July 1, 1908.] THE TROPICAL AGEICULTUHIST. 
21 
above. — I have the honour Lo be, Sir your obeclieut 
servant, 
(Signed) F. W. WALDOCK, Secretary. 
Colonial Secretary 'iS OtBee, Colombo, 
No. 06432. April 17th, 1903. 
Sir,— Adverting to your letter of the 23rd 
January last, I am directed by His Excellency the 
Governor to forward for the views of the Chamber 
of Cumnierce, the accompanying copy of a further 
letter from Messrs Harrison and Crosfleld in 
which they a<;ain recoui.iiend the abolition of the 
import duty levied on ten intended for re exporta- 
tion. — I am, Sir, your obedient servant, 
A. G. CLAYTON, for Colonial Secretary. 
The Secretary, Chamber of Commerce. 
The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Colombo, Ceylon. 
3, Great Tower Street, London, E C. 
March lOch, 1903. 
Sir,— We beg to acknowledge the receipt of 
your letter No. 01553, enclosing a copy of a letter 
addressed to yoa by the Secretary of the Chamber 
of Commerce, dated January 23id, for which we 
are obliged. We have not got a copy of tho 
Chamber's letter of March 10th, 1902, and there- 
tore, are not aware of the arguments u^ed in favour 
of the retention of Ceylon'ci protective Tea Duty. 
In the letter now under review, the Chamber's 
•pposition to the abolition of the Duty is based- 
upon the ground that its retention promotes the 
gale of " Pure Ceyion Te;*." We are at a Io?s 
to find out how the Chamber arrive at such a con- 
clusion. 
Were Government to prohibit the export of 
Ceylon Tea in bulk, and permit it only to leave 
the Island in 1 lb. lead packets with a Government 
seal of guarantee, a really practical fo rni of forcing 
on the world pure Ceylon Tea woud be in force, 
but with mist disastrous results to the prosperity 
•f the Planting Industry. As it is, Oeylon Tea 
is exported in bulk, and immediately it is put in 
any one of the large markets of the World it so 
subjected to the competition of other 
growths, and is bought upon its merits as 
Tea, and not because of its country of origin. 
In our opinion it is only on the ground of merit 
that Ceylon Tea has any chance of retaining its 
present hold upon the markets of the World, and 
there is no chance of this being jeopardised if due 
care is taken in its manufacture. It would be 
impossible to say with certainty liow much pure 
Ceylon Tea is sold to consumers, but it certainly 
would not exceed J5 per cent of the total export. It 
is generally admitted in the trade that the value 
of Ceylon Tea is for Blending purposes, and that 
it is not suitable as a self-drinking Tea. We have 
endeavoured to ascertain tiie World's annual con- 
sumption of Tea and now enclose figures for 1900 
which account for about 540 million pounds ex- 
cluding that consumed in the country of origin. 
As the World's consumption increases annually by 
at least 20 million pounds, the consumption of 
1903 will be about 6':0 million pounds. Ceylon's 
total export in 1902 was 146 millions, it is therefore 
impossible for her to supply even 25 per cent of 
the World's requirements from her own produc- 
tion. By far the largest proportion of tlie Tea 
grown in India, China and Java passed Colombo 
on its way to Europe, and, were there no Duty, 
W8 feel persuaded that Ceylon would gradually 
become the great central distributing point of the 
World— to the advantage of everyone engnged in 
in the Island's Tea Trade, including the Planting 
Community. As a Firm, we have a large amount 
of capital invested in and upon Ceylon Tea 
property, and would advocate no legi.slation which 
we believe to be detrimental to the Island's staple 
product. But, after giving the most careful con- 
sideration to the whole subject, we can most, 
confadently recommend the abolition of the duty 
on ail tea landed for re exp ;vt, on ihe condition 
that due provision is made tliat all Blended Tea 
exported be corre tly- marked under the same 
rule as now enforced by H M Cu.e,toms in the 
United Kinpdoni. — We beg etc., 
(Signed) HARRISON AND CROSFIELD^ 
NOTES ON ECONOMIC PRODUCTIONS 
IN CEYLON. 
P«r« Rubber is rapidly taking its place as one 
of the most important of the cultivations of tlie 
Island, and has been planted up in various climate* 
at different elevations, but will be found no doubS 
most profitable at the lower elevations. Duiing 
the year some 250,000 seed.s have been distiil^uted 
from the trees in the Henaratgoda Garden. Good 
yields liave been obtained, and the best niei hods of 
getting rid of the water and preparing the "biscuits" 
for tlie market are beginning to be understood 
and practised. Prices have kept up to a high 
figure, over 4? having been obtained for a large 
quantity. It is important that the Ceylon name in 
London market as the best quality of this rubber 
should be maintained, and no carelessly prepared 
or inferior rubber exported. This cultivation is 
most promising in Ceylon, and both from the 
point of view ef the production and the probable 
future market prices, if present methjds and 
standards are continued, should ba one of the 
ma.st valuable of the Island'.? crops. No diseases 
have to ba recaided of this plant. Some injuries 
by animals, pigs, &c., occasionally occur, but 
these are not difficult to deal with and need not 
cause alarm. 
Some small areas of Cmstilloa Rubber planted 
at about 1,500, feet, and trees twenty fonr niontJis 
old showed a vigorous growth, a series of measure- 
ments which the writer made giving an average 
height of 14 feet 9 inches, average girth at 1 foot 
from the ground 1,5^ inche.s, at 4 feet 13J inches. 
The amount of latex in tlie tissues of these young 
trees was also encouraging. 
An experiment lias been planned, and will be 
carried out during the present year, with the 
growth of Para Rubber on irrigated land in the 
dry-z)ne region of the Island. The results of this 
will nob be available until ^he trees are sufficiently 
old to have the laJex taken from them, but the 
condition of the plots wi'l be noted and recorded. 
Camphor continues to be pi mted up in various 
upcountry districts. At the present time, the 
supply is not equal to the demand, and the price, 
which fome few years ago was oOs. per cwt. is now 
often over £10, The market would be able to 
stand an increased pvoduction, though this would 
tend to lower prices, but with a lower price there 
would arise a greater demand as ac present. 
Camphor is too costly, except when it is essential 
in some manufactures, such as smokeless powder. 
The present supply from Formosa is likely to 
decrease, as the, trees are being cut down to 
obtain the camphor and not planted in equal 
