Feb. 1 , 1899.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
541 
require ueuts of the trade, partly because they are 
so difEciilt'to get wd of by the retailer. It seeroed 
now as if most of the Fupplie3 wei-e exhausted, and 
the Planter, in many cases, dropped back upon 
native chests, but the contractors coald not 
grow the timber, and had to rely upon inferior 
growths, the result of which was, and is 
that, for some time past, there has been a cry of 
"cheesy" teas, — an appalling and lamentable effect 
of somo oiiinoss in the wood. Then it was that 
" Veneer " of three-ply was tliought of for tea 
chests, and many thousand ingenious packages have 
been thrown upon the Colombo market. Success for 
the time being crowned the efforts of those respon- 
sible for tho3o packages, but, in my opinion, strong, 
light and beautiful as Veneer undoubtedly is, no 
material of thii nature of less than a quarter of an 
inch in thickness is capable of withstanding;; the rough 
usage that full-sized tea chests are undoubtedly ex- 
posed to in transp 'rt, lading, and delivery over the 
ship's aide. 
Now my object in touching upen this subject is to 
Bend you a Ntw "Veneer" package, which, as far as 
I know, meets the tea growers requirements in 
every respect. This package is called " The Colindia". 
The wood is cut from Canadian maple, the cement — 
which binds the ply together — is a secret composition, 
the thickness of the material makes the sti'ength 
of the box equal to an inch plank in resistance. It 
is extremely light and packa in its outer case as 
snugly as a box of child's bricks. You will see the 
sides are made strong, rigid, and waterproof at the 
comer?, by a continuous steel f istener (patented) 
which is held together by clenched nails. The bot- 
tom is very strongly attached, as the nails are 
driven into an oak batten, which is, in turn, clenched 
on. The tea cannot come into contact with any 
wood, the lining being welded and whole. The tare, 
a most important, matter, is perfectly even, the 
lid easily removed, and its lightness and com- 
pactness for shipment saves a power of freight ! 
Thsse packages are -being sent out to Colombo 
and Calcutta in large quantities, eleven complete 
" Colindians " vrith two extra ends., nails and in- 
structions complete being sent in every outer chest, 
which, when empty, is ready for use as a tea 
chest. 
I suppose an advertisement will appear in your 
paper in due course, giving prices and agents names, 
(fee; but I would »sk you to pass your own judgment 
upon this package, sincerely wishing it " bon voy- 
age," and a speedy return to the old country 
filled with and preserving in good conlition your 
excellent teas for the thirsty British millions. 
I would only add my own best wishes for Ceylon's 
continued prosperity, and a Happy Xew Year to 
yourself and all old friends. 
THE 
CRYPTOGAMIST'S REPORT ON 
THE CACAO DISE.-\SE. 
{Communicated hij a Practical Planter.) 
At (irst glance the penisal of Mr. J. B, Car- 
rutlier.s' coiicludinf,' re|iurt on the cacao funi^i, 
tlie result of twelve inoaili.s' careful observation 
and experiment, appears extremely satisfactory. 
The life history of tlie fungi has been traced, 
the canses which favour their growth arc; related 
ill detail, the time of year at wliicli they are 
most pievalent pointed out, and tlie period when 
rcnipilial nieasur(:>; c in be most successfully em- 
jiloyed clearly sla'.el. It would seem to be im- 
possible for tiiose interested iu cacao ciiliivalion 
to require any further help. 
Hat further consideration tends rather lo show 
that, though the cryptogaiiiist's work has b.;on 
w lliorougli, we ai'e still very far from being able 
to say that llie cacao enterprise is savetl from 
the extinction which threatened it. The more 
.sanguine among.st us may be mi.3led perliaps bv 
our own success iu ap|dying ren.edies over a 
Junited area ; others may point triumpiiantl v to 
the export hgures as proof of tlie disease having 
been already reduced : such hopes are delusive. 
J. lie mere adoption of remedial measures on .some 
estates witii the consequent more careful cultiva- 
tion which these entail, should naturally result 
in a larger yield of crop fram the healthy trees 
and so balance the Joss entailed by the destruc- 
tion of those diseased. The last experiments 
made by the cryptogamist, even if they prove 
tlie bark fungus and the pod fungus to be totally 
(lis met species and nob only varieties produced 
by the difference of the food they prey upon only 
point to the necessity for the very closest at- 
tention to the lir.st appearance of disease on either 
the tree or the fruit, .since the canker in the bark 
may very rapidly produce disease in the pods. 
We are not told on how many estates remedial 
measures are now being employed : it is much to 
be feared _ that very many planters still ncdcct 
to incur either the necessary trouble or expense. 
And how few have the courage to fully adopt 
the advice given as to the removal of super- 
fluousslmile, or even to attempt by better drainine; 
to get rid of excessi damp ? ' 
Mr. Carruthers tells us very clearly how easily 
the disease is spread from one place to another 
by various agencies -wind, rain, insects etc — 
and in many cases through dead branches and 
stem.s being thrown into streams and carried 
away to estates below. To these agencies must 
Burely be added the clothing of coolies. It will 
thus be seen that, even if all planters worked 
togetliei- to combat the disease, tlie task involved 
IS one requiring both intelligent care and pro- 
longed perseverance. And , ina.smuch as there are 
men aiiiongst us whose ideas of cacao cultivation 
are limited to the gatherin? of as much crop as 
possible with the smallest exjiense necessary, and 
who areinorepenuiioQseven than the much-despised 
villager, it is clear that no permanent imp-es- 
sioii can be made on the disease without legis- 
lative com inilsion. And when we consider the 
very large amount of cacao grown in every 
district, m the hands of natives, fully half of 
which IS maintained merely a.s a cloak for con- 
cealing their habitual thefts from uei'^hbourintT 
estates, it is obvious that Government inter'' 
ference will have to contend witli widesoread 
opposition. The cryptogamist mentions the case 
of a native garden, entirely destroyed by the 
fungus, in which the trees had been left standing 
and had infected an adjoining estate, 
type of what may be expected all 
island, wherever cacao has 
planted. 
This IS a 
over the 
at any time been 
The suggestions made as to planting seed from 
Bpring-bearing trees, so a.s to reduce the pod 
disease which is most severe in the later and 
wetter months, and as to the cultivation of the 
hardier types of Forastero cacao de.serve most care- 
ful at!ention. The advantage of having crop to 
ripen in the sunny months, wdien the drying of 
the iieans in tUc open air would result" iirim- 
proved prices, is so obvious that it is surpris- 
ing the plan has not been before this generally 
adopted. As regards the planting of I^irasterd, 
the writer in January hist called attention to 
the dise.ase having attacke.l some of the Forastero 
trees growing in the Ilenaratgoda i'.otanic Gardens, 
and a is evident that very careful soleetiou of 
