Jan.  2,  1893.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
493 
Samples  of  our  paokets,  showoards,  pamphlets,  etc., 
will  be  sent  you  by  an  early  opportunity  as  the 
fhjwcaris  are  too  big  to  be  sent  by  post  ; and  we 
therefore  prefer  to  wait  UDtil  everything  is  complete 
to  be  sent  by  parcel-post.  The  paokets  we  believe 
will  be  a sucoess,  as  they  aro  ver?  neatly  made  and 
are  showy,  without  being  gaudy.  The  showcards  we 
trust  will  also  be  much  liked;  they  are  of  artistic 
appearance  and  especially  the  larger  kind  quite  a 
novelty.  Our  pamphlet  which  is  now  being  printed, 
will  contaia  several  illustrations,  showing  the  pre- 
paration of  tea  ; we  bave  spared  no  expense  or  trouble 
to  make  everything  attractive  in  order  to  make  the 
Ceylon  tea  known. 
W#  beg  to  add,  that  we  hod  several  samples  of 
Ceylon  tea  analyzed  by  Government  authorities  with 
the  following  result  : — 
Orange  Pekoe. 
Assam  Tea. 
China  Tea 
Moisture 
610 
5-81 
8-37 
Total  extraots 
42-60 
38-40 
34-38 
Tannin 
17-2 
13-19 
10-14 
Salts 
5. 
6 6 
6-7 
Salts  soluble 
3 6 
3-5 
3- 
Salts  ucsoluble 
1-4 
2-1 
27 
Theine 
2-4 
2-4 
2-7 
As  we  were  told  by  the  analyst,  other  Berlin  firms 
have  had  Ceylon  tea  analysed  several  times  already, 
with  about  the  same  result. 
We  still  beg  to  bring  the  following  matter  before 
the  standing  committee  of  the  Ceylon  Tea  Fund  : — 
We  have  had  to  pay  for  duty  on  the  2.600  lb.  ex 
s.e,  “ Hohensollem  ” (half  of  the  grant  to  our  Mr. 
Sohrader)  the  sum  of  £54  8 10  (m.  1104  90  at  the 
exchange  of  m.20‘40  pr.  £)  and  shall  have  to  pay  the 
same  amount  on  the  second  2,500  lb.  pr.  s.s.  '*  Salier.” 
At  we  have  according  to  the  conditions  of  the  grant, 
to  give  away  these  5,000  lb.  as  simples,  we  don’t 
think  we  can  fairly  be  expected  to  pay  the  duty 
for  same.  We  may  add  that  our  Mr.  Schrader 
when  he  first  applied  for  a grant,  was  asked  to 
state,  what  duty  tea  has  to  pay  in  Germany,  which 
certainly  oonveyed  the  intention  of  the  standing 
committee  to  refund  the  duty.  We  believe  this  to 
be  a reasonable  contention,  and  trust  the  committee 
will  kindly  authorize  the  payment  of  the  duty.  We  are 
quite  prepared  to  take  the  equivalent  in  tea  against  it. 
—Wo  remain,  &o.,  Kroninq  & Schradeb. 
Berlin,  O,  Ootober  8th,  1892, 
Note  on  Duty  paid  on  Tea  referred  to  : — 
25001b.  “ ca  ” 25  ohest  wg  gross  1435  kilos, 
lees  20  per  cent  tare  330,1  ,, 
1104,9  kilos  at  p fenning 
per  $ kilo  M 1104-90 
at  M20-40  per  X,  £54  3s  lOd 
« 
UVA  PLANTING  REPORT. 
WEATHER — COFFEE — TEA— CINCHONA. 
Badulla,  Deo.  11,  1892. 
The  Weather  is  dull  and  misty  with  a great  deal 
of  wind,  The  monsoon  proper  has  disappeared,  and 
the  days  are  cold  ; exoept  on  the  eastern  slopes  of 
Namunakula  there  is  no  sun,  and  we  are  having  no 
heavy  rains  in  the  afternoons  at  all.  There  is  no 
doubt  lots  more  raio  to  come  and  Christmas  and 
earliei  partions  of  January  will  probably  be  very 
wet,  as  they  so  often  are,  Everyone  is  busy  finish- 
ing off  olearings,  planting  grevillea  and  supplying  ; 
and  a considerable  aoreage  is  going  into  tea  this 
year,  though  not  so  muoh  as  in  the  past  few 
seasons. 
