June 1, 1901.1 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
853 
That rain shonld be induced to soak into the soil 
instead of running off is considered a point of advant- 
age by many recognised as authorities in such matters; 
this is one thing accomplished by good shovelling, 
beside the perfect pulverisation of the surface to a 
depth of about four inches, added to which the 
thorough mixing of any ckss of manures applied to 
the surface is insured. 
The above applies to the interior of the Republic 
known as the Pacific slope: cultivating with machines 
has been carried on in newer coffee farms on the 
Atlantic slope with different success, but here again 
the soil is very porous almost everywhere, and the 
native labour whicd is always preferred in coffee is 
much more expensive than on the western slope on ac- 
count of climatic conditions. When prices of coffee were 
at their zenith a few years ago, several investments 
were made in coffee farms on the Atlantic slope; results, 
however, have now shown that labor, seasons of the 
year, andlast but not least that prices in the market are 
all in favor of Pacificgrown coffee. YOUNG CEYLON. 
THE FLOWER lis G OF BAMBOO. =i. 
Ambegamuvva, May 2. 
Sib,— I have just noticed an article in 
ynur ''Tropical Agriculturist" of April on 
the " Flowering of Bamboos." 
It may interest you to know that a 
particularly fine clump of bamboos near a 
bungalow in this district flowered about 2 
or 3 months ago. It now looks as if it is 
going to die, and I suppose there is no doubt 
but that it will ?— Yours etc. , X. 
[We fear death is inevitable after the 
flowering, as that result seems always to 
follow in India. Do the coolies care for the 
seed? — People in some parts of India often 
live for weeks on Bamboo seed.— Ed. CO.] 
CEYLON GREEN TEAS IN AMERICA. 
Kandy, 2nd May, 1901. 
Sir, —In forwarding the enclosed extract of a 
letter from Mr. Mackenzie to Mr. Roslinfj on the 
subject of Ceylon Green Teas, I would also avail 
of the opportunity to correct one paragraph in 
the letter publislied with my letter of the 26th 
April, as a clerical error inadvertently crept into 
the copy. The sentence in the letter should read 
as follows : — 
" I did not go to Cliicago this time, because I met 
down here all the men I wished to see. I send you 
some papers to sliow you what Lipton is doing for 
our Greens in tliat city. This is evidence of dis- 
position to build a trade, not merely to catch a trade 
already made by others. Those four .stores are the 
largesc in Chicago." — I am, sir, yours faithfully, 
A. PHILIP. 
EXTRACT OP A LETTEK FROM MR. MACKENZIE TO MB. 
ROSLING, DATED LONDON 12tH APRIL, 1901. 
Before leaving New York, I wired to Mr Philip 
that there was a better demand for our Greens. 
In fact the supply had run out in America and 
nearly all known to be afloat were sold. I am more 
convinced than ever that we have a splendid field 
in America for our Greens and that we can make 
them to equal, even to surpass, Japans in liquor. It 
depends on Ceylon itself, when it can capture the 
trade. Buainess methods. — A combination of Colombo 
merchants, to make to standards and regulate prices, 
would secure much of the business at once. The 
diffionlties now lie with the supply, and the method 
of supply. Publish again the letter headed "Good 
dvioe' ' which appeared in the Observer last August. 
t foretells the probable pitfalls and difficulties. 
Abusing me, because 1 do not and cannot find pur ^ 
chasers for shipments dumped into Toronto market' 
will do no good; I can only advertise, which is of 
little use without other meaos. Many Firms have 
been buying the Greens aad shipping them. I 
found only one besides Salada, amongst the im- 
porters, making any special efforts to sell them. 
IJiat one may get disgusted; cease to biend to 
standards in large quantities, aad intending 
purchasers in the States especially may turn 
again to Japans. Any Firm undertaking to do 
the business properly should have support. 
The Amecican Firms dealing very largely in 
Japans said to me the day before I left New York, 
" We are tired of Japans — never want to handle them 
again. Your Greens are splendid at 15 to 18 cents. 
But can we get them regularly aud to standard in 
large quantities.' I replied, " I cannot say. One Firm 
has been working on those lines, but I cannot vouch for 
their continuing to do so. You should try to arrange 
a contract with them.'" 
(Signed) Wm, Mackenzie, 
{The letter refen-ed to.) 
" If the planter rushes in, manufactures, consigns, 
and jams the market with green tead, the jobbers 
will at once do as they have done this year with 
blacks. They can get along without our teas, and 
can therefore wait. We will all begin underselling, 
and thus playing into their hands. As there is no 
other market for our greens we must keep them here, 
and Japan will share our l^ss, to the profit of the wily 
American jobber. Unsuitable teas do us more harm 
than good. They are usually consigned, and those 
familiar with the trade here would not ship them ; as a 
consequence they are sooner or later sold for what they 
will fetch, and as they are Ceylon greens in name, the 
price they fetch is taken as the market quotation for 
all Ceylon green tea. The consignment and ' sacrific- 
ing ' business is the accepted feature of the black tea 
trade from Ceylon and India. Bat that branch of the 
business is sufficiently robust to continue in existence 
on the prospect of the gradual exti action of the pos- 
sible sources of consignment as firm after firm buys its 
experience and retires beaten. But in the case of green 
tea it is different, and it would not take very much 
to break the market while in its infancy. At 
present the principal buyers of green tea use 
them for packets, and of course have to advertise and 
push them. Moreover such firms have special outlets 
for their goods. As these packets become better kaowu 
and people are educated up to the appearance of the 
unadulterated and undyed tea, the demand will 
extend and, when once the grocer can sell it in bulk, 
the natural merit of the tea and its similiarity to that 
which consumers are accustomed to will give a great 
outlet. In the mean time, if such greeu tea is rushed 
into this market, the price will be run down to below 
cost ; there will be no money in it for planters or for 
importers, and the trade will get a serious set-back 
from being rushed too soon. You will observe that I 
try to make two points. Oae is, send only 
suitable tea, and put a limit on its price. The second 
is, feed and do not choke the market. While pointing 
out the difficulties, I entirely agree with you that there 
is a great future for our greens. In due time rubbish 
and anything will be taken : but wait till the channel 
is open before turning on a flood. Rely upon merit 
at first; remember that Japan has only this one 
outlet, and in the future the competition for it will be 
exceedingly fierce, and that they can beat us at making 
cheap trash. Maintain prices, otherwise it will not 
pay the planters to persevere. I do not think there 
is any short cut to a great market. " 
CEYLON TEA IN FRACE. 
Sir, — I herein enclose copy of letter from Mr. 
Renton to Mr. Rosling, on the subject of Ceylou 
Tea in France together with the figures rc im- 
portation of Tea into France. — I am, Sir, yours 
faithfully, A. PHILIP, 
