MAncii ], 1899.] THE TKOPICaL AGRICULTURIST. 
605 
PLANTING IN PSRAK. 
8Iii GRAEME ELPHINSTONIi, BAUT., IN 
THE STRAITS SETTLEMENTS : 
We are \cry pleased to have a cliacty letter 
from the worthy and indefatifjahle Baronet who 
was so long known as a hanlworking planter 
in Ceylon, a pioneer of Diiiibula and, alas ! one 
of the greatest snfferers from tlie havoc played 
by the coffee-leaf fungns. We le.'irned some time 
ago from Mr. Donald Mackay that " liOgie " 
— to (^note the familiar old title — was likely to 
go home this year, to rest after his long s))ell 
of work in the Straits ; hut there is no indication 
of this in the letter before us nor in its require- 
ments in tlie shape of planting manuals and 
current publications. We quote the following 
interesting notes : — 
" Fekak, Jan 21. — Coffoo pric3a has driven th-3 
Straits planters to otlier tropical products, and mauy 
of which products liud here the necessary conditions 
for a successful growth, and the information con- 
tained in your publications is most valuable. Some 
day when I have more time I will send you some 
details of information ia connection with our inrius- 
tries. There is no douht that the Native States 
have a very fine future before them. I mav not live 
to see it, but uncloubtedly there will bo a successful 
development of tropical agriculture. More capital 
and more labor are required, but those will come 
in time. 
" I have read with sorrow the intelligence of the 
deaths of so many of our old and valued friends. 
It seems so sad that men in the (almost) prime of 
life, and in many instances the bread-winners, should 
be taken. Such, however, is a common experience, 
and we who remain behind are warned by these 
sorrows that we must be always in readiness for the 
call when it comes. Witli best wishes, &c." 
We are glad to be able to infer that Sir Graeme 
is in good health and s])irits— his motto like 
that of Edward Thring of [Jppingham would 
seem to be "Life to the end of work and 
work to tiie end of life"; lint we trust there 
will be a time of resting all the same, after 
the appointed work is linished at the Straits, 
PRODUCE AND PLANTING. 
Tea IK THE United St.vtks. — The consumption of 
tea baa not been increasing in the United States. 
An ofnoial statement on the subject gives the follow- 
ing figures for the ten mouths ending Oc ober 31, 
189S : — Imports from United Kingdoin, 2,118,3S2lb ; 
British North America, l,.3i;7,7971b; i hina 22,060,653 
lb; East Indies, 1,633,3771b; Japan, 26,384,2041b; other 
countries, Asia and Oceania, 283,6751b; other conn- 
tries, 8,9711b. This gives a total of 53,887,082 
lb., against a total of 73, 310,1811b. in the correspond- 
ing period iu 1897, during which the imports were 
as follows : — United Kingdom, ■l,379,634ib; British 
North America, 2,li)5,90()lb; China, 38,423,783lb; India, 
1,775,4711b; Japan, 31,961,0801b; other countries, Asia 
and Oceania, 346,0.S91b; other countries, 15,23olb. Here 
18 a falling off of 25, 1'JS, 1191b. in ten months' imports. 
As to the sources of supply, Indian and Ceylon 
planters should note that Japan furnishes 18 per cent, 
of the total supply ; China, ai)Out 41 per cent. 
As the New York correspondent of the Grocer referring 
to those figures says : " There is apparently plenty 
of opportunity for Ceylon and India to dir-place Japan 
and Chinp. tea. It is cartain that the demand for 
British-grown tea is on the increase ; and that the 
efforts of Measrs. Mackenzie and Blechynden, the 
Ceylon and India representatives ot the planters, 
have Oiifjn productive of large results, that will bo 
uioro and more maaifeat as time rolls on." 
7<j 
Bogus Te.a.— Theart of adulteration flourishes under 
nearly all contiitious. Oae would think that it would 
scarcely be wortn while to manufacture bof us tea in 
these days, but when there i=i thi ghost of a chance of 
turning a dishonest ponny the ingeniou.^ cheat seldom 
nnas2.s an opporiiunity. A Belgian chemical paper 
gives particular.-; of a bogus grseu tea v/liich, after 
examination, was found to contain 68 par cent, of 
extraueou'i leaves rolled into a globular shape. Oa 
st.-ieping in water these unrolled L-ss rs.xdily than the 
t£U3 tea. A bluish-grey powder separated from the 
leaves under v/ater, and was found to contain man- 
ganese in addition to the ordinary asb constituents 
but no copper or leid. The microscopic examination 
of the powder led to the conclusion that earth and 
indigo had been ussd to imitate the colour of pure 
tea. In general form the extraneous leaves resembled 
2 hea chmensin, but differed therefrom in microscopic 
character, ao also from Epilohium Vaccinium arctosta- 
phyllos and other known vegetable a.lulterants, and, 
in fact, could not bo botauically idontitiod. 
The Tran.s-Sibeman- Bailwav and Chinese Te\.— 
We know that in China and Russia it is expected 
that the Trans-Siberian Railway will give an impetus 
to the China tea trade. , Wri'ing on the commercial 
aspect of the railway a correspondcat of the Gloha 
says: "Among the many circumstances that m\l 
unquestionably conduce to give Russia an excep- 
tionally advantageous position iu the Chinese 
trade of the future is one that is deserving of special 
consideration. The Chinese tea trade has sugered 
imuicuiely by the rapid development of the tea 
plantations in India and Ceylon. This decline has 
had the most serious consequences both for the 
Chinese themselves and also for the Government, 
Chinese tea being subjected to a very productive 
export duty. A revival of the Chinese tea trade, 
not only for consumption in the vast Russian markets, 
but also in those of other European countries, and 
passing through a purely Russiaa channel from the 
producers to the consumers, would, or course, give 
an immense impetus to the Chinese demand for 
Russian goods in exchange.— i/. & C. Jlail. 
PLANTING AND PRODUCTS. 
[From the Passara Planters' Association, 
Report for 189S.) 
Tiie Secretary then read the Annual Report 
as follows ; — 
SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PASSAHA PL VNTERS : 
ASSOCIATION, 1898. 
Chairman : ilr. J. J. Robinson. Hon. Secretary; 
W. Stewart Taylor. 
Committee.— Kandy: Massrs. Duncan, Chairman and 
Hon. Secretary ; for Passara : Messrs. Robinson, Tribe 
Hope, Cotton, Duncan, Deaker, and W. SSewarc 
Taylor ; for Maduldma, Messrs. Blason, Gatehouse, 
Hall, Webster and Kelly ; and for Monaragala, 
Messrs. Betts and Cockburn. 
District Hospital Members : Messrs. Duncan and 
Deaker for BaduUa, and Messrs. Gatehouse and Cook- 
burn for Lunugala, "Thirty Committee ' Member, Mr. 
G. K. Deaker. 
Register.— The number of e-.tates on the Register 
is 44. 
Mehtings.— During the year throe General and one 
Committe mcotings were held, all b-jing fnirly well 
attended. 
FiNANci.AL.— The Books of the Association are laid 
upon th'j tab'e for the inspection of members and your 
Committee have much pleasure in bringing to your 
notice that the amount standing to the credit of the 
Association with tho Bink of Uva amonuts to the 
satisf.ictory sum of BG99 43. 
TuA Crop.- Thu estimate for 1899 is 3,011,001) lb. 
with 7,700 aores iu bearing and 2,2'20 not in 
bearing. Phis givus an average of just about 
40O lb per acre which speaks well for the 
climate and general suita})ility of our district tv4 
