Dec. ], 1899,] THE TEOPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
393 
of exports, which enables ns to pay for our extensive 
imports, and that may be affected. This is one of the 
problems which Federation will open up in the pro- 
bably not distant fntiire, and it bids fair not only to at 
fome important points direct employment into other 
chuDDels, but gradually to alter the system of taxation. 
We shall have in the futnre to depend less npon Cus- 
toms duties ; more upon excise and direct taxation, 
AS is now the case in all the older countries of the 
world. In a country differing so vastly as Northern 
aud Southern Australia there are a number pro- 
blems of a similar nature which are bound to arise. 
ENGLISH TEaT^MPOKT DUTY. 
The following is the return forwarded to us by the 
Planters' Association of Ceylon. It was unavoid- 
ably crowded out from the Observer on Monday : — 
1801-04 
1805-C9 
a ^ 
>.s • 
G s. a 
ts o.a 
& 
lb. 
24 016,235 
23,3?5,495 
1810-14 24,261,949 
1815-19 24,997,373 
1820-24 26 956,571 
1825-29 29,402,033 
1830-34 31,678,328 
1835-39 36,764,065 
1840-44 37,588,274 
1846-49 47,20",093 
1860-54 56,124,305 
1855-59 69,000,000 
1360-64 82,0 0,i 00 
1865 96,000,0('0 
1866 97,681,000 
1867 104,628,C00 
1868 99,3.9,000 
•3.2 S 
lb. 
d. s. 
7 3 
O 'i 3 
l| 3 
2 
2 
d. 
0 
Oi 
10 
5i 
2i 
H 
lb. 
24,016,235 1 7 
23,325,493 3 0 
24,264,940 3 1 
24,997,'i73 3 11 
26,956,571 2 9. a 
29,402,033 2 5i 2 
31,678,328 2 2i 3 
36,764,065 2 0^ 1 S 
37,588,274 2 2i 1 10§ 
47.200,09? 2 2i 1 1 
66,124,305 2 ~ 
69,00 i,0f0 1 
82,000,000 1 
96,000,000 0 
4,584,' 00 102,265,000 0 
6,360,000 110,988 000 0 
7,746,000 106,815,000 0 
i8f9 lOLOSOjoOO ll',716,O0O 111,796,000 0 6 
1870 104,051,000 13,500,000 117,551,000 0 6 
1871 109,445,( OJ 13,956,000 123,401,000 0 6 
1872 111,065,000 16,6.56,000 127,661,000 0 0 
1873 111,665,000 20,216,0liO )3!,881,000 0 6 
1874 118,751,000 18,528,000 137,279,' CO 0 6 
1875 122,107,000 23,22 ',000 145,327,000 0 6 
1876 123,364)000 25,740,000 149,104,000 0 6 
1877 123,300,000 27,814,000 151,114.000 0 6 
1878 120,652,000 36,744,000 157,396,000 0 6 
1879 126,310,100 34,092,000 16",432,000 0 6 
1880 114,4S5 000 43,836,000 158,3'»1, 000 0 6 
1881 111,715,000 48,336,000 160,051,000 0 6 
1882 114,462,000 50,496,^00 164,958,000 0 6 
■•1883 111,78",000 68,0' 0,000 179,780,000 0 6 
1884 110,843.000 82,117,000 193,060,000 0 6 
1886 113,514,000 e8,895,000 182,409,0C0 0 6 
1886 104,226,000 74,665,000 178,891,000 0 6 
1887 90,508,000 93,053,000 183,561,000 0 6 
80,653,000 104,763,000 185,416,000 0 6 
61,10-,000 124,500,000 185,600,000 0 
57,530,337 136,478,155 194,008,492 0 
62,287,304 150,169,533 202,456,837 0 
31,483,408 172,63i>,296 207,113,704 0 
35,735,722 172,361,663 208,097,385 0 
25,805,313 188,535,731 214,341,044 0 
31,433,014 19i.f67,123 221,80 ',137 0 
24,549,936 203,235,375 227,785,509 0 
21,372,030 21(1,027,748 231,399,778 0 
19,512,000 215,902,096 235,414,105 0 
vrs 
< 
lb. oz. 
1 8 
1 6 
1 6 
1 4 
1 4 
1 5 
1 0 
1 7 
1 6 
1 
2 
2 
1888 
18S9 
1890 
1891 
1892 
1893 
1894 
1895 
1896 
1897 
1893 
11 
1 
8 
2 27 lb 
3-00 „ 
3-42 „ 
3-08 „ 
3-52 ,, 
3-63 „ 
3-81 „ 
3- 92 „ 
4- 01 „ 
4-11 „ 
4-22 „ 
4-43 „ 
4-49 „ 
4-50 „ 
4 64 ., 
4-68 „ 
4-57 „ 
4-58 „ 
4-69 „ 
4-82 „ 
4- 90 „ 
5- 06 „ 
4- 92 „ 
5*(2 „ 
5- 03 „ 
4- 99 „ 
5- 17 „ 
5-36 „ 
5-43 ,, 
5-41 „ 
5-52 „ 
5 65 „ 
5-73 „ 
5-81 „ 
not 
avilable 
Average prices of Indian and Ceyxon Teas in Bond 
from 1881 to 1894. 
