FiSB. 2, 1903.J THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
583 
importatiou? from Japan and Chiua large, there would 
undoubtedly be danger of a severe fall in Ceylons — 
which could only be tided over by a liberal cess 
allov?ance, until the industry had hit upon the desired 
quality and colour. For information regarding the 
method of manufacturing Green leas, I would recom- 
mend applicatiun being made to the English and 
German Consuls at Ningpo, in which district all 
Green Teas are grown and made. " In Western 
America beyond St. Louis, is there not still a large 
continent where Black Teas are consumed and where 
Ceylona are unknown '!" Undoubtedly there are 
many large cities such as San Francisco and others 
within a radius of 1,000 miles (Chicago included) 
where Black Teas are largely used and where the 
" Thirty Committee " Commissioner has done little 
or nothing, (excepting at Chicago), but those markets 
have been and are being exploited by firms in 
Colombo having Agents there. More might be 
done by the means at the disposal of the 
"Thirty Committee" in the country indicated. 
There is one danger ahead which I would notice. 
Should the Export to London fall off and become lower 
than the requirements of that market, an opening 
would be given to China to send larger supplies o£ 
common Black Tea. China can increase or decrease 
that supply at will, witness the large increase during 
1902, in the Export of Oolongs, which excess will have 
been made from the " Suey Kut " Congon leaf by 
which the supply of Black Teas has been curtailed to 
the extent of 2^ millions of pounds. The fact also 
that the larger crop of Oolongs has been made out of 
the leaf usually converted into common Black Tea 
shows thst the manufacture of Oolongs in Ceylon 
as well as Greens can be as well carried out on 
low-country estates as on those of high elevation. 
Final. — In conclusion I would merely add that I 
have always been of opinion that the money expended 
by the "Thirty Committee" in the Eastern States in 
pushing Black Tea has been simply and absolutely 
wasted, and would have teen of far greater use had it 
been applied to exploitation of the same Tea in Russia, 
The Eastern States are the ones which use Oolongs 
and Green tcis, and funds may, I think, still be em- 
ployed in pushing them there advantageously. A great 
effort should be made at the St. Louis Exposition to 
bring Ceylon Greens and Oolongs into notice, whilst 
at the same time it can do no harm to show also 
Ceylon Black Teas. 
It would be a great pity, I think, to discontinue the 
campaign in the Eastern States on behalf of Green 
Teas and Oolongs, as those are the kinds used by 'jjtha 
of the population of those States, and to cease the 
effort now would be to destroy what good has already 
been done. 
I do not think that China will be able to compete 
with Ceylon as regards Black Teas so long as Euro- 
peans are prevented from holding land in the interior, 
and even should that privilege be eventually granted, 
it is a question how far the China leaf will lend itself 
to machinery. 
The result of an experiment made atFoochow, where 
a small Factory with Jackson's machinery was erected, 
was a decided improvement in the appearance of tho 
dry leaf, and a thicker liquor in the cup, but the flavour 
was destroyed, the taste being mawkish and dull, and 
the peculiar flavour, which the leaf tried, should have 
developed was entirely absent. 
AMBEGAMUWA PLANTERS' 
ASSCIATION. 
ANNUAL RErORT FOR 1902—1903. 
In presenting this report for 1902 your Committee 
have pleasure in stating that the Association has well 
maintained its strength and usefulness during the 
past year. 
The number of votes in the Register is 38, being one 
less than last year. 
The financial position of the issooiation 
is as follows : — R. c. 
KXPEN DITU Hi;. 
Debit balance from last year... . . 2 9.5 
38 Subscriptions at R7'50 to Parent Asso- 
ciation ... .. .. 285 00 
Petty Disbursements .. .. 124 47 
412 
42 
38 Subscriptions at 10 
.. 380 
00 
Leaving a debit balance of 
.. R32 
42 
The accounts of the Association were duly audited 
by Messrs. Wiggin and Blacklaw. 
Meetings,— During the year there have been five 
General Meetings, four meetings of the Standing Com- 
mittee and four meetings of the Locr.l Labour Federa- 
tion Committee, nil of which have been well atten- 
ded. 
MiNoit Roads. — The Inter-District Roads in the 
District are generally in good order. The District 
Road Committee grant for 1902 is R355. 
A Resolution was passed at a General Meeting held 
on the 2l3t November, asking the District Road 
Committee to have the bridge across the ravine on 
Binoya Estate near Rozelle Station, put in perma- 
nent repair. And your Committee have pleasure 
in informing you that the matter has been taken in 
hand by the District Road Committee. 
P. B. P. AND IM. A. Hatton — These funds have 
been well supported by the Association during the 
year. 
Crop Estimate. — The returns for the district for 
the ofQcial estimate of Tea Crop of 1903 were collected 
as usual. 
The figures arrived at being as follows : — 
a Total acreage in Tea . . 16,026 acrea 
h Acreage in bearing .. 14,752 ,, 
c Total tea crop . . 5,587.500 ib. 
d Estimate of Green Tea ... 660.000 „ 
e Estimate of Native Leaf (included 
inc) ... 325,000 „ 
/ Acreage abandoned , . 24 acrea 
The total tea crop being ... 388,500 1b. 
less than last year's estimate, equal to a decrease of 
22 lb per acre. 
Hospital and Dispensary Visitors.— On the re- 
commendation of the Association Mr E H Hutchinson 
was appointed unofficial visitor to Watawala Dispen- 
sary. 
Obituaey.— Your Committee has with much regret 
to record the death of your late Chairman, Mr Oliver 
Collett who, on several occasions, occupied the office 
of Chairman and whose keen interest and ability in 
all Association matters were much appreciated by all. 
PllEDACEOUS INSECTS AND HOW 
THEY CATCH THEIR PREY. 
The Government Entomologist's Lecture. 
The following is the full text of Mr. E. E, 
Green's lecture on Saturday, July 17th. 
The subject of this lecture may perhaps be called a 
oruel one. Nature in many of her moods, is cruel, 
from our standpoint. But in spite of her apparent 
cruelty — Nature is always interesting, if we will 
take the trouble to scrutinise her operations. 
It is said that every-one likes to know what his 
neighbour has for dinner. The most popular hour at 
the Zoo is when the animals are being fed. I propose, 
therefore, to introdnce you to some of our common 
insects at their meals. I have purposely chosen my 
chief examples from insects that occur "commonly in 
Ceylon, so that you may yourselves be able to watch 
their habits — if you wish — and perhaps to find oafr 
Other iutereetiug ti'aits C9Dp$uted with tbeiu, 
