346 
THE TROPICAL AGEICULTURIST. [Nov. 1, 1901. 
CEYLON AT THE PARIS EXHIBITION. 
We give the following extracts from Lord 
Gaorge Hamilton's Report on " the Indian 
and Ceylon Sections ":— 
The exhibits of Ceylon occupied the large portion 
of the eastern side of the Indian Pavilion, as well 
as a considerable space in the grounds, which aa 
before mentioned I was able to allot for this pur- 
pose. In the Commercial Court the fjreat staple 
products of the island, such as tea, coffee, cocoa, 
cinchona, spices, etc., were well represented by exhibits 
from every important garden and eatate in Ceylon, 
and the adjoining verandah contained a fine collec- 
tion of plumbago and graphite, shown by the Morgan 
Crucible Company, of Battersea. 
In the main Ceylon Court the attention of the 
visitor was immediately arrested by a jungle trophy, 
which occupied a large space in the centre of the 
court. This trophy, which comprised, among other 
animals, a full-sized eleph»at, a leopard, bears, 
samburs, axis deer, boars, crocodiles, a gigantic python, 
birds, insects, and characteristic flora, was excellently 
arranged by Mr K Gerard, of L/ondon, in four realistic 
tableaux. The conception of this impressive exhibit 
was due to Mr W E Davidson, the secretary of the 
Ceylon section, and it proved a never-ending source 
of enjoyment to the crowds" who visited the pavilion. 
The coUeotion of precious stones, exhibited by iilr 
J Haywarfl, of Argyll Street, London, attrac- 
ted special attention. It was the largest and 
most comprehensive collection of gems of the 
island that has ever been brought together. The 
exhibit of this important industry could not have 
been placed in better hands, and Mr Hayward 
deserves great credit for the success which resulted 
from his enterprise and special knowledge. Samples 
of coir and other fibre products were also shown in 
this court, as well as silver, ivory, tortoise-shell, and 
the artistic manufactures of the island. In the gallery 
above, a large number of paintings and photographs 
of the people and scenery of Ceylon were exhibited, 
also excellent examples of art furniture and beautiful 
cmrios. 
In the grounds of the Ceylon Tea House, a charac- 
teristic pavilion, in which tea and coffee in the cup 
were sold, soon became one of the most fashionable 
centres of the Exhibition, and it is gratifying to know 
that the strenuous exertions of Sir William Mitchell 
and Mr J H Reuton, the representatives of the Ueylon 
planters to make Ceylon tea better known and appre- 
ciated in Prance and the Continent generally, have 
met with the recognition that the commercial enter- 
prise of the planters so well deserved. 
The creditable position taken by Ceylon at the 
Exhibition is due to the able manner in which the 
■whole of the details were sarriedoutby Sir Montagu 
Ommanney and Sir C Clementi Smith, aided by Mr 
W E Davidson, the energetic secretary of the section, 
Sir W Mitchell, Mr J H Ronton, anql the other gen- 
tlemen Associated with the Ceylon Court. 
The popularity of the Indian and Ceylon exhibits 
mav be judg«d by the fact that not less than six 
Biillionii of people passed through the pavilion during 
the period it was opened to the public. It should be 
mentioned that the main buildings of the Exhibition, 
being entirely unlighted had to be closed at dusk, 
whereas, owing to a wise resolution ofmysub com- 
mitee, the Indian and Ceylon Sections were brilliantly 
lighted by electricity, ' and could thus be kept open 
later and give admission to the inquisitive crowds who 
had little else to see after dark. 
From the Reports of British Jurors we 
quote ; — 
Report by Mk. J. H. Renton, 
British Juror in C1?-3S 39 : Vegetable Food Products. 
