126 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Aug. 1, 1900. 
" infusions " more or less show signs of fer- 
mentation ; and, wlien tliis is the case, 
only get "Oolong" prices and not be classed 
as "Pure Green Teas," however they were 
marked, 
I have today wired my agents, Messrs, 
Brown & Co., to advertise that the "royalties" 
are all covered in the price of the nuichine, 
and 1 trust this will Vje satisfactory to the 
planting community.— I ain, etc., 
I-I. DRUMMOND DEANE, 
CAMPHOR CULTIVATION. 
Kandy, July ISUi. 
Sir,— At the requet-t of the Commiitce I heie- 
v.'itli Liammit copy of a lei.ter ieceivtd frons the 
Direc-tor, lii»yr).l Butaiiic Ganieiif^, on '.he suliject 
of cauiplior cuitivntioii. — i am, sh , yours fiuih- 
fuliy, A. PlilLlP, 
Ksecretavy to the Planters' Association of Ceylon. 
DIFFERENT 
THE MANURING OE TE 
VIEWS. 
London, June 29. 
Sir, — At the annual meeting- of a Ceylon Tea 
Company held this week the Chairman took nie to 
task — he did not mention my name, but it is 
obvious he meant me— for the opinion I had ex- 
pressed deprecating the use of what I termed 
forcing manuies and quoting an extract from a 
letter from Sir John Lawes to show I had mistaken 
the opinion he had given me on the use of Sulpliate 
of Ammonia. Aa I am most unwilling tiiat there 
should be any misconception on this point and 
•wish that cultivators in Ceylon should have all 
the intormation possible on ic, I asked Sir John 
Lawes to give me his opinion in writing and he 
has been good enough to write to me as follows : — 
" June 28. 
"Deae Mr. Talbot.— My objection to Sulphate of 
Ammonia does not arise because it is a highly nitro- 
genous and soluble manure, but because it removed 
lime from the soil and I understand that the 
Ceylon Soils are rather poor in lime." * * ' 
As far as my own personal opinion goes I must 
say that after again studying the Kothamstead 
experiments and seeing that where Sulphate of 
Ammonia has been applied by itself for a series 
of years to the permanent pasture, patches of 
grass aie dying out, I am more than ever con- 
vinced that" the use of this manure is attended 
■with risk to the tea plant. 
I have learnt, too from the Rothamstead ex- 
periments that when Sulphate of Ammonia is 
applied, it forms nitrates and a certain proportion 
of nitrogen passes away quickly with the rain 
•whereas this does not occur where potash and 
superphosphates are used— hence the advisability 
of using Basic Slag with Cake Manures.— Vours 
truly. G. A. TALBOT, 
Iloyal Hotanio Garden*, Pciadeniya, July llth. 
Si', — The ri-e in price ot cimplior, eaufed by 
the r'icent eitabli^hnient ot a monopoly by the 
Govoinnient of Japan, renders it po-sihie ' that 
camphor may become a profitable minor product 
here. I am carrying out a series ol e.-^ipcriments 
with this in view, and .should be grateful to you 
if you would lay thi.s letter befoit; your Associa- 
tion at its next meeting and obtain fcir me, if 
you can, any informution on the following 
points :— 
(1) Names of estates trjii.g camphor (a good 
many plants lave been Fold by this depainieut iu 
recent years}. (2) Approximate age of trees, number 
growing, soil, ciiniate and elevation in which grow- 
ing, ana present size of trees, and whether they 
grow freely and branch and leaf much. (3) Whether 
owners are willing to supply a few lb. of pruuiugs 
for experiments in distillation ofoamplior. 
L propose to work up all information received 
and all elsewhere available on the subject, with 
instiuctions for cultivation, results ot distilla- 
tions, &c,, into a circular to be published later 
in the year. 
Any who care to try the cultivation can ob- 
tain plants from the Superintendent, Hakjjala 
Gardens, Kuwara Eliya, at 25 cts. per plau't.— 
I am, sir, your obedient servant, 
(Signed) John C. V/illis, Director, R.B.G. 
MR, TALBOT'S EXPLANATION. 
July 17. 
glR,_Mr. Talbot's explanation does not 
seem to simplify the difficulty very much. 
He agrees that, because sulphate of am- 
monia applied by itself over a series of 
years, to grass land, appears to be detri- 
mental, therefore, it is so also to tea. 
Herein, are two fallacies; (1) tea and grass 
land are scarcely identical and (2) no one 
in Ceylon, so far as I know, except Mr. 
Talbot perhaps, has applied sulphate of 
ammonia, by itself, for a series of years, to 
tea. Where, then, is the so-called expla- 
nation ? ^. , , T 
Of course, what Sir John Lawes says 
about its removing lime from the soil is 
true enough and if carried to excess is 
detrimental ; but this is a difficulty which 
the practical man can meet and does.— I 
am, &c., A MELVILLE WHITE. 
PRODUCE AND PLANIING, 
Japanese Tea.— We recently referred to a Con- 
sular report from Tokio which did not take a very 
cheeiful view of the outlook for J..pauese tea. A 
Yokohama report is in a similar strain. It points 
out that although a yearly grant of 70,000 yen (£7,000 
is made by the Japanese Government to tlie' tea 
guilds for the purpose of extending tire sale of Japan 
teas, no improvement is takmg place ; on the contrary 
the export of Japan teas has been decreasing for 
some years past. "Nor," adds the Coiisul quoted 
"have foreign tea merchants, who are equally in- 
terested with the Japanese dealers in the practical 
and profitable disposal of this sum, appeared to have 
participated in any of the benefits— if such have re- 
sulted—which this measure was intended to confer " 
The chairman of the Yokohama Chamber of Com- 
merce paid a visit to the United States with the 
object of inquiring into the conditions of the tea 
trade, and seeking the removal of the duty on tea 
by directly conferring with the President of the 
United States. The result of his mission we 
have yet to learn, and meanwhile the Japane=e 
are reminded that in Canada, thanks to ''ex- 
tensive advertising" and such methods, the 
teas of Ceylon have made rapid progress. In 
this connection it may be mentioned that, the growth 
of the trans- Phcifio trade between the United States 
and Japan has apparently suggested ihat hio-her 
freight rates may be safely imposed The repieseiita- 
tives of steam lines between Japan and San Prancisco 
have lately held a conference at the American Pacific 
port, the result of which has been a decision lo raise 
the freight rates for tea, curios, matting, raw silk 
and silk fabrics imported into the United States from' 
Japan. The rates for imports from the United States 
to Japan were also, it is stated, to be raised on the 
average about 25 per cent, 
