Nov. 1, 1901,] THE TROPIdAt AGRIGULTURlgT. l40 
To the Editor. 
BOTANIC GAEDENS ON THE GOLD 
COAST, "WEST AFKICA. 
(Editor, Tro'pxcal Agriculturist, Culonilio, Ceylon.) 
Abiui, Gold Coast, AnR. 26. 
Sir,— Encloseil jjlea^e find a list of (be plants 
cnltivafed in these Gardens, which 1 thought 
niif^ht be of inteiest to you. 
I am very grateful for the copy of the Tropical 
Agriculturist which I receive regularly threuf;h 
the Colonial Secretary,* and I need scarcely adil 
I find the information it contains most useful. 
I very much regret that I have not been able 
to reciprocate, but I shall always be happy to 
si:pply you with any iiifoiniation you may re- 
quire from this part of the world, if it is in my 
power. ^Yours very faithfully, 
"W. H. .JOHNSON, Curator. 
[The list of plants is very interesting and em- 
braces representatives from all parts of the world 
including Ceylon cinnamon. Among those peculiar 
to West Africa are the following: — 
Abrus precatorius, Acrosticbum punctulatum, 
Alpinia Eutans, Anchomanea Hookeri, Augiaecum 
bilobiim and imbricatum, Begonia macrostyla, Calamus 
decratus, Olproclendron fallax, fragrans and eplendeus, 
Cola accurrimata, (the kola, tree), Crinnm giganteura, 
Cyperus esciileiitus, diffusus and fertilis, Dioscorea 
prehensilis, Dracaena GodseflBana, Goldieanas, Elaeis 
puineensis,— ('oil palm),) Eriodendron anfractuosnm, 
EuJophia eiiglofa guineensis and Saundersiana, Fiin- 
tumia ('Kickxia^ elastica and africana, {rubber;, Gar- 
ciuia Hanburysra, Gladiolus sp., Gloriofa superba, 
Gymnogramme lanceolata, Kalanchoe crenatn, Lan- 
riolphia owariensis and fiorida. (rubbers), Mu'^saenda 
eryihrnphylla, Nephrodium albopunctaUim and vari- 
abile, Nephrolepia acuta, Psilotum triqnetruni, Pteria 
Rtrovirens, Sobnoslemon ocymoides, Spathodpa com' 
panulata, Strophauthus sp ;, Tabeniocmontaca crassa, 
Thunberfjia erecta, Urena lobata, Vanilla crenulata, 
Vittaria lineata, Vcaudzia subterranea.— Ed. T.A.'\ 
CEYLON TEA IN N. AMERICA AND ITS 
PKOSPECTS GENERALLY. 
London, Sept. 27th. 
Dear Sir, — I enclose copy of another letter 
I have written to the Secretary of the Ceylon 
Association. Much of its contents will have 
appeared in the Observer, but there are a few 
points which are new. 
I see among.st the many suggestions for getting 
lid of vihat is called rubbishy tea, is to buy 
it up and bum it ! I think mine, to convert it 
into brick tea, is better. It appears that, after 
all the fuss about Japan tea in Canada, she 
only tfikfs '5,424,000 lbs. per annum. How 
]O,dCO,0rO lb. is lo be captr.red out of that by 
Ceylon Gieensis a pnzzle which Mr Larkin wiil 
pel haps be able to solve w lieii be comes back 
ne.Nt week. I missed seeing bim by a couple 
of- minutes. If Ceylon jilanleis continue Iheir 
restrictive )iolicy six months longer until the 
duly is leduced, tlicy will set the industry on its 
legs again, because there will be an expansion 
in the home trad?. I believe, however, even tliis 
is going on satisfactorily, but it will probably 
be cheeked by the rise in common tea. 
» Ordered officially.— Ed. T.A. 
44 
I am not sure whether the statement in the 
Yokohama Prices Current includes shipments from 
Kobe, but I will find out. The' Japan Blue Book 
is rather confusing ; first they are given in kins, 
(lOOlh part of a picul) and then the pan-fired and 
basket-tired are given separately. I shall no 
doubt Iind out all about it at the American 
Consulate and the Colonial Othce ; pei hajjs I may 
find it in the "Encyclopedia Ceylonica." 50 mil. 
lions from China, 20 ftom .lapan, and 17 from 
Ceylon and Ijidia— make up in all 87 millions. — 
Yours truly, C. S. 
The Secretary of the Ceylon Association, London; 
52, Longridge Road, 25th September, 1901, 
Dear Sje,— In my letter of the 9th inst., I 
asserted that the importers of Japan tea into 
America held an impregnable position, from w hidi 
they could not be ousted by the costly and un- 
practical methods adopted by the Ceylon Planters' 
Association. 
As this opinion is contrary to that of many 
intelligent and experienced planters, ic will 
certainly be disputed. I, therefore, think I may as 
well anticipate criticism, by stating my reasons 
for making so bold a statement, and, by thus 
raising the question, give my critics an opportu- 
nily of refuting my arguments, if they can do so. 
That importers of Japanese tea in America have 
an advani age of thirty per cent in the difference 
between 25 pence per yen, and 10 ]ierice per ru- 
pee will not be denied. Theieaie none better 
qualilied to appreciate this advantage than Cey- 
lon Planters, for has not the action of the Indian 
Governm ent in factitiously raising the sterling; 
value of the rupee to the extent named, been, tor 
the last four yeais, a standing grievance of 
India and Ceylon Planters ? 
There is little doubt that Ceylon Planters can, 
if they choo'e, make better Green Tea than the 
Japanese, but to do so, fine-plucked leaves must be 
used, and as the lower grades are not admitted 
into America, and cannot be sold elsewhere at 
prices that would cover the cost of packages and 
transport, they have lo be eliminated, and this 
adds considerably to the cost of the exportable 
grades, which I think cannot be less than S6 cents 
per pound, laid down in Colombo. 
That the leaves tised in making superior Greens, 
wonl(l, if made into Black Tea, give more profitable 
results is proved by the fact, that very little Green 
Tea is now being made in Ceylon, and it looks 
probable, that there will be even less during 
the next few months. 
Hitherto very little has been publicly written 
regarding the cost of tea in Japan, except vague 
statements that thepricesof labourliaving advanced, 
there, the cost must be greater than in Ceylon, 
It is »ery difficult to obtain accurate information 
on this point, as there are very few merchants here 
who are interested directly in the trade between 
Japan and America. I have interviewed every one 
likely to be able to give me information on the 
subject, and Mr Comes of Messrs Comes & Co., 
was the only one I found practically acquainted 
with it. Fiom him I learned that Japan tea was 
not sold packed ready for shipment, as in China, 
India and Ceylon ; but v.as sent lo the shipping 
ports, ill a half manufactured state, and there 
refiied, sorted, and packeil by exporters, and that 
the cost of doing this was about live yen per picul. 
By adding this sum to the market quotations, the 
price leady for sbi]iinent is obtained. This >yas 
