August i, 1890.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
141: 
Pero'Val’s Ce'clon, published 1903 and 1805, Extract, 
chap, xvi, p. 357 (1803 edition) “ There were several 
mines of quick silver wrought by the Dutch in Cevlon. 
In 1797 Colonel Robertson found out one at Cotta 
about six miles from Oolumbo. Jhe quantity we 
procured from it did net exceed six pounds but it 
afforded a most useful and seasonable supply to the 
garr'son, as at that particular time a'l we had was 
exhausted, and mercury was the principal remedy 
resorted to in all liver complaints. 
“Although some quicksilver was still proonred from 
this mine, yet the labour and expense attending it 
was so great, owing to the want of experienced and 
skilful workmen that it was judged proper to give up 
working it altogether before I left the islandi I have 
since been informed that the undertaking has been 
resumed at the same place with more success.” 
[See the paper already referred to. — Ed. T. A.'\ 
Percival’s Ceylon. — Extract, chap, vi, pp. 129, 130: — 
Six miles onward from Calturalies Barbareen, a small 
village, with a sort of harbour formed by a projection 
of land where the river runs into the sea. This is 
almost the only place when the high surf and rocky 
shore on this coast permits shipboats of the European 
construction to land. 
This place was signalized by a shocking catastrophe 
which took place here in 1796. A boat from his Majesty’s 
ship “ Orpheus ” having been sent in here to pro- 
cure fresh provisions, the sailors, confiding in the 
peace which then subsisted between the British and 
Dutch Oovernments, came ashore without any appre- 
hension, and began to look out for water, a few fowls 
and vegetables. They were at first received with 
much apparent civility, and many promises that they 
should be plentifully supplied with the articles they 
required. This, however was only intended to amnse 
them, while a party of Malays stole unperceived 
between them and the boat, and fell upon them 
unexpectedly. Few of our men escaped this shocking 
treachery which was a-piece with the jealous and 
barbarous policy usually practised by the Dutch towards 
strangers who approach their colonies. The Malavs 
who were the instruments of their cruelty on this 
occasion, were afterwards in dread of its being 
revenged upon them when our troops came before 
Oolumbo. Indeed it wa« a fortunate thing for them 
that the town was taken by capitulation as our men 
were very much exasperated against them both on 
this account, and their repeated attempts to surprise 
our camp before Trincomalie and Oolumbo. 
I A different and, we suspect, a more truthful account 
of the Malays than that given by the same writer in 
his account of the massacre of the British troops 
at Kandy. — Ed. T, A.~l 
At Barbareen there is a principal manufactory tor 
making cordage and cables from the coconut tree. 
Large quantities are sent from hence to Oolumbo 
and Point de Galle, to supply the vessels which trade to 
these Ports. 
GREEN TEAS: PATENT PREPARATION 
OP, IN CEYLON. 
Dear Sir,— S ome particulars of our invention 
which renders the manufacture of true green teas 
simple and inexpensive may be of use to your 
readers. We have, as you are aware, patented the 
method as well as the machine in Ceylon, and hope 
shortly to do so in India. Our patent covers, 1. A 
method of rendering tea leaf pliable for purposes ui 
rolling or twisting without resort to the ^ roce. s 
known as withering. 
2. A machine for carrying out this metho ' on a 
scale large enough to suit the largest factories. 
Green teas may be divided into two clats s Odongs 
or seiui-green teas which are partially Aimented, 
and true gr eu teas which are wholly uufermenttd. 
These teas are the most popular class of tea in 
use in North America as shown by the fact re- 
ported 10 the inventors by Mr. P. Slroct, the local 
tea expert, that out of a total export of 51,000 000 lb. 
of China tea to the United States last season up 
to the middle of November only a very little over 
1,000,000 lb. of tea corresponding to the ordinary 
Ceylon b’aok leaf was imported, while of Oolongs 
there were imported 14,000,000 lb., and of the un- 
fermented class which are the true green teas no 
less than 32,000,000 lb. 
In view of the desire in Ceylon to introduce teas 
of this island into the American maket, it is thus 
shown to be highly desirable that teas should be 
manufactured of the unfermented olaas, and that a 
method and apparatus for insuring the manufacture 
thereof should be perfected. 
Oolongs consist of tea leaves withered either 
artificially or naturally by hot air or on hot plates, 
sulSciently to enable them to be rolled, when they 
are straightway fired. 
The result of this process is that the effect called 
by some fermentation and by others oxidization is 
partially produced, and this effect prevents the 
leaves from being uniform in colour and causes 
them to vary from an olive green to a light 
brown. 
True Green Teas are made only of leaf which 
has never been fermented or oxidized and when 
infused should show a uniform yellowish green 
colour which could never be obtained had either 
oxidization or fermentation taken place. The pro- 
duction of these teas has hitherto been found 
impracticable in Ceylon because leaf oould not be 
rendered sufficiently soft or pliable to be rolled or 
twisted unless by its being withered either naturally 
or ar.ificially by hot air or hot plates, which wither- 
ing is in itself a degree of fermentation or 
oxidization. 
It was therefore requisite to find a method of 
obtaining pliability necessary for the rolling or 
twisting process by other means which would 
prevent all fermentation or oxdization. The in- 
ventors claim to have discovered after long ex- 
periment, and to have been the first in Ceylon to 
practise their discovery, that leaf oould be without 
resort to any process heretofore used in Ceylon 
causing fermentation or oxidization, be rendered 
sufficiently pliable for rolling by a method here-to 
fore entirely novel in Ceylon, which process not only 
produces pliability but absolutely checks all fermenta- 
tion or oxidization, Full particulars of the maohine 
can be obtained from Messrs. Browo, Rae, & Co., our 
agents at Hatton, and with each machine, instructions 
necessary for its use will be issued. 
(Singed) H. D. DEANE, 
J. T, RAE. 
Ramie Machinerv Exhibition. — Another exhibi- 
tion of ramie preparing machinery is to be held 
in the Agricultural Section jof the Paris Universal 
Exhibition in August next. — Industries, June 14th. 
Tile Drainage. — Prof. J. F, W. Johnston, of 
Edinburgh, has said in his lectures on agricultural 
chemistry that “ with the disappearance of the 
permanent state of moisture, the coldness of many 
suils also rapidly disappears. The backwardness of 
the crops in spring and the lateness of the harvests 
in autumn are le s frequently complained of, for 
the drainage in many localities produces effects 
which ate equivalent to a change of climate." He 
says further that “ in consequence of the drainage 
which had taken place in the parish of Peterhead, 
Aberdeenshire, during the previous twenty years 
the crops were arriving at maturity ten to fourteen 
days sooner than they formerly did, and that the 
same was true in many other Incalties.” — 
Louisiana Planter and Sugar Maiuu’acturer, June 
28th. 
