July 1, 1903.] THE TEOPICAL AGEICULTURIST. 49 
LIQUID-PUEL-FIRED TEAS. 
The success achieved by the use of liquid 
fuel in the tea factory, in firing, could 
not be properly tested until teas so fired 
had been placed before the local trade. 
The first results are now to hand and 
any prejudice against the use of liquid 
fuel, for fear of its att'ecting flavour, is in 
a fair way to be proved withoiit founda- 
tion, if this has not been done— see the letter 
below. Particulars will shortly be advertised. 
Meanwhile, Messrs. Delmege, Forsyth & Co. 
have issued the following letter to the 
members of the Colombo Tea Traders' As- 
sociation : — 
May 28th. 
Dear Sies,— Through tiie courtesy of the 
proprietors of St. Clair Estate, we are pleased to 
be able to place the following information before 
those interested in the manufacture of tea. As it 
is quite probable that in the near future, Liquid 
Fuel will be extensively used for firing Teas in 
various Factories throughout Ceylon, we should 
like to call your attention to the "St. f!lair" teas 
sold by Auction last Wednesday by Messrs E 
John & Co., these teas being entirely fired by 
Liquid Fuel. In case those interest-ed would like 
to examine and retaste these teas, and desire 
lai'^er samples than tiiose distributed in the usual 
way for Public Sale, we herewith beg to forward 
additional musters as follows; — 
Ex-Messrs. E John & Go's Catalogue of 2Tth instant. 
Lot, 53 St. Clair 34 Chests, 0 P, 42 cents refused. Lot. 
3i St. Clair 18 |-chestg, B O P, 60 cents sold. Lot, 53 
St. Clair 12 Chests, P 36 cents refused. 
We may mention thao the proprietors of St 
Clair Estate are so pleased with the results 
obtained by firing with Liquid Fuel, that they 
have arranged to continue using it. 
Yours faithfully 
DELMEGE, FuRSYTH & CO. 
„ — ^ 
MOUNT PELE EEUPTIQN AND THE 
SOU'-WEST SEASON LAST YEAH, 
An esteemed planting correspondent sends us an 
article from a home paper on the " Sky glow.s of 
1883 and 1902." It deals with the effects of the 
Krakatoa Eruption in 1883, when the little island 
of this name between Java and Sumatra blew up 
in one magnitioent explosion and 32,000 people 
were killed. Dealing with the effects of the 
Mount Pelee eruptions last year, the writer (Mr. 
D B Monis) quotes Dr. Flett who visited the 
West Indies last year as follows : — 
We had, however, a singularly cold and bleak 
summer, and in the grey and clouded sky the setting 
sun was seldom visible. The wind continued to 
blow from the north aud north-east for months 
with a dry cutting blast which reminded us of 
March, although midsummer was nominally lonfr 
past. I believe that to have been a result of the 
volcanic activity at Mont Pelee and La Souficiere. 
Eruptions continued intermittently onwards from 
May, and have by no means ceased yet. These must 
have caused an abnormal heat over a considerable 
area in the West Indies, and the air so heated 
would rise upwards iu a continuous and rapid stream 
from the area of volcanic disturbance. To supply the 
place of the air so removed, there would be an inrush 
of colder air from all around, and as the abnormal 
heat oontiaued with the repeated eruptions, the 
inflow of coid air btoame a steady current for months, 
snifioient to disturb the atmosphere for a long distance, 
even as far as Scotland. ' 
Commenting on the above our planting correspond- 
ent writes : — 
"I think this article pretty well explains the 
abnormal weather we had during the S. W. 
season last year. I never saw a season up here 
[Lower Dimbula] with so little wind during the 
S.-W, In fact we had hardly any of these tearing 
bursts we get now and again. 
' I remember suggesting in the Observer, that 
the eruptions niight be accountable for it, and 
Mr. Flett's explanation exactly corresponds with 
my idea. The heated air rising up into space 
would cause a vacuum, and draw the air 
surrounding atmosphere towards that point," 
RUBBER FORESTS IN THE PHILIPPINES. 
Lieutenant Shuetan of the Constabulary 
has, says the " Manila American," arrived 
from Calapan, Mindoro, his present station, 
bringing the news of the discovery of vast 
sti-etches of rubber forests in the interior of 
the island. Although the existence of rubber 
producing trees in the interior of Mindoro 
has been a matter of rumour for some time, 
recent explorations have developed the fact 
that the greater portion of central Mindoro 
is comprised of one vast forest of rubber 
trees that prodiKje as fine rubber as can be 
found in the world. — Straits Times, May 23. 
^ 
THE INDIA TEA CESS COMMITTEE. 
Recorded, letter No. 2596-S.R., from the Se6ret- 
ary to the Government of India, Finance and 
Commerce Department, notifying the constitution 
by the Governor-General in Council ot a Committee 
to receive and expend the proceeds of the cess, 
levied and collected under the Act. The undernoted 
gentlemen were appointed by His Excellency in 
Council to be Members of the Committee. 
al, E Cable, Esq, President of the Bengal Chamber 
of Commerce. 2. Reginald Blurray, Esq, Chief Mana- 
ger, Commercial Bank of ludia, Ld. 3. J M G 
Prophit, Esq, of Messrs Turner, Morrison & Co. — 61, 2, 
and 3 Bengal Chamber of Commerce. 
c(4, A D Jackson. Esq, of Messrs Parry & Co.— M 
Madras Chamber of Commerce. 
a5. H S Ashton, Esq. of Messrs Shaw, Wallace & Co. 
6. H Bateson, Esq, ot Messrs Gillanders, Arbuthaot 
& Go. 7. H C Begg, Esq, of Messrs Begg, Dunlop 
& Co. 8. Brown, Esq, of Messrs Finlay, Muir& Co, 
9. D Gurrie, Esq, of Messrs Macaeill & Co. 10; 
Lockhart Smith Esq, of Messrs Williamson Magor &Co 
11. A Tocher, Esq, of Messrs Duncan Brothers & Go. 
—05, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 Indian Tea Association, Cal- 
cutta. 
a 12. J Buckingham, Esq., c.i.E,, of Amgoorie Tea 
Estate Sibsagar. 13. G PitzGerald, Esq., of Chabwa 
Tea Estate, Dibrugavh,— 12 and 13, Assam Branch 
Indian Tea Association, b 
a 14. R H Henderson, Esq., c.i.e. of the Tarrapore 
TeaCo., Ld. 15. G Fraser, Esq., of the Lanugla Tea 
Company, Shamshernuggar. — 14 and 15, Suram Valley 
Branch, Indian Tea Association, h 
a 16. H R Irwin, Esq;, President, Darjeeling Plant- 
era' Association. — 16, The Darjeeling Planters' As- 
sociation nnd the Terai Planters' Association jointly, b 
a 17. W Milne, Esq., Honorary Secretary, Dooara 
Planters' Association.— 17, The Dooars Planters' Asso- 
ciation, b 
