May 1, 1902.1 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
he subject. These teas are made to closely 
imitate Chiua and Japan greens, in make, color 
of leaf, and style of liquor ; young Hysons (in- 
cluding the small leaf* Sow-Mee), Hysons and 
Gunpowders being cleverly copied. In liquor they 
compare most favourably with Chinese and more 
than favourably with Japans, the crowning point 
being jtheir purity and freedom from scum or 
coloring matter ; and we feel confident that 
suehjiteasj wilK-liave^^tlie effect of overcoming a 
great diflSeulty' now existing in bringing Ceylon 
Green teas into consumption in places where at 
present Chinas and Japans are used ; for it stands 
to reason that it should be a comparatively easy 
matter to introduce teas whose character is so 
akin to those of our Eastern rivals into such 
countries, '{and when once adopted they will doubt- 
less be preferred by the consumers in the same 
ratio that our black teas are in sther parts of 
the world. 
" Green teas now being made in the various 
factries of Ceylon are generally speaking sound 
andogood, particularly in cup ; but they are un- 
doubtedly at a disadvantage as regards appearance 
of leaf wiien competing with China greens — a dis- 
advantage which should not be experienced with 
the finished green teas. 
" As far as we know this is the first attempt 
made in Ceylen to produce a tea of true green 
character in the full meaning of the term, and 
we cannot bub think it will be attended with 
success." 
COCONUTS AT PBNANG. 
Mr. Curtis writes in his report on the Botanic 
Gardens, Penang :— 
The cultivation of Coconuts is one of the most 
important and profitable industries in this part of 
the world, and one in which perhaps a greater 
number of individuals are interested than in any 
other. A fe.v Europeans in this Settlement own 
large plantations, and in the Native Malay States 
some have planted on a considerable scale ; but on 
the whole it must be looked on mainly as a native 
proprietor's crop, and in their interests it is im- 
portant that the destructive beetles be kept in check. 
When I first came to Penang $1012 was about 
the price per 1,000 nuts and this was then con- 
sidered a paying price. In recent years the price 
has ranged from $25"30 with a ready market for 
any quantity. A large proportion of the Penang 
and Province Wellesley crop is shipped to Kan- 
goon, where the product is used as food in the 
form of curries, sweetmeats, etc. Both in Eng- 
land and Germany coconut butter is being manu- 
factured on an extensive scale, but the low tem- 
perature at which it becomes licjuid militates 
against its introduction here. — Stngaport Free 
Press, March 26. 
THE FOREST WEALTH OP 
TRAVANCORE. 
Trevdindrnm, March ISth.— Mr T Fonambalam 
Pillay, the Acting Conservator of Forests in 
Travancore, delivered a veiy interesting lecture 
on the " Forest Wealth of Travancore " a few 
days ago. 
FOREST PRODUCTS. 
Majur and Minor produce was tiie definition 
which embraced all the produce obtained from 
our forests. Timber and fuel were the two that 
were classed under Major produce. The Acting 
Conservator estimated that there were about 
1,000 different kinds of trees and shrubs which it 
was worth while to study. So finely was this 
distributed that on an examination of a particular 
Reiserve he found that there were the 24 species 
of the trees reserved in Travancore in each square 
mile. To reserve 24 trees was not an exorbitant 
demand on the part of the Government. The fact 
was that only a few kinds of timber were expbited 
and used in Travancore. There were several 
valuable species— valued in other lands which 
are not noticed here— notably iron wood 
(Xijiia delahreformis). There were enor- 
mous quantities of firewood to be had for the 
mere transporting charges, and yet no one cared 
to do a business in it. In the towns of the Stata 
fuel was so scarce that coconut shells and the 
leaves of trees, etc., were being utilised as fuel, 
and if dep6ts were established hy private persoas 
a profit of 10 per cent could be fully depended on. 
Again, enormous quantities of timber in the 
shape of waste, from fellings by Government con- 
tractors, and chips were allowed to rot. The 
sapwood of all coloured trees and the entire 
volume of all colourless trees, provided they con- 
tained cellulose, could be utilise 1 for wood pulp, 
which in its turn was suitable for paper making." 
Roughly speaking, one quarter of the original 
weight of timber could be obtained in wood pulp 
by a procfss which the lecturer described. It 
was largely in demand and Great Britain and 
Ireland annually imported the material for 4 
millions sterling. 
OTHER PAPER-MAKING PRODUCTS. 
First there was the fibre of the bamboo, the 
Eta or Vai, the wild sugar-cane (Saccarine arunda- 
naceat), the refuse of sugarcane mills, the aloe, 
the plantain, also a number of palms and cycada 
which could be utilised, and which were now ab'^o- 
lutely rotting away or burnt for manure The 
common dhoby's earth was to be had in abundance 
in the country, and from it could be obtained 
the caustic soda so essential in paper making, 
Thus, there were in the country two of the most im- 
l)orUnt materials required for paper manufacture. 
The locally established paper mill was not success- 
ful owing to inexperience and scant knowledge of 
the surroundings. Expensive English chemicals 
had to be obtained. In North India some of the 
paper mills made their own caustic soda. 
OILS AND RESINS. 
Enormous quantities of the Heart wood of teak 
were wasted annually, and yet from this an 
essential oil much in demand was obtainable. 
Sandalwood oil was ay.other valuable product if 
."ulhcient attention was paid to it. Among other 
trees from which resinous matter could be obtained 
witli proht for local or Indian consumption were •— 
Od%na wodier, the dhoby's nut (Stmicarnua 
anacardvum), Acacia Arabica, Alhizzia Sebbeck 
V atenaindicn, Ailanthus Malabaricus Ailan^ 
thus excelsa. Petrocarpus marsupium. From this 
last the well-known gum kino was obtained, and 
though the tree was felled in abundance no 
regular recognised branch of trade existed in the 
product. 
TANNING AND DYEING. 
There were openings in these industries for 
enterprising people. Tliey were very profitable 
industries, and there was a large quantity of 
tanning products in the country whicl? remained 
