458 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Jak. 2, \m. 
THE TEA CESS. 
We do not think it advisable to increase tlie 
Tea Cess at this time and for several reasons 
which, we tliink, will \vei;?h with the planting 
community. First and foremost is the tempta- 
tion presented to use the Cess Fund, for pur- 
poses for which oiiginally, it was never intended. 
We have not one word to say against the engage- 
ment of Mr. Kelway-Bamber : on the '-ontrary 
we most highly approve of his mission and 
think it one of the fortunate events of the cur- 
rent year. But we very much question whether, 
with an overllowing exchequer (millions of sur- 
plus revenue) these two years, almo.-it solely 
due to the iiiduence of " tea," one cent of the 
expense of this scientilic and practical investi- 
gation for the henelit of our leading industry, 
should have come out of the Tea yVdverlising Fund. 
And we are quite sure that the very least that 
should have been insisted on— even if the eluiin 
went to the Secretary of State— was that half 
the expense sliould be borne l)y tlie Government. 
So with the Coolgardie Exhibition. Why should 
not the Government of the Colony with revenue 
beyond all piecedent— two millions of rupees 
stuffed into t'le Supply Bill for 18S9, beyond 
what is needful or what cin be in all prob- 
ablity, judiciously expended— come forwanl 
to do justice to rU our Ceylon products, and 
especially to our sta))le product, at this Westralian 
Exhibition ? If the practice of going to the 
Cess Fund for puriioses of this kind, continues, 
the very be-^t evidence in the world will 
be afloriled that the Tea industry of Cey- 
lon in place of standing in need of re- 
lief from Government, is under-taxed, since 
its representatives voluuiaiily undertake pecu- 
niary liabilities wliich, in any other Colony, 
would be borne by the general revenue. Then, 
again, as our contemporary notices, there is 
the fact that while Indian and Ceylon teas are 
equally advertised by Messrs. Mackenzie and 
Blechynden in their American campaign, the 
larger share of the cost has been borne by the 
Ceylon planters, and that there seems no 
means of stirring up all the Indian tea proprietors 
to do their dutiy in this matter. We would say 
tliat in North America henceforward, Ceylon 
should not spend one cent more than India ; 
but rather advance rupee for rupee ; and de- 
vote an increasing part of the Cess Fand to 
the Continent of Europe where the campaign, 
of course, must be on account of " Ceylon teas" 
only. Now we see no reason to doubt that 
tliere will be enough of money for this purpose 
and for other legitimate purposes ; while to in- 
crease the collection would mean to increase 
the temptation to divert funds to purposes 
which are really calculated to relieve the central 
Government of its plain duties and responsibili- 
ties. Next year at the present rate of collection, 
the ceKS should produce from K240,000 to 
K25O,000 ; while the proposal of the Thirty 
Couimittee • is that R60,000 more should be 
taken from the pockets of tea exporters, for the 
• Fund. But we feel sure that, if tlie "Thirty 
Committee" go prudently to work in their ad- 
ministration of the lesser amount, and avoid 
any temptation to divert money from the original 
and only purpose of the fund, there will 
be 110 difficulty iu doing justice to the clniins 
of Europe as of America — to prosecute an active 
campaign in Ku.ssia, Germany. Austro-Hungary 
and France aw well as in the States aud Ciiuada. 
We may be told that Mr. Kelway B<iiiib«-r'8 
niis.'-ion should be prolonged. Mout probably, 
and very de'sirable is such work ; but, if so, let the 
demand for the required additional outlay be 
made in the proper tjuaner. There is Bomethin!; 
ludicrous in the position of the tax-payei8 of 
South Ceylon, and especially of the planters, at 
this time, towanU tlie Executive (jov. rnn.ent. 
The latter ij^noring the necestsities of the staple 
industry and of the populous diulricis which 
lieriodically sutFer from floods in the Ke ani- 
ganga, till u|) an uii|irecedented Supply Bill with 
big voles for new Buildings and Irrigation Works ; 
and this Bill is likely to be allowed to jiass 
without contest ; while some of our planting and 
mercantile leaders even think the occai-ioii is 
opp.i tune for proposing to take some more money 
from the |)ockels of estate proprietors 1 We much 
mistake the signs of the limes if eitlier the Clmm- 
ber of Commerce or I'lanteiK' Association is likely 
to (^auction thi.'^ proposal to increase the Ce^" 
levy on tea. Were there no other reason for 
throwing it out, than the way in which tucli 
an increase could be used in otiicial ciicles both 
here and in Downing Stieet, to show that the 
planters did not feel their ImrdenB but volun- 
tarily agreed to add to them, that risk alone 
should be fatal to the foolish and untimely 
suggestion emanating from the last meeting of the 
"Thirty Committee." 
Cacao Cultivation ani) Di.sKASK.-Our 
columns contain a good deal of useful in- 
formation on this subject. Mr. Carrulhers lias 
acted very wisely in drawing up a few simple 
Rules for the use specially of the village culti- 
vators of cacao and for that reason to be 
translated into Sinhalese and Tamil. But none 
the less are they useful in their coneisene:s as 
a gwide to ordinary planters. Following Mr. 
Philip's letter with these Rules on our sixth 
page will be found an interesting and suggestive 
letter from " A Miscellaneous I'lanler. " He 
pertinently inquires as to the number of cacao 
planters who have followed the very plain advice 
already tendered by Mr. Carruthers in respect 
of shade, thinning out of plants, keeping estates 
clean, &c.; and he winds up by insisting that 
justice is not done eitlier in the Colombo or 
London market to the lietter qualities of our 
Cacao ; and the Produce Committee of the Cejdon 
Association in London are asked to take an» 
interest in the subject. As to improved native 
modes of culture and preparation, agri-horticul- 
tural shows with prizes yearly at each Kachcheri — 
not on an expensive but thoroughly ))ractical scale 
— ought to do much. The theft of Pnedial 
Products is an old complaint; but the Govern- 
ment has recently promised to do all it can to 
check the evil We have a further letter on the 
subject of cacao from a well-known planter, 
received this afternoon. Our correspondent will 
hnd he is forestalled in regard to Rules for 
natives by the prompt action of Mr. Carruthers 
and the Planters' Association. It is certainly an 
important matter, if Mr. Carruthers has to go, 
that Mr. Parkin should continue the cacao dis- 
ease investigations : it is a pity these should be 
iuterrupfed, w hile the rubber experiments though 
important, are by no means in so great a hurry. 
