864 
THe TftOPlbAL ktmitSfaVrDmBT. [May 2, 1892. 
I notioe that "L. D." says he thinks it is five 
years since I started in the tea trade. I am not, 
as a fact, three years in the trade until next 
month. The first week I began to sell tea my 
sales were over 20 tons, and then not half of my 
stores had any at all, while now my sales are over 
3,000 chests weekly. I regard as one reason of 
the success of this branch of my business the fact 
that in ofiering tea to the public, I blend it on 
scientific principles to suit the water used in the 
district wherever each branch may be. For instance 
the tea I send to Edinburgh is quite distinct from 
what 1 sell in Glasgow, while that sold in New- 
castle is totally different from the other two, and 
all widely vary from what I retail in London or 
Birmingham. The reason for this is that the 
chemical properties of water vary to an enormous 
extent, and nothing is more susceptible to the 
action of different minerals dissolved in water 
than tea. 
What the result of my campaign in America 
will be has got to be proved, but one thing I do 
know, whether lam successful or not the consu- 
ming public will know what I am offering to sell, 
and where my stores are, and they will certainly 
get better value than what they are getting now. 
Ceylon tea has a flavor which is not to be 
equalled, let alone beaten by any of its rivals, 
and if once the American public "catches on" to 
this tea, there will be no limit to the demand; 
provided the present high standard of excellence 
is maintained. 
When I leave my estates I shall go, via Japan, 
to Chicago, where I hope to have the gratification 
of meeting Mr. Grinlinton, and if I can be of any 
service to the Ceylon tea planters through him it 
will certainly give me very great pleasure, — Yours 
faithfully, T. J. LIPTuN. 
The Inteoduction of Cinchona into the 
Eabtben Wokld. — With reference to the aiticle we 
quote from the Chemist and Druggist, we may 
Bay that Mr. Eoes was certainly in error in attri- 
buting to Mr. Clements Markham the credit of 
first introducing the cinchona plants into the 
eastern world. Had Mr. Boss said "into British 
India and Ceylon" he would have been perfectly 
correct ; and we are rather surprised that Mr. 
Markham in the course of the discussion did not 
indicate that to a German botanist employed 
by the Government of Netherlands India be- 
longs the credit of first introducing the fever 
plants into the eastern world. We have a very 
vivid recollection of quoting in 1854, paragraphs 
translated from the Dutch papers published 
in Java announcing the arrival of a supply of 
kina plants, and wondering at first what the queer 
word could mean. It is very true that the species 
introduced by Hasekarl were not vhe best ; but the 
same may be said of those which Markham brought 
to British India and Ceylon in 1860. Some of 
the crown barks were very good, but all were 
surpasBod by <'. lechjeriana, a quantity of the 
seed of which Mr. Ledger sold to to the Dutch 
Government and this plant has so flourished in 
Java, that the Dutch Colony Is likely to be the 
chief source of cinchona bark for the world. We 
well recollect the enthusiasm which prevailed 
and the fortunes which were anticipated as we 
quoted Mr. Moens's reports ol barka which yielded 
10, 11 and 13 per cent of quinine. These were 
special trees, however, and the general average of 
Java bark now runs from 4 to 7 per cent. Even 
so, over-production has rendered the enterprise a 
blessing to the world without a compensating 
(reward to the plantors. 
CINCHONA IN JAVA. 
The gentleman who has kindly translated the 
following report for us remarks correctly enough 
that " Cinchona looks as poorly in Java as it 
does here nearly." Of course the Java bark has 
the aivuntage of being richer in quinine : — 
Soskaboemi Agricultural Union, Soekaboemi, Java. 
Feb. 26th, 1892. 
Gentlemen, — In presenting the fourth jearly statie- 
licB of the Java factory cinchona bark harvest, we 
have ihe honour to offer the following remarks : — 
The statement has been delayed by the commission 
(consisting of two of our members Messrs. O. vsn Vloten 
and A. Massiuk) who kindly undertook its preparation, 
for the purpose of making it more complete than it 
has hitherto been, for which we consider that our best 
thanks are due to these gentlemen. The remarks 
obtained by them are ag follows : — 
Kilograms Kilograms 
of bark, of Sulphate 
of Quinine. 
That in 1891 the sctnal harvest 
has bten 3,479,883 = 152,670 
That in 1892 at tbo present 
price of the unit there will 
be harvested 3,117,701 = 144,154 
That in case of a rise in the 
price of the urjit say 8 or 9 
ct. there will be harvested 3,512,144 = 150,729 
On the above we beg to remark : 
1st. That this statement virtually includes every 
existing cinchona plantation, po that the statistics are 
more complete than they have previously ever been. 
2ud. That the statement shows what the factory 
bark harvested i.s and is likely to be and doe* not 
refer to pharmaceutical bark. 
3rd. It is satisfactory to perceive from these statistics 
that there is likely to be 18,516 kilograms of sulphate 
of Quinine less harvested in 1892 than was harvested 
in 1891. 
4lh. True it is shown that in the event of a rise in 
the price of the unit, the quantity harvested in 1892 
may go up to nearly the same as in 1891, but according 
to more carefully instituted inquiries, such increase 
can only be effected by anticipating the harvests of 
following years. 
5th. We think it well to point out that it is of 
the greatest importance, for the stability of cinchona 
market, that cinchona planters should send ss regu- 
larly as possible similar quantities of bark to be put 
up at each public sale : as experience has proved 
that large quantities thrown irregularly into the 
market speedily cause alarm in Amsterdam, and it 
would much conduce to the interest of planters if 
importers were more prompt in withdrawing bark, 
when remunerative prices are not offered. — On account 
of the directors, G.Mdndt, President, and D. BueGbh, 
Hony. Secretary. 
Tranalftted for the Ceylon Observer by J. D. Y,, 9th 
April 1892. 
The German Government have made arrange- 
ments with Apotheker Finselback, late assistant 
in the botanical laboratory of the Geneva Uni- 
versity, to proceed to the Australian Colonies on 
a scientific tour of investigation of the medicinal 
and economic plants of that part of the world. 
Herr Finselback, who is timed to leave Bremer- 
haven for the Antipodes on April 13th, will de- 
vole particular attention to the northern portions 
of Queensland, making the Carpentaria country 
the chief seat of his labours. He is not tied to 
time, however, and, after looking through the 
Northern Territory of South Australia, he will in all 
probability pay a vist to British and German 
New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. — Colonies 
and India, 
