jiN. 2, 1899.] 
THE TROPICAL 
AGEICULTCJRIST. 
459 
THE WANT OF GOOD TEA IN 
ENGLISH HOUSEHOLDS. 
A visitor to England after an absence of 
some years, makes the following remarks as the 
result of his observations : — 
"One thing I have to note. It ia observed that 
the taste of tea has much deteriorated in England 
notwithstanding the enormous quantities consumed 
and all the facilities for obtaining good teas. To whom 
do we owe such state of things? To the 'Blenders'! 
It is a problem in many households where to go to 
find good tea, and that ia a remark I heard set forth 
by many people." 
"Drink pure Ceylon tea" ought to be pleached 
up and down tiie old country along with a recom- 
mendation to deal only with firms supplying pure 
tea and to have nothing to do with " blends." 
CEYLON TEA FOR RUSSIA: 
GOOD NEWS. 
We learn that the Russian buyers have been 
buying freely in the Colombo market for some 
time, and as four distinct lirms are establishing 
branches in Colombo, it is evident that they mean 
" business," and see a future in the Colombo 
traile. If we aie not greatly mistaken our direct 
exports to Russia next year will show a very 
considerable increase. Our informant has heard 
" 10 million lb." estimated as probable, and he 
adds,—" I really don't think this will be far out." 
■ «> 
EUROPEAN LIFE IN THE TROPICS. 
The series of papers which, under the title of 
" The Control of the Tropics," Dr. Benjamin Kidd 
lately contributed to the London Times, have 
attracted a good deal of attention and have now 
been published in a separate form. This volume 
has provoked considerable difference of opinion 
among critics ; but perhaps the most interesting 
contribution m.ade to the discussion is a letter 
from the well-known Naturalist, Alfred R. 
Wallace. We republish nearly all of this 
letter in our daily and Tropical Agricul- 
turist and pronounce ic well worth read- 
in". Dr. Wallace, speaking from his own ex- 
peTience of twelve years, chiefly in the Eastern 
Archipelago, denies that life in the tropics is 
inimical to Europeans, while he shows how 
distin -tly benelicial it is in many cases. What 
he tells us of the good health of Dutch families 
settled for '200 years in the Moluccas is ot interest ; 
and, of course, tlit history of the West 
Indies shows how far European settlement can be 
carried in the tropics. It is needless to say that we 
fully agree with most of Dr. Wallace's state 
ments in contravention of Mr. Kidd's views. Some 
striking illustrations of the fact that residence and 
hard work in the trooics are compatible witli good 
health among Europeans, can be furnished from 
Ceylon. The case of Mnjor Skinner with his fifty 
years of active life here and his retirement at 63 
years in splendid health, is the first that is sug- 
gested to us. The Rev. Wm. Oakicy of the 
C.MS, gave o2 years of his life to Ceylon 
without intermi.'ision. Col. Watson'was here about 
05 years. Our relative and predecessor in the 
Observer with 55 years' residence,, much of it 
Bjjeut iu sedentary, mental labour, and dying in 
Colombo at the good old a^e of 76 years, is 
another case ; and Mr. A. M. Ferguson often said 
that he did not believe he could have enjoyed 
such continuously good health had he remained 
in his native Highlands of Scotland. The same is 
true to a lesser degree in our owncase with 37 years 
of residence ; and from our biograpliies of 
"planting pioneers" not a few colonists can 
be named who have laboured in Ceylon — within 
seven degrees of the equator — with exceptionally 
good health for 2.S to 40 years. Two notable 
cases occur to us as we write— Mr. John Stephens 
of Dolosbage, who lately celebrated his 82nd 
birthday here, arrived in Ceylon on the 25th July 
1841, and has since spent not more than 7 
yeais out of the Colony ; and still more re- 
markable is Mr. W.B. Lamont, coffee, coconut, and 
tea planter, wlio arrived on 17th February 1841, 
and has not been away from Ceylon more than 
twelve months in the well nigh 58 years which 
have passed since he first saw Ceylon. Both 
these gentlemen still reside in the island. 
As to the second and even third generation 
of Europeans prospering in Ceylon we have also 
abundance of evidence, only as a rule, it is indis- 
pensable to robust health ami due moral and 
mental trainin;^ that children should spend ten or 
more years in the motherland. As- to Dutch 
families, we are aware that there are several in the 
island who claim a pure descent from settlers who 
arrived from Holland 150 or more years ago, and 
who have maintained a very satisfactory average 
of health in the low hot country of Ceylon. Among 
Europeans, indisputably robust health is chiefly 
found among jjlanters and public officers whose 
work and residence are in our mountain regions 
from 1,600 feet and upwards above the sea. But that 
is no wonder ; because our Ceylon hill-districts 
from 4,000 feet and upwards include the flnest 
climate in the world — with an average annual 
temperature of from 57' to 65° against an average 
of 81° at Colombo by the seaside. 
CEYLON TEA IN AUSTRIA AND 
HUNGARY. 
Mr, James Ryan, of Dimbula, sends the 
"Thirty Coraniiutee" a very perspicuous and 
readable Report on the condition and prospects of 
our staple throughout the Austro-Hungarian 
Empire. Mr. Ryan's experiences in Vienna re- 
mind us of our own in the same city — duly reported 
and for which we had the thanks of the P anters' 
Association— in 1891. But a considerable change 
for the better has evidently taken place in the 
seven years and Mr. Ryan is able to adopt an 
encouraging tone as to the future, while he 
make? sensible suggestions as to the best way of 
ex|)editing the general demand for Ceylon tea. 
Mr. Ryan did not visit Carlsbad— the great Bohe- 
mian wateiing-place— where he would have found 
20,000 to 30,000 visitors drinking nothing bub 
tea, and very good tea, as part of the "cure" 
Here in 1891, we were liatly told by one of the 
largest dealers there was no such thing as 
"Ceylon tea" and he was very much astonished 
when we promptly produced a sample. This, how- 
ever, he tested and welcomed as representing a new 
and good tea. We f[uitc'agi ee with Mr. Ryan that 
an ellbrt should be made to secure a reduction 
of iluty both ill Austria and Russia — the Ger- 
man standnril of Od being taken as a model iu 
the lirst instance— and also to disseminate useful 
information ou th« subject of Ceylon tea, 
