Aug. 1, 1899.1 
THE TEOPICAL 
AaRICULTURIST. 
135 
Ceylon Kamfall. 
The P W. D. Meteorological Observations for 
JuN-F 1899 —We append this Monthly Return of rain 
from which it will be seen that the highest fall was 
at Padapola in the C^atral Province, 
inches, and the lowest at NauUa in the 
Province O'lO inch. 
46-42 
Eastern 
Westkrn PKovmcK. 
Ncgombo, Mr. Bucknall 
(I)) 
Kalutara.Vir Grpsson (36) 10-/6 
Labugama. Mr. Bond 
(369) ■- 21'0i 
Henaratgoda.Mr. Silva 
(33) 
14-13 
Matara (.15) Mr. Smith 7-30 
Danleniya. (1.^7) do 6-91 
Urub kk.s("890) no 17-18 
Ela^aia, Not rfceived (12lj — 
Taiisalla. !94) J^Soi r ceived 
U.imailola, Mr. Cade — 
(56) ... 6-01 
Eastkhn Province. 
Central Province. 
Mr. 
Morgan 
7-41 
Mr. 
, 2316 
Katugastota. 
(1.500) 
New Valley, (Dikoya 
War i (3,708> . . 
Helboda, (Pussellaw; 
received (3,300) 
Yarrow Estate, 
Mr. Peto (3,4001... 
PeradeuiyaMr. 
MaeMiUan [l,bW) ■■ 
Duckwari. Mr. .-idwin 
(3,300) 
Ciledonia, Mr Goork . 
(4,273) 
Fusaella-wa. Mr. 
Powell (3,000) 
Ualigala, Mr. 
NocK (5,581) 
S. Wanaraj'.ih Estate 
Tatbam (3,700 > 
St. AiMrew's iMaslieliya,) 
Not received (4,200)... — 
Padupola, Mr Ward ... 
(l,63rt) 4u 12 
Mylapitiya, Mr. Fletcher 
n,7i'7) 
NOHTHKEN PROVINCH. 
Mullaittivu, Mr. Sanm-al<am 
(12) ■ 
Jaffna Mr MacDonnell .'8i NU 
Mankulam. (N. Road; Mr. 
Smmulrain (167) .. iSil 
Elepha.it Pass, Mr. .. 
Silva (7) ■• 
Vaiigalachettykulam, Mr. 
HerfC (17H) ^ - N'^ 
Point Pedro, Mr. Pararacha- 
singlie (24) Nil 
Jaffna College, Mr. Cooke 
Not 
15-71 
U) 74 
12-4.-1 
.'. 16-75 
18 3S 
7-48 
Mr. 
... 29 -21 
1 90 
Irrakkamam, (42) Not 
received 
Devilaua, Mr. 
Taiiderstraaten (136) 
Sagamata, Not received 
(40) 
Am hare, do (65) 
Kanlhalai. Mr. Carte 
(5") 
Allai, Mr. Carte (95) 
Nil 
Nil 
Nil 
Rukaoi, Mr. Vanderstraaten 
(1'2U) .. Nil 
Periyakulam, Mr. 
Carte (20) ... Nil 
Chadaiyautalawa, Mr. 
Edge (57) ... 0 07 
Kalmuiiai, do (12) 074 
Rotewewa, do (30) Nil 
Lahugala, do (70) Nil 
Naulla, do (30) O'lO 
A-ndankulam, .Mr. 
(larte (41) ... Nil 
Manalp"ddy, Mr. 
Vanierstraaten i21) 0-40 
Mahu-Oya-Tank, 
Mr. Vaiidersiraaten 
(190) • Nil 
N.-W. Phovince. 
Magalawewa, Mr. Gunaratna 
(176) .. 1-90 
Maha Uswewa tank, Mr 
Crabh (160) ... 0 85 
Tenepitiya, Mr. 
Himmoiw (») ... 1-3-43 
Batalagoda, Mr. Madaiiapola 
---04 
N.-C. PROviNCa. 
Kalawewa, (268) Mr. 
Carson 
N.l 
(91 
Nd 
Kayts, Mr. Kretser 
(8) 
Kankesauiutai, Mr. 
Adams (10) 
Pallai, Mr. Silva 
(24> •• ^'^^ 
Murlkandy . (North-Central 
Eoad)Mr. Siva — Mil 
Neduiil cnl, Mr. Saamukaro 
(1^^) . „ - 
Chav.ikaP.hche.n, Mr. 
Si va (16) 
Udiuiidds Mr. Hastings 
Marichchuki.a.ii, (14) Mr. 
Th:i'i.io-.haraaipillay — 
Murunsan, Mr. 
B echingbera; - ^'i- 
■Vavuniya Mr. Sanraukam 
(318) 
Southern Province. 
Nil 
Nil 
Nil 
Nl 
Nil 
Nil 
Ella Vella (262) Mr. 
