THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
705 
Tea has been comparatively free from serious outbreaks of blights during the year (see 
supplements). 
A commencement, which may lead to important developments, has been made in the manu- 
facture of green teas suited to the American markets. If this extend, it will temporarily relieve the 
overproduction difficulty. 
An important paper on Ceylon Tea Soils and their influence on the quantity of tea has been 
published by Mr. Bamber during the year. 
Coffee. — The rise in the exports daring 1899 was a mere temporary one, and in 1900 the total 
export was only 10,777 cwt. as against 18,542. This is the lowest figure that has been reached since 
the beginning of the decline in the industry. 
Cacao. — The Assistant Director, who now takes charge of all matters connected with this 
product, reports as follows : — 
The exports for 1900 show a considerable decrease, from 42,745 cwt. to 33,476. This, 
however, may be explained in a variety of ways. The year from January 1 to December 31 
is not the best period for a record of cacao yield, and it is probable that the pickings of the 
last few weeks of the year and of the first weeks of 1901 will to some extent make up the 
deficiency, the crop in 1900 having been later than iisnal. That the canker of stem and 
pod and the attacks of Helopeltis, &c., are a factor in lessening the yield, is no doubt true, 
but a large diminution iu fruit crop has occurred in trees which have no disease. In fact 
an unusaal number of dull and rainy days in some cacao districts has told against the 
production of fruit and in favour of the blackening of pods and the growth ot canker. 
The prices which have been obtained for Ceylon cacaos show that the quality of our 
cacaos is still up to a high level, and encourage ciiltivators to devote attention to further 
improvements of their methods of curing. 
The canker and blackening of pods still causes a serious diminution of crop on many 
estates where little or no care is taken to combat these evils, but where preventive and 
curative treatment is thoroughly carried out a marked decrease has resulted, and in some 
cases estates which two or three years ago were seriously handicapped have been almost 
entirely freed from the disease. Local attacks of Helopeltis on the pods have been more 
virulent than usual. The cacao industry will, however, be benefited by these evils to some 
extent, as they have u.ndoubtedly led to more sanitary methods of cultivation, and such 
advances, as well as efforts to improve our varieties by selection and other means, tend to an 
increase of profit from this fruit tree, which grows vigorously in different climates in Ceylon. 
Cardamoms. — The export rose from 499,959 to 537,455 lb., a slightly larger figure than in 1897, 
hitherto the largest recorded. Extension of cultivation continues both here and in South India, and 
the price shows signs of a considerable fall in the not very distant future. 
Cinnamon. — The export of both bales and chips has risen, the former from 2,515,031 lb. to 
2,678,111, the latter from 1,829,127 lb. to 1,863,406. The export of the " wild cinnamon " mentioned 
in last year's report has enormously decreased, to 43,339 lb. bales and 105,914 lb. chips. The price of 
this material has fallen very low. The export of oil has also fallen largely, from 118,778 to 72,904 oz. 
Cocoanuts. — Extension of cultivation continxies, and there has been a great rise in the export 
figures for all the various products of this palm, which has now become a very large staple. The 
export of oil has risen from 400,979 cwt. to 443,959, of copra from 325,401 cwt. to 362,467, of 
desiccated cocoanut from 13,571,084 lb. to 13,604,913, of poonac from 174,786 cwt. to 185,992, of nuts 
from 11,723,392 to 14,995,909, of coir rope from 12,090 to 12,572 cwt., of coir yarn from 75,525 to 
87,415 cwt., and of coir fibre from 91,588 to 115,090 cwt. The industry seems in a prosperous condi- 
tion, and the trees are on the whole remarkably free from any serious disease, considering how long 
they have been cultivated in the Island. 
Other Palms. — The export of palmirah and kitul fibres has risen, though not to the figures of 
1898. The sago palm continiies to do well at Peradeniya, and should be tried in swampy places in 
the low -country, where it might pi'ove a valuable source of food for local consumption, if not for export. 
Indiaruhher. — Extension of cultivation of both Hevea and Castilloa continues in favourable 
localities, and very good valuations have been received of rubber sent home from certain estates. 
The demand for seed has been less than last year, and the supply much larger. A very large 
quantity of seed has been exported from Ceylon to Burmah and the Straits, where Hevea ciUtivation 
is now becoming an important industry. Yery favourable reports have been received from Europe 
on samples prepared in the Botanic Gardens by Mr. Parkin's methods, and it is hoped during 1901 
to test these on a commercial scale with certain modifications that have been found beneficial. 