Coi-t'EK,— The only exhibitors of this article were 
Ceylon and the Madras Presidency. The British West 
Indies were not represented. Notwithstanding the fact 
that in Ceylon, owing to the ravages of leaf disease, 
tbia arti«le is capidiy disappearing from the list of this 
Colony's products, the exhibits, though small in num- 
ber and from only four plantations, were excellent in 
quality and appearance. One plautation made a very 
handsome exhibit of Liberian coffee, and fhe Grand 
Prix was awarded to Messrs. Lipton, Limited, in this 
section for their collective exhibit of coffee and cocoa. 
The United Planters' Association of Southern India 
made a very good exhibit of coffee, to which a Gold 
Medal was awarded. Awards were given to all the 
other exhibitors of coffee. 
Cocoa. — Ceylon was the only British Colony that 
made any exhibit in this article ; the exhibit, sojfar as 
number of exhibitors was concerned, was not to be 
compared with the large exhibits made by Ecuador, 
Guatemala, Salvador, and Mexico ; yet the appearance 
and quality of the Ceylon cocoa was admitted to be 
very superior, and created a favourable impression. It 
is much to be regretted that Trinidad and the other 
West India Islands made no exhibits. Trinidad cocoa 
is very much appreciated in France. The export of 
cocoa from Ceylon has grown from 16,000 cwt. in 
1890 to 42,700 cwt. in 1899. Cocoa was exhibited from 
seven plantations ; they all obtained awards. 
A very interesting sample of cocoa was shown by the 
Administrator of the Gold Coast. I understand this 
Was collected from a few experimental trees at Accra. 
The quality of this cocoa leaves nothing to be desired 
and if suitable labour can be obtained, there is 
evidently a future for this product in West Africa. 
There will not be a large increase in the export of this 
article from Ceylon, as much more suitable land is not 
now available in that Colony. 
Report by Sir W. W. Mitchell, c.m.g.. 
Member of the Oeylon Executive Committee ; 
British Juror in Class 41 : Non-Edible Agricultural 
Products. 
Non-edible agricultural products comprised : — 
Oils. — Animal and vegetable. 
Fibres. — Cotton, wool, ramie, aloe, coconut, palmyra, 
and kitnl. 
Plants. — Medicinal and oleaginous. 
France and her colonies were represented by eleven 
jurors, and the following countries by one each, viz., 
Germany, Bulgaria, Lnited States, Great Britain, 
Japan, Mexico, Pern, St. Salvador, Hungary and 
Russia, 
The products of the various countries exhibiting 
under Class 41 were examined in a painstaking manner, 
and the awards of merit were judiciously bestowed on 
the recipients of them ; the proceedings of the jury 
were characterised by fairness and cordial co-operation 
throughout. 
Oils. — Animal and vegetable. — The exhibits from 
French manufacturers were all of a high order, but 
notably in animal oils, the finest display being made 
by M. Artns, 13, Rue Montmartre, Paris. 
In vegetable oils, after palm oil, coconut oils occupied 
a prominent position amongst the exhibits, and those 
from Ceylon clainjed a leading place, their purity and 
good colour being pre-eminent. Improvements in 
machinery have contributed towards this, together 
with care in the selection and preparation of t'ne nuta 
from which the oil is made. The oil is used in the 
manufacture of candles, but it is also largely utilised in 
soap-making, principally owing to the peculiar pro- 
perty it possesses of carrying water to about sixty per 
cent, of its weight. 
Fair samples of copra (coconut kernel) and oil were 
exhibited from the South Sea Islands, 
A new product is now being manipulated from the 
oil expressed from the coconut, called ''cocoa-butter" 
or " vegetaline," and this edible substitute for ordi- 
nary butter is free from objectionable smell and 
A'ithout colour other than that artificially imparted 
to it. This industry is being prosecuted more es- 
pecially at Marseilles, where there is an extensive 
trade in expressing the oil from the kernel of the 
coconut ; but there is every probability of a further 
development of it elsewhere. 
Another industry closely allied to the one above 
alluded to is tba6 of desiccated coconut, Xhi9 ooa- 
