344 
TMP TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [November i, 1890. 
laud in Sou'h Africa. Perhaps a few words of cau- 
tion on this subject roay not be out of place in the 
columns of a periodical devoted to the interests of 
Oejlon industries. 
As regards climate, there is such a variety in the 
island, from the very humid to the extreni"ly parch- 
ed, to be found in western and pouth-wastern 
localities on the one hand to the northern and ea-^t- 
trii on the other, that there shou'd be little diffi- 
culty in meetine with what is require!. Am for soil, 
however, the matter is not so easily settled, for there 
can be no doubt that none but fairly rich lanf is 
likely to produce good tobacco for a series of years. 
In Ceylon there is very little coming under this de- 
nomination in the majority of districts, and there 
is the ijrobability that even where the land is 
well suited to the cultivation of the plant, that it 
must, after a short time, be assisted by artificial meaus. 
Those means are, according bo experts, a supply of 
lime, phosphates and animal and vegetable manures. 
The present range of priocs for fine “ wrapper leaf,” 
from Is. 6.1. to 2s. lOd., will doubthss enable a good 
deal to be done in the way of manures, but we would 
advhe intending planters not to reckon on a con- 
tinuance of such figures. The planting of new land 
with tobacco in Sumatra, Borneo, Ceylon and J imaica 
must, as in the case of tea, lead to the over supply of 
fine tobacco, one leaf of which euttices for wrappers for 
several cigars. 
It is more than isrobable that the conviction of this 
in the minds of some of the ’argest proprietors of 
tobacco estates in Sumatra is the true explanation of 
so many of them disposing of their properties to 
Llmitei Cnmpinies. We have beard of another reason 
for ‘his change of proprietor,»hip in the deer- asing 
fcrtilify of the so 1, caused by the exhau.siing nature of 
the cultivation. 
That in tbe future, near or remote, there will be any 
fall'iig off in the demand for tobacco of ordinary quality 
we do ni-t apprehend; tlie habit of smoking is too 
deeply implanted in the rising geur ration to allow of 
any such foreboding, beyond which there is the addi- 
tional re.'Scn for a coniiuned expansion of the trade 
in the growing fashion of cigarette smoking amongst 
ladrns. At the same time we are bound to confess 
that of late years there has been a marked deterioration 
in the qua'ity of cigars suld in this country, far more 
so than in the quality of cut ‘obacco used for cigars tl e.s, 
BO much so is tliis the case that unless a very high price 
is paid it is almost impossible to obtain a pleasantly 
smoking cigar. 
The reason of this fal ing off in the flavour of ordinary 
cigars is that the emp'oymeut of a fine quality of 
“wrapper leaf ’’for the cutside.s of cigars enables the 
rasnufaolurers in this country lo palm off ‘he veriest 
rnhbi-h of leaf in the inner portion, the inferior quality 
of which is onlv apparent when it is being smoked. 
The Oey'on Tobacco and Cigar Company will do well 
to avoid this pilming off inside ruhbi.sh by means of a 
fine looking wrapp'^r, and adhere to a good selection of 
well-cured leaf throughout. 
The inferiority of cisars generally, and the verv high 
price demanded for anything like quahty in the article, 
Pave led to an enormous inc'ease in the demand for 
cigarettes, for which a medium de-criptiun ot cut leaf 
is reijuirod, and this must senstblv restrict the use of 
wrapper leaf. It is woith wbi'o for Cay 1 an tobacco 
idanters to take note of i emarks made by the Bribsh 
Consul at Amsterdam on the trade in Sumatra iobac"o 
at that port, which he de.scribes as very uusatisfactrry 
to impor'ers. The quality of the crop was not so good 
us in previous years, the plant not having fully develop- 
ed. There was, in consequence, a much larger quantity 
of dark-coloured and socmul-ohiss tobaccos among the 
importations, and the light-caloured kinds, which com- 
mand high pr’ccs, were comparatively scarce. There 
was a largo cro)), and the few lots of tine quality fetched 
liigli prices, but the rest had for the most part to be 
sold at riues which were exceedingly discouraging to 
importers. The more favourublv-situated plaidations 
still gave good remits, the dividends for 1888 being 
excellent, but go serious a drop in 'lie jirices of tobacco 
uffec'ed many undertakings still struggling with difli- 
cqltios, and some of them have already gone into 
liquidation. It has been stated that this falling-off in 
quality is due to a greet extent to exliaustiou of soil, 
just as iu the Western States of America, wheat crops 
are decreasing. 
