October i, 1890.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
255 
MR. CLEMENTS MARKHAM CIN- 
CHONA IN CEYLON. 
The following letter addressed to Mr. A. M. 
Ferguson, senior, by Mr. Clements Markham, whose 
name is so honourably associated with the introduction 
of the fever plants of the Andes to India and 
Ceylon, forms an interesting supplement to Mr. 
Melvor’s report : — 
India Office, S. W. April 27th, 187G. 
My dear sir, — I have to thank you very much 
for kindly sending me the .interesting photographs 
of the cinchona trees on the Dimbula estate, and 
for the pamphlet on the climate of the locality 
where they are growing. You will be able to obtain 
seeds of C. CaUaaija from Mr Molvor, at Ota- 
eamund ; but I think G. OfficinaUf; is the best 
for Ceylon, and will always fecch a high price from 
quinine manufacturers. The C. Succiruhra (red 
bark) is the best of all in a utilitarian point 
of view, because it yields the largest percentage 
of febrifuge alkaloids ; and it is certain that 
cinchonidine, its chief product, and the other 
alkaloids, are as efficacious as quinine. But it will 
take some time to overcome ignorant prejudices 
among doctors in England on this point. About 
this I am now taking a great deal of troub'e, 
and I have already got the e.xceUent febrifuge 
medicine from the red hark, manufactured by Mr 
Wood at Calcutta, introduced into the London 
hospitals. 
I am sorry to say that the authorities here, 
since the change of ministry, object to the full 
information given in my “ Progress Reports and 
have taken their preparation out of my hands. 
NoiV a mere abstrt.ot of reports received from 
India is prepared by a clerk. It is a sad pity. 
I shall, however, be glad to receive from you 
any Reports respecting cinchona and coffee plan- 
tations in Ceylon which I could utilize in other ways. 
We have already got all the best kinds of Calisaya, 
including the variety Ledgeriana ; and plants or 
seeds can be obtained from the Nilgiris ; so that 
it would be a waste of money to send again to 
South America. 
Ever yours very truly, 
Clemexts R. Markii.ui. 
♦ 
PLANTING IN DELI. 
(Prom the Straits Times, Aug. ISlh.) 
The Dell Courant of ibe 2nd Augasi. can hazard 
no difiuita opinion as to the prospects of this year’s 
tobacco crop. No wonder wlisn even experts differ 
in the forecast and tiiid it hard t> foretell the turn 
of events. The disturbing element in the calculatiom 
arises from a recent long drou,;bt ill the planting 
districts, and many growers fear that they are much 
fhe worse, for it. So far as appsMrann.s go, the 
coming crop will fall below the averige in quantity, 
but a few smart showers iu the present month may 
materially improve the ont'ook. Langkat, this year, 
has fared better in weather than Ueli where several 
(s'a’es, in coasiquenoi of early planting, have tiirne 1 
out very badlv. Upper Ssr lang, too, has lost heavily 
by the drought, but Bobongannot.it all. In Assalian, 
there is every prospect of get'ieg 6 to 7 piculs from 
every tiebl, but Siak, .'•ave on an > slate or two, makes as 
dismal a show as iu the past. Planters report favour- 
ably on crop prospec's in Labuan Batu. The dronglit 
has taki n effect in a pre.lousinance c;f dark qua Uy 
in the yield. In fermeniing the product, the managers 
will bo hard put to it how to give their tobacco 
that light coloured appe irance which a'ono takes wilh 
comsumors in Europe and .Ym rica. Though planters 
can do little in this line, shareholders and directors 
in Europe will not see it, and continually cry out 
for the more taking colour, and complain of other 
estates being more fortunate in this point than theirs. 
A manager who gets put out by this becomes a 
marked man. Managers too find a big estate with 
hosts of coolies no easy matter to handle. Expe- 
rience has proved that the size of an estate has its 
limits to admit of profitable working. Four hundred 
fields to an estate seem to be the maximum limit, 
which cannot safely be overstepped. The Deli Com- 
pany has profited by it, aud its managers show that 
they do not hesitate to curtail extension when 
circumstances prove adverse. Other managers mani- 
fest less prudence and to deem the more coolies in 
the fields the merrier, but the results of such 
unreasonable extension speak suEficiontly for themselves 
to deter others from following tho example. 
In Assalian the planting outlook t.akes such a bright 
appearance that applications for railway concessions 
there begin to be talked of. 
Two East Sumatra planter.? have just been called upon 
to answer for themselves before the Criminal Court 
at Batavia on charges of illtreating coolies. Facts like 
these happening now and then come in handy to 
those who want to make out that planters on the 
East Coast of Sumatra are a rough lot, giveu to 
harsh dealing with their labourers. But it should 
be borne in mind that this report only holds good 
in newly opened districts, where the absence of police 
and the weakness of goveniment authority lessen 
security. Planters finding themselves in the midst of 
coolies mostly of bad character as well as naturally 
turbulent and unruly, have to depend upon themselves 
to keep order among such a mixed multitude. That 
under such circumstances they should take the law into 
their own hands and administer rough and ready 
justice is nothing surprising. They may be mistaken 
iu so doing, but the Government must bear the blame 
of driving them into it, by neglecting to station 
police in districts which planters and coolies have 
begun to open out. 

A TRAP TO CATCH THE INDIAN 
MARKET. 
(By TUB “ Perip.atbtic Planter.”) 
Anattempt isheing made to get ludian tea dealt in 
in the Clearing House, like China teas. A few days ago, 
a number of representative importers and Indian tea 
brokers were invited to meet the author! ies of the 
Clearing House, it wts understood by those invited, to 
discuss the feasibility and advisibility of Indian teas 
being so dealt in. No sooner had they entered the 
room, however, than thev were informed that thefensi- 
bility was already decided ; and, moreover, that Indian 
tea would be dealt in from the 1st Cct. next! Some 
had held aloof from attending, but a good many were 
iniluced to attend under the idea that it was well at 
all events to heir what could be said in favour of the 
scheme and not to abstain out of mere prejudice or 
preconceived notions ; the more so, as they wore h d to 
understanl that the couveners of the meeting promised 
a way to improve the Irdiin market, attempting enougtr 
iait. This reaiiiotsr t ) beeonviuced will show, that if 
the scheme fails to obtain the support of those who 
havehoaru its details described, aud who at the same 
time were deemed experts — or they would not have been 
invited — the scheme should bo looked upon with suspicion 
at least, if not c ndamned offhand by tho.se who, whilst 
interested, were not able to attend the meeting. In- 
stead of suggesting any means of introducing new 
capital or legitimate new development of real busi- 
ness, it at once became evident that Iirdian Tea was 
merely to he made tire battledore and shuttlecock of 
a small group of speculators, like China Tea. There 
were to he 5 or G “ typos” as standards, and a com- 
mittee of valuers and so forth. A very little consi- 
deration has already induced a good many of the Irxi- 
portrrs aud Brokers present at that meeting to already 
withdraw their ttames from the enterprise; and tho 
