34 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTUEIST. [July 1, 1902. 
COLOURED GREEN TEA. 
THE EDITOR, " INDIAN GARDENING AND 
PLANTING." 
Sir,— If I am correct in inferring from your 
article and Mr Drumniond Deane's letter in 
your issue of the 1st instant — " Coloured and 
Uncoloured Green Teas "—that a true Green 
tea, not only in " liquor," " infusion " and 
"flavour," but in actual colour of " leaf " too, 
is only produced by artificial means — or " facing" 
— I would point out that this is a mistake, as a 
very handsome " blue-green leaf " can be, and 
is, produced by entirely natural, i.e. , not artifi- 
cially coloured means ; but, as Mr. Drumniond 
Deane suggests, at an enhanced cost in 
" Panning." T, 
—Indian Gardening, May 22. 
criminating duty of 60c per picul (133 1-31 lb.), the 
legality of which ia disputed by the British merchante, 
exists in favour of the Kobe route, which is sometimes 
quicker for shipments by mail steamers to points on 
the Pacific Coast. Shipments by this route amounted 
this year to 70,000 half-chests, against 38,000 in 1900. 
But so long as freights across the Pacific are main- 
tained at double the Suez Canal rate to New York, 
the bulk of the tea must go by the latter route, for 
which Amoy is the more convenient and better depot. 
In the year under review 75 per cent, of total ship- 
ments went fia Suez. The Japanese Gevernment are 
doing all in their power to divert the trade from 
Amoy to Kobd, and, if they can do so without pro- 
test, will no doubt increase the differential daty above 
alluded to.— £r and C Mail, May 16. 
1:he botany of ceylon. 
25 PER CBNT NEW SPECIES IN ONE HAUL. 
We learn from a good source that the expedi- 
tion to Hinidoon kanda, Sabaragamuwa, made 
iasfc November by Mr Herbert Wright, the 
Scientific Assistant, Peradeniya, has proved most 
valuable. As we then stated, the primary object 
was that of determining our indigenous gutta- 
percha and ebony trees, but, in addition, a repre- 
sentative collection of all the plants growing on 
this hill was made. It) has since transpired that 
the collection of plants forwarded to Dr. Levier, 
the Continental Cryptogamist, have proved to 
contain no less than 25 per cent of species new to 
science. This is interesting as pointing out what 
still remains to be done, though such renowned 
botanists as Gardiner, Thwaites and Trimen 
previously worked in the same district. The 
investigation of local floras should now become 
more important. Two of the new species have 
been named after the discoverer, Mr. Herbert. 
Wright; viz. :— (1) Sematophyllum Wrightii and 
(2) Syrrhopodon Wrightii. 
PRODUCE AND PLANTING. 
Mr Ernest Tye gives some interesting figures 
felatins; to the area of 
TEA UNDER CULTIVATION 
in India and Ceylon at recent periods, together with the 
crops produced, based on official records. In 1890 there 
were 344,800 acres under cultivation in India and 
250,000 acres in Ceylon, India producing 112 million lb 
of tea, and Ceylon 47 million lb, the total crop being 
159 million. In 1895, with a cultivation in India of " 
415,700 acres and in Ceylon of 305,009 acres, the 
respective crops were 143 and 98 million lb, total 241 
million lb. In 1900 the cultivation was in India 
522,000, and in Ceylon 384,000 acres, producing 197 
and 148 million lb of tea respectively, or a total of 
346 million lb. The average annual increase in the 
Indian crop for the last ten years has been 8J 
million lb, and in that of Ceylon 10 million lb. The 
home consumption for British-grown tea for the last 
calendar year— 1901— was 238J million lb ; the con- 
sumption in foreign maiketa and ship stores 953 million 
lb, making together 334^ million lb. 
Ths crop of 
FORMOSA TEA 
ia reported by the British Consul to have been 
last year of good average quality, and the foreign 
firms engaged in the traffic on the whole 
had a prosperous year. For many years Amoy 
wai practically the sole market for the Formosa 
tea. This stato of things has now changed, A dis- 
AGRICULTURE IN THE PHILIPINES. 
In a recent article on the Warfare of 
Commerce, we dwelt on some information, 
forecasting American ambition in connec- 
tion with the netrly acquired Archipelago, 
as set forth in its Philippine section by 
the San Francisco Bulletin, Our cousins 
across the Atlantic are too shrewd a race 
not to appreciate fully the value of their 
recent acquisition ; and the Commission 
entrusted with the task, has reported at 
length on every subject connected with the 
administration of the Islands and their 
social, religious and industrial development. 
Under the heads of religion, edvication, 
laws, municipal Government, taxation, 
mining, forestry, agriculture, &c., we find 
practical and suggestive comments and 
recommendations, which are bound to bear 
fruit ; and as we glance at these, the re-' 
flection is forced on us, — How much better 
if the capital, enterprise and energy of their 
new masters be turned to these channels, 
which can profit the Filipinos as well as 
the Americans very largely, instead of being 
devoted to devising huge monopolies for the 
enrichment of those already rich at the 
expense of the masses even in respect of 
the necessaries of life. Wiser counsels, 
however, may soon prevail, when the 
attitude of the Governments of the United 
States, as well as of the United Kingdom, 
is realised, towards the Trusts and Combin- 
ations which in their grasping selfishness, 
threaten to involve great States in 
serious complications ; and when the 
Philippine Islands are reduced to a more 
loyal acceptance of the change of rulers, it 
may be that they will attract all they need 
in capital and energy for their progress in 
prosperity. And we shall not be wholly 
disinterested spectators : for while our own 
industries may be mere or less affected by 
the development of similar ones in the 
Philippines, we shall also, doubtless, be able 
to learn not a little from what is being 
attempted and accomplished there, perhaps 
by methods differing from those with which 
we have long been familiar. 
In Agriculture, probably, more than in any 
branch of industry, will this island be 
touched by what goes on in the Philippines 
— to learn as well as to teach, to put forth 
fresh efforts, as well as to reap the 
fruits of what has been sown. Hitherto, 
