Oct. ], 1899.] 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST 
25?) 
PLANTING IN PEKAK. 
( From thePerak Administration Report for 1S9S. ) 
LiBERiAN Coffee. — Continued and continuing 
low prices make this cultivation at present un- 
profitable. The natives are practically abandon- 
ing their small gardens, but European and 
Chinese j lanters are exhibiting the pluck of tiie 
old Ceylon planters and are planting up with Para 
and other rubbers, coconuts and other products, 
and waitin£j for better times for coffee. Probably 
greater care and more experience in curing and 
packing Native States coffee will eventually 
secure a better price for in the home markets. 
Para KUBTiEU.— This product is being cultivated 
tea large extent. From the Government gardens 
32,000 seeds and 59,718 seedings were sold, and 
the Forest Department has extensive nurseries. 
The rubber flourishes in Perak, and tlie samples 
from the Government gardens obtained good 
quotations in London. His Highness the Sultan 
has applied for a reserve of 15,000 acres fur Gutta 
Rambong, and proposes to form a company 
amongst native gentlemen. 
SugAr has received a considerable im^ietus 
climate, labour supply and silver currency favour- 
ing it. Inclusive of reserves, 11,000 acres of land 
for sugar cultivation, in the Lower Perak District, 
were granted on special to the Penang Sugar 
Estates Company, which Company has also 
acquired a portion of the Gula Company's sugar 
estate in the Matang District and is buy- 
ing up padi land, for sugar culture, from 
native owners. This Company is said to meditate 
inauguratin? the central factory system, which 
had proved successful in the West Indie?. Chinese 
planters have also acquired extensive areas for 
this cultivation in Matantr, and are also buying 
up padi land from the natives. 
Coconuts. — This product has continued to be 
in favour with plarjters, and the establishment 
of a large mill and factory in Singapore will en- 
courage the industry. During the year 3,280 
acres of land for coconuts were alienated to a 
British concessionaire in the Lower Perak District, 
and Chinese and natives are extending their plan- 
tations, especially in Matang. Ihe coconut palm 
flourishes luxuriantly in Perak, and is currently 
reported to be more prolific than in Ceylon. There 
has for long been a controversy as to whether 
sugar-cane can be grown in the neighbourhood of 
coconut palms without a danger of breeding the 
beetles which are so inimical to the latter. The 
Curator has recently published an exhaustive 
treatise on the subject, which goes to shew the 
innocence of the cane. 
Pepper. — High prices have encouraged natives 
and Chinese to re-open and extend their planta- 
tions. In Matang particularly there lias been 
activity among the Achinese pepper planters. 
Ramie. — A considerable concession of land was 
made to some foreign concessionaires in the Larut 
District, but operations have not yet commenced. 
It is hoped that ramie may soon rank in the 
list of products successfully cultivated in this 
State. 
Rice.— The Padi harvest was, on the whole a 
fair one. Krian still takes the lead, but the high 
price of rice has caused considerable extension of 
padi cultivation in the Matang, Lower Perak and 
Kuala Kangsar Districts. 
Irrigation.— The Krian Irrigation Scheme, 
under consideration for some years past, is now 
under way. Mr. RON Anderson, formerly Per- 
sonal Assistant to the State Engineer, and since 
33 
appointed Irrigation Eugineer, revised and coin- 
pleted previous reports and estimates, and a final 
report having been received from the Hon. A Mur- 
ray, Colonial Engineer, Straits Settlements, whose 
services were kindly lent by His Excellency the 
Acting Governor, a provisiontil estimate of $!65'6,000 
has been sanctioned, and work has been commenced. 
The acreags commanded by the scheme is reck- 
oned at 63,000 acres, and the estimate includes 
drainage and the supply of water for domeaiic 
purposes. 
TEA IN THE PHILIPPINES. 
Yet another rival for Ceylon is looming 
in the far fnture in the matter of tea cul- 
tivation. What place should this be, but 
those interesting islands, the Philippines, 
the resources of which have as yet been 
gauged only in a very small degree. The 
following cutting is one which appears pro- 
inineutly on the front page of the Manila 
American, of date August 9th :— 
TEA CULTURE WILL BE TRIED. 
A Ch ino named Yee Ah Hing, said to be a 
wealthy tea merchant of Formosa, intends to see 
If tea culture can not be profitably carried on In 
the Philippines. Conditions for the successful 
growth of tea plant are said to be fully as 
favorable here as in Ceylon. It is claimed that 
Yee Ah Hing is negotiating for a large tract of 
land on the island of Negros and will go into the 
business of raising tea there on a big scale. 
But we learn, by the mail which brought the 
paper above-named, from a Manila gentleman 
formerly in Ceylon, that China teas will not 
make much headway if Ceylon seed is im- 
ported quickly. He says he has ;i,dvised 
the Government not to allow the Chinamen 
to import China seed, owing to the inferiority 
of the tea grown in the Celestial Empire. 
He is himself importing good jat seed from 
Ceylon and will do his best to prevent the 
cultivation of inferior tea being inaugurated. 
If the Government at Manila are inclined to 
agree to this, Ceylon planters should have a 
good market for seed in thatcity, if indeeda few 
of the said planters do not go and start plan- 
tations at once, as soon as peace is assured over 
the hulk of the islands. Today Reuter's news 
is to the effect that General Otis has applied 
the Chinese exclusion law to the Philippines ; 
and we presume that the Philippine Gov- 
ernment will not be loth to act still further 
in the spirit of this regulation, and exclude 
the introduction of China tea for cultivation. 
^ — — 
EILA TEA COMPANY OF CEYLON 
LIMITED. 
REPORT. 
The following is the directors' repori : — 
The Directors have to snbmit their Heport and 
Acoounts for the year ending 30th June, 1899. 
The Crop on Eila Estate was 43,314 lb. and on 
Kanangama 4,160 lb. short of the estimates, but the 
unfavourable sea.son may be considered to be the main 
cause of the deficiency. On Eila also the easy treat- 
ment of the bashes referred to in the last report has 
been continued. 
The total amount of Tea manufactm-ed was 357,852 
lb, and the cost of production includir^ the purchase 
of 101,299 lb. of green leaf wa<J 23-0(5 ots per lb. 
The average price of the Tea after estimating the 
vftlue of that unsold was for the two Estates 33"11 cts. 
per lb. as against 28-58 cts. for last season. Every 
