December i, 1890.1 
THE TROPICAL AQmctJLTUmST. 
397 
CEYLON TEA; HoW TEEATED IN LONDON 
TEA WAREHOUSES. 
A well-known proprietary planter favors ua with 
the following account of hie experience in this 
matter : — 
Oct. 16th.— I can't agree that in the “great Bonded 
WarehouBCB,’’ our teas are treated in a sensible 
fashion ! for during my last “ holiday ” at home, 1 
spared no pains in watching the treatment tea received 
in London. In the “ Bonded Warehouses ’’ referred 
to, each and every chest and J chest is ripped open ; 
then a man comes along with a knife and slits the tea 
lead, right along the full length of every chest ; 
a handful is then taken from each chest and sub- 
mitted for examination to the selling brokers’ 
representative, who decides whether or not the te.as 
are to pass as ‘‘Factory bulki d”; if they are not 
so passed, out on to the floor it all goes, to he 
bulked by the warehou.semen. Navvies in tact; who 
turn it over and over with iron showele, when 
sufSciently bulked it is most rsnghly repacked, and 
stamped down by the navvies in their hobnailed boots. 
From the time the lead is first slit open, days may 
elapse and do elapse, before any steps are taken to 
in any way protect the teas from the air. One time 
when i was being shown round, I noticed a strong 
smell of coflee roasting, which was being carried on 
close by ; large quantities of tea were at the same 
time being bulked ! So much for the sensible fashion 
in which our teas arc treated in the “ Great Bonded 
Warehouses ’’ ' 
IIlLLCOUNTRy PLANTING REPORT. 
IHE WEATHER A VISIT FROM MR. NOCK — THE BATTLE 
OF THE WATTLES ACACIAS AND EUCALVPTS 
OTHER TIMBER AND SHADE TREES — GRAND VIEWS — 
THE TREE TOMATO— HINDRANCES TO PROGRESS ON 
THE RAILWAY EXTENSION — ANOTHER CALM DAY. 
Nanuoya, Oct. 18th. 
Yesterday was a beautiful day, and there was a 
gentle deposit of rain during the night which is 
indicated this morning by the rain-gauge as equal 
to 16 cents. The fears of those who are planting 
have been thus dissipated for the time. As a 
oonsequenoe, no doubt, of the rain falling on ground 
heated by yesterday's strong sunshine, there are 
masses of white vapour on the mountains, but the 
aUn is shining brightly down into the valley, 
“ Every leaf is at rest,” and there is the promise 
of another fine day. [Whioh has been amply 
fulfilled.] 
Yesterday we had a very interesting visit from 
Mr. Nook of Hakgala, who came for the pur- 
pose of obtaining information and specimens to 
enable Dr. Trimen to identify some of the 
many exotic trees growing here and especially 
to clear up, if possible, the confusion ex- 
isting regarding the numerous and variable 
species of Australian acacias or wattles: About 
A., aniiata, with its thorn-like leaves and its 
primrose-coloured, catkin-like blossoms, there is 
no question : it is simply ornamental. The diffi- 
culty has been about A. decnrrens, with its two 
varieties (at least), and A, dealbata. We are about 
certain that we have the best varieties of both, 
grand trees of a dozen years’ growth on a 
quarlzy ridge. What wo take to be A. decurrcn^, 
and what Mr. Nook thought was its superior variety 
iKoUisKima, agrees in foliage with Mr. Ktllow’s 
specimeii sent to us, its warmer golden colouring 
of flush in ours being probably due to its more 
mauu'G age. Indeed our trees look as it they had 
reached full maturity, the large quantity of gum 
they secreted having led to considerable deeompo-i- 
tion of the bark and the formation of a 
aei'icn of ouiious round knob:’., some ut which 
were detached and handed to Mr. Nock, while 
others, being connected with the wood of the 
trees, could not be removed, The specimens of both 
trees show great growth for their age, but their 
mode of growth differs exceedingly. What we take 
to be A. decurrens has grown umbrageously, throwing 
out a large number of thick branches ; so that, 
as Mr. Nook remarked, a tree, if cut down, would 
yield a large quantity of “ cord -wood,” — that is 
timber for fuel. Its mode of growth certainly seems 
to indicate that it is more su'table for firewood 
than timber for house building or other purposes, 
although the trunk and even some of the enormous 
horizontal branohes would yield planks and deals of 
good size. What, from its silvery foliage, we take 
to be 4. dealbata grows into straight tall handsome 
trees, with a moderate array of branches, which 
are not spreading, but assume more of the semi- 
perpendicular form. There can be no question as to 
this being the finer tree of the two, while, from 
the absence of gummy and other secretions, it shows 
no sign of having reached anything like the 
termination of its fresh and growing existence. 
The sending up of suckers by this tree seems to 
depend on circumstances. Until yesterday we called 
our tree “the A. dealbata which does not sold up 
suckers.” But we found that one specimen had sent 
its roots out into loose soil and that from these 
roots suckers were springing. For yielding a large 
supply of firewood, it will probably be advisable 
to encourage rather than suppress the tendency 
of A. dealbata to send up suckers- Mr. Nock took 
away speoimens of other acacias, as well as of the 
numerous varieties of eucalypts growing on Abbots- 
ford. One of the latter, of exceeding rapid growth, 
closely resembles A. decurrens in its branching habit, 
some of the branches, indeed, vying with the trunk 
in size. The blue gum. Eucalyptus ylobiilus, of whioh 
we have many, are not trees to be proud of, 
except in specially favourable localities ; but the 
red and white gums grow well. E. robusta is here 
as in all these districts a very luxuriant grower, 
while, rather to onr surprise, one of our best and 
quickest growing trees is the famous jarrah tree, 
E. maryinata. Mr. Nook admired our truly noble 
specimens of Alhizzia. moluccana, so prized in Java 
as a shade tree. When covered with snow-white 
flowers, as some of ours have been, these trees 
are beautiful objeets. But they are brittle and the 
timber poor as firewood, although, doubtless, 
it would prove suitable for tea chests. Grevil- 
leas do well here up to close on 6,000 feet, 
but Nuwara Eliya seems to be beyond their 
limit. A few planted near the bund in good 
soil, have grown fairly well, but their tops 
were broken by wind. Mr. Nock much admired 
pur syncarpias. As one of the best firewoods we 
have large numbers of different species of casua- 
rinas, and for the same purpose we are growing 
the luxuriant bushy frenelas, trees whioh for 
shelter and shade purposes could scarcely be sur- 
passed. Mr. Nock was in great admiration of 
our young plantations, in whioh, wattles, oasuarinas, 
eucalypts and cryptomeriaa are conspicuous, while 
other trees are being tried, as well as with the 
large number of older trees scattered about the 
estate. We have now found that, with the ex- 
ception of wattles, casnarinas and above all bamboos, 
trees grown amongst lea do little or no harm 
to the principal culture. Indeed we rather think 
that at our higher elevations the shelter of trees 
is useful. Never having been here before, Mr. 
Nock was enchanted with our grand and extensive 
views, as of mountains, valleys and patnnaa, 
terrace after tc-rrao', betsveen 1,600 and nearly 
0,000 feet altitude, was attained near our beauti- 
ful lakelet; which supplies water for working the 
