826 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [June i, i8yj. 
Ceylon tea is rapidly "ninias; a firm footing in 
the Russian mu-ket. Upwards of 80,0")$ pounds weight 
of this tea. was some little time ago distributed as 
samples among the Russian tni merchants, and in 
nearly all cases the judgment upon the quality li is 
been highly favourable. — Financial Time*. April 17. 
LAISOUR St'PPLT Nciikmi.. -The scheme pro- 
pounded at the Northern Districts Association i~ 
.so elaborate as to be in our opinion unworkable, 
and that because the large majority of estates 
would refuse to register or pay the required fee. 
In fact there is a considerable proportion of 
planters who say "we experience no scarcity of 
coolies; we are fully supplied, and having fairly 
trustworthy kanganies we demur to any scheme 
which would involve a general tax, or to be 
called on to share in a scheme we do not require 
or approve of.'' Then there are the B.I. Agents 
who are ready at the very minimum of expense 
to help individual planters working through their 
kanganies — so that altogether, we do not sec- 
how it is possible to take up with a novel and 
elaborate scheme which, in our opinion, would 
come to grief within six months of commencing 
operations. 
Electrical Transmission at Niagara Fal'.s.— 
In an interesting article on the system of denri: il 
transmission at Niagra Falls. E&ectri" /'■<"• r fji 
January describes and illustrates the principal fea- 
tures of the plant that has b3en installed there. 
The E'igirier.vinfl Review considers the article is one 
of the best that has yet appeared on the subject. 
It appears that, owing to the plans of the hv.U tulio 
engines, and the special construction of the wheels, 
it hecame necessary to design a dynamo tint should 
develop a maximum of 5,003 electric horse-power at 
their terminals which a fly-wheel effect of at least 1.10 • 
million lb., and tint there volvinz pirts resting on the 
shaft should not exceed S.'.OJO lb. in weight This 
dynamo wis designed by Professo: George For'oe;, of 
London ; it diff ers e3?entiilly from any hitherto m ile. 
and has answered its purpose admirably. The pro- 
fessor has all the more reason to be proud of his design 
that upwards of twenty dyn imos hid previously been 
designed, all of which ware rejected as failing to cover 
the necessary requirements. — Indian Kngineer. 
The "Indian Forester," April, 1895. — Contents. — 
Trees, Original Articles and Translations. — The dis- 
eases of by J. Nisbet ; System of. Tapping the 
Caryota Ureus of Toddy in Travancore, by A. M. 
Sawyer; The Sandalwood tree in Mysore, by N. 
Narayan Rio ; The Minagement of forests con- 
taining teak, by H. J. Porter. Correspondence. — The 
Forest Policy of the Government of India, letter from 
Veteran Forest Officer'; Germination of Kharshu letter 
from Mr. Ksshivan-and ; B imooo-seeding and Fever, 
letter from J. Nisbet: Forests and Forestry in Japan, 
Official Papers and Intelligence. — Notes on Girdling, 
by J. W. Oliver and C. W. A. ±sruce. Resolution on 
the Report of the Imperial Forest School for 1803-91. 
Reviews. — The Ceylon Forest Administration Report 
for 1893. Extracts, Notes and Queries. — Imperial 
Forest School, Dehra Dan, Prize D.iy; Obituary, Dr. J. 
M. Slym. Timber and Produce Trade. — Churchill and 
Sim's Circular, Jauuary 1895. Market Rates for Produce. 
Extracts from Official Gazettes. Appendix Series. 
Experimental Regeneration. Fellings in the Beech 
forests of AUenbucke and Giesson, by A. M. Reuther. 
India and Ceylon Teas in America. — Messrs. 