In another place will be found an interesting account 
of the cultivation, curing, and ma'iufacture of Mexican 
tobacco in the State ‘ f Vera Cruz, from which it will 
be teen how much pains are being taken in the develop- 
ment of the industry in that country. Tbe remarks iu 
question point to the fact that those planters who 
combine the manufacture of cigars with that of tobacco- 
growing and curing, realize very large profits . — Ceylon 
Advertiser. 
The Cocoa Beetle.— Agriculturists of this island, 
says the Chronicle of St. George’s, Grenada, con- 
tinue to be considerably exercised over the cocoa 
beetle, and well they may, for the pest is ex- 
tending its ravages in all parts of the island at 
an alarming rale. Acres upon acres of trees, 
chiefly of young growth, have already fallen 
victims to the destructive insect, and many more 
are (hreatened. The Commission appointed by the 
Governor to inquire to what extent the beetle is 
destructive to the trees, and to determine upon 
measures for its destruction, has commenced its 
inquiry, but when that will terminate it is hard 
for us to say. One or two planters have set an 
excellent example to their brethren by employing 
boys and girls to go through the fields and de- 
stroy the larvre and the beetles wherever they are 
detected. 
Kalutara, Sapfc. 27tli. — A case of some magnitude, 
in which Mr. Simon de Fon,‘ek6 as p'alntiif claimed 
damages, R1 312-50, from 'he le. sees ot his chmamon 
eatat-, Fitagou.al,iy, for breach of d-venants of lease, 
was liear-l on the 25th instant, the rlaim b,^ing resisted 
for the lessees by the Ho.-i, Mr. A. de A. Sf-neviratne, 
Advona'o, as^isud Ly Mr. Proctor IVij ratne. The 
p’airitiff was represeii'i,ed by Mr. Walter Pereira, Ad- 
vocate, as.sisted by Mr. Proctor de Silva. After a 
leogthened inves’igatioo, during which the evirleoce 
of the headmen, w lio had as-e^sed the nllece'! damages 
at pt.aintiff’s request, was led for pla-utiff's side, judg- 
ment was reserv'd, and was pr^nouriced yesterday in 
favour of piiiiiitiff for Rl,200 and costs. The breaches 
complaine .1 of were that drains were not well opened 
out and kept cl -ar, so th-R oi;iii 'mon bushes were de- 
trimentally affected by wa‘er being a lowed to remain 
stagnant; that tender shoots were cut; and that 
weeding was done in a very uahuabandmaniiko manner. 
Mr. Jardyne, a ciunarnon planter from the N'gimt-o 
District, having inspected the land at the plaintiff’s 
request,, gave evidence for the plaiutiff. The judgment 
is likelv 'o be appeak d against. 
Thavancoke Teas Sold in Colombo. — At yester- 
way's (Oct. 2nd) pubPe sales of tea a small invoice of 
Travanpere tea. b o 'ght down by B. I. steamir, was 
catalogued, and, though not sold in sale, afterwards rea- 
lized 'ligh prices privately. The tea v/as catalogued by 
Messrs. Forbes & V/alker, and the following particu- 
lars are gathered from tfieir catalogued: — 
PENSHUEST. 
14 hf-chs. Bro. Pekoe ... 910 lb... 76 c. bid 
6 ,, Pekoe ... 800 lb. ..53 ,, 
17 ,, P' k. Sou. ... 765 lb. . 41 ,, 
6 „ Unassorted ... 800 lb... 45 ,, 
43 hf-chs. 2,275 lb. 
The tea is described to us as very well mide, and 
altogether an attractive parcel, as the prices bid in the 
room testify. Higher prices wore paid privately after 
tho sale, and the proprietor of the estate ought to be 
well sati-fied with the result of bis experiment in 
sending his teas to Onlomho for sale, where they meet 
with ready competition from buyers shipping to all 
parts of the world. We hope that we shall not only 
see Penshurst teas continue to be sold on our market, 
but also that other Travancore proprietors will follow 
this excellent example and send their te.as to Colombo 
for sale, where full value can always be obtained for 
them. 
