July 1, 1901.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
57 
ROYAL COLONIAL TOUR. 
TtA CULTIVATIOM IN CEYLON. 
(From Our Special Con^espondent.) 
H. M. S. St. George, Singapore, April 22. 
It is one of th» penalties of a visit to Ceylon 
that a great feeling of regret arises \\hen the day 
of lieparture arrives, tempered, it is true, by the 
hope that in the fature o.ie's eyes niay again rest 
on a land so fair and beautiful. One of the leading 
residents of the inland remarked recently, at some 
function, " that it is the opinion of the present 
Governor. Sir J. West Ridaeway, and of the lead- 
ing Colonists and officials, that Ceylon only needs 
to be better and more widely known to be still 
more appreciated." This is a true sentiment, and 
the Royal visit should do much to enhance the 
popularity of the most prosperous of the Crown 
Colonies. It possesses features that should at- 
tract all. As the island is today, those travelling 
for pleasure will find much to gratify their tastes 
in the rich and glorious scenery, the simple, quiet, 
and inoffensive habits of the native races, and in 
the hill districts a climate which has the reputa- 
tion of being one of the most enjoyable in the 
world. To the student of book-lore there is no 
lack of opportunity for interesting research. The 
several races which now form the native popula- 
tion hare woven in the past a fascinating record 
in which many of the blackest spots are, it is 
sad to say, due to the presence of unscrupulous 
European adventurers. In the wonderful ruins, 
which the archssologist delights to unearth for his 
own instruction and that of mankind, are signs 
that in the earlier days of the world Ceylon was 
inhabited by a noble race, of high intelligence 
and capabilities. 
The point of prosperity to which the island of 
Ceylon has attained at the commencement 
OF THE 20th century 
is the more remarkable and praiseworthy 
since less than twenty years ago it was 
nigh sick unto death through a trade disease, 
brought about by the failure of the coffee berry 
in 1874, from which, thanks to the dauntless 
spirit and enterprise of the planters, whose sal- 
vation came with the planting of the tea-shrub, 
a recovery so rapid and marvellous has been made. 
It is true that the tea plant was first introduced 
into Ceylon as early as 1842, when a field was 
laid out in the Ramboda Pass, but no serious 
attempt at its cultivation vas made till the col- 
lapse ot coffee gave it the opening wanted. Hap- 
pily, in this hour ot tribulation, the planters did 
not despair. Like men they put their backs to the 
wheel, and shoved hard, until once more the cart 
of their fortunes no longer travelled brake-less 
down the road of ruin. A brilliant and nirnt 
accomplished Governor, Sir Arthur Gordon, atcti- 
wards Lord Stanmore, was there to aid their efiorts, 
and until the cub ivation of tea came to maturiiy 
the evil yearn were tilled over by the cultivation 
of cinchona, a tree ''rom whose bark is produced 
the febrifuge, quinine. Its rise and fall forms a 
short chapter in the agricultural history of Ceylon, 
but it bridged over the most disastrous period. 
The development of 
TEA CULTIVATION 
has been marvellous. Wherein, then, lies 
the secret of the marvellous diversion of 
a staple trade from an old-established cen- 
tre to new and younger rivals, who, 
moreover, were handicapped in their dealings, 
owing to the artificial rise in the value of 
the rupee, due to legislation, which operated 
to the disadvantage of the Indian and 
Ceylon planter in competition with the Chinese 
manufacturer' The secret will be found in the 
value, i)urity, and cleanliness of the tea manu- 
factured under European supervision, and scien- 
tifically prepared by machinery, as compared with 
the primitive methods of Chinese hand labour. 
It is said by those speaking with knowledge that, 
if people at home knew how tlie China tea was 
prepared for the market, they would never drink 
it again. It is not my intention to enter into any 
detailed description of tea-growing and manu- 
facture. Altliough passing a few estates, the 
journey to Kandy only takes the traveller to the 
border of the tea country, which lies more or less 
in a semi-circle running north and south to the 
east of this town ; but as many of those with 
whom we came in contact during our stay were 
connected with tlie industry, it is obvious that 
with such an interesting subject for discussion our 
knowledge of tea cultivation was materially 
increased. 
Of Colombo our glimpse was too brief to convey 
more than a pleasurable impression. It contains 
many modern and handsome buildinos, and, 
further, possesses the reputation of having several 
of the best hotel in the East. 
Although I fear I have written at too con- 
siderable length, for which the interest of my 
subject can be my only excuse, mention must 
be made of the 
FAMOUS BOTANICAL GARDENS 
at Peradeniya, some four miles from Kandy. Here, 
in a large space of 150 acres, most carefully laid 
out, and with its well-trimmed turf recalling at 
times the precincts of an English park land, is 
stored a marvellous wealth of tropical vegetation, 
such as is, perhaps, to be found in no other spot 
on earth. The utmost care is lavished on the 
growth and cultivation of the plants, with the 
result that one may wander for hours through 
avenues of stately beauty. Scientific instruction 
has not been allowed to overrule picturesque effect, 
and the feelings of the visitor are in a manner 
largely reflected by the remark of one who said 
his taste tor an English hothouse had been abso- 
lutely spoilt by the viev/ of this wonderful 
garden. Perhaps, in the midst of all the marvels 
of the earth's raiment none is more remarkable 
than the Talipot palm. The screw pine, the 
banyan tree, with its weird roots crawling like 
pythons over the ground, clumps of bamboos, 
which soar with tufted feathery crests a hun- 
dred feet or more above ground, and many 
others are all beautiful, but the Talipot palm 
outdoes them all. In its early growth for the 
first ten years it spreads out great fan-shaped 
leaves, and then the trunk begins to form. The 
natives compute the uses to which the tree can be 
put as 801, of which tiie foremost are a rain-cloak 
and a sunshade. Some of the leaves will shade 
or keep dry twenty men : three or four make an 
excellent tent. Like the papyrus of the ancients, 
the Talipot leaves when boiled and dried are 
used for writing under the native term of ola. 
On strips of ola historical records and religious 
codes have been handed down from time im- 
memorial. There exist manuscripts 2,000 years 
old in a perfect state of preservation, with the 
Pali characters a.s clear and distinct as when 
