§54 
^Ut TEOPIOAL AGRlCtJLTlJRIST. 
[Feb. 2, 1§03. 
Ceylon Tea.— There is not much change to 
notice in the quality, which on the whole was 
very fair and about up to the average. The average 
of Tea sold on garden account was 6'81d, against 
6-86d in 1901, and from 1st June to end of December 
6'66d against 7 OSd for the same period last season. 
Java Tea.— Production in Java has lately in- 
creased and imports were in conf^^equence somewhat 
heavier, previous quality being maintained. 
Table showing movements of Indian Tea (in lb) 
in London during the Season years 1899-1900 to 
1902-1903. 
IMPORTS. 
1898-9. 1899-0. 
Indian 136073465 148968867 
Ceylon 92946656 107509408 
Java 
China 
3678280 
27863637 
4656540 
81965903 
190C-1. 1901-2. 
161945205 155757498 
111213383 97916545 
4978610 6158390 
22574804 24749780 
Total for 
EeaBon 260,562,038 
1898-9. 
IndiaH 142645712 
Ceylon 90149698 
Java 3610740 
China 29650012 
293,100,718 300,712,062 284,582,213 
LIVERPOOL. 
1899-0. 
154260541 
102506046 
4365060 
29613711 
1900-1. 
150074398 
110719670 
4763850 
23863154 
1901-2. 
150490003 
101355798 
6059130 
21614354 
Total for 
season 266,056,162 290,745,358 289,421,072 279,519,285 
STOCK. 
1898-9. 1899-0. 1900-1. 1901-2, 
Indian 31501541 26209867 38889575 44157070 
Ceylon 19790252 24793614 25743557 22304304 
Java 715120 1006600 1221360 1320620 
China 10064889 12417081 11117815 14253241 
Total for 
season 62,071802 64,427,162 76,972,307 82,035,235 
WATER SUPPLIES IN THE PLANTING 
DISTRICTS, 
AN AUTOMATIC HYDRAULIC RAM 
WHICH WORKS A PUMP. 
To secure a plentiful and pure water supply and 
to introduce it into their bungalows (which are 
usually built on a high elevation) is a difficulty 
which many planters have encountered, but one 
in a country where the chances of contamination 
are so numerous, which it is absolutely essential 
in the interests of health should be overcome. On 
Mount Vernon estate, a representative of the 
Observer has just seen a most ingenious and 
simple device for pumping water from a low to a 
high level and which is the first of its kind made 
and erected in Ceylon. At Mount Vernon by an 
inexplicable whim of nature, just below tlie 
Superintendent's bungalow which is situated on a 
hill, there runs a plentiful supply of river water 
while at the foot of the hill there rises a gushing 
spring of pure water. Under ordinary circum- 
stances if it was wanted to introduce this spring 
water into the bungalow and have it pumped 
automatically, a" turbine or Pelton wheel with 
suitable gearing for driving the pump would have 
had to be erected. This, of course, is an elaborate 
and expensive method and entails complicated 
working parts. Messrs Brown and Davidson were 
Entrusted with the work of introducing the water 
and Mr J A Dickson of that firm, while engaged on 
the work, was struck with the possibility of making 
the waste water automatically work a pump to 
drive the water up the hill. The idea was followed 
out and the work was completed at the end of 
last week and there is now on Mount Vernon an 
automatic Hydraulic Ram actuating a pump. 
The ram is working under a head of 30 feet and 
delivering 25 gallons per hour of pure spring 
water into a receiving cistern with a holding capa- 
city of 250 gallons at a vertical height ot 140 ieet. 
The idea is entirely new and original, mostingenious 
in its conception and simple in its design and 
reflects credit on Mr. Dickson's ingenuity. 
Hitherto rams have been employed in various 
parts of the island for supplying water to 
bungalows and factories, but in these cases the 
same water as supplies the ram is delivered at the 
bungalow. About four times the amount of 
water which is pumped, however, in these cases 
goes to drive the ram. The method here employed is 
specially effective and simple as no pure water is 
wasted and there is absolutely no chance of the 
pure water being contaminated by the waste 
water which does the work. There should be 
a large demand for this simple and much less 
expensive automatic ram. 
CACAO. 
The Ligu cacao {Theohroma bicotor) is now 
fruiting at the Botanic Station, Dominica. Se- 
veral plants of the Alligator cacao (Theohroma 
pentagona) has also flowered. Both of these 
species were obtained from Nicaragua by Mr J 
H Hart, Superintendent of the Botanic Gardens, 
Trinidad. On one estate in Grenada where very 
particular attention is given to cultivation and 
manuring the efforts of the proprietor have been 
rewarded by a yield of 130 bags (of 182 lb each) 
of cacao from about 16 acres. This is at the rate 
of 8 bags per acre. — Agricultural News, Dec 20. 
SOME QUEER TEAS. 
Tea-drinkers frequently express sympathy for the 
unfortunate people who lived before the days of 
tea-drinking. There may have been compensation, 
but we doubt it. A writer in the Globe, under the 
heading "Some Queer Teas," recently called 
attention to the great variety of beverages and 
decoctions made from herbs and plants quite un- 
known in China or India, called ' teas,' in imita- 
tion of the genuine article and drunk from various 
motives. He says : — ' In early tea-drinking days, 
when fragrant Bohea was sold for from twelve to 
twenty shillings and more a lb, poor folk, who 
could not afford such a luxury, endeavoured to 
content themselves with decoctions from less ex» 
pensive leaves. A great favourite of old was sage- 
tea, which was regarded not only as a pleasant hub 
a particularly wholesome drink. John Wesley, 
who was a determined opponent of the Chinese 
leaf, strongly recommended sage as well as mint 
