< TO  OUR  READERS  l> 
In  closing  the  Twelfth  Volume  of  the  “ Tropical  Agriculturist,”  we  would 
once  more  direct  attention  to  the  large  amount  of  useful  information  afforded  and 
to  the  great  variety  of  topics  treated  in  our  pages.  From  month  to  month,  we 
have  endeavoured  to  embody  in  these  pages  the  latest  results  of  practical  expeiience  and 
scientific  teaching  in  all  that  concerns  tropical  agiiculture ; and  our  ambition  has  been 
to  make  this  periodical  not  only  indispensable  to  the  planter,  but  of  service  to 
business  men  and  capitalists,  never  forgetting  that  agriculture  trenches  upon  every 
department  of  human  knowledge,  beside  being  the  basis  of  personal  and  communal 
wealth. 
While  directing  our  attention  chiefly  to  the  products  prominently  mentioned 
on  our  title-page,  we  have  always  taken  care  to  notice  minor  industries  likely  to 
fit  in  with  sub-tropical  conditions  ; and  our  readers  have  an  ample  guarantee  in  the 
pages  before  them,  that,  in  the  future,  no  pains  will  be  spared  to  bring  together  all 
available  information  both  from  the  West  and  Fast,  the  same  being  examined  in 
the  light  of  the  teachings  of  common  sense  as  well  as  of  prolonged  tropical  experience 
in  this,  the  leading  Crown  and  Planting  Colony  of  the  British  Empire. 
The  Tea-planting  Industry  has  sprung  into  so  much  importance  in  India  and 
Ceylon,  that  a large  amount  of  attention  is  naturally  directed  to  this  great  staple, 
and  we  think  it  will  be  admitted  by  impartial  judges  that  the  Tropical  Agriculturist 
should  be  filed,  for  ready  reference,  in  every  Tea  Factory  in  this  Island  and  India. 
“The  Manual  of  Chemical  Analyses”  prepared  by  Mr.  M.  Cochran  specially  for 
the  benefit  of  planters,  and  which  was  begun  in  our  January  number,  cannot  fail  to 
instruct  all  who  give  it  a careful  perusal. 
A full  and  accurate  Index  affords  the  means  of  ready  reference  to  every 
subject  treated  in  thi-,  the  twelfth  volume,  which  we  now  place  in  our  subscribers’ 
hands,  in  full  confidence  that  it  will  be  received  with  an  amount  of  approval,  at 
least  equal  to  that  which  has  been  so  kindly  extended  to  its  predecessors. 
We  are  convinced  that  no  more  suitable  or  useful  gift  can  be  made  to  the 
tropical  planter  or  agriculturist,  whether  he  be  about  to  enter  on  his  career,  or 
with  mrny  years  of  experience  behind  him,  than  the  twelve  volumes  of  our  periodical 
which  we  have  now  made  available.  They  are  full  of  informarion  bearing  on  every 
department  and  relating  to  nearly  every  product  within  the  scope  of  sub-tropical 
industry. 
In  conclusion,  we  have  to  tender  our  thanks  to  readers  and  contributors,  and 
our  wish  that  all  friends  may  continue  to  write  instructively  and  to  read  with  approval  ; 
for  then,  indeed,  must  the  “Tropical  Agriculturist”  continue  to  do  well. 
A.  M.  & J.  FERGUSON. 
Colombo,  Ceylon:  ist  July  1893. 