Years. 
Indian. 
Ceylon. 
Tears 
s. d. 
s. d. 
1881 
1 5 
0 llf 
, 1888 
1882 
1 3 
1 Oi 
. 1889 
1883 
1 2^ 
1 3i . 
. 1890 
1884 
1 1^ 
1 2i . 
. 1891 
1885 
1 H 
1 3i . 
. 1892 
1886 
1 0 
1 H . 
.. 1893 
1887 
0 Hi 
1 1 . 
.. 1894 
Indian, 
s. d. 
0 105 
0 lOi 
0 101 
0 lOJ 
0 10 
0 9i 
0 Si 
Ceylon. 
8. d. 
0 llj 
0 Hi 
0 11 
0 10 
0 n 
0 9" 
0 84 
» The importation of Ce.\lon tea in large quiintities cora- 
wenced In 1883. 
TEA GROWING IN MEXICO. 
About 300 Japanese colonists located two 
years ago in the southern part of Oaxaca, 
near Jirnillepec under authority of a conces- 
sion granted by the Mexican Government, 
The colony has been experimenting in tea- 
growing and has made such a success that 
6,000 more Javanese men and their families 
are to be brought to Mexico to join the 
original colon v. — Glasgotc Weekly Mail, 
Sept. 23. 
^ 
A VISIT TO THE SEYCHELLES. 
IMPRESSIONS OF A CEYLONESE. 
Mr. J. K. Dissanaike, who returned to Ceylon 
the other day by the steamer '' Khandalla " from 
Bombay, is a son of Modaliyar A. Dissanaike, the 
retired President of the Village Tribunals. After a, 
course of training at the Ceylon Technical College 
and after some experience in survey and other con- 
nected work, under Government, he left two years 
ago for the Seychelles islands, accompanied by, and 
as assistant to, Mr. Waddell, of the Ceylon P. W. D., 
who was seconded for service in these islands in the 
construction and repairing of roada and otherwise 
improving the internal communication of the islands. 
Unfortunately, Mr. Waddell had to resign before ha 
conld have accomplished much, owing lo ill-health ; 
but Mr. Dissanaike was able to continue to the end 
of his tevm, the climate (which much resembles that 
of Ceylon) agreeing with him. A correspondent, who 
bad a talk with Mr. Dissanaike, informs us that 
he learned from him that there are now in M^be, 
where the latter was stationed, nearly twelve miles 
of good road, besides many more miles of bridle and 
foot paths, 't he majority of the inhabitants, (Creoles 
and niggers) however, are slow to use them, 
especially for transport purpose, as they are pre- 
judiced in favour of their boats which are called 
" perogues " and which are "gulled." The old roadi 
traversing the island are more like footpaths than 
roads, owing to the steep gradients over which they 
pass, due to the rocky and mountainous nature of 
the islands. 
COnAL MACADAM 
is chiefly used on the roads, with occasionally some 
metal, which is of a very hard character indeed. 
To Mr. Dissanaike the islands presented a very 
lovely and picturesque view as hf. approached them 
by steamer from Bombay and what was most re- 
markable to him was the pretty and varied colour 
of the water within the reefs near the shore, due 
to the coral formations of different tints. The 
view of the town of Mahd from the harbour is also 
very picturesque, dotted as it is with houses and 
other buildings on hilly prominences here and 
there. The houses are built of timber, on raised 
masonry pillars, a few feet above the ground, with 
shingle roofs ; but accidents by tire are very rare. 
With the vegetation of M4he. Mr. Dissanaike was 
quite at home — most of the trees and vegetables 
found in Ceylon growing there, such as cocorute, 
jak, breadfruit, oranges, pineapples, bananas, pink 
apples (jambus), lime, tamarind, sugarcane, manioc, 
sweet potatoes, bandakai, etc. Coffee, cacao, 
cinnamon and cloves also grow there ; but 
the latter two products appear to be 
neglected, especially the cinnamon, the natives not 
knowing how to prepare it for the market, or the 
uses which it is put to. Lime and tamarind, are 
scarcely used by the Creoles and negroes, and con- 
sequently are allowed to rot under the trees. Some 
of the fruit aud vegetables are exposed for sale in 
the town ; but in the interior there i'? very little 
demand for them, except manioc and sweet potatoes, 
which, with fish, is the principal diet of the Creoles 
and niggers. 
COCONUTS, 
too, go very .little into human consumption and are 
phiefly prepared into oil for export ; while a portiop of 
