountry 
planter writes: — "I met when at home one of 
Carnegie's men who told me he sent regularly 
to New York for Ceylon tea, as it wan hard 
to get otherwise'. He strongly advocated adver- 
tising, especially in the religious papers, and was 
sure there was a vast public to drink it.'' 
The JorkEaut Tea Comtanv -is the subject 
of a discriminating notice which we take from 
the current month's Investor's Review into another 
column. The selling price and cost of produc- 
tion for the tea is given. Last year 15 pel 
cent was earned on an average price of lo ssd 
for 1/620*343 lb. of tea or 3SU lb. per acre from 
4,632 acres. 
The Importation of Pood fob Europeans 
IX CEYLON. — We see that " The 1 Imperial Trade 
Review" has reproduced in extensa the leading 
article which we had on this subject sometime 
ago and in which, without wishing to dis- 
courage the introduction of foreign food supplies, 
we pointed out the danger to European settlers 
in tropical countries, from indulging in the 
richer food of the more temperate countries. 
The Shipping of Ixdian Tka. — Tt appears from a 
telegram received from the London Branch of the 
Indian Tea Association that the owners of the Indian 
Mutual Line ot Steamers were negotiating with tea 
shippers in London for an extension of contract but 
that the negotiations have fallen through. The 
telegram, which we take from the P. I. O., says: 
"Mutual contract cancelled. Arranged Conference. 
Advise Mutual Shippers."—.!/. Times, May 12. 
The Indian Immiouants, fob Fmi Ex s.a. " Vadala," 
Who have been placed in quarantine landes on this 
of Nukttlau and Makaluva, are progressing favourably. 
There were about 6 J cases of measles on board and 
these have been segregated on Makuluva with their 
friends, the total being some 62. Tlie remainder are 
on the other island anl up to the present no fresh 
cases have broken out, so that there seems every 
possibility of the detention not being extended for 
any length of time.— Fiji Times. 
Tea Shipments and Estimates. — After all. 
the estimate for April has not only not been ex- 
ceeded, but not even reached. It stood at 
7,600,000 lb. : w hile the total that got away is 
o'iven at 7,130,000 lb. There was, nevertheless, 
about 2 million lb. tea lying on board steamers 
in the Colombo harbour when April closed, and 
this added to the shipments during May, can- 
not but give us from 10 to 11 million lb. for 
the current month's exports to the United 
Kingdom. 
Vkyangoda, April 19.— After the heavy plumps 
of rain between the Sth and the 11th instant, 
a<'2reo-ating about 6 inches, there has been no 
rainfall to mention. The mornings have been 
Dricdit and sunny, the days hot and steamy, and 
the° evenings cloudy, with an occasional drizzle 
registering few hundredths of an inch. As 
I "write (3 p.m.) a smart shower is falling, ac- 
companied by growling thunder overhead and 
thickening clouds which promise more rain. 
Ceylon Tea in Canada.— We direct the spe- 
cial attention of our planters and merchants to 
the letter of Messrs. P. C Larkin cc Co., the 
well-known tea merchants of Toronto, in another 
column. It is to the special interest of all in Ceylon 
to encourage direct shipments of tea from Colombo 
to Canada, .and to America generally, and there- 
fore it is of great importance that the utmost 
care should be taken to avoid giving cause for 
complaint in the way our correspondents point 
out It would be well if the Planters' Associa- 
tion issued a note of warning and advice on 
tlie subject. 
Mahkak Chop am- Wkathkk Hkiuht.— Week ending 
lith April. Few showers parts Southern District*. 
West Coast and Circars. Premonsoon rains being 
anxiously looked for in Central and Southern District* . 
cultivation for next crop commencing West Coa«t ; 
elsewhere confined to small areas under well- and 
largest iivigition work-. Irrigation supplies continue 
to decrea'-c as usual this time of year. Standing clops 
; not very extensive, hut suffering in many parts 
1 southern half of Presidency. Harvest still continues on 
small scale with only moderate yield. Fodder general 
I sufficient and condition cattle usually good. Pi-ire* 
I almost stationary, hut slightly easier in most districts. 
: and risen slightly only in South Arcot. Sah-m and 
Madura. — iladrem Time*. 
COrTKK AND TKA— MATALE N.K.. April IK. 
We have been having grand flushing weather here 
lately and the leaf gathered offsouM estates, daily, 
beating all t heir previous records. The coffee which 
has survived through years of neglect, but not 
totally abandoned, is looking belter than it lias 
done for many years, ami young trees growing 
from seed dropped by monkeys alsnit to 4 
I years ago in a virgin forest tea clearing, are 
now worth seeing. Fine, healthy, well toniied 
brees loaded with green fruit. Coolie* are at 
present very scarce, and the rush of leaf coming 
in makes us long for the arrival of the coolies 
now overdue from the Coast. 
The .Iokai Tka Comivvxy.— The splendid re- 
serves held bv some of the A»;un Tea Com- 
panies is well illustrated by the ca>e of thi» 
Company. In 10 years the area cultivated has 
risen from ).4(i<t to 7.23:1 acres, w hile the gross area 
held is as large as 3">..">(iS acres ! The annual tea 
crops have, in the same way, risen from 300,000 to 
over 3 million lb. The yield per acre in 1893 
was ool lb., costing 8'59d per lb. and realizing 
10'30d per lb. on tlie average. The dividend of 
the Company has been 10 per cent for 10 years 
consecutively. It is said to have one of the 
best tea-factories in India. All this and ranch 
more will be seen from the extract we take 
from the Investor*? Review tor April. 
Coffee in Nyassaland. The MeHrmt 
Times of the 25th inst. says : — Coffee planting in 
Nyassaland is apparently conducted on very 
different principles from those which apply in 
India and Ceylon. According to a letter from a 
Ceylon Planter who has been visiting Nyassa 
land, published in the Ceylon Observer, the coffee 
there " gives a good maiden crop and second crop. 
The next crop falls off very much, then everv- 
body cuts the trees down, and lets them send 
up a fresh sucker.'' It would, we think, l»e in- 
teresting to discover bow this treatment would 
answer in districts affected by leaf disease, and 
whether if carried out it would have saved some 
of the estates that collapsed under that scourge. 
Tea Shipments and Estimates.— The esti- 
mate for Colombo shipments for April w as over 7 A 
million lb. It is certain to be over 8 million 
and it depends on whether two steamers — "City 
of Vienna" and "Logician" (Harrison's Line) — 
get off tomorrow or wait till Wednesday for 
more tea, — if the month's total should remain at 
or perhaps rise to 9i million. If the 1J to 14 mil- 
lion lb. tea expected to be taken by the above two 
steamers go into May, it will probably be a "re- 
cord" mont h Wit h over I 1 million lb. of tea. It is t he 
case of a steamer or steamers clearing on the 
last, of first day of the month, that makes the 
difficulty about monthly estimates. Of course, 
as regards the home market, it is quite the 
same as to whether the "Logician" and City 
steamer leave on the last day of April or 1st 
of May 5 but not so in estimates, 
