March  i,  1893.]  THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST 
595 
pat  ap.  In  1884  a count  took  place  and  the  figures 
were — trees  in  bearing,  aDd  trees  which  bad  flowered 
962,  young  plants  340,  vacancies  1,416:  total  2,718.  The 
total  crop  for  the  year  was  9,147  and  the  average 
nuts  per  tree  9 ; in  1885  the  total  crop  was  7,756  and 
the  average  8 ; in  1886  12,846  and  average  13 ; and  in 
1887,  22,326  and  average  23.  In  1888  they  were  again 
oonnted  and  the  figures  were — trees  in  bearing 
and  trees  whioh  had  flowered  1,096,  young  plants 
2,334,  vacancies  242  : total  3,672.  The  total  crop  for  the 
year  was  20,151  and  the  average  18.  In  1889  the 
total  crop  was  19,721  and  average  17  ; in  1890  28,838 
and  average  26,  and  in  1891  52,729  and  average  48. 
In  Joly  1892  there  was  another  oount  and  the  figures 
were — 1892  trees  in  bearing  and  trees  which  had 
flowered  1,384,  young  plants  2,994,  vacancies  27  : total 
4,405.  The  total  orop  for  the  year  was  65,186  and 
average  53. 
Mr.  Arthur  Alwis  started  with  R15.000 — a price  whioh 
was  doubled  when  the  hammer  fell.  Mr.  Jenkins 
went  as  high  as  R29.500  but  Agonis  Appuharny  and 
U.  D.  S.  Gunasekera  went  on  by  E500’s  till  R31.500 
was  reaohod  and  at  that  price  the  latter  became  the 
purchaser. 
UPPEB  KUDA  OYA  ESTATE. 
Also  known  as  Naraagaha  Haina  and  Kadurugaha 
Watte.  (Total  extent  Ac.  52  2 22)  came  next.  In 
1878  account  took  place  and  figures  were — trees 
in  bearing  and  trees  which  had  flowered  600,  young 
plants  168,  vacancies  2.545  : total  3,313.  The  total  crop 
for  the  year  4,250.  The  average  nuts  per  tree  7.  In 
1879  the  total  crop  was  9,400  and  average  15 ; in  1880 
14,300  and  average  23  ; in  1881  8.000  and  average  13 ; 
1882  6,864  and  average  11;  in  1883  19,094  and  average 
31.  In  1884  they  were  again  counted  and  figures  were 
— trees  in  bearing  and  tree3  which  had  flowered 
688,  young  plants  72,  vacaDoies  2,543  : total  3,303.  The 
total  orop  for  the  year  was  20,541  and  average  29; 
in  1885  the  total  crop  was  24,310  and  average  35; 
in  1886  25,252  and  average  36;  in  1887  26,099  and 
average  37.  In  1888  there  was  another  couut  and 
figures  were  : trees  in  bearing  and  trees  which 
had  flowered  760,  young  plants  2,538,  vacancies  15  and 
total  3,313.  The  total  crop  for  the  year  was  19,624  and 
average  25.  In  1889  the  total  crop  wa3  20,094  and 
average  26;  in  1890  28,507  and  average  37;  in  1891 
37,295  and  average  49.  In  July  1892  there  was 
another  oount  and  figures  were  trees  in  bearing 
and  trees  which  had  flowered  906,  young  plants  2,369, 
vacancies  29  and  total  3,304.  Toe  total  crop  for  the 
year  was  40,964  and  average  60. 
The  bidding  started  at  R10, 000— a prioe  whioh 
was  tripled  when  a sale  was  effected.  Messrs.  J. 
S.  Sananaike,  A.  Alwis  and  Gabriel  Oroos  were  the 
highest  bidders.  The  first  memioned  went  as  high  as 
R27,000,  the  second  R29.000  and  Mr.  Croos  R30,000. 
MAHAOYA  ESTATE. 
Also  known  as  “Jambugaha  Haina,”  of  the  extent  of 
81  aores.  In  1878  a count  was  made  and  the  figures 
were — trees  in  bearing  and  trees  which  have  flow- 
ered 3,134,  yonng  plants  130,  vacancies  994  : total  4,258. 
To  al  crop  for  the  year  90,500,  average  nuts  per  tree 
28;  in  1879  the  total  crop  was  131,815  find  average 
42 ; in  1880  154,826  and  average  49 ; in  1881  97,000 
and  average  30;  in  1882  123,572  and  average  39  ; in 
1883  179,748  and  average  57.  In  1884  there  was  an- 
other oonnt  and  figures  were — trees  in  bearing  and 
trees  which  had  flowered  3,134,  yonng  plants  130, 
vaoanoies  994:  total  4,258.  The  total  crop  for  the  year 
175,281  and  average  55  ; in  1885  165,419  and  average 
52;  in  1886  169,984  and  average  64;  in  1887  201,933 
aDd  average  64.  In  1888  there  was  another  count 
and  the  figures  were — trees  in  bearing  and  trees 
whioh  have  flowered  3,240,  young  plants  24,  va- 
cancies 994  : total  4,258.  Total  crop  for  the  year  171,400 
and  average  62  ; in  1889  171,924  and  average  63;  in 
1890  197,406  and  average  60;  in  1891  241,637  and 
average  74.  In  July  1892  there  was  another  count  and 
the  figures  were — trees  in  hearing  aDd  trees  which 
have  flowered  3,149,  young  plants  46,  vacancies  1,152: 
total  4,347  ; and  the  total  orop  for  the  year  was  221,712 
tod  average  71  nuts  per  tree. 
