646 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST.  [April  i,  1893. 
and  cattle  ?”  The  Colieotor  of  Tanjore  was  afraid  that 
if  this  invasion  should  continue  there  would  be  no 
demand  for  work  in  Tanjore  and  relief  works  will 
have  to  be  opened.  He  therefore,  directed  the  at- 
tention of  the  Collector  of  Madura  to  the  emigration. 
The  Collector  of  Madura  urged  the  immediate  start- 
ing of  works  iu  Ramnad  to  be  paid  for  out  of  a loan 
to  be  advanced  by  Government  to  the  Z mindar.  The 
Bo’rd  of  Revenue  as  soon  as  they  obtained  this 
information  communicated  with  the  Zemindar  on  the 
subject  and  the  latter  informed  them  that  be  had 
estimates  ready  for  the  repair  of  irrigation  works  to  the 
amount  of  upwards  of  R98,000  and  that  be  was  prepared 
to  expend  that  sum  in  giving  work  to  his  tenants  on  the 
Zemindari  if  ho  be  allowed  to  postpone  payment  till 
next  fasli  of  an  equivalent  of  peishoush.  Accordingly,  at 
the  instance  of  the  Board  the  Government  have  agreed 
to  postpone  the  payment  of  the  peishcush  to  an  amount 
not  exceeding  one  lakh  of  Rupees,  provided  the  money 
be  paid  into  the  Collector's  Treasury  to  be  laid  out 
on  the  repair  of  irrigation  works  in  the  Ramnad 
Zemindari  and  have  deputed  a competent  officer  to 
take  charge  of  the  relief  works  in  the  Zemindari.  It 
is  much  to  be  regroted  that  such  a rich  Zemindar  as 
the  Rajah  of  Ramnad  is  not  in  a position  to  spare 
a lakh  of  Rupees  from  his  purse  for  relief  works 
without  applying  to  Government  for  the  postponement 
of  the  peishcush. — Madras  Standard,  March  3. 
«. 
PLANTING  NOTES  FROM  BADULLA : 
Coffee,  &c. 
March  8. 
The  Weather  has  been  very  dry  for  February,  no 
rain  at  all  having  fallen  until  the  27th.  Since  then  we 
have  had  a few  good  showers  and  some  thunder. 
The  rain  is  working  up  from  the  north-east  still  and 
it  will  do  everything  good. 
The  Coffee  Blossoming  Season  for  autumn  crops 
has  so  far  been  quite  perfect,  and  all  ooffee  in  fairly 
good  heart  which  has  esoaprd  bug,  at  low  and 
medium  elevations  is  full  of  spike;  and  a very  fme 
blossom  burst  yesterday.  Alas  ! that  so  few  of  our 
fine  fields  of  coffee  are  in  a condition  to  profit  by  the 
season  we  have  had.  Hundreds  of  acres  ere  still 
leafless;  and  I greatly  fear  must  before  long  go  into 
tea.  I believe  autumn  orops  have  turned  out  fairly 
up  to  estimate,  but  what  spring  crops  there  are  will, 
I expeot,  as  a rule,  prove  disappointing. 
Tea,  which  was  commencing  to  feel  the  drought,  is 
now  showing  signs  of  responding  ; and  with  the  showers 
we  have  had  during  past  few  days,  and  as  we  are  not 
now  likely  to  have  any  more,  really  dry  weather 
will,  I expect,  continue  flushing  well,  as  it  ought 
to  do,  during  next  four  months.  The  cold  winds  in 
January  and  February  have  not  however  suited  tea  : 
February  was  not  such  a good  month  as  it  was 
either  in  1891  or  1892 ; ai  d March  has  commenced 
badly.  Fields  which  are  due  to  be  pruned  in  July 
moreover  (when  they  will  have  run  two  years)  are 
not  looking  as  well  as  they  should,  and  we  want  a good 
deal  more  warmth  before  unpruned  tea  will  ‘jump.’ 
Piuned  fields  are  flushing  freely. 
The  New  Roads  in  the  district  are  being  pushed 
ahead  fast,  and  another  three  months  will  see  most 
of  the  earth-work  finished.  The  Railway  (it  is  said) 
is  to  be  cp9ned  on  lst'May,  and  a large  gathering 
from  the  whole  Province  will  assemble  on  the  occasion. 
We  had  a very  successful  meeting  of  the  Association 
in  February,  and  the  Chairman  had  reason  to  be 
proud  of  the  reoord  of  wo  k done  during  the  past 
year.  With  the  railway  coming  into  the  distriot, 
the  present  should  be  a still  busier  year. 
