Dec. 1, 1903.] 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST; 
403 
mE EXPERIMENT STATION PERADENIYA. 
The Agricultural Committee meeting held 
at the Experiment Station on Monday the 2nd 
instant, was prolonged and of great im- 
portance to the Planting community of 
Oeylon. The most interesting announcement 
to tea planters is that 
GOVERNMENT HAVE SECnBED SEPARATE 
TWELVE-ACRE PLOTS OF TEA 
at Ambalangoda, Peradeniya, Dessford, 
Haputale and Portswood for the purpose of 
carrying out a thorough scheme of manurlal 
experiments over these representative parts 
of the island. The experiments will last for 
over three years. Government have allowed 
fi'ee freight for all manures used and have 
placed the work in the hands of Messrs 
Kelway Bamber and Herbert Wright. This 
is an excellent undertaking and the tea 
planters will await the publication of the 
results with interest. 
Cacao received a large amount of attention 
and plots have been laid out on the Experi- 
ment Station for the cultivation of several 
varieties of Forastero and Nicaragua cacao. 
New species of cacao are also being cultivated, 
NEW MACHINERY FOR CACAO 
was also introduced by Mr Willis, Some 
machines were explained which can shell 
20,000 cacao pods in an hour, 
GREEN MANURES 
for tea, cacao and coconuts were discussed 
and a paper will probably soon be published 
on the work which lias already been dene at 
the Experiment Station. 
TEA PLANTING IN JAVA. 
INTERESTING INTKRVIEW. 
Meeting two Java visitors to Ceylon, Messrs. 
J G E G de Diea Stierling and E H Evans 
our representative was favoured with replies to 
various questions on the subject of tea-planting 
in Jiva. To begin with, our representative asked, 
Mr Evans — who speaks Euglish with great fluency 
— acting as spokesoian, 
What is precisely your mission to Ceylon ?" 
" Mr Stierling comes on behalf of the Java 
Planters' Association to make a few weeks' study 
of conditions of tea-planting in Ceylon. Ic is pro- 
bable that in regard to held work and cultivation 
we have very little to learn from Ceylon, but in 
the factory aud the processes of manufacture it 
is more than probable you are ahead of us and 
have something to teach us." 
" How many planters are there in Java ?" 
' " Well, it is difficult to say. You see, although 
Java is twice the size of Ceylon, tea is only 
.cultivated in the West— I cannot give the 
j exact area, but the output is about 35 million 
lb. (about a quarter of yours)— the East of 
Java, which isn.uch drier, being devoted mainly to 
sugar, always wherever it will grow more paying 
than tea, and also to coffee." On reference to Mr 
i Stierling, the number of planters was put at 
I approximately 120. 
'•' What is the acreage of your estates ?" 
" Well, ray own estate is about 1,200 acres. 
Mr. Stierling's somewhat larger. But some estates 
iftJava, runup to nearly 2,000 acres each. 2,000 
is, however, the largest." 
I • And the yields ?" 
"Well, we are never really satisfied with anything 
less than 700 lb. per acre. This is generally without 
manuring. And as to manuring, the soil being 
virgin soil, we should never think of beginning 
it until the tea is from 15 to 20 years of age." 
" What are your elevations ?" 
" There is no tea above 5,000 feet. But then 
there is nothing below 2,000. And ib must be 
remembered that 2,000 in Java would be fully 
equal in temperature and climate to 3,000 
feet in Ceylon." 
" What is your labour ?" 
" Practically all Javanese, and ib is very fair 
stuff. There are a large number of Malays in 
Java, but they keep entirely to the coast." 
" What is your market for tea ? Do you have 
any special Commissioner for pushing your teas 
in Europe ?" 
" Most of our tea, for the output is not a 
large one compared with that of India and Ceylon, 
goes to Arasterd.ara. It is true that a good deal 
finds its way to London, for London buyers have 
agents who bay regularly, every sale, at the 
Dutch auctions and not long ago an abnormal 
quantity was bought, to make up a shortage in 
London; but some goes direct to the London 
market, Mr. Stierling, for instance, sends all hia 
teas there. As to pushing our teas, the buyers 
do that in nearly every part of Europe. No, we 
have no man specially set apart for the work. 
No doubt ib would provide a pleasant occupation 
for one's retirement ! Perhaps Mr. Stierling, when 
Le gives up planting, will take up the work !" — 
a suggestion which the genial veteran Dutch 
planter— he has been 35 years in Java, bub looks 
as fresh and vigorous as a man of 30— greatly 
enjoyed. 
Our visitors go to Kandy and will'thence visit 
various estates, both in the neighbourhood and in 
higher districts, not omitting Haputale, 
CAEDAMOM COMMITTEE. 
FURTHER INTERIM REPORT. 
A meeting of the Cardamom Committee was 
hell' on the 2nd November, 1903, at the Victoria 
Commemoration Buildings, Kandy, at 1*30 p.m. 
in the afternoon. A Statement of Accounts was 
submitted showing receipts Rl,909'18 against 
expenditure K.54:7"68, leaving a balance of Rl,361"50 
at date. After consideration of correspondence 
and connected papers aud data the following Reso- 
lutions were passed : — 
(I.) That the Chairman communicate with 
Russian Merchants regarding introducing Carda- 
moms into Russia direct. 
(II.) That the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce 
be communicated with to obtain the views of the 
Chamber regarding the advisability of holding 
regular public sales of Cardamoms. 
(III.) That a Report by an Agenb employed 
by Mr Renton be published. 
(IV.) That the Commissioner at St. Lonis 
Exhibition be supplied with samples of Cardamoms 
of different grades up to the value of R500, if 
required for distribution to the trade. 
(V.) That Mr Renton be thanked for his letter 
—The Cardamom Commjfctee then adjoorned. 
