THS TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [AtG. 1, 190S, 
than hold its own— the conbCifcalion of plants and 
crops Bufifers sooner or later from these concen- 
trated doses of mineral manures ; they are more 
subject to degenerating. 
"Cattle-breeding has surely a future in this 
island. No rapid improvement can, under the 
circumstances, be expected. Organisation and 
improvement will not set in generally and every- 
where ; but it will surely spread from some more 
interested and far-seeing centres slowly to wider 
districts. The steps to be taken have to start at 
the root, must be sure of good results, must be 
carried on, on a very small scale at first, with 
sequence and perseverance and last but not least 
must build upon the established types. Before the 
cattle can improve, the conditions of keeping, and 
rearing have to undergo a decided change for 
the better, otherwise all labour and expense will 
be lost. You see the subject has carried me too 
far, it is such an interesting one, so inexhaustible 
on close investigation, that the pen slips past the 
intended short remark. Of course I shall see and 
hear a great deal more on the subject. 
Uiardly find the tinie to make sufficient notes 
on all new impressions. The weather is delightfully 
bright, rather warm though, the scenery beauti- 
ful and the people delightful— of a generous hos- 
pitality to the stranger that comes within their 
gates. 
" Kandy, June 6.— Today I .shall have huished 
ariother stage of my journey— a week's sojourn in 
Kandj'. Apart from the lovely and interesting 
surroundings, I have seen many, for my researches, 
valuable matters in national life and in planting 
and cultivating. Since I wrote you from Kurune- 
gala, I have been at the place, managed by Mr. 
Scott at Dynevor— have seen Kockhill, lately sold 
to a French gentleman; and liave spent a day with 
Mr. Van Der Pooten, a planter of special in- 
formation. From there to Kandy I went through 
the most lovely scenery of hilly woodlands, beauti- 
ful valleys, terraced for paddy cultivation, showing 
how centuries ago the natives acquired, perhaps, 
instinctively, the great idea to economise and 
keep the masses of water to crystallise at the given 
moment by assistance of light and warmth the vast 
amounts of fertile soil and soluble matter into 
vegetable produce. . 
■ ' " Kandy, the Rome of Ceylon, or is it Anuradha- 
pura, that 1 shall see this week ?— seen in the light 
of a monsoon sky— is exceedingly beautiful. By 
the generous support of the Government, I have 
seen some very interesting estates— Kondesalle 
a- d Pallekelle estates— full of contrasts and 
variety of system, all pretty well developed, if I am 
granted criticism on this matter. In the point of 
special interest to me, the estate of Mr. de Soysa 
was, in my opinion, decidedly ahead of the others. 
I mean iu the producing of valuable draught stock 
of bulls. On this point, the most divergent 
reasonings can be heard— clever and partly con- 
vincing. ,1 , 
" Stock-breeding has on the average also up here 
not been acknowledged. The inter-mixing of 
European breeds does not seem an unqualified 
success although in this altitude, for special piir- 
poses, one may use it discriminately. The en- 
largement of the frnme of cattle in the European 
type is not in tonch with the requirements of the 
niajority of hnsbandry in tlie tropirs. Of special 
interest was to me the fact, that beyond the paddy 
plough I have not f.een liere a single implement 
for cultivation of the soil drawn by animal-power, 
Both systems— the stocked and the unstocked 
plantation show at present good results ; where 
the truth lies — where it will last longest, I do not 
venture at the present to say, althoutjhl have my 
own ideas on the subject). Am going North today 
to see a Cattle Show at Dsmbulla— from there, 
time permitting, to J affna, Hope to be in Colombo 
in a fortnight— shall visit also the Nuwara Eliya 
district." 
We now look forward with special interest 
to what Director von Drathen will have 
to tell us of our North Central and Northern 
regions with reference to the live-stock he 
may see and the country generally. Any 
planter or other resident who has live-stock, 
especially cattle, he would like to show to 
our visitor, should write to him care of the 
Florence Hotel, Kandy to await return. 
FORCING THE DEMAND FOR BETTER 
CLASS -TEA. 
Considerable optimism is displayed by 
most of the leading tea merchants at home, 
whose circulars have reached us by this 
mail over the ultimate benefit to be derived 
from an important step taken by some of 
the largest blenders during the week covered 
by the mail. These gentlemen resolved to 
discourage the sale of cheap tea and from 
20th May were to sell nothing under l/2d 
per lb. Of this action Messrs Wm., Jas. & 
Henry Thompson in their Circular dated 
21st May say ;— 
The comparative cheapness of the grades above 
common to which we have previously alluded has 
now been practically realised by the Trade — for in 
view of the f act that, with a Duty remaining at 6d 
per lb., the low-priced canister has ceased to be 
remunerative; buyers are looking to a future trade 
based upon the sale of tea of better quality. Some 
of the largest Blenders last week met and decided 
to discourage as much as possible any further sales 
of the commonest tea — an important decision and 
if adhered to, likely to affect the industry as a 
whole very favourably, but it is to be hoped the 
Public will assist them and not compel the sale of 
Blends which can only be obtained by the purchase 
of the lowest class tea produced— unsatisfactory 
alike to both seller and buyer. Supplies are not 
excessive — nor from latest telegraphic information 
is the Indian crop likely to prove an early one — 
while both Home Consumption and Export con- 
tinue on a favourable scale. 
Messrs. Lloyd, Matheson, & Carritt under 
the same date characterise the action of 
the Blenders as a step in the right direction 
which they hope will have the effect of 
educating the masses to take a better class 
of tea. Messrs. Shephard & Company remark 
that "It is encouraging to find that thus 
at length a disposition is shown to check the 
cutting down of prices, and it is to be hoped 
that the result will shortly be seen in a 
more pi'osperous state of things for growers ' 
while the Grocer of the 16th ult. com- 
menting on the exit of the " Is Canister " 
remarks " The present state of the Tea 
market is such that for man^ months there 
is not likely to be any great, if any, down- 
ward change, but rather the opposite, and 
thus very little, if any, profit can be hoped 