It  was  with  the  greatest  regret  that  we  saw  the 
sad  news  of  our  old  Chairman,  Mr.  Karslake’s  death. 
He  was  for  years  olosely  connected  with  those  dis- 
tricts in  which  he  lived  and  was  so  much  respeoted. 
He  did  much  for  the  Province;  and  in  his  capaoity  as 
Chairman  of  the  Association  was  able  to  carry  many 
important  matters  to  us  all  to  a successful  con- 
clusion. Everyone  respected  him  and  everyone  will 
regret  his  death, 
NEWS  FROM  THE  CENTRAL  PROVINCE: 
PI  ANTING  AND  OTHERWISE. 
(Notes  by  “ Wanderer.") 
Maroh  10. 
Prices  cf  Tea — There  are  too  many  8d  and  9d 
in  the  last  mail’s  tea  circulars  to  please  those 
interested  in  Ceylon  tea.  The  exigenoy  of  the 
cheap  tea  canister  causes  a greater  demand  for 
Japan  and  China  stuff  than  the  dearer  Ceylon 
pekoe  souchong. 
Weather. — Fine  rains  are  falling  everywhere,  so 
the  end  of  March  and  April  will  now  be  a busy 
time  for  the  planier,  and  the  busy  time  may  extend 
to  July,  if  we  have  not  a very  heavy  burst  of  the 
S.-W.  monsoon. 
Tea  Exports. — To  6th  Maroh  1893  12,960,768 
as  against  1892  11,226,061 
Excess  ..  1,734,707 
If  we  go  on  at  this  rate  we  shall  export  at  least 
7,000,000  lb.  more  than  last  year.  Australia  is 
however  doing  so  well  for  us  that  our  London 
friends  need  not  be  apprehensive  that  we  will 
flood  their  market. 
America  seems  to  be  anxious  to  stop  the  export 
of  gold  ; and  so  she  will  have  to  part  with  her 
silver  freely  to  attain  this  object.  Will  this  make 
silver  dearer  or  cheaper?  Messrs.  T.  C.  and 
A.  M.  W.  will  no  doubt  enlighten  us. 
Tea  Companies  seem  to  be  favourite  investments 
with  those  who  have  spare  cash.  So  long  as  tea 
remains  about  101  and  exchange  does  not  go  above 
Is  4d,  a seven  years’  purchase  on  these  lines  on  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  tea  per  acre  is  by  no  means  a 
bad  investment. 
Oaoao.— R91  per  cwt.  on  the  estate  is  not  a bad 
price;  so,  lucky  is  the  cacao  proprietor  now-a-days, 
the  moth  ( Helopeltis ) and  the  thief  notwithstanding! 
Freight  at  25s  is  also  in  favour  of  the 
tropioal  agriculturist — 15s  was  too  good. 
Chicago  Exposition. — There  are  doubters  in 
planting  circles  of  tbe  advisability  of  spending 
so  much  money  on  what  they  call  a ‘‘pure  ad- 
vertisement of  Caylou  tea.”  Has  a scheme  for  the 
supply  of  such  tea  as  is  exhibited  in  the  Exposi- 
tion been  devised  ? Why  tantalize  the  American 
with  your  tonic  teas  grown  on  ironstone  soil, 
if  he  cannot  get  what  you  assure  him  is  so  good, 
for  him  ? Does  not  your  advertising  benefit 
cheap  canister  men  who  have  done  Ceylon  tea 
produce  a good  deal  of  harm  in  the  old  oountry  ? 
Dairv  Farms. — When  is  the  Ceylon  Government 
to  follow  the  example  of  the  Indian  Government 
in  enoouragiDg  the  supply  of  untainted  milk  in 
town  espeoially  where  there  are  garrisons  ? Enteric 
fever  is  not  unknown  in  Ceylon. 
SALE  OF  CACAO  PROPERTY. 
We  learn  that  Mr.  J.  H.  Barber  has  taken 
over  his  partner’s  (Mr.  Vanderetraaten’s)  ^ share 
in  the  “ Grove  ” estate,  Ukkuwala  for  R25,000. 
The  estate  is  about  200  acres  and  is  all  planted 
with  oaoao,  arekanuts  and  pepper.  The  large 
oacao  beans  of  this  estate  carried  off  the  Gover- 
nor’s special  prize  a"t  the  last  Colombo  Show. 
The  trees  are  all  Forasteros  of  the  best  sorts.  Mr. 
Barber  pioneered  the  district  for  oaoao  in  1886; 
since  then  Mr.  T.  C.  Owen  and  others,  and  now 
the  Ratwatte  Caoao  Company  have  seoured  land 
there.  It  will  be  all  oaoao  in  that  neighbourhood 
shortly. 
