February i, 1892.I THE TROHCAL AGRICULTURIST. 
597 
THE COMMERCE OF CEYLON 
FOR 1891. 
The EXPORT TRADE ot Ceylon during the year 
1891 compares very favourably as regards the 
chief articles of export with that of the two 
preceding years, indicating a further advance 
towards the condition of prosperity that prevailed 
during the period when coffee cultivation was 
flourishing and formed the chief staple export 
of the island. 
The revenues of the country show a satisfac- 
tory increase as compared with past years; and 
it is probable that the prosperity of the island 
generally rests at the present moment on a 
more assured and substantial basis than has 
existed at any time during the past decade. 
The danger that appears to threaten in the 
future is the over production of tea, which now 
forms our chief article of export, and upon the 
cultivation of which the revenues of the country 
directly and indirectly to a very great extent 
depend. When it is considered that the export has 
increased from .. 34,048,085 lb. in 1889 
to .. 46,9 11,554 lb. in 1890 
and . . 68,274,420 lb, in 1891 
with probable further 
iacrease to .. 85,000,000 Ibi in 1892 
it is obvious that unless the consumption of 
Oeylon tea increases largely so as to compensate 
for the increased production a range of such low 
prices may be looked for as will serve to largely 
neutralize the benefits that might be expected to 
occur from the larger exports and in some cases 
render the cultivation of tea altogether unprofi- 
table. 
The tea planters and merchants of Ceylon are 
by no means oblivious of this danger ; and strenu- 
ous efforts are being made in various directions 
to introduce Ceylon tea into countries where it 
is either not known or where the consumption is 
so small as to afford room for increase. A large 
measure of success has so far attended the efforts 
made with this end in view, and it is hoped that 
the opportunity afforded by the Chicago Exhibition 
of advertising Ceylon tea will result in a greatly 
increased consumption in Canada and the United 
States of America and the creation of a demand for 
our produnt in the Central and South American 
States, The colonies of Australasia took in 1891 
3, 210,5981b. against 2,559,9011b. in 1890 and Ceylon 
tea is becoming known in various parts of the 
world from Teheran in Persia to Samoa in 
Polynesia, and Tobago in the West Indies to 
Algeria in the Mediterranean. 
Next to the marked increase in the exports of 
tea, the most noticeable feature in the export list 
is the greatly decreased export of cinchona baek — 
the quantity sent away being only 5 079,339 lb. in 1891 
against 8,728,836 lb. in 1890 
and 14,838,402 lb. in 1886 
whpn the cultivation was at its maximum. 
The growing of this drug now attracts but 
little attention ; and seeing that the unit of quinine 
has fallen in price, from 25 cents in 1885 to 6 
cents, the present price in the local market, it 
is perhaps not to be regretted that a cultivation 
subject to such fluctuation, and of so precarious 
a nature, has fallen intu desuetude. 
The exports of coffee for the last three years 
have remained almost stationary at about 87,000 
cwt. ; and it appears probable that the export will 
average about this quantity for some years to come. 
The shipments now to a great extent form the 
yield of estates situated in districts where olirDatic 
conditions and superior soil have enabled the trees 
to resist to some extent the ravages of the ooiioe 
74 
leaf fungus, the cultivation of these propertiea 
being still profitable, notwithstanding a greatly 
reduced yield per acre. 
The yield ot Cacao has to some extent increased, 
the exports being 20 532 cwt. in 1891 
against 15,981 cwt. in 1890 
and 19,054 owt. in 1889 
The difficulties attending the icultivation of cacao 
in large plantations lessen the probability of the 
exports increasing largely in the future. The 
cultivation ot cacao in village gardens appears 
however to be increasing, if the numerous small 
parcels brought to market by native dealers may 
be taken as an [indication of this development. 
The increased exports of cinnamon and coconut 
OIL are probably due more to a favourable season 
than to a development of cultivation ; and 
as regards the latter item to a decrease in 
the quantity of copra exported for manufacture 
into oil in other countries. The disastrous famine 
in Eussia has affected the exports of copra to 
that country, the shipments that usually take place 
in September and October not having this year 
gone forward; 
A new and interesting item of export appearing in 
the export list of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce 
is DESiCATED coooNUT, the manufacture of which— 
and other products derived from nuts— affords 
employment to a large number of labourers is both 
male and female in Colombo and elsewhere. For- 
merly the nuts were exported intact for manufacture 
at the port of delivery ; but the superior quality 
of the shredded and desiccated kernel obtained from 
the nuts in a fresh condition has led to the de- 
velopment of a local industry that has already 
assumed some importance. Concurrently with the 
shipment of the desiccated nut the export o£ 
COCONUTS has fallen off from 11,907,969 in 1890 to 
6,699,403 in 1891. 
The IMPORT TRADE of Oeylon during 1891 has 
not been exceptionally active or profitable, but the 
business has been done on a less unstable basis 
than during the preceding year, the violent fluc- 
tuation in exchange which took place in 1890, 
and which caused the import trade to be attended 
with a maximum of risk, not having been repeated 
in 1891. The sterling equivalent of the rupee 
during the year has averaged about Is 5d, while in 
1890 it fluctuated between Is 5j-d and Is 9^d. 
PLANTING SUMMARY OF 1891; 
WITH KOUGII FOEECASTS FOE 1892. 
Tea,— An increase of over 22,000,000 lb. in our 
exports in one year is calculated to throw over us the 
shadw of the cloud of over-production. Still there 
are two or three very good reasons why the producer 
should lay before the consumer his belief that 
Ceylon tea in 1892 will only run about 75,000,000 lb. 
First and foremost, that there is no such large 
increase of land coming from partial into full 
bearing or from unproductiveness to partial bearing. 
-St'cond, that it is very unlikely we shall have a 
season in 1892 such as we had in 1891, especially in 
the first 6 months of the year. In 1891, 13,000,000 lb. 
of the 22,000,010 lb. increase were shipped in that 
period. 
Tliird, we nre plucking finer. On one large 
estate the manager, working on the lines of 1891, 
estimated 240,000 lb. in 1892. He received instrnc- 
tions to pluck finer and only to estimate 200,000 lb. 
Another large estate in the lowcountry manufno- 
tured 250,000 lb. 1891. It is only estimated to give 
the same quantity in 1892. 
The estates everywhere look in good heart. The 
