December i, 1891.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
44X 
To the Editor. 
INDIAN AND OEILON TEA EALSELY AND 
SLANDEROUSLY LIBELLED. 
Crossbill, Glasgow, Oct. 28, 
Deab Mk. Editoe, — I eriolobe an ndvertisement 
whiuh appears in nearly all the papers here, and 
which, I think, is very injurious to the island of 
Ceylon. 
Perhaps it will bo of interest to you. — Eespect- 
fully yours, JOHN DOUGLAS. 
"l DO LIKE THAT CHAP DISRAELI, HB IS A CLEyER 
CHAP, HE DO ALWAY3 THINK AS I THINK," 
The above eulogium by a worthy Israelite and fol- 
lower of the Earl of BfiaoonsfieM, contaiijiug such a 
naive fielf-convincing reason, wonld, if slightly altered 
aptly doscribe our attitude toward L>r. Sir Andrew 
Clark ou the question of " Indian and Ceylon Tea 
versus China Tea." 
lu tfiect, this eminent physioian oonflrms from his 
professional experience what vpe have been advocating 
for a Quarter of a Ceotnry — viz., " That Chica Tea 
(black, not green) is the only variety that may be 
drank with safety and refreshment." 
And what Sir Andrew Clark refers to in general 
terms we substantiate by scientific data — to wit, the 
analysis of Twenty-tour Teas at all prices, and fairly 
representative of the three leading varieties. 
Price for price China Tea yieliis nearly as much 
Theine as either ludian or Ceylon, and is therefore 
quite as refreshing ; bat both Indian and Ceylon yield 
more than double, and in many oases treble, the amount 
of Tannin as compared with China Tea. Therefore, 
both Indian and Ceylon are most pernicious to the 
human system— and yet it is upon this basis that their 
claim to be considered Economical rests! Ecoaoaiy 
falsely BO-calied ! The practice of housewives of pour- 
ing a second supply of hot water upon the already 
opened-ont leaves extracts the Tannin to the very 
dregs, and under this almost universal practice we 
believe that Indian and Ceylon yield from four to five 
times more Tannin than China similarly treated. 
Little wonder that Sir Andrew Clark describes this 
as " the representation of all that is physiologically 
wicked !" 
We believe that those bitter, pungent Indian and 
Ceylon Teas do more injury than would result from 
the same money's worth of the rankest rnw.graiiied 
Whisky consumed within an equal period and 
at equal intervals; while China Tea would have 
no trace of bitterness, and wonld not offend the most 
sensitive palate or cousitution. 
Cue Rule will guide the Public— i. c. Buy no Tea 
which yields a black, bitter, or pungent liquor when 
infused at the ordinary drinking strength. 
Many of the Blends which have the largest sale are 
entirely made np from Indian and Ceylon, and ought 
to be avoided by anyone who wishes to escape from 
that condition bo graphically described by a physician 
whose motive it is to oouaerve the Public health. 
" Tea to be useful should be, first of all, Black China 
Tea— the Indian {ami also Ceylon) Tea which is being 
cultivated has become so powerful in its effects upon 
the nervous system that a cup of it taken early in the 
niuruiug, as many people do, so disorders the nervous 
system that those who take it actually get into a 
atate of Tea-intoxication and produces a form of nerve 
disturbance, which is most painful to witness." "If you 
w«n* to have a Tea which will not iujnre and which 
will refresh, got lUack China Tea,"- Extract from 
London Correspondence, ,Glas{/ow Herald, 10th October 
181>1' 
^ ^Yo ofl'or three choice lots of Pure Black China 
Ton, gnarsntucd to bo mild and refreshing and free 
from hitterncs, but of excellent flavour. 
At V<>, 5i/(j, and 2,9 per lb. 
Stuaht Cbanston & Co., 
Trained Tea-Ttstora of over 26 Years' Kxporiecoe. 
MR. HENBY WALKEB ON BRITISH 
NORTH BORNEO. 
Kandy, Nov. 9th. 
Dear Sib, — Mr. Henry Walker, the Commisaioner 
of Lands. British North Borneo, promised to send 
you a short sketch of what he found going on 
when he returned to North Borneo and of the 
prospects there. He has asked me to place at 
your disposal a copy of a letter addressed to a 
gentleman here who has kindly allowed me to 
publish the same.— Yours faithfully, 
W. D. GIBBON. 
Saudakan, Oct. I9tb. 
Deer Sir, — Mr. Gibbon sent me a copy of your 
letter of the 8th Aug. and I have purposely delayed 
replying until I had revisited the places where 
coffee has been planted — and I now write you after 
fully convincing myself that coffee is thriving better 
than I ever saw it do in Ceylon. I allude (o 
Liberian. 
Liberian coffee has only been planted near the sea 
and no plantation oi any product has yet been done 
in the interior except on the big rivers and then 
only below launch limit. Our chief facility lies in the 
fact that transfer ia cheap i.e. if prospectors can find 
land near to the principal stations. 
At Kudat Silam and Sandakan there are trees of 
over five years, and Kudat about 25 acres of very nice 
coffee about five years old planted by Mr, Obtistian 
now in the hands of a Chinaman — and evidently 
paying. This is about 2 miles out and the land be- 
tween the estate and the sea is rapidly being planted 
by the Chinese who have ooSee growing about 300 
yards from high watermark — looking well. The oldeat 
coffee is some 4 miles out and was planted nnder 
my instruotioa in 1883. I could not visit this last, 
but I believe it is doing very well. 
At Silam the G acres in the Government garden ia 
still kept up, and both the Silam and Kudat coffee 
have no disease, while that at t:iandakan has. The 
Sandaksn soil is poor, but the coffee is thriving won- 
derfully — it has been abandoned since 1886 or 1886 
and stands in a certain cattle run — and is healthy 
and bearing well. The trees are about 12 or 14 feel 
high, bushy and strong. 
Ou the Kinabatangan river, Melapi Kstate, Leyanjan 
Estate, Darvel Bay, I saw splendid Liberian coffee 
in bearing and under two years old. Also cocoa on 
the latter estate. The cocot at Silam (Caracas) has 
finer trees than anything at Pallekelly as regards 
stem, but is nob eo spreading as some I saw on Mr- 
Charles Gibbon's estate. The Silam trees are bearing 
heavily, and began to bear at the fourth year. Oocoa 
is cultivated by all the headmen — that ia one or two 
trees — and it seems to do well. 
The Labor question, I do not think, will be diffi- 
cult of settlement. We are opening (a private com- 
pany) a coffee estate in Marudu Bay near to m 
Tobacco estate so that we have the advantage of es- 
tablished communication, shops, doctor, use of Laonoh 
&o. and 1 believe from the little beginning made 
that we shall have no more dif&oulty than the Mast 
keliya men had, if so much. Of coarse aa the 
pioneer company we have had difficulties — for instance 
the Government promised a nursery of 200,000 plants 
and I find there are not 16,000 available for the 
monsoon's planting, but I expect in May and June 
we shall complete the first 100 acres. Anyone coming 
after ns will be able to use our nurseries and the 
manager will be glad to mcrease them and charge 
ten rupees, or five dollars a thousand as we did in 
Ceylon. 
The expenditure on 200 acres I estimate at $9,590 
for tho 1st year and 36% for the 2ud ye»r which in- 
cludes 1^2,100 and |2,000 for superintendence, but not 
inoludiag cost of land which is |3 per acre for other 
product* than Tobacco, or for new products a special 
free grant of 1,500 acres may be made in tho terms 
of the uo'ilicatiou No. 41) of 18'J1 copy herewith. 
I unclose a printed estimate and I consider it a fairly 
average one. 
