koV. 2, 1903;] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
341 
To the Editor. 
GASriLLOA KUBBBK FOR CEYLOM. 
Orizaba, Mexico, Aug. 27. 
Dear Sir, — Mr, Darley, a resident here, has 
been good enough to send me the Tropical Agri- 
culturist for June last, iu which you have re- 
printed an article written by me " on the yield 
of the Castilloa " which appeared in the April 
number of Modern Mexico. Kemarking on the 
statements therein made, you say that you cannot 
Svell understand what I mean when I condemn 
"Ceylon as untit for growina; Castilloa rubber, judg- 
ing from the figures I quote, which are given, or 
those furnished by Dr. Trimen. 
In view of the figures as they stand, I am sur- 
prised at the moderation of your criticism ; but the 
paragraph from tlie May number of Modern 
Mexico, will show you that 1 aid nob write the 
nonsense to which you very properly take excep- 
tion. If you will now again review the article, 
transposing the tables, that is to say putting Dr. 
Trimeu's figures iu the place of Dr. Weber's and 
Dr Weber's results at Panama iu the place of the 
table credited to Dr. Trimen, you will had that 
the article is ac least cuusiateat in its remarks, I 
also wroce that I believed ihat a hianmual tap- 
ping can with safety be carried out, as Dr. Weber 
also believes. In the article I am made to say 
triennial ; an error 1 regret to see is also copied 
in your reproduction. I wrote Modern Mexico 
pointing out this blunder and you will see, by the 
apologetic paragraph, that I am now made to 
say biennial ! i know by former bitter experience 
the eccentriciiies of native compositors, but in 
the present case there is no such excuse, as Modern 
Mexico is set up and published in New York. 
With regard to my remark that the " Castilloa ' 
cannot be profitaoly grown in Ceylon it is 
founded entirely on what I have been told 
by several former residents whose statement 
appci^ed to be confirmed by the tables given by 
Dr. Trimen. I shall be pleased if the results 
already obtained there prove my argument to be 
based on false premises. It may be unnecessary to 
trouble you with this lecier as the article in 
question is probably already forgotten, but, I think 
ic only just to myself that you should know that 
it is tiie blundering of the publisher, and not I, 
which is responsible for the statements which re- 
duced my article to absolute nonsense. — I am, dear 
Sir, yours very faithfully, 
G. CULLEN PEARSON. 
[ The paragraph referred to runs as follows :— " In 
the article on 'The Yield of the Castill»a Tree' in the 
April issue of Modern Mexico, the tables showing 
the results of tappings of rubijer trees by Mr. Weber 
and Dr. Trimen were, through an unfortunate 
error, transposed. The mistake was noticed before 
the entire edition had been mailed, and a slip 
making the correction was inserted in the re- 
mainder. Many copies, however, hiving gone out 
without this correction, it is made hevewitu. Mr. 
Pearson v/as also made to say that a ' triennial' 
tapping can, with perfect safety, b^; carried out,' 
whereas it should have read ' biennial ' (biaaaaal,> 
—Modern Mexiuo for May, 1903.— Ed. V.A.^ 
CEYLON RUBBER IN LONDON. 
4s S^D PER LB. 
London, Sept 4. 
Dear Sir, — The following particulars of Ceylon- 
grown Para Rubber sold at public sale heie 
today may interest your readers :— 
Mark, Quantity. Description. Price per lb. 
Putapaula 3, cases Fine large biscuits 
rather dark 43 7d 
do 2 case Good scrap 33 6d 
do 1 do Fair do 3a 
Dorauakandel do Fiaepale biscuita 4s 7Jd 
Elston 1 do do . 43 ajd 
J H V, in 
estatemarkS do do 43 7d 
Fine Para at 4s 3id per lb. Market very firm. 
—Yours faitihfully, LEWIS & PEAT, 
TEA-PRUNING IN INDIA. 
Dear Sir, —In connection with tea pruning, my 
new boss from Assam believes ia dieting back 
frequently, so I am giving him a praciioal illustra- 
tion. Last year I manured one acre wiih oil cake 
(four maunds castor) in July, and it gave 4^ 
maunds tea against 2^ from the unmanured parts 
up to December. This year 1 again gdv e it eight 
maunds of Sirgovjea cake, and cub down half of 
the bushes to 12 inches. Up to date we have lost 
about maunds of tea, and i shall have a record 
of how much has been lost this year and the 
record can be kept easily for three or four years. 
This will show the actual loss by cutting down, 
and I am convinced that in four years the uncut tea 
will look as well and give more tea than that which 
was cut back. — Yours faithfully, 
C. 
LEASE OF CROWN LAND FOR 
EXPERliMENTAL C ULTl VATION. 
Central Province, Sept. 14. 
Sir,— Mr. H. Storey will be a brave and 
venturous man if he accepts the conditions 
laid down by Government for the lease of 
the 600 acres of land in the North-Central 
Province. I will take the "Conditions" in 
the order they come in the Government 
Gazette of FriUay, the 4th inst. 
" 1st. — The rent to be fifty cents per acre 
per annum." This is fair if the period of time 
is extended, say at the very least, to twenty- 
live years. 
"2ad. — The lease of the land to be for six 
years with the option of purchase at RIO 
per acre at the end of that period." I will 
cake the product coconuts : one whole year 
will pass before plants can be put into the 
land. Five years afterwards he will be com- 
pelled either to pay RIO per acre for the 
whole of the block or give it over as it 
stands, buildings and all to Government, and 
that before he has received one cent of return 
for six years' rent and all the money spent 
on the land opened. 
"3rd. — Coconuts, rubber and fruit only 
can be planted on the land leased. ' Why 
bar cotton, ramie, aloe, sapan wood, ground 
nuts, kolloo, gram, &c. 1 
" 4th,— No timber above 2 feet in circmn- 
fereuce to be felled, and any valuable timber 
under that size felled co be paid for at Gov- 
ei'aca^at rates." Uu,3 iilr. Stort^y read lUw 
