Jan.  2,  1893.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
b 
‘ Arcadia  ” and  seven  other  large  steamer?,  more 
ban  a dozen  large  sailiog  vessels,  and  moving 
about  hundreds  of  yachts,  half-decks,  canvass 
dingics  and  row-boats  (it ’s  Sunday  afternoon). 
All  the  vessels  at  anchor  are  within  ten 
minutes  pull  from  my  own  boat-house.  Beyond 
these  is  the  City  of  Sydney  itself  and  soma  of  its 
prettiest  suburbs.  Not  a bad  lookout  for  a poor 
man  and  an  invalid.  I am  looking  on  instead  of 
assisting  in  this  panorama,  because  two  months  ago 
I slipped  on  that  curse  of  “Fin  de  Sieole  ” 
houses — “ a polished  floor"  smashed  up  my  legs 
and  ankles,  and  have  been  on  my  baok  ever  since. 
It  is  this  misfortune,  and  the  singing  to  banjo 
accompaniment  of  a pretty  sister-in-law  that 
you  muet  blame  for  this  rambling  epistle.  I 
started  to  write  a few  business  lines  only,  and  as 
I have  many  other  letters  to  get  through  I must 
now  wish  you  a pleasant  holiday  season  and 
subscribe  myself,  Faithfully  Yours, 
H.  M.  ROWBOTHAM. 
VARIOUS  NOTES. 
New  Products  : The  Cultivation  of  Libe- 
rian Coffee  Extending. — We  are  delighted  to  learn 
that  Liberian  ooffee  is  being  planted  in  more  than 
one  district  on  a liberal  scale.  Besides  the  20 
acres  occupied  with  this  product  on  Gikiyankande, 
Kalutara,  we  learn  that  the  new  proprietors  of 
Arampola  estate,  Kurunegala  district  (Messrs. 
Harper  and  Davidson)  have  planted  up  no  less  than 
100  acres  with  Liberian  coffee.  We  trust  to  hear 
of  this  example  being  freely  followed  elsewhere 
during  the  next  South-west  monsoon.  Nor  should 
the  extension  of  caoao  be  overlooked. 
Planting  in  Peerhaad.  - The  operations  of  manur- 
ing and  pruning  arc  now  coming  in  for  both  coffee 
and  tea,  and  whilst  everyone  is  agreed  as  to  the 
necessity  of  doing  both  to  the  former  ytarly,  there 
is  still  a good  deal  of  variety  of  opinion  as  to  the 
methods  to  be  pursued  as  to  tea.  For  some  men 
doubt  the  advisability  of  manuring  at  all,  their  theory 
being,  that  though  the  leaf  yield  ia  much  larger,  the 
quality  is  correspondingly  reduced;  many  again,  differ 
very  much  as  to  the  kind  of  manure,  and  method 
of  application,  whilst  as  to  pruning,  though  it  is 
admitted  that  it  must  be  done  some  time,  the  greatest 
difference  exists  as  to  ssverity  or  lightness  required,  and 
the  proper  season.  My  own  idea  is  that  it  is  generally 
impossible  to  lay  down  any  hard  and  fast  rule,  and 
that  what  suits  a free  soil  and  Southern  face  at  3,000 
feet  elevation,  may  be  utterly  uofit  for  a Northern 
one  at  4,000  feet.  But,  On  these  operations  1 hope 
in  some  future  artiolo  lo  comment  more  fully, — 
>/.  Times,  Dec.  31. 
Notes  from  Peermaad,  Dco.  25. — We  have  been 
nearly  blown  away  to  the  Western  seas  during 
the  last  few  weeks,  A cold,  outting  North-East 
raging  at  night,  and  in  the  early  mornings,  ourling 
up  the  tea  leaves,  as  effeotually  as  the  finest  im- 
proved roller  could  do,  but  without  waiting  for  them 
to  be  pioked,  nipping  off  the  young  shoots,  blowing 
tons  of  thatoh  off  roofs,  and  making  itself  generally 
as  objectionable  (only  with  more  damage),  as  a 
does  in  our  Northern  homes.  It  has  unluokily  been 
unaccompanied  by  rair,  and  Indeed  in  the  Madurit 
district  and  parts  round  there,  something  very  nearly 
approaohing  famine  prices  have  arrived  during  the 
last  month.  Rioe  has  doubled  itself  in  prioe,  and 
soaroity  ia  very  apparent,  by  the  numbers  of  Tamil 
oooliea  who  are  flocking  up  daily  without  advance. 
Scaroely  an  estate  employing  Tamil  labour,  that 
is  not  overstocked  now.  True  we  are  getting  sight 
of  rainy  weather  now  ; but  this  will  be  too  late  for 
the  rice,  though  it  may  benefit  other  crops,  and 
will  be  invaluable  for  our  tea  flushes  if  rain  falls. 
In  the  last  six  weeks  barely  one  inoh  has  been 
registered.— Madras  Times,  Deo,  81, 
491 
WOOD  FOR  TEA  BOXES. 