Coffee  Pickinos  are  ooming  in  well,  and  autumn 
orop  estimates  will  generally  be  secured:  while  the 
sample  is  a good  one  and  prices  magnifioent,  Spring 
orops,  on  the  oontrary,  are  woefully  short  and  bug — 
now  rampant  in  the  higher  portions  of  the  distriot— ■ 
will,  reduoe  them  still  more.  Poor  old  ooffee  is 
having  a hard  struggle  just  now  and  bug  certainly 
ooks  aa  if  it  was  going  to  get  the  upper  hand  at 
last,  on  many  fine  fields.  That  coffee  may  pull 
through  this  attaok  as  it  has  done  through  others,  is 
the  wish  of  everyone. 
Tea  on  the  contrary  i3  looking  particularly  well; 
and,  for  the  time  of  year,  flushing  excellently;  far 
better  than  usual.  This  produot  is  really  doing  won- 
derfully well  up  here  ; I hear  of  some  very  extraordi- 
nary yields,  notably  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds 
made  tea  per  acre  in  the  past  three  months.  This, 
too,  over  a considerable  acreage.  I oan’t  give  you 
any  such  figures  from  my  own  experience,  worse 
luok.  That  with  the  splendid  prices  Uva  teas  are 
now  fetohing,  those  with  estates  in  full  bearing 
must  be  having  a real  good  time.  As  far  as  I 
hear  now  estimates  ail  promise  to  be  teoured. 
Cinchona  has  practically  disappeared  from  the 
distriot,  though  a few  of  the  higher  estates  have 
some  quantity  left. 
The  new  road  to  be  out  this  season  in  the 
distriot  in  conjunction  with  the  opening  of  the 
Railway  to  Haputale  will  mark  a new  era  in  the 
provinoe.  They  will  really  make  a great  change, 
not  only  to  the  estates  but  also  to  the  villagers  ; 
and  life  will  bs  rendered  pleasanter  to  all  residents 
in  these  parts,  while  proprietors  will  at  last  be  able 
to  reap  some  profits  from  land  they  have  opened 
in  tea.  There  will  be  no  pleasanter  residential  dis- 
triot in  the  island,  than  Badulla  under  the  new 
rdgime ; and  it  always  did  and  always  will  Fold 
its  own  in  productiveness  with  the  rest. 
Rice  is  dear,  and  supplies  somewhat  doubtful  ; 
an  early  opening  of  the  railway  is  muoh  looked 
forward  to. 
IMPROVED  TEA  MACHINERY  :— SOUTAR’S 
PATENT  ROLL-BREAKER; 
A NEW  SIFTER  WANTED. 
We  omitted  the  other  day  in  referring  to  Great 
Western  Tea  Faotory  to  note  the  good  work  we 
saw  done  by  “ Soutar’s  Patent  Roll  Breaker.” 
It  appeared  to  be  a most  useful  maohine  and 
the  general  appreciation  in  whioh  it  is  held  is 
shown  by  their  being  turned  out  at  the  Hatton 
Works  just  now,  at  the  rate  of  three  or  four  a day. 
As  regards  an  improved  Sifter,  wbioh  some 
planters  consider  a want,  notwithstanding  ex- 
isting patents,— it  is  reported  that  the  busily  in- 
ventive brain  of  Mr.  Jackson  is  at  present  engaged 
in  perfeeting  one  with  a ciroular  motion,  whioh  it 
is  expected  will  come  as  near  the  perfect  artiole 
as  anything  can. 
TEA  SALES  IN  MINCING  LANE  : “ THE 
QUEER  STORY." 
We  have  now  heard  from  the  gentleman  who 
related  the  “queer  story  ” in  this  offioe  which  was  re- 
producedin  the  Observer  of  Oot.  28th  last,  and  we  find 
him  to  be  above  all  suspicion  of  having  invented  the 
tale,  or  tampered  with  the  “ faots  ” so  far  as  they 
go.  He  makes  one  correction,  however,  on  the 
printed  version,  in  stating  that  the  tea  was 
bought  at  8d  not  7d.  From  his  letter  to  us,  we 
extract  as  follows  • — 
“ I see  that  what  I told  you,  and  what  yon  sub- 
sequently pricked,  r.'joui  the  sale  of  one  particular 
lot  of  te  in  Mincing  Lane  has  oaused  quite  a little 
storm  in  the  London  tea  market.  Mr.  Shand  does 
not  appear  to  have  understood  what  I said,  for  he 
writes: — ‘How  anyone  who  has  ever  been  at  the 
publio  sales  cocld  imagine  that  a stranger  could  go 
in  and  without  trouble  turn  7d  (I  said  8d)  into  lid 
passes  the  wit  of  man.’  Now  I toil  you  that  a r 
informant,  so  far  from  being  a stranger,  was  a tea 
dealer,  having  an  office  and  staff  of  olerks,  within  half 
a mile  of  the  ealeroom,— that  he  is  a regular  attendant 
