834 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [June 1, 1903. 
tell whether I ean get as good aa outturn 
from making green tea as from blacks. 
My opinion is that there is very little 
difference, and my figures go to prove it so far. 
In Pehruary I turned out 23-60 per cent of 
made tea and in March 24 72 pev cent, that 
is on the gross weight of green leaf brought 
to the factory, no deductions having been 
made for wet leaf. I don't think 1 could have 
turned out more of black tea. 
EOYAL BOTANIC GARDENS: 
ADMINISTRATION REPORTS. 
The greatest interest in regard to the Pera- 
deniya Department, during the past year 
must undoubtedly attach to the work done at 
the Experimental Station (Gangaruwa) under 
the supervision of Mr. Herbert Wright. 
But in the Reports which have just ap- 
peared there is not much x'ecorded on this 
topic and it is understood that a separate 
Report Is to appear. Meantime it has 
fallen to the Acting Director, Mr. Carruthers, 
to furnish the main or introductory Report 
on the Botanic Gardens and Scientific De- 
partment, and this is supplemented by state- 
ments, generally very concise, from each 
member of the Staff. First of all the func- 
tions of the Departmental ofacers are defined 
as follows :— 
The botanical survey of the Island. 
The study of various physiological and patho- 
logical botanical questions in relation to the eco- 
noraie plants of the Island. 
Experimental agriculture. 
Experimental horticulture. 
The demonstration and encouragement of horti- 
culture at various elevations. 
The distribution of seeds and plants that are not 
to be obtained from local seedsmen. 
The giving of advice and information on botanical, 
agricultural and horticultural matter. 
The care of the health of the crops ot the Island. 
The introduction and trial of new plants suitable 
for economic cultivation. 
As xisual, we give elsewhere in full all we 
are told under the heading of " Economic 
Plants," and it is of special interest to 
learn how very thoroughly fungoid disease 
-—affecting 96 per cent of the cacao trees on 
Gangaruwa, when taken over,- has been 
subdued and an entirely new face put on 
this cultivation on the Experimental Station. 
What we are told respecting Para and 
Castilloa rubber and camphor (see page six) 
is of special interest ; and coconut planters 
will be interested in the reference to their 
industry and to the value of mimosa as a 
nitrogenous manure. It seems hopeless to 
expect any revival of much importance in 
respect of cinchona growing, in view of the 
experience of careful planters in our loading 
districts, namely, that cinchona will not 
grow in their teafields as amongst coffee (tea 
has probably more and wide spreading roots). 
The only chance for it is in a virgin forest 
clearing by itself or among young tea and 
both forest reserves and young clearings are 
few and far between. A good deal more 
might be made of pepper and vanilla in many 
directions, especially at a low elevation. 
Cacao planters are warned to fight their 
enemies more continuously ; but has enough 
been done by the Mycologist himself ?— is a 
question we have heard asked. Cardamoms 
promise well. The Entomologist is inde- 
fatigable, and his comparatively full Report, 
as well as contributions to " Indian Museum 
Notes " and to other publications, in- 
dicate Mr. Green's devotion to his work. 
We reserve remarks on the Reports of the 
Curator and Scientific Assistant and on the 
Hakgalla and Minor Gardens' Reports for 
another time.— One feature of the whole 
Reports which we must not omit to mention 
is the finely finished illustrations— quite an 
innovation in Government Administration 
reviews— for which Messrs. Kerr & Co. are 
responsible. Other such publications, which 
come under the head of Scientific and Miscella- 
neous, Tnight well be brightened by imitations 
of this example from Peradeniya. 
— §f « : 
PHILIPPINE GUTTA AND RUBBER 
Instructions, says the Manila Times, have 
been received from Washington by the Custom 
authorities of ihe Philippines to keep a vigilant 
look out for Chinese merchants engaged in 
smuggling rubber and gutta percha out of that 
archipelago. Detailed search on the part of 
forest rangers of the Government employ has 
brought to light some very curious facts in 
regard to the tratlic, seriously involving Chinese 
exporters. Not only has the expedition confirmed 
the belief that the forests of Mindanao, the Snlu 
Islands, and parts of other islands abound in 
gutta percha trees and rubber vines, but the 
Government laboratory in Manila has demon- 
strated from samples brought in that these 
Philippine products are equal to the besc Sumatra 
and Borneo gutta ipercha, and perhaps not 
inferior to the highest grades of Para rubber. 
BIG SECRET TRADE. 
Ic was evident that gutta percha and rubber 
were finding their way out of the islands through 
unlawful channels. It has been discovered by the 
United States scientific explorers thcit large 
Chinese firms in Singapore and Borneo are con- 
ducting an immense secret trade with the Philip- 
pines in the matter of gutta percha and rubber, 
thousands of pounds being smuggled out of the 
archipelago to Sandakan, Bornca, and there skil- 
fully adulterated with colouring matter and sold 
as Borneo and Sumatra products. In many parts 
of the Philippine Islands whole tribes of natives 
are engaged in gathering rubber and gufcta percha 
for tliese Chinese smugglers. The system is 
thoroughly organised. The worst thing about this 
industry is not that the customs houses are cheated 
out of the export revenue that should be levied, 
but that the wild tribes of southern Mindanao and 
other sections are destroying these valuable forests. 
With no thought for the future they cut down 
trees and vines to get the sap, or milk, as it is 
called. In some of the smuggling villages some 
of the native agents admitted that they made 
their living by gathering rubber, but would not 
admit that they had traded also in gutta- 
percha. In some of the coast towns it 
was discovered that these Filipinos had 
rubber and gutta-percha secreted under the floors 
of their cottag^fe. It was tied to strings and kept 
floating in the sea water. This not only kept it 
effectually out of sight, but served also to make 
