698 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [April 2, 1900, 
Six years later, in 1899, we have an 
estimated area under tea of 375,000 acres— 
an increase of 100,000— while the total export 
of tea reached to 129,854^156 lb. (above the 
estimate, but) an increase of less than 45i 
millions over 1893. We are aware that this 
is a very rough mode of institviting a com- 
parison, and that much importance cannot 
be attached to our figures in support of any 
theory. Still, their suggestiveness is un- 
deniable ; and if they lead some of our 
' tea " authorities among proprietors, visiting 
agents, managers and thoughtful mercantile 
observers, to ponder the subject-matter, our 
purpose will be fully served. 
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT IN 
JAMAICA. 
The Report pt the Committee respectin}? 
the Esfcablishment of an Agricultural Depart- 
ment and an Experimental Station, has appeared. 
We quolet — "For the organization and management 
of this Department there should be constituted a 
Board of Agriculture. It should have the same 
sort of control over the whole Department that 
an ordinary Head of a Department would have, 
subject to the usual control of the Government 
over all Departments, and subject also to the 
Rxing by law or by the Government of any func- 
tions of any Branch of the Department. The 
Board should consist of :— (1) The Director of 
Public (jiardens, ex officio. (2) The Agricultural 
Chemist, ex-officio. (3) A person appointed by 
the Governor on the nomination of the Managing 
Body of the Agricultural Society, (4) Six mem- 
hers appointed by the Governor and holding office 
during his pleasure, one of whom should be an 
elecced member of the Legislative Council. Of 
these six members two should retire annually in 
the order of their appeintment, but be eligible for 
re-appointment. (5) The Commissioner of the 
Imperial Agricultural Department of the West 
Indies should be ex-officio a member of the Board 
to enable him to attend the meetings of the Board 
on his visits to the island. The Chairman of the 
Board should be annually appointed hy the Gover- 
nor from among the members of the Board, The 
Governor should have power to give leave of ab- 
sence to any member of the Board, and to appoint 
a person to act in his place during his absence. 
Provision should be made for paying the travelling 
expenses of country members of the Board in at- 
tending meetings. The Board shall meet at least 
once monthly, three members to be a quorum. 
The present Secretary of the Agricultural So- 
ciety should be the Secretary of the Board. The 
powers and duties of the Board should be : — (1) To 
cdrrelate and re-distribute the work of the subor- 
dinate Branches as opportunity offers, and to cre- 
ate new agencies and direct new efforts in any 
line of Agricultural progress. (2) To make ar- 
rangements for the carrying out by any Branch 
of the Department of instructions received from 
the Government ; or for the. discharging of any 
duties imposed upon the Board by Law affecting 
Agriculture. (3) To consider and report to the 
Government upon any matter affecting agricul- 
ture seeming to the Board to need consideration 
or action, (4) To be the channel of connnunica- 
tion between any Branch of the Department and 
the Government. (5) To receive the annual es- 
timates gI the different Branches, to consider, to 
alter if necessary, and to confirm them, and to 
forward them to the Government, together with 
estimates for its own expenditure. The Chairman 
of the Board should be the asconnting officer for 
the (lireet expenditure of the Board ; and some 
member of the present Staff of the Department 
under tlie Director of Public Gardens should be 
l!ie Clerk ia clpirge of the accounts. (6) To 
make iisown annual report to the Governmenr, 
and to forward to the Government the Reports of 
tlie subordinate Branches of the Department, either 
separately or incorporated witii its own report." 
Dr. Morris concurs in all this and a great deal 
more, for instance : — "The Departments and Agen- 
cies to be brought into immediate organic relation 
with the Board, and to have their work more or 
less combined under the Board for Agricultural 
purposes are: -(I) The Department of Public 
Gardens. (2) The Government Laboratory. (3) 
The Agricultural Society. (4) The Experiment 
and Teaciiing Station to be created at the Hope 
University College though not a Department will 
require to he brought into close relations with the 
Experiment and Teaching Station. The manage- 
ment of the Teaching Station should be under uie 
general control of the Board, but the detailed 
carrying out of plans should be under the direction 
of a body to be called ' The Station Committee.' 
This Committee should coni5ist of: — (1) The Di- 
rector of Public Gardens. (2) The Principal of 
University College. (3) The Agricultural Che- 
mist. (4) The member of the Board nominated 
by the Agricnltural Society. (5) Any other spe- 
cially qualihed person whom the Board, after re- 
ciiving the advice of the Station Committee, may 
appoint." 
HOW TO REDUCE THE CEYLON 
TEA CROP: 
A PRACTICAL SUGGESTION. 
March 10. 
Sir,— With reference to "Tea Farmer" 's 
letter (see page 708) I beg to put before 
you a scheme for curtailing our crop by 10 per 
cent, without resorting to the need of letting 
our estates "lie faJlow," etc., and, moreover, 
one which will affect all growers equally. 
In short the idea is to raise the present "cess" 
to one or two cents per lb. and utilize the 
revenue secured to pay for the tea withdraAvn 
from export or sale locally. 
(1) Forargurnent, say.the outpnfcis 100 million lb. 
for 1900. 
(2) Prices are supposed to have "touched 
bottom," i.e., are only equal to cost of production. 
(3) Granted that a shortage of 10 per cent, will 
more than raise the average price a like amount, 
when 
(4) No further expense for " booming " Ceylon 
tea will be necessary. 
Now, the present " cess" at one-fifth cent per lb* 
on 100 million lb. produces R200,000 reventte ; 
and at one cent per lb. do. Rl, 000,000 do. 
This would purchase— 
3 million lb. tea at 33^ cents per lb. 
4 do do 25 do do 
6 do do 20 do do 
and, should we submit to two cents per lb. cess, 
would purchase six, eight or ten million lb. 
per annum. 
Each estate would be obliged to provide for sale, 
at the price fixed, an average break assessed as 
regards quantity by the "Thirty Committee," 
CP. A., and the tea so secured would be destroyed, 
or used as manure at their discretion. 
