t^EB. 1, 1902.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
tity should be four or five ounces over the desired 
■weight of contents, viz., if the packages are 
invoiced to contain 100 lb. tea each, not less 
than 100 lb. 4 oz. siiould be weighed in ; test 
packages, weighing here a fraction under 100 lb., 
are reckoned as 99 lb only, or a loss of 1 Ibou 
each chest of the break. 
Careful observance of the foregoing precautions 
will prevent loss and disappointment. 
Draft ofl lb, per package on all packages 
grossing 29 lb. and upwards is allowed to the 
buyer. 
Weight of Packages —When a gro«« weigh* 
of 129 lb is exceeded, there is an additional 
charge of 4d per package up to. 139 lb. Tlie 
following sale of charges fully explains this and 
deserves attention : — 
Dock and Warehouse management rates, on 
packages of which the average gross of each break 
is as under, are : — 
lb. lb. lb. lb. 
160 to 199 130 to 159 90 to 129 80 to 89 
2s 2d Is lOd Is 6d Is 4d 
lb. lb. lb. lb. 
60 to 79 45 to 59 35 to 44 17 to 34 
Is 2d lid lod ea 
The above charges do not include Rent or 
Bulking {where necessary). 
Marks on Chest.— Nothing is wanted oris of 
any service here beyond (1st.), Garden Mark ; 
(2nd.), Description of Tea ; (3id.)), Garden Num- 
bers. Gross, tare and net, are not of the least use, 
and should be discontinued. 
MATALE PLANTERS' ASSOCIATION. 
Tea. — Referring to th« figures collected at tha 
beginning of last year we have the followiDg tofaU ; — 
Acreage in tea 20,313 acres ; acreage in bearing 
18,152 acres ; estimated crop, 7,882,000 lb.. 
In collecting figures for 1902, the Honorary Secretary 
got out a new form, coUeoting details of the three prin 
cipal products of the district, and thea* were very well 
responJed to, both by members of the Association and 
non-members, to whom thanks are due. The writer 
had to estimate crops, and returns, for only about 
five estates out of about eighty odd to which circulars 
were sent. The difierenca in acreage and estimates 
for 1901 between the figures now compiled and those 
of the beginning of the year is due to the fact that 
a few estates have since been excladed as not ac- 
tn»lly within the district. "We now have: — Total 
acreage in Tea 19,566 acres ; Total acreage in bearing 
17,345 acres; Reported abandoned, 1901, 407 acres; 
Opened in 1901. 71 acres ; Original estimate 1901 
7,561,.'i00 lb. Tea ; Crop secured 7,252,140 1b. Tea; 
Estimates for 1902, 7,613,215 lb. tea. Above figures 
were collected from 79 estates. The crop secured in 
1901 works out at 418 lb. made tea per acra, and 
it must be admitted that the crop realised eomes 
exceedingly near the amount estimated, which would 
seem to show that there was not much alteration in 
tha plucking throughout the district as a whole, 
though the Elkaduwa district estates are reported to 
have gone in for somewhat finer plucking daring 
the year. The estimated yield for 1902 shews an 
increase, but this may easily be due to an increase 
in the bearing acreage, as the figures show about 2,000 
acres, roughly still to come into bearing. A fair 
amount of manuring seems to be going on throughout 
1^9 didtrict, but probably xaov^ w;tb a Yiew (q ]s«ep np 
yield rather than increase it. This particularly applies 
to estates in the bottom of the valley opened in 
chena land. On the whole the district is holding its 
own in yield, whilst daring the last six months 
very fair prices have been realised, and the outlook 
for 1902 is fairly good. Still we must not forget 
that we have gone through a severe crisis, and there 
may yet be another and a worse one in store for 
which it behoves us to be prepared. 
Cacao. —The exports during the past year have been 
the largest on record, an increase to which this dis- 
trict has contributed its portion. As little new land 
is coming into bearing it may be assumed that this 
means an improvement in the agricultural position of 
the product, and that Canker and other pests are 
being successfully combatted. Speaking generally, 
the cacao estates in this district are in a flourishing 
condition, and there is every prospect of a continuance 
of good crops. Spraying of the pods and trees haa 
been carried out on a few estates with beneficial re- 
sults. The statistical position of cacao generally is 
sound, consumption is increasing, and the stocks are 
lower than they have been tor some years, but the 
market for Ceylon has been disorganised, and cacao 
is hard of sale. This is probably to be accounted for 
by the mixed character of the cacao now exported. 
Lots of pure red cacao without a mixture of dark 
beans are now very rare, and will become rarer still 
as Forestero takes the place of the red. Lots of un- 
mixed red cacao will always command exceptional 
prices, but the future of the enterprise depends on 
Forestero, and planters must in fntnre be content with 
such prices as good. West Indian commands, with 
which growth Ceylon will probably in future sell. 
Theft of cacao has occupied much attention during 
the last year, and the Association has succeeded in 
establishing the fact that as regards this evil the district 
is iu an exceptionally bad condition. Acting on our 
advice the Government Agent and his Assistant 
have lately interested themselves in the suppression 
of this crime through the village headmen and police. 
The result has been fairly satisfactory, and theft 
has decreased, owing partly no doubt, to the im- 
proved supervision of the headmen, and their being 
compelled to interest themselves in the suppression of 
theft in their districts. The year, however, has been 
an unfavourable one for judging of the effect of the 
efforts of the officials mentioned, as cacao has been 
hard of sale, and the thieving industry has therefore 
naturally languished. We, however, give every credit 
that may be claimed for the improved state of things. 
We presume the Government Agent and his Assistant 
have done their best, and we are therefore now in a 
position to point out where the law fails. As it stands 
at present, to secure a conviction, eye-witnesses of 
the actual theft are necessary. This means that a. 
man may bo seen leaving an estate with a bag of stolen 
cacao in his possession, but unless he has been seen 
actually picking the pods he goes free. A store may 
be broken into and the cacao stolen may be found in 
a receiver's boutique a quarter-of-a-mile off an hour 
afterwards, but unless an eye-witness can be produced 
to the theft, and to the delivery of the caoao to the 
receiver, no prosecution can be carried out with a hops 
of success; the cacao is lost to its local owner, and tne 
receiver can sell it openly. Under such circumstances 
the wonder is not so much that theft exists, as that we 
succeed in keeping it at all in hand. Special outbreaks 
of crime are met by special legislation all the world 
over, and in the cofiee days in Ceylon, Government 
did not shrink from such a course- The position of 
things ^ow as regards cacao is very similar, and in our 
opinion special legislation is urgently required. 
Rural Police were condemned as useless by this 
Association last year. This year another trial has been 
given to them close to the town of Matale where they 
receive very close personal supervision from the Assist- 
ant Government Agent and the headmen are compelled 
to work with them. Under these circumstances the 
police are a success ; but this fact in no way affects the 
utility of vRch ft foree in OQdyiog parte of the (lieti|c| 