R40,000  was  the  first  bid  by  Don  Juanis  Appoo 
When  R60.250  was  reached  Mr.  J.  S.  Sananaike  retired 
and  then  Messrs.  Gabriel  Oroos  and  Gabriel  Silva 
fought  the  matter  out  Mr.  Silva  making  the  highest 
bid  R70.250— the  bid  of  Mr.  Croos  being  R70.000. 
The  total  realised  for  the  three  estates  put  up 
separately  was  R131,750  as  against R102, 000  when  put 
up  iu  one  lot.  The  highest  bidders  separately  were 
therefore  the  purchasers. 
The  total  realised  for  the  Fort  property  and  estates 
together  was  R218.950. 
The  sale  lasted  about  three  hours, 
• 
THE  INDIAN  TEA  DISTRICTS. 
Our  Kangra  Valley  correspondent  writes  on  the 
17th  instant : — The  new  year  is  coming  in  splendidly. 
Rainfall  5'95  inches  registered  to  date,  and  Btill 
coming  down  with  a prospect  of  a fall  of  snow  on 
the  higher  gardens.  Pruning,  hoeing  and  work  gene- 
rally in  full  swing.  Every  prospeot  of  a good  season. 
Temperature  55°  maximum;  38°  minimum. 
Our  Darjeeling  correspondent  writes  on  18th  Janu- 
ary 1893 : — For  the  last  week  we  have  experienced 
wretohed  days ; no  sun,  and  when  it  looked  like 
heavy  rain  only  a few  drops  fell.  Thermometer  very 
low,  ranging  at  nights  not  above  36°.  Pruning  going 
ahead  strong  throughout  the  district. 
Our  Moriani  correspondent  writes  on  21st  January 
1893  : — Cold  miserable;  wet  weather  for  the  last  week. 
Pruning  all  finished  and  hoeing  in  full  swing. 
Our  Dera  Doon  correspondent  writes  on  24th  Jan. 
1893: — List  night  we  had  48  inohes  of  rain  and  all 
the  hills  are  covered  with  snow.  It  is  still  raining 
and  is  very  cold. — Indian  Planters'  Gazette. 
■#> 
THE  PRICE  OE  COCONUTS. 
The  price  of  Coconut  writes  our  Negombo  correspon- 
dent, is  phenomenal,  and  bids  fair  to  beat  the  record  of 
all  previous  years.  There  is  great  competition  among 
buyers  at  prices  varying  from  R40  to  R43.  Owing  to  the 
drought  of  laBt  year  the  orop  of  the  latter  end  of  1892 
and  of  the  beginning  of  this  year  has  fallen  consider- 
ably. It  might  surprise  some  of  your  readers  to  hear 
that  the  cooonut  crop  of  the  present  season  has  fallen 
by  half,  and  in  some  estates  by  more  than  half.  The 
consequence  is  that  the  supply  falls  short  of  the 
demand,  hence  the  unusual  rise  in  the  prioe  of 
coconuts.  Messrs.  Vavasseur  & Co.  of  Colombo  are 
about  the  greatest  purchasers.  There  is  a gentleman 
here  who  has  agents  stationed  iu  different  localities 
in  this  and  in  Ohilaw  districts  buying  up  all  the 
available  nuts  without  reference  to  quantity. 
TEA  IN  SOUTH  CAROLINA: 
MR.  HENRY  COTTAM  AGAIN. 
It  is  amusing  to  see  that  in  all  the  paragraphs 
oiroulating  for  many  months  baok  about  Mr.  Henry 
Cottam's  trial  of  tea  in  the  Southern  States  and 
the  expectations  of  suooess,  not  one  word  is  said 
about  the  one  indispensable  condition — cheap  labourl 
A recent  issue  of  the  Canadian  Grocer,  a trade 
journal  published  iu  Toronto,  contains  a short  article 
which  may  give  rise  to  some  apprehension  in  the  tea- 
producing  districts  of  the  world.  A fresh  attempt 
it  appears,  has  been  made  to  grow  tea  in  South 
Carolina.  Shortly  after  the  War  of  Secession,  the 
United  States  Minister  of  Agriculture  instituted  an 
experiment  in  tea-growing  on  an  estate  near  Charles- 
ton ; but  the  results  were  not  encouraging,  and  after 
a short  time  the  enterprise  was  abandoned.  A Dr. 
Charles  Shephard  has  now  made  a further  attempt 
to  raise  tea  on  the  same  estate,  and  has  been  assisted 
by  Cottam,  a planter  of  considerable  experience  in 
Ceylon.  Mr.  Cottam  atates  that  the  produoe  of  thi» 
South  Carolinian  estate  is  fully  equal  in  quality  to 
the  teas  grown  in  India  and  Oeylon,  and  that  in  his 
opinion  the  United  States  can  easily  produce  the 