Pmith 
10-83 
Kekauadura, (150) do 13-79 
Denagnma, (2rt6) do 10-01 
U.iiikiriwiia :yr. Lourcn-z 
(■235) •• 6()0 
Kirama, Mr. Ismul ('Z60)16-7( 
Uali-oi.i ''200) Mr. Smith 10-60 
Tissamahax-ama, Not 
received (7b) ... — 
Maradankada^vala, Mr. 
Carscu (443) ... 0-29 
Mihintale, Mr MacBride 
(.354) ... Nil 
Horowapotana, Mr. 
M icBn. e (217) ... Nil 
Madawachchiya, Mr. 
MacBride (285) ... Nil 
Topare, (-.'00) Mr. 
Jay wardane .. Nil 
Miuneriya — Mr. Eves NU 
UVA Provinck. 
Bandaraweta. Mr. 
Tocke (4,38 )) ... 1-35 
Haldumuiulla, Mr. Vir.i- 
nrua (3,160) ... Nil 
Kumbukan, (446) 
Mr.Wiierson ... 0-57 
Koslanda, (2,253) 
vlr. Kijierauu ... Nil 
Tjinamiil^ila, Not 
received (530) .. — 
SaBAraq.WIUWa. 
Ambanpitiya, Mr. 
Caldictt (7-39) 16-67 
Pelmadu'la, Mr. Clar e 
(408) 43-49 
Kolonna Korale (Hnlania- 
oya) (203) N 't Received — 
Avissawella, Mr. Jfffery 
(106) 215 
CHINA TEA PROSPECTS. 
The Hongkong Daily Pres.s of 4th July- 
has the follo-vving interesting- deliverance : — 
Experts in tea are agreed that the desiderata 
to retrieve the fortunes of the China tea trade 
are improved cultivation and manipulation, and 
a reduction in the cost of pi-oductiou. " So long, 
however," says Mr. Hughes in his Kiukiang (Cus- 
toms report, " as the present heavy taxation ex- 
ists in China all along the route from the place 
of origin to the point of shipment— a taxation 
amounting to about 2.5 per cent, of the cost, whilst 
the tea of other countries (India, Cej'lon, etc.) are 
free of duty, neither the improvement of the leaf 
nor the reduction of tlie original cost can be rec- 
koned as prime factors in the question. The 
wonder is that an article so heavily handicappe(i 
as China tea is, in the matter of duty and taxes, 
should still hold a respectable place in the world's 
markets and still retain such a large share of for- 
eign patronage. It would almost seem as if, even 
without any other alteration in the present state 
of affairs, China tea, with a wise removal of, 
say, half its fiscal burdens, could hold its 
ovvn with its modern rivals, to the im- 
mense benefit of the Chinese (Government and 
people." The 25 per cent, mentioned by Mr. 
Hughes as the amount of taxation to which Kiu- 
kiang tea is subjected is somewhat less than the 
amount given by competent authorities at otlier 
ports. Mr. Brenan, in the Canton Consular re- 
port for 1897, placed the fi.gure at 35 per cent., 
while Mr. Cass, of Amoy, in a review of the tea 
trade supplied by him to the Consvil and incor- 
porated in the 1896 reported, said the reason for 
the decline was not far to seek : the entire crop 
realised .'§136,000, while the lekin paid amounted 
to 120,000 and the export duty to $35,000, or a 
total of $.55,000, considerably more than one-third 
of the value of the tea. The result is that at 
Amoy the tea trade has practically ceased to exist. 
The latest market report in the same paper 
is of interest : — 
Shanghai, 3rd July.— (FromMessrs.WelchLewis 
& Co.'s Circular.) — Our last " printed " tea market 
advices were under date 16th instant. From Han- 
kow -we hear of an active demand from Russian 
houses for second crop Black Teas from the Liang 
Hu districts at prices which make early purchases 
of first crop Teas look cheap. 
Green Tea. — It is perhaps a matter for congra- 
tulation to find that the fear of rejection bj' the 
United States Customs Inspectors is no longer op- 
pressing the dealings in good sound common Teas, 
and it is hardly to be wondered at that the craving 
for common Teas, in most of the consuming cen- 
tres should cause inflated prices here. Fine Teas 
are comparatively nea-lected, but lines which were 
going- a begging last year at Tls. 12/14 are now 
eagerly taken at Tls. 20/21, and the lowest quota- 
tion for " skin " is Taels 14 a picul. We must not 
forget to say that there is no suspicion of adulter- 
ation about these Teas, and they are all sweet 
drawing. At the same time if these prices continue 
the supply of common Tea will be largely in- 
creased. 
From the table of exports we see tliat tlie 
comparison in the case of shipments to the 
United Kingdom is as follows : — 
Black, 
lb. 
... 8,-380,059 
Total to 
Do. 
Do. 
date, 
1899 
1898 
1897 
5,914,986 
7,.538,126 
Green, 
lb. 
7,064 
10,068 
20,019 
To North America, on the other hand, there 
is a slight falling-ott" this season so far, as 
also in the direct shipments to Russia, 