Gow, Wilson & Co. in their circular show- very 
great progress in the exports of these teas from 
London to America. Of Indian tea, six times 
the quantity was taken for America in 1891 that 
was required in 1892 ; of Ceylon live times as much 
last year as two years previously. We should like 
to have some information as to the re-export back to 
the United Kingdom of India and Ceylon teas 
reported by the American Grocer : can the Rood 
Lane linn throw any light on this ? Altogether the 
re-exports of Indian and Ceylon teas from the 
United. Kingdom to all places aggregated, 8,623,352 
lb. in 1894 against only 4,096,616 lb. in ls!>:» ; and 
< leylon has ma le the greater progress generally, al- 
though Indian tea has got the start in America. 
" abaxuoxld " Estates. — A Cjylon proprietor 
has been calling our attention to the doubtful 
expediency of continuing the term ''abandoned " 
in connection with plantation properiiai not now 
in cultivation. He mention! as an illustration, 
how he and a partner some year- ago lost the 
chance of_ Helling a property in Ceylon, only a 
small portion of which hail been opened, through 
the intending purchaser discovering the word 
"abandoned' opposite it in " Ferguson's Dire- 
tory," for which reason he would have nothing 
to say to it ! This was certainly a hard ease. 
The word "abandoned" if wo remember riehtly 
was lir*t started by Colombo Agent* at the 
time .vlien it was an object to U* rnirnnirted 
with as few elates as possible! [We Hpenfc <>f 
the days when the story of Mr. Bo islea I. senior, 
was true about asking any very depresse l look- 
ing or iii danidioly man - what was the matter' ? 
'Oh, sir, I've gjt a coffee estate ' :] We quite 
agree that tin; term "abandoned'' is not a very 
happy one, more especially at the present time 
of day ; ajnd we have taken step- now to substi- 
tute " uneultivaied" for it, in every ca-e, right 
through our Estates Directory. 
Ckvi.ox Tk.v IX Am Kill la* — In a private letter 
to a Colombo friend, Mr. Mackenzie repeats the 
very practical suggestion that in respect of ex- 
hibiting our teas at the State Food Shows 
throughout America, Ceylon and India might 
very well unite forces. Mr. Blechynden has got 
a staff ol native servants and one or two Sinha- 
lese and Tamils added to them might be enough. 
The suggestion is one that is deserving of con- 
sideration ; for the battle of ousting China and 
Japan teas is one in which India and 
Ceylon planters have to stand shoulder to shoulder. 
In the same letter, he says that in the Show 
business Mr. Bierach might be employed as he 
has had the necess ary experience ; but that would 
probably 1>2 left to the Indian Agent to decide. 
One curious fact, pointed out to us, is the Dele- 
gate's inconsistency after pointing oat that it 
is not to the interest of the big dealers in tea 
to introduce or push the new kinds, that he 
should wind up by recommending grants to 
this very class— in place of seeing that available 
funds should go to create the demand among 
the people, when, of course, dealers, importers 
ct hoc (/emit omnc would be forced to meet 
that demand. It is impossible not to feel 
that Ceylon money could not be better spent 
than in advertising ; demonstrations by native 
servants at tea stores ; and also at the Pure Food 
Shows in each State. — In our opinion it is non- 
sense to say that Mr. Win. Mackenzie's visit 
to America has done no good : is has un- 
doubtedly cleared the way for action aud en- 
abled opinion to crystalize and concentrate. 
For instance, it is we'll to be clear on the point 
that none of the Ceylon Fund should go in the 
meantime to big Exhibitions. On the other hand 
we trust there will be no attempt for the present 
afc least at subsidizing. Last year it was shown 
that 1,109,000 lb. of Indian and Ceylon teas -were 
re-exported from America to the United Kingdom. 
Who is to prevent this going on still further 
under subsidies ? In the early days we heard of 
Indian teas— sent to Melbourne and sold cheap 
in order to increase the demand— being reshipped 
to London. Now, New York is onlv a few days 
comparatively away from the British market : 
verb sap. Far better to spend the Ceylon Fund 
in advertising and, on the Pure Food Shows. 