4,  Mincing  Lane,  London,  E.C.,  25th  Nov„1892. 
A.  Philip,  Esq.  Secretary,  Planters’  Association, 
Kandy,  Ceylon. 
Dear  Sir, — I have  the  pleasure  to  forward  for  the 
information  of  your  Association  copy  of  a letter  from 
the  London  Wholesale  Tea  dealer  Association  on  the 
subject  of  the  wood  used  in  Ceylon  for  packing  Tea. 
—I  am,  yours  faithfully,  Wm.  Martin  Leake,  Secre- 
tary, London  Wholesale  Tea  Dealers’  Association, 
4,  Fenchurch  Street,  E.  C.  Nov.  21st,  1892. 
W.  Martin  Leake,  Esq.,  Secretary,  The 
Ceylon  Association,  4,  Mincing  Lane,  E.  C. 
D.ar  Sir,— The  attention  of  my  Committee  hs 
been  drawn  to  the  objectionable  flavour  in  some 
cases  imparted  to  Ceylon  teas  by  the  wood  used  for  the 
paokages,  and  I am  informed  that  in  particular 
gardens,  saw  mills  are  frequently  part  of  the  plant, 
and  when  the  wood  used  is  in  too  green  a state,  the 
juices  produce  in  eoutaot  with  the  lead,  an  acid, 
whioh  perforates  through  minute  *»»«u)turea  into  tbs 
tea  itself  and  creates  what  is  comfiPhnly  known  as  a 
“ cheesiness”  in  the  flavour. 
May  I ask  you  to  be  good  enough  to  briDg  this 
subject  under  the  notice  of  tea  growers  with  the 
view  of  their  recognising  the  neoefsity  of  only  using 
wood  whioh  is  properly  seasoned,  and  this  request  I 
venture  to  make,  both  in  the  interest  of  the  importer 
as  well  as  the  buyer.— I am, dear,  sir,  yonrs  faithfully, 
(Signed)  R.  Sedgwick. 
* 
CEYLON  TEA  ON  THE  CONTINENT  OF 
EUROPE. 
The  Seoretary  of  the  Planters'  Association  6ends 
us  for  publication  the  following  letters  and  annexure 
regarding  Ceylon  tea  in  Russia,  Switzerland  and 
Austria ; — 
4,  Mincing  Lane,  London,  E.C.,  18th  Nov.  1892. 
A.  Philip,  Esq.,  Secretary  Planters’  Association, 
Kandy. 
Dear  Sir, — I have  today  received  your  letter  of 
29th  ult.,  a copy  of  which  shall  be  forwarded  to  Messrs. 
Wattson  & Farr,  as  requested. 
I have  the  pleasure  to  enclose  a copy  of  letter  just 
received  from  Messrs.  WiLon,  Smithett  & Co.  on  the 
subject  of  the  lining  of  tea  chests  for  export  to  Russia. 
I am  sending  you  a sample  of  the  lining  required. — 
I am,  yours  faithfully,  Wm.  Martin  Leake, 
Secretary. 
Copy.  
41,  Mincing  Lane,  London,  E.  C.,  Nov.  18th  1892. 
W,  Martin  Leake,  Esq.,  The  Ceylon  Association 
in  London, 
Dear  Sir,— In  the  Ceylon  papers  received  this  week 
we  notice  a letter  from  Mr.  Street  with  reference 
to  the  Continental  demand  that  teas  should  be  packed 
with  a lining  of  paper  between  the  lead  and  the 
loaf.  As  it  seems  desirable  that  further  particulars 
slould  be  furnished,  we  think  it  may  be  advisable 
to  acquaint  planters  through  the  medium  of  their 
Association  in  Ceylon  with  the  causes  which  have 
led  to  this  request  being  made. 
Some  years  ago  the  authorities  both  in  Russia 
and  Germany  had  their  attention  attracted  to  a 
case  of  lead  poisoning  in  Odessa,  which  was  alleged 
to  be  traceable  to  tea  taken  from  an  ordinary  lead 
lined  chest ; probably  in  this  particular  instance  the 
tea  was  sea  damaged  or  tainted  by  the  action  of 
“cheesy”  wood  on  the  lead  which  has  been  as- 
certained to  produce  both  acetate  of  lead  (sugar  of 
lead)  and  carbonate  of  lead  (white  lead) ; but 
whether  the  case  of  poisoning  was  really  due  to 
tea  or  not  it  made  some  stir  at  the  time,  and  the  zeal 
of  the  sanitary  authorities  was  aroused  without 
any  definite  ukase  being  enforced ; representations 
were,  however,  made  in  China  as  to  the  desirabi- 
lity of  an  inner  lining  of  paper,  and  for  some  time 
past  China  teas  have  been  shipped  with  paper 
on  both  Bides  of  the  lead  as  per  sample,  which 
we  send  you  herewith.  Within  the  past  few 
